

The week in review: 1/24-1/30
So... the fun of editing. This is where movies are made. Or at least that is what they say. So I have been burning the midnight oil getting a final copy of the eviction. I have to turn it in on Wed and will be discussing it with my chair, Prof. Ben Levin, on Friday. So hope for the best on that. Well has it been all work and no play? Well no. One of my favorite drinking holes is The Bearded Monk in Denton. It has great staff and stocks Craft Beer. I will have one or


Tabloid review: Docs on the spot
Errol Morris, an incredibly gifted documentary director made a beautiful documentary that pressed the field of documentary narrative forward; Standard Operating Procedure. In this film he strove to find out what the truth was behind the abuses at Abu Ghraib. It was apolitical, it was only seeking truth, and it was an engaging and beautiful story. The only problem: It was released during incredibly turbulent political times. His film was listed as being anti-war (which it


The week in review: 1/17-1/23
The big report for this week, I went and shot the Women's Rally up in Denton. Did I do this because I was a Democrat? No. Did I do this because I am a Republican? No. Well then why did I do it? I did it because I am a documentarian. Also, I know that we need to heal the political divide that is splitting the nation. This is a problem as when the citizens are divided it prevents us all from rising to our potential. So how can this divide be crossed. Well, one thing we


The Fear of 13 review: Docs on the spot
“Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.”
― Mark Twain This is something to remember especially when one watches "The Fear of 13." This documentary with it's twists and turns is a stark reminder of the truth of Twain's statement. To begin with, Documentary is story. In the Fear of 13 two master storytellers join to tell an engrossing tale. One is the central subject of the Film Nick. Now I could have


The week in review: 1/9-1/16
So... it was an eventful week. On Thursday I finally was able to go and visit The Cottages at Hickory Crossing. This is located at CitySquare off S. Malcolm X Blvd. . It is a group of about 50 single unit dwellings that provide sustainable housing for the homeless. A radical concept no doubt. This solution is presented and explained in The Eviction but I wasn't able to find out if they were open until now. Now they are complete. They have about eighteen units filled


Paradise Lost/West of Memphis Review : Docs on the spot
So you want to see a crime doc? Then read on. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) Paradise Lost is an investigative piece on the brutal murder of three ten year old boys in West Memphis. Directed by Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, Paradise Lost plunges the viewer into West Memphis, Arkansas and their desperate search for the killer. Aided no doubt by Berlingers schooling at Colgate University and Sinofsky's education at Tisch School fo


The week in review: 1/2-1/8
So there I am. In the background. On the right. It was Saturday, Jan 7. When we started it was hovering above freezing, but when the sun went down the temperature dropped. A group of citizens, frustrated by the lack of government action, took to the streets to provide the basics of shelter with tents, blankets, and food to their brothers and sisters who shivered in the cold. All of which was illegal. But tell that to one who is desperate for the basics of survival. The re


Red Army Review: Doc's on the spot
It was a day and a time that the earth stood still. It was at the 1980 Winter Games. It was a moment of history. What was it? A scrappy, ragamuffin group of American college kids stood against a seemingly unstoppable Soviet team. Though defeat was expected, the Americans stood fast. Unbelievably, beyond merely standing... they won. Pride swelled in American hearts. They said it couldn't be done. We were the victors. And I suppose it it hadn't been for the fact that

The week in review 12/25-1/1
So what have I been up to. Well it has been a whirlwind month. It began with me getting "The Eviction" edited into a passable state. Then I had about a week to write my thesis (73 pages). Then, rewrites. Had to move out of my old place in less than a week. Then Christmas. Then my son Sam arrived. Yeah! Then my son left. Awwww. Then I had to get busy sending off applications. Now that I am... M.F.A. Galloway! Well besides the domestic what else? Well Wally won a S