Update with Angela Williams

New Mexico and Maye Torres

This week, I met again with Maye Torres to find out what she’s been up to these past few years.  Gary Henoch, our superb Camera man for most of the film, and Will Dunning, our Producer for most of the project, came out to Taos with me to film Maye.  We visited with her at her Studio in Carson, New Mexico and then traveled to Raton, in Northern New Mexico, where she has both sculpture and works on canvas at the Coalfax Miner’s Medical Center.  It was a great few days.  Watch out for  the follow up video early next month.

I am in Santa Fe for the weekend and have happened upon a huge Festival–bands playing and parades around the Plaza–outside my window.  Think I’ll go see what this is all about!

Supporting Fellow Artists

Just got an email from a Librarian from Kewaskum, WI that eloquently discusses some of the major issues addressed in Who Does She Think She Is?. See email below.

In brief, Steven would like to buy our Library version of the film, but doesn’t have the budget for it. And I can relate and empathize and sympathize and understand…BUT– we made a film— about art and its value to society–and to make this film– we’ve put in six years of time and more money than I would have imagined…and not one of the five artists that we have profiled has been paid.

They gave of their time, gladly (well, maybe Not Always gladly–its a pain to have a film crew following you around) but they gave out of a sense of the importance of these issues.

And not for a moment, do I regret the time, money and resources I have spent on this project– I am paid back by all the people who have come, seen, cried, clapped and perhaps…even gone home and made some changes in their life. People who write to tell us that the film “kept them going” as painters, writers, singers. People who say that the trailer made them cry. I am kept going by these and other responses– such as this heartfelt letter from Steve about his lack of funds.

But, we are trying to cover our costs– hence the sale of the DVD.

So, what IS the Answer? Does art–or film making– only exist because of Patronage– people who toil away in Law or Medicine or Commodity trading but secretly desire to sing? I don’t know the answer–Except, if anyone out there values this film, please tell your friends and family to go see it, to buy the DVD or, to have your Library, your community college or Arts organization buy the DVD. The more people see it– and buy it– the more it becomes possible to make other important films. This goes for all works of art, of course!

I do know that this work is vital–we need stories and paintings and songs–to remind us of who we are and where we are going. Good art wakes us up–it reminds us to be courageous– to go after a life of laughter, connection, love—even if it seems impossible. Maybe you work at McDonalds or CVS– but you live for the moment you leave work and blast your favorite music and sing along while in the car…that’s what art gives.

So, I know this is a bit of a rant– I WISH art weren’t so expensive. But, I also wish artists could be paid for their work….

I guess, I just want everyone to think what their lives would be like without stories, without songs, without images…and try to support the creators.

Thanks, again, Steev– and all those to there struggling with these issues.

Pam

Independent artists and filmmakers are some of my favorite people. I am an independent musician and writer as well as a librarian, so I know exactly how it feels to spend lots of time, energy and money creating art and the desire to get a return on your emotional and financial investment! That being said, we are a small rural library with a small service population and small budget. We cannot afford to purchase films with public performance rights. For ten years I have been ordering material for this library and only within the past year I have come to realize that small, self-funded, independent artists understand the phrase “public performance” differently than I do. In fact I just had a similar conversation with another documentary filmmaker. When I see “public performance,” I am thinking of a program where the public is invited and we are leading a community-wide viewing of the film and discussion of the topic. In that case, $150 is a good fee for a program and we have just enough money in our budget for three or four of those types of programs. When I buy books or DVDs or periodicals or music or audiobooks for general circulation, I’m trying to get the most I can out of our limited budget. In our case, I have about $150 a month to spend on dvd and computer media. It’s easy for me to justify spending this on 6-15 items, but it’s not a good use of taxpayer money to spend all of this money on a single item. I get really excited when I can afford to support a local or regional artist or musician by buying their film or cd and I do understand that when I buy a DVD for $20 and it circulates 50 times in a year, that’s $980 in potential lost profits to the artist. For the latest Sony Pictures Classics or Docurama release, that’s not as much of a problem as it is with independent filmmakers who are spending their own money on their art and releasing it by themselves. I completely understand the price points, but since I am responsible to my local taxpayers, I can’t justify spending my whole month’s budget to fill a request for two people vs. purchasing material that I know will be used dozens of times during the first few months of release.

I hope you can understand my perspective. I’d love to see WDSTSI and I’d love for my arts-minded patrons to see it, but we’ll have to wait for a more affordable release to become available.

If you have any further questions, please ask.

