Last summer I took our brand new camera (the Sony FS100) to Ocean Grove, New Jersey and shot some footage of my father talking about the volunteer reporting he does for a local blog. I had outfitted the camera with a bunch of Zacuto components — a first for me — and I needed an excuse to get comfortable with the new rig before starting on a new feature documentary project (Sam Douglas’s new ‘Land Art’ doc). We spent a few leisurely days just walking around town, shooting video and talking about his career in journalism and the pro bono writing and reporting he does now. I really enjoyed hearing about all that, and I find as I watch this footage that I’m very proud of my father and what he stands for.
By Matthew Odam | Monday, February 20, 2012, 10:35 AM
“Better This World” writers Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega won the Writers Guild award for best documentary Sunday night in Los Angeles.
The documentary, which made its world premiere at South by Southwest last year, tells the story of Brad Crowder and David McKay, two Texans who attempted to disrupt the 2008 National Republican Convention in Minnesota. The men, who crafted handmade bombs and were arrested as domestic terrorists, eventually reached plea deals.
Californians Galloway and de la Vega directed the movie, but turned to cinematographer David Layton and producer Mike Nicholson of Austin-based production company Picturebox for help with the film’s production.
“It’s really gratifying to see that the film has had the same effect on audiences that it’s had on us,” Nicholson said. “We’re thrilled by the recognition, but even happier to have had the chance to collaborate with Katie and Kelly on the film.”
The Austin Film Society screens “Better This World” as a part of it’s “Best of the Fests Series” on Wednesday, Feb. 29th at 7p.m. at the Alamo Village. Crowder and McKay will be in attendance for a special Q&A after the screening. For more information, visit Austin Film Society’s website.
Our buddies Kerri Lendo and John Merriman — both fixtures in the Austin comedy scene — are frequent guests here at Picturebox. They’re always cracking us up with their “comedy.” From time to time, we help them make short films. The last short we did, ‘Sleep Study,’won the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival and was featured on the The Huffington Post. This new short film, ‘Modern Man,’ is the fourth one we’ve done together. Check it out on Funny or Die and please vote “funny.”
"Cave of Forgotten Dreams," "Better This World" honored in NYC
November 29, 2011 by Realscreen Staff Email/Share
Werner Herzog’s 3D effort Cave of Forgotton Dreams has been named the best non-fiction film by the New York Film Critics Circle, while Kelly Duane and Katie Galloway’s Better This World has collected the best doc prize at the IFP’s annual Gotham Independent Film Awards.
The Gotham Awards also honored a documentary in the Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You category, with Scenes of a Crime, directed by Blue Hadaegh and Grover Babcock, taking the honors.
Film Is Skeptical About Domestic Efforts on Terrorism
By BRIAN STELTER
LOS ANGELES —The film "Better This World" introduces itself with the frightening sounds of television anchors filtering the news of a terrorist plot against the Republican National Convention in 2008. "Disturbing news tonight about homegrown terror," one of the anchors says, not for the first time and not for the last.
But, the film suggests, viewers should also be disturbed about the ease with which that label — "terrorist" — is applied.
