>> EVERY PATIENT THAT I CARE FOR IS LIKE TAKING CARE OF MY OWN CHILD.

MY NAME IS CANDY AND I'M A NURSING ASSISTANT.

I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR 10 YEARS.

I LOVE THE MIRACLES THAT WE SEE.

IT IS OVER WARDING THE FAMILIES WE GET TO HELP -- IT IS SO REWARDING, THE FAMILIES WE GET TO HELP.

>> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY -- >> HOLLYWOOD IS IN LOVE WITH RHODE ISLAND.

>> I LIKE TO SAY RHODE ISLAND IS THE SMALLEST STATE WITH THE GREATEST BACKGROUND.

YOU CAN BE ONE MOMENT AT THE BEACH, THE NEXT MOMENT AT A BEAUTIFUL CITYSCAPE, THEN YOU CAN BE AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE NEWPORT MANSIONS, AND TIME IS MONEY WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A MOVIE.

>> I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN RELOCATING MYSELF ON MY OWN INITIATIVE.

>> THE FILM ARCHIVE AT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY STARTED IN 1969.

THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR AT ONE OF THE LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS, WPRI, APPROACHED THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, RECOGNIZING THAT THE FILM THEY HAD AT THE STATION HAD SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC VALUE.

♪ [CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] >> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

PAMELA: AS WE FIRST REPORTED LAST MAY, THE OCEAN STATE IS A SIREN OF THE SILVER SCREEN.

IT'S BEAUTY HAS LONG CAPTURED THE EYE OF HOLLYWOOD, MAKING IT AN IDEAL STAGE FOR THE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY.

IT MIGHT BE HARD TO RECALL THE SCENES SHOT HERE ON OUR SHORES.

TONIGHT, WE INVITE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THOSE ICONIC FILMS AND A LOOK FORWARD AT THE REAL RHODE ISLAND.

>> MAY I SEE YOUR INVITATION PLEASE?

>> SURE.

HERE'S MY INVITATION.

>> FOR YEARS, RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN CAST AS A STAR IN SOME OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST CELEBRATED MOVIES.

>> ARE YOU LEARNING ANYTHING ABOUT THE IDLE RICH?

>> RECENTLY, DISNEY HAS BROUGHT ITS MAGIC.

"HOCUS-POCUS 2" WITH SARAH JESSICA PARKER AND BUT MIDLER IS JUST ONE OF THE LATEST FILMS TO EACH OF THE OCEAN STATE AS ITS MOVIE SET.

>> I LIKE TO SAY RHODE ISLAND IS THE SMALLEST STATE WITH THE GREATEST BACKGROUND.

PAMELA: STEVEN FEINBERG, EXECUTIVE OF THE RHODE ISLAND FILM AND TV OFFICE, SAYS IT IS OUR DIVERSE LOCATIONS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY THAT HELP MAKE LITTLE ROADIE A BIG DEAL.

>> YOU COULD BE ONE MOMENT AT THE BEACH, THE NEXT MOMENT IN A BEAUTIFUL CITYSCAPE, THEN YOU CAN BE AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE NEWPORT MANSIONS, AND TIME IS MONEY WHEN YOU ARE MAKING A MOVIE, SO I COULD MAKE A PHONE CALL, IF IT IS SOMEONE IN OUR GOVERNMENT OR POLICE DEPARTMENT OR FIRE DEPARTMENT -- ALL OF THOSE ARE AVAILABLE.

THERE'S NO REDTAPE.

WE ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHER PLACE.

I TELL PEOPLE WE ARE LIKE AN OLD WESTERN TOWN.

EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.

PAMELA: KNOWING EVERYBODY IN SHOW BUSINESS IS THE PERFECT ROLE FOR HIM.

HE GREW UP GOING TO MOVIE THEATERS LIKE THE HISTORIC PODIUM -- ODIUM IN EAST VILLAGE.

>> I GREW UP GOING TO FILMS WITH MY DAD LIKE "THE MAN IN THE GOLDEN GUN."

>> AFTER FILM SCHOOL, HE BECAME A PRODUCER IN L.A.

