The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Poetry Foundation to screen film on Jan. 6th & 7th in Chicago

2011-11-27T15:15:00.005-05:00

It is with excitement we announce the culmination of our film festival and special screenings of The Day Carl Sandburg Died with two presentations of the film at the Poetry Foundation in Chicago on the anniversary of Carl Sandburg's birthday on Friday, January 6th at 7:00 pm and and Saturday January 7th, 2012 at 3:00 pm. These screenings help celebrate the centennial celebration of Poetry Magazine, the publication that rocketed Carl Sandburg to the forefront of American poetry in 1914. Both screenings are free and open to the public but seating is limited. The film's director, Paul Bonesteel will be present for both screenings along with Chicago poet Marc Kelly Smith, who appears in the film for a post screening discussion.

Back to Illinois & Remembrance Rock.

2011-09-23T16:50:00.003-04:00

Back to Illinois & Remembrance Rock. — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Director Paul Bonesteel presenting the film at the Black Earth Film Festival, Galesburg Ill. With three screening last week, we continue to share The Day Carl Sandburg Died, this time in Sandburg's hometown of Galesburg Illinois. First at the Black Earth Film Festival and then the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urban. In the audience were some folks who had known Sandburg, and others who have studied his life and work for years and younger students who were learning about Sandburg for the first time which made these screenings and Q&A a lot of fun. A frequent conversation is about the how Sandburg's work and his messages are so needed today. Back south, we screened the film at Wofford College in Spartanburg SC, much thanks to Sandburg scholar and classical guitarist Jhon Akers, who has supported the film since we began.

Presenting the film at the Black Earth Film Festival, Galesburg Ill. While I was there I got to visit with poet/historian Robin Metz and talk about the film, it's six year journey and projects to come. I stopped by the Sandburg State Historic Site and paid my respect to Remembrance Rock, the place where Carl and Paula's ashes were places.

Paying respects to Carl and Paula Sandburg's resting place, Galesburg Ill.

Remembrance Rock Along the pathway surrounding the rock are quotes of Sandburg's and one that I had not seen before struck me as particularly fitting; It said "After the sunsets on the prairie there are only the stars. The stars stand alone." Indeed the prairie can be a lonely place but as Sandburg said in The People, Yes, its "a shovel of stars for keeps"... and I'm thankful for the people that helped make this film and helped to make the screenings possible. I was surrounded by friends in remembering Sandburg at all these screenings.

Screening at University of Illinois Library, September 2011

Next the film will screen at Aperture Theater, Winston Salem, NC October 2rd 2011
Next stop, the film goes back to Winston Salem where it premiered in April and a special screening at Aperture Cinema on October 2nd. Penelope Niven and I will both be in attendance.

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

More festivals and screenings scheduled!

2011-08-29T16:24:00.001-04:00

More festivals and screenings scheduled! — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Since the film's premiere in April, thousands of people have seen documentary at festivals and screenings. Late this summer and into the fall we are excited to continue sharing the film at some exciting events. They include; Carolina Mountains Literary Festival, September 8 Black Earth film festival in Galesburg Ill., Sept 15th Univ. Of Ill. Champaign-Urbana, Sept 16th Wofford College, Spartanburg SC, Sept. 19th Aperture Cinema, Winston Salem, NC Sunday, Oct. 2nd Southern Appalachian International Film Festival-Oct. 27 The Flat Rock premiere on July 26th was a phenomenal event, raising money for the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and sharing the film with more than 500 folks, across the street from Sandburg's final home. Thank you to everyone who made the event such a success. [caption id="attachment_362" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The audience enters the Flat Rock Playhouse"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_363" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Director Paul Bonesteel and Carl Sandburg Home Superintendant Connie Backlund"][/caption]

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Flat Rock Playhouse screening nearly sold out!

2011-07-22T16:18:00.000-04:00

Flat Rock Playhouse screening nearly sold out! — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

We're happy to report that there will be tickets for the Flat Rock Playhouse screening of the film are selling and selling fast! The screening is a benefit for The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, they're a fantastic non-profit and were integral in supporting the making of the film. If you aren't already, please join us on Tuesday, July 26th at the Flat Rock Playhouse for a reception and screening, but you better get those tickets soon! Also, check out this great article by Carol Rifkin of the Asheville Citizen-Times!

