After a whirlwind trip filming in Wisconsin, I returned home and jumped right in to attending Doc Camp, an intensive workshop for documentary filmmakers to share their works-in-progress and meet with industry veterans, organized by Oregon Media Lab. It was a highly rewarding experience.
(There will be more about the latest Wisconsin trip in a future post.)
At first, I felt intimidated – Over a dozen filmmakers from all over the country shared their work – all of them dealing with heavy, important topics, from women’s health, to internment camps, to what the idea of home means to a war refugee.
I was worried how my upbeat nostalgia piece about pizza restaurants would be received. (The Organ Grinder documentary does have plenty of color and drama, and a few tug-the-heartstrings moments, but the central story is positive.)
It turned out there was no need to worry. People were very enthusiastic about the project, and eager to know more. Most had never heard of restaurants with pipe organs, or even knew what a theatre organ sounded like, but were intrigued.
And, just a few Portland locals of a certain age had fond memories of the Organ Grinder.
That’s me in the back row. (This photo is conclusive proof that I have a giant head, and I think it grew a little larger after receiving so much positive encouragement.)
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