>> HI, I'M STEPHEN FEINBERG, DIRECTOR OF THE FILM AND TELEVISION OFFICE.

OUR GUEST IS AN EMMY AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER.

A GREAT MAN AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE DANTE BULLINI AT THE TABLE TODAY.

YOU WERE AN ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE, PRODUCER AND PARTNER AT THE RA W GROUP.

WHAT DID THAT ENTAIL?

>> I WAS A FILM MINOR AND COMMUNICATIONS MAJOR COMING OUT OF RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE.

I WAS ONE OF TWO AT THE TIME BACK IN 1843.

FROM THERE, I WAS THE GOFER FOR AN AD AGENCY IN PROVIDENCE.

I WAS A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE.

I LOVED BEING BEHIND-THE-SCENES.

I EMPTIED THE GARBAGE, GOT THE COFFEE, DELIVERED THINGS.

STEPHEN: PRODUCTION ASSISTANT.

DANTE: NO, GOFER.

THIS WAS A PRETTY BIG AGENCY IN 1980.

HE BEGGED ME TO GO TO NEW YORK AND TO GO TO L.A.

HE KNEW I HAD AN AFFINITY FOR TV.

I SAID I WANTED TO STAY HERE.

AND SO I CREATED -- HE RELENTED, AND I CREATED THE DEPARTMENT OF AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION IN 1980.

WE STARTED DOING INDUSTRIAL VIDEOS.

NOBODY WAS REALLY DOING THAT AT THE TIME.

WE WOULD GO TO THESE FACTORIES AND MAKE VIDEOS ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

A LOT OF CLIENTS YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW, THIS WAS ANOTHER ONE.

I HAD THE SAME JOB MY ENTIRE CAREER.

I ANTI--- I RETIRED LAST JUNE.

I WAS A PARTNER WITH RDW GROUP.

EVEN THOUGH I HAD MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND I MANAGED CLIENTS, CREATING STUFF IN FILM AND VIDEO.

>> HOOLIGAN FILM PRODUCTIONS.

>> I HAVE A TON OF NEPHEWS AND NIECES THAT I HAD BEEN CALLING HOOLIGANS FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.

AND THAT IS MY HOMAGE TO THEM.

STEPHEN: LET ME ASK YOU.

YOU WON SEVERAL EMMY AWARDS.

IT IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT, THE RIPPLE EFFECT SERIES.

VERY POWERFUL STUFF.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RIPPLE EFFECT SERIES THAT YOU DID.

>> THE FIRT ITERATION OF THE RIPPLE EFFECT WAS BEYOND THE CRASH.

THE FIRST SERIES FOCUSED ON RHODE ISLAND STATE TROOPER.

IN FACT WE SHOT THE RAW RIGHT HERE IN THE STUDIO AT THE TIME.

WE TOOK SIX TROOPERS WE INTERVIEWED THEM EXHAUSTIVELY.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE RESIDUAL EFFECT OF THE HORRIBLE NATURE OF THINGS THAT THEY SEE ON THE ROAD.

WE ARE FOCUSING ON FATALITIES AS A RESULT OF DRUNK DRIVERS.

THE TROOPERS BY AND LARGE ARE TOUGH AND DISCIPLINED.

WE SHOT THE SERIES AND IT WAS A TOP-NOTCH TEAM.

RDW WAS THE AGENCY.% AND WE REALLY DELVED PRETTY DEEP.

THE RESULT WAS THIS VERY WARM AND EMOTIONAL AFTER-EFFECT THAT THESE TROOPERS FELT ABOVE THE VICTIMS AND HOW THEY RECONCILE THEIR OWN DISTANCE THEY NEEDED TO MAINTAIN.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEIR CONCERN FOR HOW IT HAPPENED AND HOW IT AFFECTED THEM YEARS LATER.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL KEVIN BARRY, HE IS THE NUMBER TWO TROOPER RIGHT NOW.

HE RECALLS AS A VERY YOUNG TROOPER, BEING ON ROUTE 95 MAY BE A YEAR IN.

HE WAS FIRST UPON THE SCENE.

AND HE REMEMBERS IT ALMOST IN A SURREAL FASHION.

THE CHILD WAS -- DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE HARMED.

ALL I CAN REMEMBER IS THE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS AROUND THE TRIAL -- AROUND THE CHILD.