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

July screenings of The Day Carl Sandburg Died recall the poet's life

2011-07-08T16:23:00.001-04:00

July screenings of The Day Carl Sandburg Died recall the poet's life — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Two major screenings of the film surround the anniversary of Carl Sandburg's death (which occurred on July 22nd 1967) to audiences that are closely linked to the story of Sandburg. First in Chicago on July 23rd, The Day Carl Sandburg Died will screen in the city where Sandburg emerged as a ground-breaking poet and journalist in the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival. And then on Tuesdsay, July 26th the film will screen at the Flat Rock Playhouse across the street from his final home in Flat Rock, N.C. which became a National Historic Site celebrating his life. This screening is a fundraising event for The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, a group dedicating in supporting the National Historic Site and Sandburg's legacy. Director Paul Bonesteel will be at both events and will conduct a Q&A session after each screening.

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Asheville WordFest screening a big success

2011-05-10T11:27:00.001-04:00

Asheville WordFest screening a big success — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

A big thanks to everyone who helped make the Asheville, North Carolina premiere of The Day Carl Sandburg Died such a success, screening before more than four hundred people. Thank you Neal Reed (Fine Arts Theatre), Laura Hope-Gill (of Wordfest), Neeley Dawson (Bonesteel Films) for working so hard to make it happen. Both audiences were great, and it reminded me of why I do this... when lights go down and the story unfolds on screen, for me that's where the magic of filmmaking really happens. The comments and questions after about Sandburg and the film encourage me that the film has a powerful relevance to today's social and political climate. I've felt for some time that Sandburg's story and work would resonate with people today and it's great to see and hear that happen. Check back here often to see news about future screenings and other press! [caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Asheville WordFest Premiere of The Day Carl Sandburg Died"][/caption]

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

The Story Behind the Film

2011-04-27T11:38:00.001-04:00

The Story Behind the Film — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Asheville's Mountain Xpress's just published an article about the making of The Day Carl Sandburg Died documentary and the Asheville premeire May 3rd and 7th.

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Sandburg doc and Winston-Salem's RiverRun festival reviewed online

2011-04-20T10:47:00.001-04:00

Sandburg doc and Winston-Salem's RiverRun festival reviewed online — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Winston Salem's RiverRun International Film Festival's line up, including The Day Carl Sandburg Died documentary was reviewed by Winston Salem's Yes Weekly, with a flattering little nugget about the film, "masterfully constructed and inspirational visual essay on the legendary poet, writer and folk singer"... This precedes the world premiere on, April 15th, 16th and 17th!

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Three Sold Out Screenings at RiverRun Int. Film Festival!

2011-04-20T10:38:00.002-04:00

Three Sold Out Screenings at RiverRun Int. Film Festival! — The Day Carl Sandburg Died

Three sold out screenings and a wonderful response from the audience made the world premiere of The Day Carl Sandburg Died at the RiverRun International Film Festival a fantastic experience. The festival was extremely well organized by the festival staff and volunteers. The venues at A/perture and the N.C. School of the Arts were excellent.

It was especially rewarding to have Penelope Niven, Sandburg's biographer and vital contributor to our film, attend the festival and participate in the Q&A after the screenings. Most exciting was the numerous comments about how relevant the film was in today's social and political environment.

[Director Paul Bonesteel and Author/Biographer Penelope Niven on the red carpet before the Saturday screening]

People told me over and over again how much they feel this film needs to be seen. Thank you Riverrun for an amazing world premiere.

"A delightful and uplifting amalgam of archival footage, commentary, spoken word performance and songbook selections, the film is a worthy edifice to a monumental American." -Christopher Holmes, Riverrun International Film Festival

The Day Carl Sandburg Died

World Premiere!

2011-03-09T15:08:00.007-05:00

The world premiere of The Day Carl Sandburg Died documentary film has been set for RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston Salem, North Carolina, April 15,16,17, 2011.

Carl Sandburg died in July of 1967, but director Paul Bonesteel finds his life story and his creative legacy as relevant and provocative as it was in 1916 when his "Chicago Poems" changed American poetry. “Labor unrest, global wars, socialism, immigration and race issues… this was the subject matter that fueled Sandburg for much of his poetry and writing that shocked the world.” comments Bonesteel. “The intensity of his work was over simplified later in his life. He was both an anarchist and a deeply patriotic American.”

The Day Carl Sandburg Died was more than six years in the making with a cast of more than twenty notable scholars, performers and Sandburg family members. Sandburg’s daughter Helga Sandburg Crile, Pete Seeger, Norman Corwin and the late Studs Terkel contribute to the film along with contemporary poets Marc Smith, Ted Kooser and others. Also contributing significantly to the film is Sandburg Biographer and Winston Salem resident Penelope Niven.

Both Director Bonesteel and Niven will be present at the RiverRun screenings for Q&A. Tickets are available at www.riverrunfilm.com

The Day Carl Sandburg Died, Trailer!

2011-02-06T17:44:00.003-05:00

We are excited to say that The Day Carl Sandburg Died will have its world premiere in April at a prestigious festival. More news on that as soon as we can announce it. Until then enjoy the trailer!

