Sunday, June 28, 2009

It Begins - Notes on the Making of a Documentary Film

Here, it begins!  After "only" seven years already in the making...

I started listening to Radio K in 1998 when a friend, fellow artist and music lover, David Wyrick, introduced me to the station and the existence of the AM dial.  There was no turning back as I was hooked.  The FM dial no longer received any air time in my world.  

After a couple of years listening to the K, I realized that I might participate in the station because I was a student at the University of Minnesota.  Not that I thought I could DJ, mind you, as I am by nature a very shy person with terrible public speaking anxieties.  However, there was Video K.  

So, I started to meet the folks at the station and they were every bit as awesome, if not more so, in person than on the radio.  By the summer of 2002, I had started my own company to house a feature length documentary movie about the station.  Infatuation had turned into obsession.  

Most of my filming took place around the time of Radio K's ten year anniversary in 2003.  I continued to film into 2004 recording events, DJs, interviewing staff, bands, and volunteers.  I have just under 140 tapes, with up to an hour recorded on each tape.  

I had a few major life events happen soon after my project began.  Then, a few more.  And then, my health took a turn for the worse and needed dire attention.  I would edit as I could over the years, but the project had to live on the shelves on and off as I had the energy.  

Now, I have recovered enough to recommit my resources to finishing this project.  No doubt, there will be more life events that come along.  But I am nothing if not perseverant and determined, and my love for the K hasn't dwindled a bit!  

I am currently reviewing footage that I have not watched before, and it is very exciting!  I finally have enough hard drive space to capture almost all of the footage, which makes my job editing much easier.  My friend, Michael Start, is helping me to log and capture the event footage of bands performing.  I am focused on the DJs right now, then onto the specialty shows.  

As the spirit moves me, I'll post here about what's happening as I make this film.  I encourage you to post feedback.  Once I have some teasers put together, I'll post them so you can witness my progress.  
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