The Frontier
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The Frontier Signal area of WNED-7V, Channel 17, Buffalo Supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, and the Canada Council-Conseil Des Arts Du Canada THE PRODUCERS &DIRECTORS Tom Sharpe TOM SHARPE is currently a Director for WNED-TV, Channel 17 in Buffalo . He previously worked in industrial television for GET In Stamford, Connecticut. In 1977 he produced and directed a videotape which won a Gold Award at the International Film and Television Festival in New York City. He studied Television Produc- tion at Temple University and Lighting Design with Imero Fiorentino As- sociates in New York City. He has taught workshops on studio and loca- tion lighting techniques at Media Study/Buffalo . BARBARA LATTANZI has taught filmmaking workshops at Media Study/Buffalo, and has worked as a film technician in laboratories in James Blue 1930-1980 photo by Jane Hartney -Chicago and San Francisco. She THE received her Master's degree in film- FRONTIER is dedicated to the video makers to the attention of their regions of the globe - on all of its making from the memory of . Center For Media James Blue who died in regional public television station continents. I n the end, he returned Study at SUNYIBuffalo . She has had June, 1980. He served as Executive audiences. He did this in his role as from Europe, Africa, the Orient and shows at the Cinematheque in San Producer for THE FRONTIER in Its producer of programs in two cities, South America and began to produce Francisco, Berks Filmmakers in first . season He was its founding through his participation in a variety and plan his documentary works in Pennsylvania, the University of force, just as he had given birth to of federal and state government fun- Houston and Buffalo. Of all his con- Wisconsin/ Milwaukee, the Collective THE TERRITORY, a series which is ding agencies, by his teaching at un- temporaries, his was the most in- for Living Cinema, Media Study/Buf- aired in Houston, Texas. iversities in the South, the West and tense commitment to independence falo, and as part of the Beau Fleuve James Blue gave much of his energy the Northeast, and in his writings. He and interdependence, to the making program in France. Her film, Rings to bringing independent film and himself had made films in all the of boundaries into frontiers. will be shown in THE FRONTIER Gerald O'Grady series. Gerald O'Grady Wiley Hance Lynn Corcoran Barbara Lattanzi GERALD O'GRADY is founder and Festival, and is scheduled for transmis- Director in charge of Pilot Project, a 1975 Athens Film Festival . Fighting President of Media Study/Buffalo, and sion on European television. He is also unit established to determine the Back: The Ellicott District Concerned Director of the Educational Com- Project Director for The World of feasibility of utilizing the resources Taxpayers (1975) and Here at the munications Center and the Center for Tomorrow, a Johnson-Bird film on the and personnel of TIME, INC. as the LBJ (1977) both examined housing Media Study at State University of New New York World's Fair of 1939, sup- basis for television programs and issues important to the local com- York at Buffalo. In 1976, he hosted ported by the New York Council for the series. His The Eyes Have It was munity. Heavy Drinking (1979) con- "Filmmaking, " a series of thirteen in- Humanities. awarded a Silver Medal at the 1973 sidered the experiences of terviews with experimental filmmakers International Film and TV Festival in alcoholics . In 1979 she did camera -- Stan Brakhage, Donn Pennebaker, New York. He also did independent work for The Invisible City, a five-part Peter Kubelka and others - for production for Times Four Produc- WILEY HANCEis Executive Producer experimental documentary series for Channel 17, and it was later aired by tions, including the award-winning El public television in Houston, Texas. many PBS stations. I n 1978, he was of all programs, network and local, Greco and The Changing Image. He originated She has just completed In Our Own Project Director for "American Lost by WNED-TV, Channel 17 has produced programs on opera, in Buffalo. He is producer of the Mark Backyard, an examination of the and Found, " an interpretative ballet, drama and music as well as complex Russell Comedy Specials for Public issues raised by the Love documentary of the 1930's produced archeology, the campus politics of the Canal disaster. The Broadcasting Service and was Ex- project was sup- and directed by Tom Johnson and 1960's, and drug rehabilitation . ported by grants from the New York Lance Bird on grants from the National ecutive Producer/Producer for The Council for the Jotfrey Ballet Live From Arfpark Humanities and the