The Day Carl Sandburg Died documentary film trailer from Paul Bonesteel on Vimeo.

"the man committed to total anarchy"

2011-01-29T09:39:00.007-05:00

"Outstanding! Beautiful! You were able to pull the man committed to total anarchy into the man who was a poet, musician, and family man. I am so happy that you showed him to be a revolutionary." -John Steichen (Sandburg's grandson, pictured above)

As we await responses from twenty or so film festivals we've entered I've been getting very meaningful responses from people who have screened the film, including many of the participants and interviewees. Many of these people have lived inside the story, knowing Sandburg closely.

John Steichen described Helga, his mother and lone surviving daughter of Sandburg, as "delighted and totally captivated" by the film.

Norman Corwin, (pictured below having breakfast with Sandburg in the late '50's) declared; "You have done a noble service to the memory of Sandburg and to his of readers in the making of this film".

I have high expectations for the film, but none higher than to be true to the story, and comments like these help me to already consider it a success. Stay tuned for updates as we get news from some of the major festivals that will be announcing soon, and in addition we are working towards a number of events here in North Carolina, Illinois, New York and Nebraska.

PS: The film's trailer is coming soon!

The Sounds of Sandburg

2010-12-05T16:39:00.006-05:00

What a film sounds like is one of the important subtleties of film making. It was important to me that The Day Carl Sandburg Died had both an emotional and inventive score. The primary creator of this 'soundscape' is a brilliant composer and performer named Zoe Keating. Zoe plays the cello and composes while looping layers of her instrument. A few years ago our editor at Bonesteel Films, Evan Schafer heard an episode of WNYC's Radiolab featuring Zoe and he encouraged me to give her a listen. Her music is an evocative combination of classical cello and modern sounds, leaving room for the listener's imagination. I experimented with the music under the work-in-progress film and the combination was perfect. Check out her web page for samples of her music, especially her newest release "Into The Trees". We were also fortunate to be able to include Sufjan Stevens anthemic "Chicago" bring a modern background score to the section of the film that dives into the story of one of Carl Sandburg's most well known poems by the same name.

Another critical element in the sound of the film is the narrator, and we are really fortunate to have found a wonderful storyteller names Davis Bates. Davis' voice helps tell the story with an intensity and subtlety that makes for wonderful mix with Zoe's music. There is an abundance of other 'sounds' in the film with Sandburg's voice reading portions of his autobiography, poetry and a number of songs from his "American Songbag". And finally, Asheville composer and sound designer Bruce Sales crafted together the finished mix. All this and much more coming to a film festival, theater and PBS in the coming year! As always, say hello and stay tuned.

What is in the name?

2010-11-16T14:57:00.010-05:00

The Day Carl Sandburg Died might strike some as a bit of a strange title for a film. I chose it to both pique curiosity and to make clear that this is not a standard biographical film. Its designed to bring Sandburg into the present. Its a film that challenges the viewer to think about the creative forces that were at work in Sandburg and how he was shaped by the volatile times he lived through, but more importantly, the modern relevance and reasons Sandburg is being rediscovered today.

The actual day he died, July 22, 1967 was an otherwise normal July day in Flat Rock, North Carolina. But his death marked the end of one of the most creative, prolific, expressive and influential lives yet lived by an American.

The Day Carl Sandburg Died is an 84 minute film that is almost finished. It will be officially released in early 2011 and I look forward to sharing it with you. Stay tuned to this blog for more news.

Illustrating Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories

2010-11-07T16:06:00.008-05:00

Sometimes when you're making a film you gotta swing for the fences. Pick some 'best case' option and go for it. That's pretty much what I did with the artist David Cowles. I knew I wanted to illustrate/animate one of Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories for our film "The Day Carl Sandburg Died" so I took a look at some animation that I really liked on-line and loved what he had done for the band They Might Be Giants but I really didn't think he would be available or affordable. So I sent him an e-mail and the next thing I knew (much to his credit) he was working on it. Sometimes you just gotta ask.

Telling the fascinating story of Sandburg writing his wonderfully ahead of its time children's fiction (shortly after almost being arrested for espionage!) was always an important part of the film, but it had to have images as wacky and bizarre as the stories themselves... Thanks to David and his friend and animator Jeremy Galante, and even David's daughter's band "The Girls" contributing a fantastic yukalaylee song they marvelously created Sandburg's village of liver and onions from his Rootabaga Stories. Its a wonderful journey into the surreal portion of Carl Sandburg's brain. I can't wait for everyone to see it when the film premiers.

Thanks again David, Jeremy and Alison.