Thanks much,

Steev Baker

Steven Baker, Director

Kewaskum Public Library

August 14, 2009

I am back home enjoying my office– it is a small space, but surrounded by green–trees, flowers, grass– and overlooking a lake.  So peaceful.  Paula Kirk, my awesome Assistant, can be found here most days sending out emails and copies of the film, proofing our announcements, talking to me about who and where to show the film….She and I have worked together for more than ten years!  We’ve been through so much together.  I don’t know how I could possibly have made this film without her.

Next week, I go to take my youngest to College.  We will truly be empty Nesters.  I have no idea if I am  prepared for this–we will see.

So, just a quickie–I want to get back outside to enjoy this summer day.

Pam

Mayumi Oda and Hawaiian Paradise Update

Last week, my sister Chris and I went to the Big Island to visit and rest before Kerthy joined us for a follow up interview with Mayumi Oda.  We had such a wonderful time–circumnavigating the island, through pouring rains and over lava fields; horseback riding in Waimaa; reading in the beach  hammock;  fresh food and the beautiful beach right outside our door.

As for our visit with Mayumi–it was so special.  I had not seen her since our initial shoot back in 2005.  Much has changed for her and for me and we spent the day talking, catching up.  Her Farm continues to be a serene and bounteous retreat–where I feel welcomed and very calm.

My son, Ian and I are in the middle of editing Kerthy’s wonderful footage of our day.  It is the first time I have worked so directly with my son–and it has been an experience!  Much moaning and groaning at the beginning…from both of us…but slowly we have settled into a very very good and even fun working relationship.

I feel so lucky–blessed, really, to be able to work with my family–Chris who has come with me on so many of the shoots and even more of the screenings, this past year—my son Ian, and also Cameron and Alex–who have shot and edited and gone to screenings and Cindy who has documented most of this process and continues to supply us with her gorgeous photos as we need them.

And, not only family–this whole project has been amazing because of  the people I am working with.  Lindsay spent the day with Ian and I yesterday to oversee the Mayumi Edit as well as two others we are working on.  Her presence cut down on the moaning and groaning and the procrastination Ian and I both appear to engage in–especially with each other. The day before, Lindsay and Kerthy came to my hotel in New York city and crowded into my little tiny room so we could look at same edits.

So, enjoy these photos–I am hardly able to take them out of my”picture file” to post.  So, the order may be random.  But, better that than nothing, right?

Bowery Poetry Club Screening in New York City

I rode the train down from Boston, yesterday, to attend the screening of WHO DOES here in New York.  Sweet location–if you ever have a chance, stop in to this lower East side scene.

Kerthy Fix, my awesome Producer, as well as our new Intern, Dawn also came.  We never know what to expect and were wonderfully pleased that the showing had a FULL HOUSE!  Thanks, Bowery Poetry Club.  You guys were awesome.  And, I so enjoyed talking to the people in the audience, after.

If any one wants  us to do a screening in their area–I talked to many of you, who  told me about art Cinemas, Clubs and other venues  you thought should hold screenings, let us know!  You can write in to our web site at info@whodoesshethinksheis.net, tell us you were at the screening and we can make it happen.

Lovely day!

Pam

A guest post from the Tennessee Women’s Theater Project

It was the final offering of Tennessee Women’s Theater Project 3rd annual Women’s Work festival of works created by women. Although we’d had some truly stunning presentations (poetry, music, music, dance, play readings, 1-woman shows – you name it!) I’d felt like I was saving the best for last: the only Nashville screening of Pamela Tanner Boll’s documentary, Who Does She Think She Is?

We’re tiny . . . and young . . . and word of our festival is just beginning to get around. In other words, attendance is not blow-the-doors-off-standing-room-only – yet. So, as screening time neared, I worried – I wanted this film to be seen! I needn’t have fretted. Word had indeed gotten out, and there soon began a steady stream of people – mostly women – through our doors. Happy, happy Founding Artistic Director!

I couldn’t have hoped for a more engaged, more receptive audience. These women, many of them artists themselves, took in every word. We sat – some 60 of us – together in the dark. We were riotous, we were reverent, we laughed, we chortled, we wept – we felt blessed. No one was disappointed – and no one wanted to leave. We sat through the credits, and when it was all over women (and some men) lingered in the theater, then slowly made their way to the lobby – and lingered a while longer. We felt a part of something important. We, the artists in the crowd, felt important . . . and validated . . . and strong.

To the women and men who shared that screening with me, I say “thank you.” To Pamela Tanner Boll, her cohorts in truth and beauty, and everyone who was a part of this glorious film, I say “thank you.” To those of you who have not yet seen Who Does She Think She Is?, I say, “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??!!”