Endowment for the Humanities and and Artists TV Workshop A Tribute to Martin Luther King, both of WXXI-TV. The Documentary Fund of Channel 13, LYNN CORCORAN is an independent She has taught documentary two-hour "live" presentations for video New York, supported in turn by the producer of videotape documentaries production at State University PBS. He was Manager of Public Af- which examine social of New National Endowment for the Arts and issues. Her York at Buffalo and at Media fairs for the radio and television work includes Engine 18 Squad 10, The Ford Foundation. The film was air- Study/Buffalo. Corcoran of the American was also ed twice on the PBS system, granted networks Broad- made in collaboration with Glen producer of THE FRONTIER's casting Company from first awards at film festivals, including a 1951-1971, Muschio, which received the award season of programming in 1979- Blue Ribbon by the American Film and in 1972-73 was Producer- for Best Video Documentary at the 1980. PROD CTIONOFTHE FRONTIER by Lynn Corcoran Lynn Corcoran, Producer THE FRONTIER, a series of six new programs featuring the work of independent Whenever possible, the filmmakers and videomakers were present in the filmmakers and videomakers from the signal area of WNED-TV, the Buffalo, New Channel 17 studios during the transfer of their work to broadcast videotape. The York P.B.S. affiliate, premieres on Channel 17 Saturday, October 3, at 10:30 PM . This television engineers provided an explanation of the transfer process and discus- is the second season of programming for THE FRONTIER. Sixteen hour and half-hour sed any technical problems which occurred. The transition from film to videotape can programs from Western New York and Southern Ontario artists were broadcast in bring about major changes in the appearance of the work. Colors sometimes shift, the 1979 and 1980. edges of a film (seen clearly when the film is projected) are masked by the frame on film transferred to video. Many other The use of the term "independent" may be unfamiliar to many television the front screen of a television set when the is viewers, and the fact that it is points to an important reason for presenting this subtle changes occur. The experiences in the Channel 17 studios will prove valuable possible broad- series. Independent filmmakers and videomakers do not produce their work for a to the video and film makers as they produce work in the future with client or a sponsor who provides not only the financial support, but also determines the cast distribution in mind. content of the work. The films and videotapes of independent producers freely express Viewers will find the format of THE FRONTIER unique. It reflects a primary their own creature imagination and vision. emphasis on the films and videotapes, not on the packaging of the programs. But independents have limited opportunities for showing their work . With THE There is no host to mediate between the work and the audience. No material was FRONTIER, we hope to change that, and, at the same time, to make television re-edited or excerpted, and there are no themes to tie works in a single program audiences more familiar with independent work. together. The six FRONTIER programs will introduce the Channel 17 audience to a An important presentation of the films and videotapes is the use variety of independent approaches, aspect of the subjects and styles, including experimental, of brief introductions to some works by the artist. It is essential to introduce those personal and documentary work. The 19 films and videotapes shown are the films and tapes which use less familiar forms or techniques, in order to make the work work of 14 film and video makers, four of whom work in Buffalo and ten in the accessible to a wide audience. The purpose of an introduction is not to explain or Toronto area. The programs were compiled from more than 75 works submitted describe the work, but rather to identify it as coming from a personal concern or ex- by artists from across this region. The series includes 18mm and super-8mm film, and perience of the artist. 314" video originals, varying in length from 3 minutes to 27 minutes. The filmmakers' and videomakers' fascination with the contradictions, the The current series is dedicated to James Blue, Executive Producer of THE secrets, and the possibilities of manipulation of the processes of film and video FRONTIER's first season of programming, who died in 1980 . THE FRONTIER recurs throughout the six weekly programs. John Porter's short films use pixilated, or was Blue's idea. It was one of many ways he used imagination and a great deal of speeded-up, techniques. Rick Hancox's Wild Sync is a humorous film-essay on the hard work to help independent producers .