Where to? What Next? And the importance of asking that question

2010-10-30T17:06:00.008-04:00

A significant question that gets asked in our film is when Studs Terkel echos Carl Sandburg's famous line from The People, Yes, "Where to? What Next?". Studs asks; "What other question can we ask today?" And in asking this he reminds the viewer of how eternal that question is, for us a individuals and for the United States as a nation.

Sandburg's original question and Studs' modern reference to it is really what this film is about. A window into the work and current relevance of Sandburg. Studs Terkel died on this day, October 31st, 2008, but his vast body of work and his contribution to our film will be enjoyed for many years into the future. He opened his doors and his mind to our project, and for that I am extremely grateful.

As we move towards finishing the film this month, entering it in countless film festivals and negotiating distribution possibilities this blog will change. Very frequently I am going to be celebrating some of the important people and moment that appear in the film. Please become a 'follower' of this blog and join the journey as we being to share the film with the world.

On November 2nd, the Asheville paper wrote a nice article about our status, thanks to Jason Sandford for that coverage. Take a look here.

Thank you.

Sandburg and Nixon

2010-10-25T16:58:00.007-04:00

The image is compelling. Carl Sandburg speaking to a joint session of US Congress in 1959 with Richard Nixon sitting behind him as Vice President. Sandburg reads;

"Men and women. This country has always had them in crisis. Men and women who understand that where ever there is freedom, there have been those who have fought, toiled and sacrificed for it."

Of course, Sandburg could not have known how Nixon would fail to be one of those defenders of freedom, and fall in disgrace. But what Sandburg did know was that he'd seen his type before. In his day and in the history of Lincoln. He could see the turmoil the nation was facing and that it was ripe with opportunity for leadership or failure.

I bring this kind of statement back to this blog discussion because our film, The Day Carl Sandburg Died is being made primarily to tell Sandburg's story, and to create the opportunity for people to think about Sandburg again. To think about his ideas and hear his poetry again. To try and remember the scope of his life and the huge impact he made on the 20th century.

We are finishing the film as I write this, finalizing permissions and countless other duties, but stay tuned. My blogging and my enthusiasm to share Sandburg with the world has never been stronger.

"Fragile, Handle with Care"

2010-05-17T13:49:00.004-04:00

"Filmmaker on edge"...

For those of you keeping score at home, we're into extra innings... there is still light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel has gotten longer. We've had delays with our distribution and funding which now present new problems and opportunities... One of Carl Sandburg's definitions of poetry seems to sum it up for me:

At times like this I have to think back on the journey, and it's really been amazing. Many people have encouraged and supported us, and we are very grateful for the hundreds of people who have let us know how much this film needs to be made.

Suffice to say, the filmmaker is hanging in, trying to find the funds and the patience to finish the film even when new obstacles arise. Stay tuned for a more news soon.

Light at the end of the tunnel

2009-12-05T10:01:00.006-05:00

It is December 2009 and unbelievably we've been working on this film for more than five years. I could say a lot about the pains, delays and false hope that this project has weathered, but in this season of hope I'd rather think about the coming year. With determined effort we are making progress. I can pretty confidently say that one way or another, the film will be finished in 2010, screened and hopefully broadcast.

I happened on a classic photo of Sandburg and his brother-in-law Edward Steichen by Len Stechler and it beautifully captures the optimism they shared. Well into their eighties they were creating, dreaming and still working toward ideas that were not selfish. Ideas of understanding, like The Family of Man exhibit that took these two icons to what was then the Soviet Union in the midst of the Cold War. There they talked, they sang, they shared the ideas of common brotherhood of man.
Where are the Sandburgs and Steichens today? Who are the American icons of thought and courage in this time of global and national crisis to go beyond themselves?

I believe in this film and I believe that we must look to the past for some guidance through the storms of today. I wish you all the best this December and the courage to press on.

Critical moments in Carl Sandburg's youth

2009-07-06T15:45:00.001-04:00

Making our fourth trip to Carl Sandburg's hometown, Galesburg Illinois, our production crew spent a few days shooting material for the film.

Click here is a nice write up with photos that appeared in the Galesburg newspaper.

Sandburg worked hard as a boy. It was a different American that he grew up in, and yet driving the streets and farm roads around Galesburg you can sense some of the same things Sandburg must have felt. An urging. A desire in the eyes of the young folks there to jump a train and head east to Chicago or west to the huge unknown. When the time came Sandburg did both, but only after he had labored, read most every book he could get his hands on, played baseball, fell in love and learned what he needed to head out.

The critical moments in Sandburg's youth were many, but we re-created a few on the same streets and houses that Sandburg lived, and it felt 'real' it felt true.

The people and institutions of Galesburg (Knox College, The Sandburg Birthplace, Orpheum Theater just to name a few) have been great to us. The actors were wonderful, the costume and locations perfect. Thanks again for welcoming us and providing services and enthusiasm that is so important to making a film.