AND EVERY TIME HE GOES TO THAT SPOT, IT IS LIKE A FLASHBACK.

THAT IS SORT OF THE NATURE OF THE SERIES.

AND THAT EVOLVED INTO THE RIPPLE EFFECT, WHICH WAS REALLY A VERY DEEP DIVE INTO THE VICTIMS OF DRUG -- DRUNK DRIVING FATALITIES AND/OR BAD CRASHES.

STEPHEN: AND YOU ARE DOING THIS TO HELP PREVENT PEOPLE FROM DRINKING AND DRIVING BECAUSE OF THE RESIDUAL EFFECT THAT IT WILL HAVE, NOT ON THEMSELVES, BUT OF THEIR FAMILY AND OTHERS THAT THEY MAY NOT EVEN THINK OF.

>> WE LOOKED AT A LOT -- DANTE: WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY.

AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS AS AGGRESSIVELY AS I CAN.

HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE STEWARDSHIP OF PETER ALEVINNI, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WHO TRULY UNDERSTOOD THAT IF WE WANTED A BEHAVIOR CHANGE, WE HAD TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR.

WE HAD TO BE IN THEIR FACES AND DO THINGS THAT WERE UNCOMFORTABLE.

AND HE ALLOWED, TO HIS CREDIT, US TO STRETCH OUR CREATIVE MUSCLE.

WE DECIDED THAT LOOKING AT VICTIMS AND LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM AND AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH ITSELF, IT AFFECTS THE VICTIMS AND THE OFFENDERS, REALLY.

THE EFFECTS ARE THE SAME ONCE YOU GET OUT OF THE EVENT ITSELF.

YOU ARE OSTRACIZED BY FRIENDS.

YOU LOSE YOUR JOB.

YOU MAY GO TO JAIL.

ON THE VICTIM SIDE, IT IS A VOID AND FAR-REACHING.

SO WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND.

LEE LOST HER SON.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE JAMESTOWN POLICE OFFICER.

KATHY WHOSE DAUGHTER TORI HAS BEEN BRAIN-DAMAGED.

AND CREATING DOZENS OF TV COMMERCIALS.

STEPHEN: ARTISTIC, CINEMATIC, POWERFUL.

AND YOU USE THE CRAFT OF SETTLEMENT.

YOU TRULY BLING -- BRING TO LIFE THE VISIONI HAD IN MY HEAD ON THIS.

HE INTUITIVELY UNDERSTANDS WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO.

LOTS OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE GRUESOME AND THEY TRY TO USE THE GRUESOME AS EDUCATIONAL.

I WANTED TO SHOW SOMETHING THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

AND THAT WAS THE BODY COMING IN.

STEPHEN: I HAVE BEEN THERE.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.

DANTE: THERE IS A LONG HALLWAY BEFORE THE EXAMINING ROOM.

STEPHEN: YOU HAVE THE DOCKET IN THE LONG HALLWAY.

TECHNICIANS WHEELING THIS ONE BODY DOWN THE HALLWAY.

IT IS JUST THIS DEAD BODY IN THE LONG EMPTY HALLWAY.

THERE WAS NO NARRATION, JUST THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.

AND THE WHOLE POINT IS THIS IS WHERE YOU END UP.

IT IS MY VERY FAVORITE SPOT BECAUSE I THINK IT PULLS ALL THE RIGHT CHORDS FOR WHAT THIS WHOLE ISSUE IS ABOUT.

RIGHT?

IT IS A CAUTIONARY TALE FOR A POTENTIAL OFFENDER.

AND IT IS AFFIRMING FOR THE VICTIMS SIDE.

STEPHEN: VERY POWERFUL.

CONGRATULATED.

YOU OBVIOUSLY WON MULTIPLE AMAZED.

DANTE: I ARM APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR KIND WORDS, BUT IT IS A LABOR OF LOVE.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO BE WITH THESE PEOPLE AND NOT WANT THEM TO BE IN YOUR LIFE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

>> THERE IS A POWERFUL CONNECTION.

DANTE: I AM BLESSED TO BE PART OF IT.

STEPHEN: WILL THERE BE ANY MORE?

YOU RETIRED FROM THE RDW GROUP.

