J-school alumni from UC Berkeley at Sundance
This year’s Sundance film Festival has been one of the most rewarding for me because of the participation of a number of outstanding J-school alumni from UC Berkeley, where I teach editing. Arriving into the Salt Lake City airport, I ran into Pete Nicks, director of the upcoming documentary feature “The Waiting Room”. Pete (class of ’91) invited me to share a ride to Park City, and I got to hear a preview of his presentation on a panel about film and Web 3.0.
“The Waiting Room”, a film about uninsured patients in urban hospitals, is at the vanguard of a new role for documentary films: showcasing a much larger, web-based social issue project. Working with BAVC’s Wendy Levi at the Producers Institute for New Media Technologies, Pete foresees installing several “story booths” in hospitals across the nation which will collect stories (also known as “cultural data”) that the hospitals and other institutions can use to give poor and uninsured Americans a chance to tell their story. Go, Pete!
One of the most exciting films I saw at Sundance was Jason Spingarn-Koff’s “Life 2.0”, a nuanced look at the Second Life phenomenon. Jason (class of ’01) skillfully follows three character arcs: the story of lovers who meet online, a gender bending video addict, an African-American entrepreneur who makes a six-figure income on Second Life selling a clothing line. During the Q&A, Jason talked about an emerging field of virtual cinematography called “Machinima”. Shot by Academy-nominated J-school alum Dan Krauss (’04), “Life 2.0” is a beautiful cinematic experience.
Count yourself lucky if you have the opportunity to see Sam Green’s new documentary experience, “Utopia in Four Movements”. This highly innovative documentary examines the phenomenon of utopia in an essay format that you probably haven’t seen before. Rather than start with a straightforward simple thesis, supported by several arguments, Sam (class of ’91) weaves together his complex thoughts about utopia by delivering in-person narration, accompanied by a live musical performance. When asked how he came up with such an innovative format, Sam said that he struggled to find a way to connect the film’s four areas of focus. Since he didn’t like voiceover narration, he worked with musical genius and co-director Dave Cerf to develop a score that would accompany, of all things, a PowerPoint presentation. What emerged is anything but dry. Sam’s delightful voice, presence and humor make this “live documentary” a unique and ephemeral experience. Kudos to Sam, as well as J-school alumni Jasmine Dellal (’91) and Carrie Lazano (’05), who co-produced “Utopia in Four Movements”.
As I’m sure I’ve missed the participation of many J-school alumni at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, please give us a shout out, and let us know what creative pursuits you been up to at Park City this year…or hope to premiere next year. I would also be remiss if I did not say thank you to the outstanding mentorship in the documentary program at the UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. Jon Else and his predecessor Marlon Riggs have shaped this year’s crop of talent, a generation just now hitting their professional stride. Other documentary mentors have contributed along the way, including Deborah Hoffman, Frances Reid, Stanley Nelson, Jean-Phillippe Boucicaut and Steve Most. If I’ve forgotten anyone, I apologize and please let us know. (By the way Stanley Nelson’s new film “Freedom Riders” is premiering in the U.S. Documentary Competition this year!)