We are getting closer.

Filmmakers Evan Schafer, Neeley House and Paul Bonesteel at Sandburg's Birthplace in Galesburg Ill.

Sandburg film gets NEA grant

2009-05-05T16:03:00.004-04:00

Filmmaker Receives Coveted NEA Grant

Bonesteel Films of Asheville has been notified by the National Endowment for the Arts, that Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, Inc. of Flat Rock, NC has been granted $25,000 to support post-production costs for a documentary film about writer Carl Sandburg. Intended for PBS's American Masters series, The Day Carl Sandburg Died examines the life and work of this Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

"It's a wonderful acknowledgment that Sandburg's work and amazing life story are of interest to the nation, as well as the years of work we've put into developing this project." Said the film's director, Paul Bonesteel

Since 2004 Bonesteel Films has been in planning and production on the film working while closely with Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, the non-profit support group for the The Carl Sandburg Home, a National Historic Site in Flat Rock.

Bonesteel plans for completion of the film this year, but additional funding is still needed. "The costs associated with finishing a film like this are extraordinary. With an icon like Sandburg, archival rights fees and other expenses are high, and while this grant is good news, much more funding is needed" said Bonesteel.

In addition, the films website has recently been updated and revised with a full cast listing. Click here to take a look.

Carl Sandburg might have cried

2009-01-19T14:17:00.008-05:00

If I were writing Mr. Obama's inaugural address I'd have him quote Sandburg. What line? It could be any one of thousands... there are so many that speak to the optimism of the moment that it simply comes down to personal preference. The grand events of Obama's inauguration remind me of Sandburg's optimism for America. An optimism that was authentic. An optimism that was based in the American ideal that we could be better than we've been, that we can reinvent ourselves when needed. If there ever was that need, I think we're there.

Carl Sandburg would have loved Barack Obama. Carl Sandburg would have campaigned for Obama. He would have written poems for him and I have little doubt he might have cried on this day. They would be tears for the obvious and simple fact (that we will all come to take as ordinary from this day forward) that any American can become President of the United States.

As to the likelihood that President Obama will quote Sandburg on the most optimistic day of the past 8 or even 45 years? I can only hope. But if not, I think it's only a matter of time. In our research for this documentary we've identified that every U.S. president since Roosevelt (with the exception of Eisenhower and surprisingly, Jimmy Carter) have quoted Sandburg while in office. Obama would do well to look at the Sandburg we are making a film about. The one who wrote much more about struggle, repression and greed than he did about fog or Chicago. The one who died with an optimism for American that saw him, and our country, through world wars, the great depression and the darkness and paranoia of the cold war. To die at age 89 with what he wanted... "a child heart". That is no easy task. Could we all be so lucky?

Major Progress for Carl Sandburg film

2008-10-07T11:14:00.004-04:00

Some exciting events over the past few months have moved us much closer to being able to completing and broadcasting the Sandburg film. Back in June, I met with the creator and executive producer, Susan Lacy of WNET and the American Masters program initiating on-going communication that will hopefully lead to The Day Carl Sandburg Died airing on American Masters.

In September, I spent some quality time with John Carl Steichen, Sandburg's grandson, reviewing the families private collection of home movies and other archival material. John was kind with his time, running the projector as we explored film of Sandburg from the 1920's to the 1960's. The films include moments only seen by family members from the 1920's and remarkably humorous and insightful material that we have not seen before from other television shows and interviews from the 1950's.

Just last week we were notified that we will receive a much needed grant from the Nebraska Humanities Council. This makes the Humanities Councils of North Carolina, Illinois and Nebraska all contributors to our film. A recent presentation before the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara prompted some local press, see the article at this link.

Next year is the bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birth and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission is coordinating and supporting a very exciting year of events, some of which have already begun. They are currently reviewing material about our film to (hopefully) certify it as an officially supported project of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Sandburg's work on Lincoln was arguably his most influential, leading millions of Americans to a better understanding of Lincoln and the Civil War. A recent event was held in Washington DC presenting poetry by and about Lincoln, including Sandburg's "Cool Tombs".

We continue to edit, research material and re-draft the script while we negotiate additional funding and partnerships to finish the film asap. Hopefully in 2009.

Editing begins on Sandburg film

2008-02-17T12:53:00.003-05:00

The material is now quite overwhelming. Interviews with Helga Sandburg, Pete Seeger, Studs Terkel, Norman Corwin, Yevgeny Yevtushenko and almost a dozen other historians, scholars and poets and who have published extensively. They all have a unique view of Sandburg and an understanding of the 20th century far better than most folks. And still left to be interviewed is Sandburg's most thorough and modern biographer, Penelope Niven. Ms. Niven's interview has been intentionally delayed until this stage in the production so that her knowledge can be best applied to the film that has been germinating for the past five years.

