Seals: Cuttyhunk Island in the 1970s’ Documentary Film Proposal, WUaS teacher training all day and homework at night next summer?, For WUaS to become the MIT / Harvard of the Internet with time, and in all languages and countries

Cuttyhunk Island in the 1970s’ Documentary Film Proposal

Cuttyhunk Historical Society

Scott MacLeod – .....@scottmacleod.com - July 24, 2014

Cuttyhunk in the 1970s was a different world than it is now. I’d like to propose writing, producing and directing a Ken Burns-informed documentary film about being on Cuttyhunk in the 1970s, with interviews of islanders, and focusing on even transcendent aspects of community, creativity, love and freedom, partly from a teenager’s perspective living and working here. In this nearly hour-long film, I’d propose to focus on first-person stories, Cuttyhunk’s sights and sounds, as well as a dramatic narrative highlighting the talent shows then (in 1972 and 1979), the learning experiences sailing in the CYC and in many other ways, as well as what people loved about Cuttyhunk in that decade. In the process, I’d like to give form to a kind of great vision of Cuttyhunk - to move the viewer emotionally, both Cuttyhunker and visitor to the CHS, in film.

Having already created one video of Cuttyhunk (2000), I’d like to build on this to share insights into Cuttyhunk from the inside from the 1970s. In addition to the rough outline and proposal in these three blog entries from 7/19, 20 & 21 in the Cuttyhunk label here - http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/search/label/Cuttyhunk - I’d also propose interviewing a list of Cuttyhunkers (possibly in Google + group video Hangouts over the winter, but mostly on island in person, and with other interviewers) to ask them to describe their experiences on Cuttyhunk in that decade and perhaps even elicit photographs and related memorabilia. I’d also possibly seek to collaborate in parts of the production of this film with Lol S. (and Lo?) who organized the talent show in 1972. 

For music and sound, I’d propose developing a sound track involving perhaps the Cuttyhunk song (CYC), as well as moving simple folk music (Ken Burns’ informed) or music from that decade itself, and inquire if So and Jo Dav, for example, and friends might be available to play for some of this. I’d even explore writing some compositions for this film if they were moving enough.

I’d ask for support in filming, gathering of archival materials from the CHS to be used in the film, office space when the museum is closed as well as access to FinalCut Pro or similar software as well as other related software and materials, and help with production for sale of the video in the CHS, as well as with organizing archival materials created in the process of making this film for the CHS.

I’d like to explore asking $10,000 to do this from the Cuttyhunk Historical Society, which I might donate to wiki MIT OCW-centric World University and School (a project which I’m developing), and seek to film and produce it next summer 2015.

I’d also propose to make this film in the spirit of fun in creating a Cuttyhunk talent show, learning in the CYC, and being on Cuttyhunk in that decade by including both winter and summer folks in the films’ making, as happened in the 1979 talent show.

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Scott,

Thanks... I am thick into teacher training all day and homework at night. Up at 5:45 every morning, but getting a huge amount out of it. I'm afraid I'm Boston bound indefinitely.
Enjoy for me!

Hugs,
D

Will miss seeing you, D ... 

I may well be involved in doing something like that next summer vav WUaS with graduate student instructors in Google + Hangouts ... possibly from Cuttyhunk even ... good luck with your new teaching job! ... 

Apropos your text, in what ways to best teach graduate students (who ideally went to Reed, or even possibly Reed undergraduate seniors) to be conference section instructors in Google + Hangouts leading vibrant and edifying weekly online discussions to first year WUaS matriculated undergraduates in a course with Reed professors in video talking about the Ancient Greek world to learn writing, critical thinking, talking and the conference method itself?

Hope to hire an executive director for this and in order for WUaS to become the MIT / Harvard of the Internet with time, and in all languages and countries. 

Hugs, Scott

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