Maryanna Clarke
Founding Artistic Director
Tennessee Women’s Theater Project

CAPE COD JULY 8, 2009

I am at Cape Cod with my boys, husband and twenty of my nearest and dearest.  It is our annual Family Reunion–my sisters, my father,  brother and their families–from all over the Midwest come to visit every summer.  It is lively and chaotic and I love it!  We take turns making meals each night and have recently instituted “Clean Up Teams” rather than assigning this most grudging of tasks to the children–many of whom are now in their twenties and refuse the classification and thus the work!

This is me writing the blog and attempting to use my blackberry camera.

My sons, who were so Thrilled to be in the shot! Can't you tell?

The Boll Brothers and their happy Mama. I feel so little next to them these days.

On the film front, my extremely dedicated Goddesses have produced our Educational DVDs which are on sale now!  Go to our website www.whodoesshethinksheis.net for how to buy this DVD for your local Public Library, Community College, University or Secondary School.  We are working with the Awesome Emerging Pictures to Distribute the DVDs–first for the Educational Market, then in August, we begin to sell House Party Kits so that people can hold WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS? parties at home.

Well, back to the clean up and paint ball plans.

Pamela

California, Graduation and Screening at The Red Vic

I am visiting my middle son, Alex at college here in Santa Clara.. Alex is still writing papers so, thought I’d come out a day or two before our San Francisco screening–this WEEK! at the Red Vic Theater Wednesday and Thursday.

I love seeing my sons in their own places–Alex and his lady friend, Shereen have been sharing a house all year. I was delighted to see the House Chore Chart they created–complete with fines. It was an exact replica of the one I had for them when they were younger. Alex had come home earlier this year and said he could not believe how hard it was to get anyone to do any work around the house and also that it was Amazing that I had done this for so many years when they were at home. I laughed!

I’ve been busy with my sons for these past couple of weeks. Ian came home from Boulder for the summer. I am so happy knowing my oldest is under our roof! Then, Cameron graduated from high School–a very big deal with two proms! as well as special dinners, moving out of his dorm, saying good bye to friends. I am missing his big party tonight, but he said he doesn’t mind as I tend to go ” a little crazy” about kids’ behavior. I worry about safety. But, I guess I have to trust that the 18-21 years of counsel will serve them well….

On the movie front, we are continuing to get requests for screenings from around the country! This is so so heartening. I am touched by the number of people who write in to our web site to say how much this film, or even just the trailer means to them.

When I think back over the six years that I have been making and distributing WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS? and the number of people who did not think there was a story worth telling, the number of people who said that there was no “issue” or who wondered why I cared about profiling the lives of mothers, the number of people who said to me, “well, everybody has a choice!” or “I wish I could just play the guitar, but we all have to ‘make a living!” and yes, we do, and yes, we have to bring up the next generation….but, when neither child rearing nor guitar playing pay, then what??

Yet, here we are, six years later, with those requests for screenings from around the country–it is breathtaking.

I am so grateful for all those people who did see the possibilities for this film, who did help to create it and to get it out into the world.

Just a few facts–we have shown the film in over 100 cities in the US and Canada for a total of over a 1000 screenings. 20,000 people have seen the film–at the least.. We are still getting requests for screenings–four came in today…We have over a thousand people visiting our web site a day. We have been written about in all the major Press–New York TImes, LA Times, Denver Post. Over 290 blogs have posted about the film–for an audience of at least 500,000 if not closer to a couple of million! Amazing for a film that some of the major Film Festivals rejected! And while our film is good (indeed, I dare to say, GREAT!), and touches a chord, this exposure has also been due to the power of our audiences who have sent links and notes and emails to their friends. Thank you thank you….

And we are still on this journey. This summer, my sons and I will do some follow ups with our amazing women. What are they up to now? How has the film affected their families, their art work? We hope to have a bit of footage for DVD extras–oh, yes, we will be distributing DVDs SOON!! Stay tuned.

I am really looking forward to working with my sons and hope to have some footage, for Youtube, sometime in the next couple of months. Be on the lookout!

Pamela

Red Vic Theater in San Francisco Screening

Lindsay and I went out to San Francisco this past week where the film played for two days to great audiences!!  The theater is a Co-op  that has been playing independent films for the last thirty or forty years.  An excellent community builder– with a loyal following, green energy and organic popcorn.  We were thrilled with the turn out and the response!

Lindsay found this old-time photo of the Red Vic, on line.  The funny thing was–it hasn’t really changed much.  Thanks to all of you who came, saw, laughed and even cried….it means so so much to me.