As I read the transcripts and prepare to begin editing the film the task is daunting, but exciting. The story lines and anecdotes are numerous and illuminating, but they must be wrangled into a thread that sustains the viewer and delivers an engaging experience. If I were a quilter (I've known a few in my days) I suppose it would be like having a pattern but walking into the best fabric shop you can imagine and trying to pick out the patterns, colors and textures from a vast selection. This is where the film begins to take shape. This is where the hard decisions get made, and this is where the excitement really begins. Wish me luck, decisiveness and patience.

Another voice and performance 'Recovering Carl Sandburg'

2007-11-03T16:01:00.000-04:00

In recovering Sandburg as poet, we also recover ideals of American history forgotten or laid aside, both those famous folks and in the neglected people. That is why Sandburg wrote — so that American people and history would not be forgotten; so that he would inspire the people to make history happen.
-Kathryn N. Benzel

Another voice has risen in the effort to 'recover Sandburg' this time from Nebraska as Kathryn N. Benzel has written strongly about Sandburg and his work while also producing a show titled: Prayers of the People: Carl Sandburg’s Poetry and Songs.

Benzel's article and more info about the event can be found at this link.

Kathryn N. Benzel is a professor in English at the University of Nebraska-Kearney with expertise in 20th Century American and British literature and specifically in modernism. Currently she is producing Prayers of the People: Carl Sandburg’s Poetry and Songs. She’s enlisted three Nebraska voices to perform — Ted Kooser, Charles Peek and Mike Adams. Their replication of Sandburg’s unique style of lecture-recital focuses on Sandburg’s prairie poems and his favorite Americana folk songs. A performance is scheduled at the Merryman Performing Arts Center in Kearney, Neb., Nov. 16, 2007

Sandburg status debated...

2007-10-17T14:51:00.000-04:00

On October 5th in Flat Rock, North Carolina three prominent humanities scholars presented research and opinions on Carl Sandburg in a symposium called “Carl Sandburg: Contemporary Perspectives and Criticisms”.

Symposium participants included famed American historian and author Dr. Sean Wilentz of Princeton University, Temple University professor Dr. Philip Yannella, the author of "The Other Carl Sandburg" and Dr. Evert Villarreal of The University of Texas-Pan American, who recently completed his doctorate dissertation entitled “Recovering Carl Sandburg: Politics, Poetry, and Prose after 1920.”

The presentations were lively with one prominent point of debate being the exact nature of Sandburg's poetry, was it 'modernism' or not? If it was why did it change? Was his poetry less successful for it's propagandistic qualities? And if so, what's wrong with that? How this perception effected Sandburg's literary legacy is undeniable... and central to the evolution of Sandburg's 'recovery' if that is indeed happening.

Villarreal, Yannella were joined by Sarah Perschall of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and participated in a panel discussion that I led that provided further insight into Sandburg’s work and public perception from a variety of viewpoints and backgrounds.

Along with each scholar touring Sandburg's home and archives and we conducted extensive interviews with each scholar. These have contributed greatly to the development of our film. This is one of the many ways we are working towards the completion of film while also bringing interactive poetry events to the public. Look for movies to be posted soon.

Ted McIrvine for the Hendersonville newspaper wrote an interesting summary, take a look.

The event was sponsored by The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, a non-profit support group to the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, with funding and support from the North Carolina Humanities Council, Blue Ridge Community College Division for Community Enrichment and Bonesteel Films.

Yevtushenko and other Sandburg documentary news

2007-05-26T17:52:00.000-04:00

Yevtushenko at Connemara, Flat Rock NC

I'm not sure what was better, helping Yevgeny Yevtushenko finish a poem while driving down the interstate to his performance, or drinking a beer with him afterwards and discussing the decline of the American empire. In their own way, each were memorable moments, and yet again reminders of the remarkable journey making this film continues to be. The poem was a tribute to Sandburg and Steichen and he performed it to great effect.

In 1959, Yevtushenko was an emerging young Soviet poet who dared to write anti-Stalinist words in the heat of the Cold War. When Carl Sandburg and Edward Steichen visited Moscow for the famous exhibition of Steichen's 'The Family of Man' photo exhibit Sandburg and Steichen both spent time with the promising young poet. The day after his performance at Wofford College in Spartanburg South Carolina we interviewed Yevtushenko for our film, with him telling us how the time spent with these two iconic Americans significantly influenced his view of the world and his career. Look for a clip to be posted soon.
(Yev working on the poem)

Also in April we spent an intense and enthusiastic few days in Galesburg Illinois capturing an extensive interview with professor and poet Robin Metz, a debut performance by slam poet Marc Smith of his tribute to Carl Sandburg (along with an entertaining interview) and some of the sharpest slam poets in the country performing Sandburg poems in a bar packed with poetry fans and competitors. It was exciting and expanding material for the evolution of our documentary.