AND YOU STARTED TO BRANCH OUT.

YOU DIDN'T SAY I'M GOING ON A VACATION.

YOU KEEP CREATING.

ONE OF YOUR CLIENTS IN THE PAST HAS BEEN THE AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARIAN KEN BURNS.

DANTE: FRIEND, NOT A CLIENT.

STEPHEN: YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES.

KEN BURNS, GOOD FRIEND.

AND YOU DECIDED, I'M GOING TO DO A DOCUMENTARY ON KEN BURNS?

DANTE: WE HAD BEEN FRIENDS FOR 12 OR 13 YEARS.

STEPHEN: HOW DID YOU MEET HIM?

DANTE: I CALLED HIM UP ONE DAY.

I GOT HIS NUMBER AND I CALLED HIM UP.

I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD DO THIS THING THAT I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT.

I HAD A CLIENT, STURBRIDGE VILLAGE.

WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE FIRST ANNUAL KEN BURNS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

HE SAID, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS AWARD.

I HAD JUST CREATED IT AND I WANTED YOU TO BE THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF IT.

HE SAID, OK.

HE THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF BALLSY AND BOLD.

WE MET AND IMMEDIATELY LIKED EACH OTHER.

WE BECAME FRIENDS.

FROM DAY ONE, I WANT TO DO THIS LITTLE WORD.

STEPHEN: I HAD THIS FEELING THAT A NOTE TODAY IS A YES TOMORROW.

DANTE: THERE WAS A FAVORITE PLACE.

BERDYCH.

STEPHEN: ANYBODY WHO LOVES KEN BURNS, GO THERE.

DANTE: BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

SO WE ARE SITTING THERE AND I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO DO THIS FILM ON YOU.

I THINK IT WILL BE FINE.

HE SAID, I SAID YES.

WHAT?

THE FILM IS TRULY ABOUT HIS SENSE OF PLACE.

I ALWAYS KNEW THAT I WANTED IT TO BE INTIMATE.

THIS VERY SMALL, INTIMATE PROFILE ABOUT HIM.

BUT NOT REALLY DELVING SO MUCH INTO THE FILMS, BUT MORE INTO WHO HE IS AS A PERSON AND HIS PROCESS BY WHICH THIS CREATIVE OUTLET COMES.

SO WE SETTLED ON THAT IT WOULD BE THAT.

AND EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY WITH HIM.

IT IS VERY WARM.

IT IS VERY INTIMATE.

IT IS A LOT OF KEN.

STEPHEN: THIS GUY, KEN BURNS, COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE TO HAVE HIS PRODUCTION FACILITY.

WHY DID HE CHOOSE YOU?

DANTE: THAT IS AN IMMEDIATE PART OF THE STORY.

HE WAS LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY AND WANTED TO MAKE HIS ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATED BROOKLYN BRIDGE.

HE WANTED TO MAKE THAT.

HE ALWAYS KNEW HE WANTED TO MAKE THAT.

HE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION.

I CAN LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY AND TRY TO MAKE THIS FILM, BUT THE FILM MIGHT NEVER GET MADE BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE IT.

STEPHEN: IT IS SO EXTENSIVE TO LIVE IN NEW YORKCITY.

DANTE: A LOT OF HIS FRIENDS WERE MOVING TO THIS SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE ENCLAVE CALLED WALPOLE.

HE WAS ABLE TO GET A HOUSE, SAVE SO MUCH MONEY, BE ABLE TO MAKE THE FILM.

STEPHEN: DID HE TURN HIS HOUSE INTO A PRODUCTION FACILITY AS WELL?

DANTE: THAT CAME LATER.

METAPHORICALLY, INSTEAD OF HAVING FILM CANISTERS ON TOP OF THE REFRIGERATOR, HE WAS ABLE TO GET THIS FILM DONE BECAUSE HE MADE THE MOVE OUT OF NEW YORK CITY TO DO IT AND HAS NEVER LOOKED BACK.

WE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT.

STEPHEN: WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DOCUMENTARY?

HOW LONG IS IT?

DANTE: 60 MINUTES.

WE HAVE DONE IT OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR.

STARTS AND STOPS.

STEPHEN: SAME TEAM AS THE RIPPLE EFFECT?

DANTE: IS ERIC AND MYSELF.

