Our guest, Freida Lee Mock, has taken her eye from the heights of society to the mean streets of LA to document Homeboy Industries in her new film, “G-Dog.” She joins us to discuss the process of bringing her light to the hood, along with filmmaking tips, and what sparks her interest in a story.
Freida revisits her first film, the classic “Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision,” as well as a few other key works from her oeuvre, and gives us some information on her next film, about sexual harassment lightning rod, Anita Hill.
Watch new episodes of BYOD live each week on Tuesdays at noon on TheLip.TV, or tune in for the archived replay starting here on the following Thursday.
ABOUT BYOD:
BYOD is co-hosted by Ondi Timoner, director of “DIG!,” “JOIN US” and “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC,” and has the rare distinction of winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance twice, and Vladimir Radovanov, entertainment attorney, and executive producer of “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC.” Each week the show explores a different documentary filmmaker or aspect of filmmaking, with special guests and a live Q&A– diving deep into creative process and the business realities of producing and distributing films. Ondi and Vladimir share their insider views, opinions, and personal stories, welcoming audience participation. BYOD aims to entertain, inform, and elevate documentaries in general by bringing attention to films and film makers that deserve exposure.
GUEST BIO:
Freida Lee Mock is an Academy Award®-winning filmmaker, a director, producer, and writer whose award-winning films include “Sing!” (Academy Award® nominee, Best Documentary Short Film, 2002), “Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision” (Academy Award Winner, Best Feature Documentary Film, 1995; Directors Guild of America Award nominee 1995), “Never Give Up: The 20th Century Odyssey of Herbert Zipper,” (Academy Award® Nominee, Best Documentary Short Film, l996), “Rose Kennedy: A Life To Remember,” (Academy Award® Nominee, Best Documentary Short Film, l99l), “Lillian Gish: The Actor’s Life for Me,” (Prime-time Emmy Winner for Outstanding Informational Special, l989). “To Live Or Let Die,” explores the moral and ethical issues involved in the care of very ill newborn babies (lead program for the PBS series In Matters of Life and Death (Academy Award® nominee, Best Documentary Short Film).
She is the co-founder of the American Film Foundation with Terry Sanders, and the mother of noted film director Jessica Sanders.
ADD’L LINKS:
http://gdogthemovie.com/
http://www.americanfilmfoundation.com/freidaleemock.html
http://www.homeboy-industries.org/
http://www.mayalin.com/
http://jessicasandersfilm.com/documentary.html
http://www.newvideo.com/
EPISODE BREAKDOWN:
00:01 BYOD Opening.
00:40 Introducing Freida Lee Mock.
01:58 Going into the world of LA Gang life and learning about Father G.
05:32 “G-Dog,” Clip
08:28 Entering the world of Homeboy Industries and finding the story.
11:26 Taking the most difficult–Father G’s mission.
13:45 “G-Dog,” Clip.
15:49 The path to rehabilitation and providing options to gang youth.
18:40 The duration of filming, and the layoffs hit Homeboy.
20:55 “G-Dog,” Clip.
22:27 “The attitudes are, ‘It’s Possible!’”
23:28 “G-Dog,” Clip.
24:27 Cameras, mics, and shooting underage felons.
26:51 Recording at risk youth and understanding the boundaries.
28:59 “G-Dog,” Clip.
31:27 A few words about Jessica Sanders.
32:52 The common thread for Freida’s work.
34:26 Financing G-Dog.
35:26 About Maya Lin and documenting a new approach to memorials.
39:40 Winning an Oscar for “Maya Lin,” and documenting an old soul.
43:17 Maya Lin’s controversial decisions for the Vietnam Memorial.
44:52 From her directorial debut with Maya Lin to filming fighter pilots.
46:09 “Wrestling with Angels, Playwright Tony Kushner,” Clip.
48:02 Where to see all of Freida’s work.
48:40 Featuring speeches in her films, and the need for humor.
50:13 What’s next for Freida? The Anita Hill project.
51:27 The appeal for social themes and her foundation of controversy.
54:04 The Daily Dig Down (Sundance, Kirby Dick and The Invisible War, Silver Docs).
57:27 Thanks and Goodbye!
