April 2006

Hell or High Water

marla — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0600

In 1998, I joined the production team of Julie Gustafson’s Desire, a documentary about teenage girls from three diverse New Orleans neighborhoods. Funded by both local and outside foundations, Desire was one of the first in New Orleans to create paid opportunities for local documentary makers. As a member of Julie’s crew, I met many independent filmmakers working in the city, and my short stint on the project turned into a long-term relationship with New Orleans. I visited many times over the next eight years to see filmmaking friends and to hear about their projects.

State of Fear

marla — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0600

The Last Shot

How Far We've Come

marla — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0600

In 1988, 19-year-old Joanna Katz and her friend were abducted at gunpoint by five men who took turns raping, beating, and torturing them. Joanna managed to escape and later testified in the trials that led to the sentencing of all five men to 30 to 35 years in prison.

Q&A: Linda Goldstein Knowlton and Linda Hawkins Costigan

marla — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0600

For most people in America, “Sesame Street” warrants no introduction.

Making it on public TV

RossiF — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Dear Doc Doctor:
How can I get my work onto public television?

Moving Images

marla — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me (2004) was an unqualified hit. The documentary, which followed Spurlock as he ate nothing but McDonalds for 30 days and interviewed a string of experts on the rapidly worsening American obesity epidemic, was nominated for an Oscar. It won at Sundance and at countless other festivals. It earned glowing reviews and a wide theatrical release—still a rarity for documentaries. It became the sixth highest grossing documentary in history, and it even made Spurlock some money—almost miraculous for a documentarian.