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04:00
Center for Documentary Studies
Black Magic
Film by Bunny Laden and Talibah Aquil and Trent Maverick Part of the CDS Courses Documentary Video Intensive, Summer 2019. ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY VIDEO INTENSIVE ➤ In this eight-day intensive, students are fully immersed in the process of documentary filmmaking. Working in small production teams (one instructor for every four students) led by experienced documentary filmmakers, students are introduced to an array of tools and techniques as they collaborate with one partner to direct, shoot, edit, and screen a documentary short. By the time students arrive at the intensive, CDS staff will have arranged for students to do fieldwork in the Durham community on a documentary subject; the two-person teams then decide on the technical and creative approach they want to take with their project. This intensive will also explore different documentary genres and discuss collaboration, ethics, and community outreach. For more information about this CDS course, please visit cdscourses.org.
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03:32
Bunny Laden
The Ice Hotel
Jukkasjärvi, Sweden is the home of The Ice Hotel and the land of the Sami people. I visited for a week in 2013, staying on ice for a few nights and in a warm hotel for a few more. This version is a recent edit (2019). The stills and video were captured on consumer-grade equipment without a tripod. Nonetheless, I think you'll see how incredible this land is--and so are the people.
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46:32
Bunny Laden
Metamorphosis: The Transformation of the Bournemouth Symphony
This documentary tells the story of the Bournemouth Symphony's rise to international acclaim while under the baton of Maestro Constantin Silvestri. Ray Carpenter, the symphony's principal clarinet, shares his memories along with historic materials—photographs, excerpts of musical recordings, newspaper clippings, and programs. Ray provides insight into his own musical coming-of-age as well as musical life during the Silvestri (1961-1969) years. Despite his short tenure with the symphony, Maestro Silvestri managed to transform a provincial band to an orchestra whose performances were praised in and beyond London. To Hear Complete Musical Pieces: Go to the Constantin Silvestri channel on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiExn07UDOob13n1oDCCjzg/videos About the Video Production I used a Canon VIXIA HD, Final Cut X, and Final Draft for my script. I followed a tip from Aron Ranen (Digital Video Workshops in Los Angeles) to get acceptable lighting from the built-in light on the Canon. Glen Gould did all the pre-production cleanup of musical excerpts and still images. He used a CEDAR Cambridge audio restoration system and iZotope RX software. The Bournemouth Library gave Glen and I unlimited access to archival materials. We brought a high-density scanner to England to capture slides, negatives, and the other historic materials. The Wessex Film and Sound Archive in Winchester transferred many of the recordings from the original deteriorating tapes. They also gave Glen access to the actual tape boxes and Silvestri's handwritten journal of his tape collection. Glen spent countless hours deciphering the handwriting. About Ray Carpenter Ray Carpenter was an accomplished clarinetist who performed with the Bournemouth Symphony from 1948 to 1987. His first-hand experiences performing under the baton of Constantin Silvestri are at the center of this documentary. Ray gathered the historic materials and ensured their safe keeping in the Bournemouth Library and The Wessex Film and Sound Archive. He recently published an account of his years with the BSO in Constantin Silvestri, Magician: A View From the Orchestra.
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