Finally even more good news. We've received a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council, and with that we'll be able to afford to make another research and production trip back the the state of Sandburg's birth. And! we have just been awarded a North Carolina Humanities Council award which will enable us to host a number of Sandburg scholars in Flat Rock for interviews and public presentations early this fall.

New York buzzed with Carl Sandburg 'Modernist'

2007-04-16T17:52:00.000-04:00

At least for a few hours on Wednesday April 4th New York City was talking Sandburg. Poems were read and comments made, Lukas Foss delicately played a segment of the Cantata Sandburg inspired him to write, and the poet’s character was sketched out before an attentive audience at New York University.

Amidst it all was a prevailing theme: Sandburg means something. Sandburg did something different. Sandburg contributed something unusual to the development of poetry and American history. Readers might be surprised to find this talked about as a “new idea”. But for many who were introduced to poetry years ago in grade school with his simple “Fog” he may be seen as a gentle, sentimental, and one-dimensional poet, if he is remembered at all. It’s a bit like a John Lennon being remembered only for a Nike commercial jingle.

What is even more interesting is that notable critics, writers and other poets have held this assumption. There are multiple reasons for this, including his celebrity status in his later years, academic bias’ for more ‘refined’ poetry, competition from contemporary writers (the first half of the twentieth century did produce a fantastic range of American poetry) and the all too common rebellion and rejection of the previous generation’s heroes and ideals.

The event, curated by writer, Paul Berman posed the question: “Sandburg, Modernist?”
The responses coming from the speakers seemed to be a resounding “yes.” Take a look at the attached clips from the event that will give you a better sense of the conversation.

Here is a clip from our interview with Geoffry OBrien the next day giving the discussion on Sandburg some addtional context.

Spring 2007

2007-03-22T15:17:00.000-04:00

Spring slips back with a girl face calling always: "Any new songs for me? Any new songs?"
-Carl Sandburg, from Cornhuskers, 1918

April stands to be an exciting month for the Carl Sandburg documentary production as we plan on capturing some provocative and interesting people and events.

First, on April 4th we'll be in New York City to interview Author Paul Berman, editor of American Poets Project edition of "Carl Sandburg: Selected Poems" and capture a unique event at N.Y.U. “Carl Sandburg and His Modernism: Writers, Musicians, and Artists Look Back” including Berman, poets Edward Hirsch, Geoffrey O'Brien, Meghan O'Rourke, and Harvey Shapiro and historian Sean Wilentz, reading and commenting on Sandburg's work. Lukas Foss, recognized as one of America's major modernist composers, will perform a portion of his cantata "Prairie" (inspired by Sandburg) on piano, together with Greenwich Village Singers.

On April 19th and 20th, Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, The Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, and Bonesteel Films will be bringing internationally known poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko to perform and be interviewed for the film. This exciting performer was influenced strongly by the American poet and met Sandburg and brother-in-law Edward Steichen in Moscow in 1959.

And finally, we'll attend the Sandburg Days Festival in Galesburg Ill. on April 26th-28th to capture noted 'slam poet' Marc Smith's performance of "Sandburg to Smith — Smith to Sandburg" a performance poetry event combining Sandburg and Smith's poetry with a live jazz. While in Galesburg additional research and interviews will be conducted with poet Robin Metz and others.

There will no doubt be some intesting pictures, stories and poems that come out of these events. Stay tuned...

Norman Corwin Interviewed

2007-01-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

"I believe the announcement of the utter extinction of Carl Sandburg, beyond hope of rescue or resurrection, should be taken with a grain of salt: and I would recommend to the undertakers of academe that each of them take a few grains of Valium before delivering a funeral oration over any corpus of serious writing whose ink has hardly dried." -Norman Corwin

Los Angeles, California January 16, 2007

In May of 2007, Norman Corwin will turn 97 years old. His life is filled with more stories, adventures and accomplishments than perhaps anyone else we've interviewed for the Carl Sandburg documentary (see his bio link above). He was one of Sandburg's best friends and the poet thought of him as a Son.

The interview was conducted in his pleasant home in Los Angeles, amid shelves of books and ephemera collected through his lifetime. This longtime radio, book, stage and screenwriter told us stories about Ed Murrow, Marilyn Monroe, Arthur Miller and of course Sandburg. But there were more than anecdotes from Corwin about Sandburg. Corwin has written numerous articles defending the lambasting that Sandburg's literary reputation has taken over the years.