WHEN HE RETURNED TO RHODE ISLAND, HE PUSHED THE STATE TO ADOPT A 30% TAX CREDIT ON WHAT PRODUCTION COMPANIES SPEND IN RHODE ISLAND TO ATTRACT MORE PROJECTS.

>> A FILM PRODUCE BY CARA SEDGWICK IS BEING PRODUCED RIGHT HERE IN THE STATE.

>> WE BROUGHT A TV SERIES HERE.

I APPROVED WES ANDERSON'S "MOONRISE KINGDOM," AND IT WENT LIKE WILDFIRE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> ORIGINALLY, PRODUCTIONS WERE APPROVED AT THEY SOUGHT MORE THAN HALF PRODUCTION IN RHODE ISLAND.

SINCE 2020, THEY ALSO QUALIFY IF THEY SPEND AT LEAST $10 MILLIO ON-SITE.

IT IS HOPED THIS NEW OPTION WILL ENCOURAGE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES TO SHOOT MORE SCENES IN RHODE ISLAND.

IT ALSO ENABLED FEINBERG TO LAND A SHOW HE HAD BEEN COURTING FOR A DOZEN YEARS, CURRENT HBO HIT "THE GILDED AGE."

>> OF COURSE YOU MUST COME TO NEWPORT.

I INSIST.

PAMELA: FEINBERG COLLABORATED >> I WAS A DOG ON A BONE.

THEY SAID, I WANT TO KNOW EVERY HOME.

I WANT TO KNOW EVERY ARTIFACT, I WANT TO KNOW EVERY COSTUME, I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO OFFER.

I JUST WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE.

PAMELA: FEINBERG WAS FINALLY ABLE TO BRING EVERYONE TO THE TABLE -- LITERALLY.

THE FILM COMMISSION THROUGH AN ELEGANT CANDLELIGHT DINNER PARTY RIGHT HERE IN THE BALLROOM OF THE NEWPORT MANSION KNOWN AS MARBLE HOUSE IN A SCENE THAT WOULD RIVAL SOMETHING OUT OF DOWNTON ABBEY.

THE CREATOR OF "DOWNTON ABBEY" AND "THE GILDED" WAS WOWED BY NEWPORT.

>> I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.

I HAD A REALLY GOOD TIME.

I LOVE THE COTTAGES, THE WHOLE FANTASY OF PEOPLE, REALLY, COMPLETELY SUITED ME.

>> IS -- PAMELA: IT IS NOT JUST OUTSIDERS WHO HAVE FOUND AN ARTISTIC HOME.

THE STORY OF A RHODE ISLAND BOXER WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN THE EPIC "BLEED FOR THIS."

AND A MOVIE ABOUT RHODE ISLAND'S NOTORIOUS VAULT HEIST WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE BY TOM TO LUCCI, WHO BASED IT ON A TRUE STORY ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND MOB.

>> GROWING UP ITALIAN AMERICAN IN A PLACE LIKE PRINCETON, WE DON'T HAVE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS IN RHODE ISLAND, SO WE FOLLOW PROFESSIONAL GANGSTERS.

I ALWAYS PAID ATTENTION TO ORGANIZED CRIME AND WAS KIND OF FASCINATED BY AND LOVE MOVIES LIKE "GOODFELLAS" AND "CASINO" AND "THE GODFATHER."

THOSE MOVIES WERE IN MY DNA.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE MY VERSION OF AN ORGANIZED CRIME FILM.

PAMELA: RECENTLY HE FOUND A DARK COMEDY, "THRILLER -- DARK COMEDY THRILLER IN RHODE ISLAND, "JOHNNY AND CLYDE" STARRING MEGAN FOX.

>> I STORYBOARD WITH ACTION FIGURES.

I'M A BIG COLLECTOR OF ACTION FIGURES.

HAVING THESE TORIES AROUND -- TOYS AROUND, THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF MY LIFE, AND I STARTED THE LITTLE MOCKUPS.

I THINK THERE COULD BE A DOOR RIGHT HERE AND A DESK HERE.

PAMELA: HE PHOTOGRAPHS EACH SCENE TO CREATE HIS STORYBOARD.

