WNET UP Next

Filmmaker Abigail Disney returns to public media with The Armor of Light.  In this conversation  with WNET’s Tom Stewart, Ms. Disney takes us behind the scenes of the creation of this documentary, her film directing debut.   It tells the stories of longtime anti-abortion activist and Evangelical minster, Rev. Rob Schenck and Lucia McBath, whose teenage son was the victim of a “stand your ground” shooting in Florida.  She describes the film as a work of the  heart and a cry of conscience, meant to open the door to a conversation touching several important and controversial issues of our time.  In addition we hear the history of her earlier film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which chronicled the efforts of Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee.  The attention the film brought to Gbowee contributed to her later selection as a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, which Ms. Disney calls “better than as Oscar”!

Growing up in a famous filmmaking family, Abigail learned at an early age the essential story-telling nature of film, which ultimately led to her commitment to telling stories that can change the world.  In addition to filmmaking, she is an advocate for women’s issues and heads up Peace is Loud, an organization which shines a spotlight on women leaders promoting peace around the world.

WNET Up Next is a presentation of the Design and On Air Promotion Department of WNET in New York; this episode made possible with the special assistance  of the WNET Community Relations Department.  A follow-up edition of WNET Up Next will feature a panel discussion featuring Ms. Disney, Rev. Schenck and Ms. McBath, recorded at the  Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York.

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Ken Burns talks with Tom Stewart about his new film on the life of Jackie Robinson and recounts the personal history that’s led to his over forty-year career as a filmmaker.  We learn about the elements that comprise his style, what he  refers to as the “the authentic application of technique” and hear about his collaborators such as cinematographer Buddy Squires and writers Geoffrey Ward and Dayton Duncan.

Ken  describes his films as “hand made…labor intensive” and stresses the importance of the time he spends in the editing room.  We learn how WNET made an important contribution to getting his first films on the air, and hear advance word about upcoming projects including Vietnam, Country Music and Ernest Hemingway.

WNET Up Next is produced by the Design and On Air Promotion Department of WNET New York, with the special assistance of the WNET Community Relations Department.

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WNET Vice President of Programming Stephen Segaller sets the stage for our month-long celebration of Shakespeare’s Legacy which features many hours of special programming plus numerous online features at thirteen.org/shakespeare.  Programs include Shakespeare Uncovered and The Hollow Crown.  Stephen also shares a wonderful personal story of how he came to discover the Bard at an early age, how it was an American actor who was the driving force behind the reconstitution of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, and where to find The Beatles performing a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

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Stanley Nelson, director of  The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution  in a discussion of the film led by WNET’s Rafael PiRoman recorded live at the Apollo Theater in New York.  Panelists include former Black Panther Party members Kathleen Cleaver, Ericka Huggins, and David Lemieux, joined by journalist Jamilah Lemieux.

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Michael Kantor, Executive Producer of “American Masters” on PBS  discusses the documentary film creative process and previews the 30th anniversary season of the multi-award winning  biographical series.

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Hillary Sieber, Producer of “The Chatterbox”, a PBS Digital Studios production in association with WLIW, shares her insights about putting together an intergenerational exploration of pop culture and technology.

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David Horn, Executive Producer of Great Performances talks about his extensive career and the many luminaries he’s worked with in performing arts programming for public media.

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Ellen Doherty, Executive Producer of the PBS Kids program, Cyberchase, takes us behind the scenes of the popular and influential animated series.

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Dave Brown, Executive Producer of WNET’s MetroFocus, shares stories from his long career in multi-media news production and highlights the launch of MetroFocus as a multi-platform daily news and public affairs program.

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Fred Kaufman, Executive Producer of “Nature” takes us behind the scenes  for an in depth look at this public television mainstay, now entering its 34th season.

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