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P.O.V.
P.O.V.: LIFE AND DEBT by Stephanie Black
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BiographyFrom The Filmmaker's Desk
Stephanie Black BIOGRAPHY
Stephanie Black's credits include the feature-length documentary, H-2 WORKER, which won both the Best Documentary and Best Cinematography awards at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival, and was the U.S. selection for the Critics Week at Cannes. Black also worked as chief researcher and second unit director on the Robert Redford-produced feature documentary, INCIDENT AT OGLALA. Her television credits include over 50 documentary segments for SESAME STREET, and documentary segments for Nickelodeon's U TO U, PBS's ZOOM, and Cartoon Network's BIG BAG series. She has produced and directed music videos for such artists as Ziggy Marley, Banju Banton, Snow, Anthony B. and INOJ, as well as a 30-minute documentary on the making of the Bob Marley tribute album, MAKING OF CHANT DOWN BABYLON. Black has taught documentary filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts and Y/FVA in New York City.



Still Image Transport For Free Zone Workers

FROM THE FILMMAKER'S DESK:
Stephanie Black on her motivations as a filmmaker

P.O.V: What is your motivation as a filmmaker?
Stephanie Black (SB): My motivation as a filmmaker is to use film as an advocacy tool, giving voice to a perspective that can be uniquely represented through film techniques, for example, the hermetically sealed reality a film creates via parallel montage, characters interviewed, etc. as a lawyer may collect evidence for a case. H2 WORKER and LIFE AND DEBT although not personal films, in the traditional definition, are extremely personal in that they challenge me to translate a personal reaction to a situation, utilizing both the facts and realities of the circumstance within a variety of cinematic approaches that will ultimately evoke the original sentiment which catalyzed the project to its viewer.

P.O.V.: What generally inspires your interest?
SB: My interest is inspired by a certain emotional reaction to a situation that I find inequitable and unjust.

P.O.V.: What are you currently working on or what would you like to be working on?
SB: I'd like to do a biography documentary as I have not yet made a film that does not use the 'everyman' as the main character. There are these dancers I've met who I would love to do a documentary on and focus on capturing dance in a highly visual yet non-theatrical manner.

Stephanie Black's website is at www.lifeanddebt.org.

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