My Documentary Trailers
Six films from twenty years
I have directed six documentaries over the last 20 years, all very DIY with enormous support from students, fellow musicians, a few actors, and some fabulous editors. These are the trailers, or approximations of trailers. I posted for my own sake to remember when they were produced.
The American Gurner (2015)
By mistake I have included the entire 15 minute film. Watch at your own peril!
In September of 2013, I competed at the Egremont Crab Fair Gurning contest (to contort the world’s ugliest face) in Cumbria, UK. We filmed my efforts to be the first American Champion. This is one of the world's oldest fairs and has been held since the 1200's.
Five of us traveled by plane, train, and automobile to Egremont, UK, for the World Gurning Championships. We interviewed the current World's Champion, citizens of the town. I was interviewed by the British press and BBC Radio. competed in the contest for the world's ugliest gurn contest.
As I walked on stage, they played Living in America by James Brown.l. Tommy Mattinson, 1st place winner for the 15th time, and Happy Hornell, perennial competitor, both gave me coaching on camera. We made headlines in the papers: "Americans seek to take the Crown". I was called the “American Gurner". So we had a title for the film.
Edited by Steve Stone
Joan Walsh Anglund: Life in Story and Poem (2009)
Joan Walsh Anglund's 120 books and drawings have sold over 50 million copies and have been translated into 17 languages. Her own story has never been told. In her own words, and through her poetry, Ms. Anglund tells of her early tragedies, triumphs, and the sources of her inspiration, accompanied by her own illustrations and unpublished poems. The documentary combines oral histories, unpublished poems, and illustrations to provide a portrait of Anglund.
Her family were lifelong friends. I dated her daughter; she was there through the major events of my life. A true labor of love, the film emphasizes her philosophy, enthusiasm for life, and the enduring impact of her books on generations of children and adults. The film also draws from archival materials housed at the Mugar Arts Library at Boston University, enhancing the storytelling with rare illustrations and unpublished works. Poems read by Paula Plum
edited by Enver Perez
Radical Jesters (2008)
This is the introduction from the film, not exactly a trailer. With this, I wanted to compel art school students to misbehave more often. Bush, Jr. was president. Radical Jesters profiles the radical art practices of 11 groups and individuals who participate in culture jamming, reality hacking, and street theater. The film documents how these “radical jesters” use guerrilla art to challenge mainstream media, question consumer culture, and reclaim public space.
Their actions range from media hoaxes and billboard alterations to more outrageous stunts like pant-less subway rides. The underlying message is that humor and performance can be tools for social critique, encouraging audiences to think critically about how media shapes values and ideas. Letterbox review O
Edited by Kristin McCall Chaplin
Marblehead Morning: Daring and Stahl 50 years in Harmony (2025)
Nine studio songs form the centerpiece of a profile of singer/songwriters Mason Daring and Jeanie Stahl, and of their 50 years as a New England folk duo and friends for half a century. Mason has his own record label, Daring Records, and has composed music for over 75 films and TV shows, including 18 for director John Sayles, as well as the theme for Frontline and numerous shows for producer David Fanning. It was produced under the auspices of Mason, Jeanie, and Dede Nowland.
Jeanie has recorded four solo albums, contributed to Mason’s soundtracks, and partnered with her husband in shaping the development of museums worldwide, including one Academy Award-nominated film. The songs are performed live at Q Division Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with Duke Levine, Keny white, Richard Gates, Billy Novick, Suzanne Boucher, and me on drums.
Edited by Bill Ayedelott
When Things Go Wrong: The Robin Lane Story (2013)
Being in this band for several decades, and Robin being like a sister, compelled me to tell her story. This is an early semi-trailer that was actually never used.
“When Things Go Wrong” is a 1980 single by Robin Lane & The Chartbusters, notable for its early MTV video and its role in establishing Lane as a pioneering female rock artist. “It was released on the band’s self-titled debut album, Robin Lane & the Chartbusters (1980), under Warner Bros. Records. The song became the band’s best-known single, reaching #87 on the Billboard singles chart. It was also the eleventh video aired on MTV’s first broadcast day on August 1, 1981, highlighting its early influence in the music video era. The band had a blend of rock and new wave influences, reflecting Lane’s transition from folk-rock to a harder, punk-influenced sound.
Edited by Laura Colwell
IMdb
Chaos & Order: Making American Theater (2005)
Chaos and Order explores the founding and history of the American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.), one of the most respected arts institutions in the United States. Here was when it was associated with Harvard, and maintained a resident acting company.
This was narrated by Cherry Jones, and incorporates historical information about the institution, footage of current rehearsals, and interviews with major theatre artists who have been associated with A.R.T., including F. Murray Abraham, Debra Winger, Andrei Serban, Peter Sellars, Anne Bogart, great local actors Paula Plum, Will LeBow, the late Tommy Derrah, Jeemy Geidt and Alvin Epstein. Robert Woodruff (A.R.T. Artistic Director) and Robert Brustein (A.R.T. Founding Director).
It was done at the suggestion of Mary Cardaras, my department chair at the time, and shot and edited with students at the former New England Institute of Art. It launched me into making DIY documentaries.
Edited by Adam Gooder