I JUST ACTUALLY SAW THE FINAL MIX OF IT THE OTHER DAY.

AND I WAS LITERALLY SOBBING WATCHING IT BECAUSE IT IS MY FIRST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY.

WHEN YOU HAVE A SUBJECT LIKE KEN BURNS, THERE IS SUCH A PROFOUND NATURE TO EVERYTHING THAT HE SAYS THAT HAS MEANING AND VIRTUE IN OUR LIVES.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU DO A THING LIKE THE ACNE SCREW COMPANY.

AND IT'S LONG RANGING EFFECTS.

THIS IS A GUY THAT HAS THE PSYCHE AND MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND TO BE GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING THAT FILM.

HAVING BEEN ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

TO DO IT MY WAY WAS THE PRIVILEGE AND A BLESSING.

AS I TOLD MY WIFE AND OTHERS, I MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT LIKES THIS FILM.

STEPHEN: IT IS CLOSE TO YOUR HEART IN VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY.

AND YOU BROUGHT A LOT OF LOVE ONTO THIS PROJECT.

IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE.

DANTE: IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE FOR ME, AND A LOVE STORY.

KEN HAS A VERY SMALL CIRCLE OF PEOPLE THAT HE WORKS WITH AND INTERACTS WITH.

IT IS A VERY LARGE CIRCLE OF PEOPLE.

HE IS AS HUMID AND APPROACHABLE AND SUCCESSFUL -- AND ACCESSIBLE AS YOU AND I ARE.

I WILL BE MORE SO BECAUSE I HATE PEOPLE.

HE HAS BEEN A COLLABORATOR FOR 30 YEARS AND CAN IS THIS BEAUTIFUL THING.

THEY'VE WORKED ON SO MANY PROJECTS TOGETHER.

IN THE MOVIE, IN THE FILM, DAYTON TALKS ABOUT THE PROJECTS THAT TAKE US EVERYWHERE.

WE GO EVERYWHERE.

WE ALWAYS COME BACK TO THIS ROOM , THE EDITING SUITE.

WHERE THEY BATTLE IT OUT.

STEPHEN: WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.

DANTE: AND WHERE THE LOVE HAPPENS.

STEPHEN: THEY SAY A LOT OF THE CREATION OF THE MOVIE IS IN THE EDITING ROOM.

IS THERE ANYTHING WHILE MAKING THIS THAT SURPRISED YOU THAT YOU SAID, WOW, I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT?

DID YOU KNOW, DOING THIS -- WHEN I GO TO THE SUBJECT MATTER, NOT ACTUALLY FINDING THE SPINE OF THE STORY THROUGH INTERVIEW, DID YOU KNOW WHAT THE STRUCTURE WAS GOING TO BE?

OR DID IT START TO DEFINE ITSELF?

>> I KNEW WHAT THE THREAD WAS GOING TO BE.

IT WAS LINEAR FOR THE MOST PART.

AND KEN HIMSELF WOULD BE THE CONDUCTIVITY OF THIS.

AND WE DO IT IN CHAPTERS.

I AM BLESSED WITH BEING ABLE TO HAVE HAD ACCESS TO FRIENDS OF HIS.

IN THE ATLANTIC MAGAZINE.

AND A WRITER WHO TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL TOWNS IN AMERICA.

AND HE ADDS GREAT LEGITIMACY TO OUR CORE PREMISE THAT SMALL TOWNS ARE A UNIQUE BREED IN AMERICA.

AND WE ARE LOSING THEM AT A RATE WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.

BUT THEY ARE SOMETHING WE WANT TO HOLD ONTO.

NOT NECESSARILY THE PHYSICAL PLACE OF THE SMALL TOWN, BUT WHAT THE SMALL TOWN SPIRIT MEANS.

LIKE TODAY.

WE DON'T REALLY HAVE SMALL TOWNS ANYMORE LIKE THE MAYBERRY ARE FD KIND.

BUT YOU AND I ARE OF AN AGE WHERE WE REMEMBER THAT KIND OF COMMUNAL CARE AND CONCERN AND LOVE.

THAT IS WHAT WALPOLE KIND OF REPRESENTED.

IT PROTECTS HIM AND HE PROTECTS WALPOLE.

