We've finally gotten around to post production on the documentary we've been working on since last year. The film is the brainchild of my friend Susan who was inspired to produce a film documenting Wyoming women making quilts using the Downton Abbey Women's Collection. This fabric collection was inspired by the fabrics of the characters in the PBS show "Downton Abbey."
We enlisted the talents of Cheyenne's best filmmaking team, Shawn Crochet and Jerry Steinhour. We went to the International Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska to interview quilt historians. In Cheyenne, we filmed at a quilt retreat at the Nagle Warren Mansion where the women gathered to work on their Downton Abbey quilts.
I will be writing the narrative for the film. This is the first time I've written a script for a documentary. I've watched documentaries to get inspiration. I've realized that there are many documentary styles. Creative juices are kicking in.
Now we are in the editing process, going through all the footage. We are planning on submitting the film to Wyoming PBS.
This whole project is kind of like making a quilt. All the quilt pieces are laid out on the table and it looks overwhelming. But in the end the quilt will be sewn together, resulting in a beautiful work of art.
Editing is a massive - and incredibly important part - of filmmaking. In my college film courses - one editing exercise gave each of us a set of shots about a bank robbery along with the accompanying sound - and everyone was tasked with editing it into a sequence. After we'd all completed our edits we watched an edited version provided - then screened each of our efforts (the whole sequence ran three or four minutes, generally). It was amazing to watch the various choices and edits made - some making the sequence stronger - others making it more eclectic.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your edit and narrative efforts - and I really hope your Wyoming PBS goes for it!
Craig, that sounds like a wonderful training exercise. The choices! Will definitely keep you all posted about the project.
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