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Entries are videos only, with no audience participation. This includes animations, and linear and nonlinear narratives.
Jury Chair: Traci Sym
National Holocaust Memorial Museum
GOLD: Lives Lost, Lives Found
Jewish Museum of Maryland
Judges said:
This intimate story of the lives of Jewish refugees after their arrival in the United States in the 1930s-40s focuses on the continuing challenges of starting a new life in a foreign land. The rich aesthetic of all aspects of this production and the subtle strength of the motion graphics help to bring to life the struggles and triumphs of a community trying to recover from the trauma of WWII.
Producers said:
Lives Lost, Lives Found is a riveting 16-minute documentary about Jews who fled Nazi Europe and came to Baltimore in the 1930s and early 1940s. Based on our original exhibition of the same name, the DVD incorporates vivid still photography, moving images, first person narrative, cutting-edge graphics, and an original musical score to bring the story to life. Our initial goal was to extend the life of our exhibition beyond its limited run in our gallery, but we ended up with much more: a documentary that stands on its own and resonates with multiple audiences as a concise yet dramatic portrayal of an important historical event. For adults, the DVD offers a compelling glimpse into a critical era in Jewish history, with special attention to the local ramifications. Middle and high school students participating in the Museum’s Holocaust education program relate particularly well to the documentary’s personal stories.
SILVER: Ribbon of Sand
National Park Service
Judges said:
The incredible cinematography of this video is captures the audience immediately, but it is the complicated story of Cape Lookout National Seashore and the strands of personal reflection from the writings of environmental pioneer Rachel Carson that bring understanding and awe to this doomed landscape.
Producers said:
Cape Lookout National Seashore is a remote, little-known unit of the National Park Service. The barrier islands themselves are accessible only by boat, and from the mainland visitor center appear only as a distant line on the horizon. Our goal was to reveal the mystery and wonder of those islands, and to demonstrate that they are not geologic isolates but fit into the broader coastal ecosystem. For narrative sense and sensibility, writings by environmental pioneer Rachel Carson frame the natural history story and serve as a moral conscience. Carson conducted research in the area for her book The Edge of the Sea and the interpretation of her words by Meryl Streep is quite affecting. The resulting film has seen remarkable success on the international film festival circuit—more than 20 festivals in nine countries—with the result that PBS has greenlighted it for prime time broadcast as a national special. Even more gratifying was the premier in the park's new HD theater, where a standing room audience of working class watermen and "Down Easters" responded with applause and, in many instances, tears. In the new visitor center theater, Ribbon of Sand remains as popular with locals as it is with visitors.
BRONZE
Louise Nevelson: A Conversation With Six Artists
The Jewish Museum and Mediacombo
Judges said:
The strength of this video lies in the exploration of Louise Nevelson's impact on other artists and her continued influence on many aspects of the art world. Through the work and viewpoints of six artists we see Nevelson's work through new eyes and discover the true depth of her legacy.
Producers said:
The Jewish Museum wanted a video about Louise Nevelson that would present a fresh perspective on this renowned 20th century sculptor, and augment the first retrospective of her work in almost 30 years. So MediaCombo produced Louise Nevelson: A Conversation With Six Artists, the first program to look at Nevelson’s continuing significance to younger artists, two decades after her death. In order to display the breadth of her influence on contemporary artists we interviewed Alice Aycock, Jessica Stockholder, Jean Shin, R M Fischer, Willie Cole and Jonathan VanDyke. They speak animatedly about their first impressions of Nevelson’s sculpture, and draw surprising parallels between her work and theirs. Nevelson was very much her own creation and she continues to be a role model for artists today who want to defy conventions. We shot the interviews with an HVX 200 HD camera, and integrated archival film of Nevelson from the 1970s and audio interviews from the ‘60s to create an engaging conversation about her artistic legacy.
HONORABLE MENTION: 1968: A Year That Shook America
The Museum at Bethel Woods with the History Channel
Judges said:
This video exploration of a single volatile year in America's history showcases incredible historical footage, deftly edited with very high production value. Through the intimacy of eye-witness storytelling, complemented with archival news and advertising clips, the full scope of 1968 is revealed and the decisive events of that year are exposed.
Producers said:
1968: A Year That Shook America tells a compelling story of a watershed year in American history, which included an escalating war in Vietnam and increasing division at home, the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an increasingly militant civil rights movement and growing women’s movement, campus unrest, cities in flames, and the inspirational first manned orbit of the moon. In developing our approach to this film, produced by The Museum at Bethel Woods with The History Channel, we decided to let the events of 1968 speak for themselves. Through the use of archival footage and sound-on-tape, the dramatic arc of the year is "narrated" by period television news anchors of the day, key political and social figures, on-the-scene eyewitnesses, and song lyrics. The target audience for the film was our museum visitor—local residents, regional school groups, national/international tourism visitors, and music fans. Our goal was to stimulate dialogue between the generations, giving Baby Boomers the opportunity to share their stories of the era with their children, grandchildren, and beyond, helping make historical connections in younger minds. The response from high school and adult test groups has been overwhelmingly positive to this film and its contribution to the museum experience.
More 2008 Muse Award Winners
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