IT IS NOT TO SAY OR NEGATE OR PRECLUDE THAT HE LOVES NEW YORK CITY.

STEPHEN: IS THERE CONFLICT?

DANTE: THERE IS ALWAYS CONFLICT.

STEPHEN: IS IT THAT PART OF THE DRAMA WHEN DOING A DOCUMENTARY?

DANTE: NO.

NONE.

THE CONFLICT IS IN THE RESOLUTE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOU BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF YOUR OWN DREAMS.

STEPHEN: DO YOU SHOW OBSTACLES THAT HE MAY HAVE FACED?

DANTE: THE WHOLE BEGINNING PART IS ABOUT THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE.

CAN IS AN OUTWARD PERSON AND NOT AN INWARD PERSON.

RE-THINK THAT COMES OUT OF HIS MOUTH IS IMPORTANT.

YOU MAY THINK THAT I'M FAWNING.

ERIC HAD NEVER MET HIM, DAVID HAD NEVER MET HIM.

YOU LEAVE THEIR ALWAYS ENRICHED AND ALWAYS BETTER.

STEPHEN: HE WAS ABOUT TO SHOW HIS -- I THINK IT WAS VIETNAM.

YOU ARE IN THE COMPANY OF SOMEBODY VERY SPECIAL.

DANTE: I MAKE A SMALL CAMEO IN THE FILM.

WE ARE WALKING FROM HIS HOME ON NORTH ROAD IN WALPOLE ALL THE WAY TO BERDYCH'S.

IT IS ABOUT ZERO DEGREES.

AND WE ARE WALKING HIS DOG CHESTER.

EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE CONDENSATION BILLOWING.

HE SEARCHED QUOTE EMILY DICKINSON AND TALKS ABOUT THE THEATRICALS OF THE DAY.

AND IT WAS WITH RESPECT TO THIS BEAUTIFUL VISTA OF WALPOLE.

AND WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, WHEN HE MADE CIVIL WAR, THIS VISTA LOOKED VERY MUCH LIKE MANY OF THE VISTAS IN THE SOUTH.

HE USED IT.

AND HE USED THE SHOTS FROM HIS WALK.

HE PAINTS A PICTURE OF WHAT MOVED HIM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

STEPHEN: I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE FILM.

WHAT IS COMING NEXT?

WHAT IS NEXT ON YOUR AGENDA?

DANTE: I DON'T KNOW.

STEPHEN: WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS DO YOU WANT TO DO?

DANTE: I'M INTERESTED IN PROJECTS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL.

IT'S ABOUT GOODNESS AND VIRTUE, RIGHT AND WRONG IN MANY RESPECTS.

ONE THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT WE STARTED SHOOTING ANOTHER SMALL FILM WITH MARK PATINKIN.

HE FACED CANCER CHALLENGE AND CONTINUES TO FACE A CANCER CHALLENGE.

THERE IS LOTS OF CONTENT OUT THERE ABOUT CANCER.

AND THE EFFECTS OF CANCER MEDICALLY AND BIOLOGICALLY.

AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH CANCER PATIENTS.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

MARK HAS WRITTEN AN INCREDIBLE SERIES IN THE JOURNAL.

I BELIEVE HE'S GOING TO WRITE THE BOOK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE AS WELL.

OUR LITTLE FILM IS GOING TO BE ABOUT THE DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER THAT CHANGES YOU.

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT YOU AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS?

HOW DOES IT CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING?

IT IS VERY EMOTIONAL.

WE STARTED SHOOTING LAST WEEK AND I THINK IT WILL BE HIGHLY EDUCATIONAL.

I THINK BECAUSE CANCER AFFECTS ALL OF US.

THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON THAT ISN'T TOUCHED BY CANCER THAT WILL FIND IT BOTH ILLUMINATING AND UPLIFTING.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, LOTS OF US ARE TOUCHED BY IT.

BUT WE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND IT.

I THINK THIS MAY BE AN EYE-OPENER.

STEPHEN: IT USED TO BE THAT YOU WOULDN'T EVEN MENTION IT, YOU WOULD CALL IT THE C WORD.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TIME WITH US, YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, YOUR TALENT, YOUR EXUBERANCE.

DANTE: IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST.

STEPHEN: YOU ARE A TREASURE.

DANTE: THANK YOU.