>> I WOULD MAKE MY NOTES, SO I COULD TAKE THIS PHOTO AND FIGURE OUT, THIS IS WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

THESE ARE THE SHOTS WE NEED TO GET TO MAKE IT WORK.

PAMELA: A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY WONDER, CAN YOU MAKE A JOB OUT OF THIS?

>> IT WASN'T ALWAYS EASY.

THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS I MADE MOVIES, I PROBABLY MADE $2000 IN MY FIRST TWO YEARS.

PAMELA: YOU'RE A STARVING ARTIST.

>> IT WAS A DARK TIME AND I HAD TO DO A LOT OF CRAZY THINGS TO MAKE MONEY LIKE PLAY POKER AND SELL BASEBALL CARDS AND JUST DO WHATEVER I COULD TO MAKE ENDS MEET WHILE TRYING TO STAY IN THE BUSINESS, BUT I ALWAYS TOLD MYSELF, LIKE, THIS IS GOING TO BE IT.

IT IS THIS OR NOTHING.

>> THE NEXT THING I WANT TO DO IS CAMERA IN THE VAN MAY BE.

PAMELA: HE SAYS IN THE PAST DECADE, HE'S MADE A GOOD LIVING AND SAYS HIS CAREER ALSO BENEFITS FROM WHAT HE CALLS THE HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE.

>> I'M IN MOVIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR THE MOST PART, AND THE BIGGER THE MARKET, THE LESS EXCITED PEOPLE ARE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO SHOOT A SCENE IN A BAKERY IN LOS ANGELES AND SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOOT OUR MOVIE, THEY WOULD SAY IT'S GOING TO BE FIVE GRAND FOR THE DAY AND THEY WILL CHARGE YOU A LOT OF MONEY TO RENT IT OUT.

IF YOU WANT TO SHOOT A SCENE AT A BAKERY IN RHODE ISLAND, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CALL YOUR UNCLE FRANK UP, AND HE WILL SAY, WE CLOSE ON SATURDAY, YOU CAN SHOOT ALL NIGHT LONG FREE OF CHARGE.

PAMELA: HOW DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING IN RHODE ISLAND LOOKS RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK THE FUTURE IS REALLY BRIGHT.

IT IS REALLY GREAT TO SEE HOMEGROWN TALENT AND DISNEY COMING TO TOWN.

IT IS REALLY GREAT TO GET THAT MIX AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING ANYWHERE FOR A WHILE.

PAMELA: AND STEPHEN FEINBERG AGREES.

>> THE GOAL IS IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, IF YOU WANT TO WORK HARD, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHINE AND TO LIVE AND WORK IN A PLACE YOU LEFT -- A PLACE YOU LOVE, AND THAT PLACE IS RHODE ISLAND.

>> THE FILMING OF SEASON TWO OF "GILDED AGE" IS EXPECTED TO RESUME IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER AND THE MOVIE "SPACE ODDITY" STARRING KEVIN BACON IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR STREAMING AND FOR ALL OF YOU FILM DEVOTEES, THE PRESTIGIOUS RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 40 YEARS.

THEIR SEASON BEGINS AUGUST 8.

DAVID: WE NOW TURN TO THE RICH HISTORY OF MAKING FILMS IN RHODE ISLAND THAT DATES BACK ALL THE WAY TO THE EARLY 1900S.

IN MAY, THE CURATOR AND ARCHIVIST OF THE MOVING IMAGE AND AUDIO COLLECTIONS AT THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY HELPED US DIG THROUGH THE STACKS OF CELLULOID TREASURES AND BRING TO LIFE -- THAT BRING TO LIFE OUR STATE'S STORIED PAST.

>> ANY DAY REALLY CAN BRING A NEW TREASURE.

I'M SORT OF ALWAYS DISCOVERING JIM'S -- DISCOVERING GEMS IN HERE.

>> I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN RELOCATING MYSELF ON MY OWN INITIATIVE.

>> THE FILM ARCHIVE AT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY STARTED IN 1969.

THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR AT ONE OF THE LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS, WPRI, APPROACHED THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, RECOGNIZING THAT THEY FILM THEY HAD AT THE STATION HAD SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL VALUE AND THAT THE STATION IS SELF IS NOT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT PLACE TO HOUSE IT AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE PEOPLE OF RHODE ISLAND.

THAT STARTED THE FILM ARCHIVE HERE TO BEGIN WITH.

ONCE THEY SAW THE VALUE OF THAT AND SAW THAT THE TELEVISION STATIONS WORK WILLING -- WERE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THEY WENT TO OTHER LOCAL STATIONS AND GOT RICH FROM THEM AS WELL.

THAT WAS HOW THE COLLECTION STARTED, WITH NEWS FILM.

THEN I ALSO REALIZED THAT THERE WAS OTHER KINDS OF FILM THAT THEY WANTED TO COLLECT.

GOING TO SOURCES LIKE THE NATIONAL NEWSREELS, PLACES LIKE FOX MOVIE TONE AND PARAMOUNT NEWSREEL, AND THEY ALSO PUT OUT THE WORD TO RHODE ISLANDERS, SO THEY HAD ARTICLES IN "THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL" SAYING, WE'VE STARTED A FILM ARCHIVE AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY ON FILM ON RHODE ISLAND AND ASKING PEOPLE TO DONATE MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE.

THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE FILM IN HERE HAS NOT BEEN VIEWED AT THIS POINT.

THE SORT OF ROUGH CALCULATION IS THAT WE HAVE OVER 3000 HOURS IN RUNNING TIME OF FILM.

THE MAJORITY OF THE FILM THAT WE HAVE HERE, BECAUSE IT IS TELEVISION NEWS FILM, THOSE ARE VERY SHORT STORIES.

THEY ARE ON AVERAGE ABOUT A MINUTE LONG, SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER 3000 HOURS, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL NEWS STORIES.

>> IT IS, KNOWLEDGE -- COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO ALL.

>> I'M CONSTANTLY DISCOVERING NEW FILM.

I HAVE VIEWED LESS THAN 1%.

THERE ARE A LOT OF WONDERFUL FILMS THAT FEATURE CELEBRITIES.

WE HAVE HARRY BELAFONTE.

WE HAVE JOHN BYERS WHEN SHE WAS IN TOWN -- WE HAVE JOHN BYERS -- WE HAVE JOAN BAEZ WHEN SHE WAS IN TOWN FOR THE FOLK FESTIVAL.

THEN WE HAVE THINGS RELATED TO SCHOOL LOCKOUTS AND LOCAL CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS.

EVERYBODY IN RHODE ISLAND HAS KNOWN FRANK CAPRIO.

WE HAVE A FRANK CAPRIO FOR MAYOR COMMERCIAL.

WHAT'S NICE IS THERE IS SORT OF THIS INTERESTING MIX OF THE VERY LOCAL AND THEN THINGS THAT TOUCH ON A LARGER NATIONAL STORY.

WE HAVE SOME FOOTAGE HERE OF A DEMONSTRATION IN KENNEDY PLAZA ON MARCH 21 1965, WHICH IS WHEN THE FINAL SOMA MARCH SET OFF, AND IT IS RHODE ISLANDERS SHOWING SUPPORT FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON NATIONALLY FOR THIS LARGER CIVIL RIGHTS STORY THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY, BUT THEY ARE DOING IT HERE IN PROVIDENCE.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE AT THAT DEMONSTRATION WAS A LOCAL SUMO -- CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER WHO HAD ACTUALLY BEEN DOWN IN SELMA FOR THE EARLIER MARCHES, SO WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH HIM WHERE HE IS TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE IN SELMA WITH DR. KING AND THEN COMING BACK TO RHODE ISLAND TO BRING THAT ENERGY AND THAT STORY BACK HERE.

>> THEY FOUND THEIR FREEDOM THROUGH SELF-EXPRESSION AND DEALING WITH THIS MATTER.

>> TO ME, SOME OF THE MOST FASCINATING STUFF IS HOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN RHODE ISLAND SPEAKS TO SOME OF THESE LARGER STORIES.

HOME MOVIES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WE HAVE TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT A DAILY LIFE LOOK LIKE AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING IT, SO I'M WORKING ACTIVELY TO CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES WHO MAY BE PREVIOUSLY DID NOT THINK THAT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WAS A PLACE FOR THEIR MATERIALS.

THAT ON THE CURE RATION FRONT IS A BIG PART OF MY JOB, MAKING SURE WE ARE TELLING THE STORY OF AS MANY RHODE ISLANDERS AS POSSIBLE.

MOST OF THE COLLECTIONS THAT ARE HERE ARE FROM THE MID-20TH CENTURY.

HOWEVER, WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW IS THAT THERE WAS A FILM INDUSTRY IN PROVIDENCE GOING BACK TO THE EARLY PERIOD OF CINEMA.

BEFORE ALL PRODUCTION MOVED OUT TO HOLLYWOOD, CINEMA STARTED ON THE EAST COAST PRIMARILY BASED IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, BUT THERE WERE ALSO STUDIOS RIGHT HERE IN NEW PROVIDENCE.

IN PARTICULAR, THERE WAS A STUDIO KNOWN AS THE EASTERN FILM COMPANY.

THEY HAD ACTORS WHO WERE ON CONTRACT.

THEY WERE TURNING OUT ONE AND TWO-REAL COMEDIES.

THEY WERE ALSO MAKING SOME LARGER FEATURE FILMS.

THEY WERE A PART OF THE EARLY CINEMA MACHINE BEFORE IT ALL WENT OUT TO HOLLYWOOD.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF MY JOB IS NOT JUST TO PRESERVE THIS MATERIAL AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IN OK PHYSICAL CONDITION, BUT, REALLY, I SEE MY JOB AS BEING ABOUT PROVIDING AS MUCH ACCESS AS I POSSIBLY CAN TO THIS COLLECTION, AND THAT MEANS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW IT IS HERE AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW THEY CAN USE IT AND THAT WE WANT THEM TO USE IT TO TELL THEIR OWN HISTORIES AND TELL THE WIDER HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND FOR US.

♪ DAVID: OUR THANKS TO BECCA BENDER AND THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY CELEBRATING ITS 200TH ANNIVERSARY.

WHILE HOLLYWOOD MAY BE KNOWN MASTERFUL STORYTELLING, THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO TELL A STORY.

TONIGHT, WE MEET AGAIN SOMEONE WHO KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT SPINNING A YARN.

BILL HARLEY HAS MADE A CAREER WRITING AND SINGING HIS SONGS.

NOT ONLY HAS HE MADE A CAREER PERFORMING AT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE, HE IS A TWO-TIME GRANNY WHEN -- GRAMMY WINNER.

>> OUT UPON THE BRINY DEEP WHERE THE WILD AND WET WINS BLOW, THERE LIVED A CRUEL AND EVIL MAN, PIRATE JOE.

HE ROAMED THE WORLD AND SEVEN SEAS IN SEARCH OF DIRTY SOCKS.

MY NAME IS BILL HARLEY AND THIS IS MY TAKE ON THE ART OF STORYTELLING.

ASKING ME WHY STORYTELLING IS IMPORTANT IS KIND OF LIKE ASKING WHAT AIR IS IMPORTANT TO ME OR WHY BREAD IS IMPORTANT.

IT IS BECAUSE IT IS WHAT WE DO ASK HUMANS, HOW WE MAKE SENSE OF THINGS AND HOW WE TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE.

PEOPLE REMEMBER A STORY MORE THAN THEY DO NUMBERS OR ACTS OR FIGURES BECAUSE IT IS LITERALLY THE WAY OUR BRAINS WORK.

HE FOUND HIMSELF ONE NIGHT NOT FINDING A PLACE, AND THE WEATHER TURNED AND THE SNOW BEGAN TO FALL, AND HE WAS ALONE ON THE ROAD, AND THE SNOW WAS PILING UP, AND HE THOUGHT, WILLIE MCPHEE, WHAT'S GOING TO BECOME OF YOU?

TO BEING A STORYTELLER IS A PRETTY BIG SKILL SET, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY GOOD.

THE ONES I KNOW WHO ARE REALLY GOOD, THEY ARE REALLY SMART, AND THEY HAVE A FACILITY AND LOVE OF LANGUAGE, AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO AN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT AND WHO THEIR AUDIENCE IS.

♪ HE SAID DO YOU WANT TO EAT THIS AND I SAID NOT REALLY.

HE SAID THAT'S OK. YOU KNOW WHY?

IT'S FOR MY DOG.

♪ EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAT'S OK WITH ME ♪ >> YOU HAVE TO BE NOT AFRAID TO BE THE FOOL.

IF YOU ARE GIVING YOURSELF TO THE STORY, YOU ARE NOT REALLY WATCHING IF YOU ARE COMING OFF ALL RIGHT.

I THINK THE OTHER ONE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VULNERABLE ENOUGH TO LET THE AUDIENCE IN.

LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE AND NOT AFRAID OF THAT.

WHATEVER HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST 50 YEARS DIGITALLY, IT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHO WE ARE ASKED HUMAN BEINGS.

I SEE THIS IN KIDS ALL THE TIME.

THEY SAY, WELL, THEY NEVER LISTEN.

I CAN GET A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD TO LISTEN TO A 35-MINUTE STORY IF THE STORY IS WELL TOLD AND IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEM, IF THEY CAN RELATE TO IT.

I REMEMBER WHEN MY KIDS WERE LITTLE, I SAID NO, WE WERE WATCHING THE OLYMPICS.

THEY FINISHED, BREAKING THE WORLD RECORD, AND NOAH TURNS TO ME AND SAYS GEE, DAD, WHY DON'T YOU RUN THAT RACE?

YOU'RE FAST.

I SAID NO, I'LL JUST LET SOMEONE ELSE HAVE THAT.

A COUPLE YEARS LATER, HE TURNS 13, 1 DAY HE COMES INTO THE KITCHEN AND JUST LOOKS AT ME.

JUST LOOKS, NOT SPEAKING.

I SAID, WHAT?

HE SAID, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?

AND THEN HE SAID, AM I GOING TO LOOK LIKE YOU?

>> MOST OF THE STORIES YOU TELL US STORIES OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, THAT PEOPLE WHO TELL KIDS STORIES OF HOW THEY GOT THEIR NAMES OR WHO CAME BEFORE THEM -- THERE'S A GROUNDING THAT GOES ON THERE THAT YOU CANNOT GET FROM THE MEDIA.

THE STORIES TOLD BY THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND YOU ARE THE STORIES THAT ARE REALLY MOST IMPORTANT IN THE FORMATION OF MEETING PEOPLE.

YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL A STORY AS WELL AS DISNEY OR AMAZON, BUT WHAT YOU DO NEED TO DO IS TELL A STORY.

MY NAME IS BILL HARLEY.

I'M A STORYTELLER AND THIS HAS BEEN MY TAKE ON THE ART OF STORYTELLING.

HE WORE A SCRATCHY SCRAGGLY BEARD AND HAT BUT ONE GOOD EYE AND WITH A TATTERED PIECE OF SALE, HIS OILY HAIR HE TIED.

HOOK FOR A HAND -- YEAH, HE HAD THAT TOO.

HE FOUND IT VERY HANDY FOR PICKING BETWEEN HIS TEETH TO GET OUT STICKY CANDY.

>> THAT'S OUR BROADCAST FOR THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

PAMELA: WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF PBS RHODE ISLAND WEEKLY.

UNTIL THEN, YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE TO SEE ALL OF OUR STORIES AND PAST EPISODES OR LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS AVAILABLE ON YOUR FAVORITE AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORMS.

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

♪ [CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] >> EVERY PATIENT THAT I CARE FOR IS LIKE TAKING CARE OF MY OWN CHILD.

MY NAME IS CANDY AND I'M A NURSING ASSISTANT.

I'VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR 10 YEARS.

I LOVE THE MIRACLES THAT WE SEE.

IT IS SO REWARDING, AND ALL THE FAMILIES THAT WE GET TO HELP, THEY PUT THEIR CHILD IN OUR HANDS.