Backed by his significant reputation as a landmark communicator of the 20th Century, Mr. Corwin's thoughts on the lasting value of Sandburg challenge many of the harsher critic's views. From the war poems of Sandburg to his children's stories to "The People, Yes" Corwin gave credit to Sandburg's voice as a primary influence on his own accomplishments. The time I spent with Mr. Corwin has boosted my optimism that this film is evolving into one that can not only force the re-thinking Sandburg, but perhaps a fair bit more than that.

Director Paul Bonesteel talks with Norman Corwin, Photo by Evan Schafer

Between a remembrance rock and a hard place

2006-09-22T12:32:00.000-04:00

As you can see from the re-named blog we've made a change to the working title of our documentary from "Carl Sandburg: For The People" to "The Day Carl Sandburg Died". At first glance it may seem unusual but many collective heads have been put together to decide that the context of our documentary needed to change. As fascinating and successful as Sandburg's life was, the structure of the film as a largely biographic sketch has not created interest from funders and broadcasters. The reasons behind the perception that Sandburg's story being less interesting than other notable figures is complex, but undeniably real.

Much of our story will not change dramatically, just the context of our storytelling. Our (on-going) research and existing interviews will contribute effectively to this shift, with many others to be added. Below is a new summary of our project. As a primary vehicle for framing the story will be looking at the interesting topic of Sandburg's credibility and reputation, (which for many academics has never been strong) and how it contrasts with his phenomenal popular success.

The Day Carl Sandburg Died.

For popular icons of the twentieth century, death often leads to an elevation of their work to near-mythic levels. But the day Carl Sandburg died, an unexpected and dramatic slide in critical and public appeal began for the "Poet of The People."

During the last fifty years of his life, this poet, journalist, Lincoln biographer and troubadour was revered and praised as the celebrant of the American experience, capturing both its beauty and grit in his poetry and prose. But since his death, in July of 1967, his status has faded. Sandburg's poems, once taught in schools across America, are spotted much less frequently in textbooks and classrooms. His Lincoln biographies are routinely criticized, and even dismissed by present-day scholars. How could a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, talk-show favorite and the first private citizen to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress suffer such a blow? Have American literary tastes changed so dramatically, or are there other factors responsible? Was his popularity during his lifetime more a curse than a blessing to his literary legacy?

"The Day Carl Sandburg Died" will explore the life and legacy of an American icon. It is a portrait of Sandburg's fascinating journey, his controversial work and its criticism. It will investigate the waxing and waning of his popularity and the unexpected renewed interest in his work in recent years from MacArthur fellows and indie-rock musicians alike. It is a critical exploration of what Americans value in our literary and artistic history and how we remember or forget those who shaped that history.

Critics, authors, historians, celebrities, folk singers, Sandburg's children and grandchildren, and the poet himself, all weigh in on the worth of his millions of published words and the adventure that was his lifetime.

2006-07-13T09:57:00.001-04:00

In these times you have to be an optimist to open your eyes when you wake in the morning. ~ Carl Sandburg

Hello friends,

Our work continues to fund, research, produce and air on national PBS a documentary film that capture the spirit and story of Carl Sandburg's unique life and vision of America.

The long awaited response came from The National Endowment for the Humanities with the bottom line of no funding. But above that bottom line was abundant optimism for the subject, ideas, how our proposal was written and the team assembled. Here are a few quotes from the panel of reviewers:

"The proposal makes a a good case for the 'humanities' relevance of Sandburg's life... I think this biography would have great, broad appeal. It illuminates an important aspect of American culture."

"The team Bonesteel has assembled is the impressive thing about this proposal."

"The music sound bed will add remarkable texture to the story. The diverse range of participants who have agreed to be interviewed is impressive."

"I was please to see that Sandburg's political complexities and his lesser known ties to the world of folk music will be addressed as well, since these might broaden the life, times and contributions to American letters, and I found the treatment included with the proposal compelling."

We continue on seeking funding and may very well apply again to the NEH, NEA and others that have favorably reviewed our plans but have failed to fund us. As many of you know I see this project as a long haul... a tough road that we will cover in good time.

'Don't forget about Paula'

2006-03-29T12:04:00.000-05:00

During virtually every conversation with people who knew the Sandburgs or even people who have only read about them usually the comment comes "Don't forget about Paula".

Lilian Steichen Sandburg or ‘Paula’ was Carl's wife and 'comrade' in the socialist movement when they met. She typed his poems and mailed them into the earliest publications that started his career. She mothered and cared for his children and household while he was traveling from stage to stage or was hunkered down writing volumes of work.

She had homes built and renovated. She withstood his enormous popularity and became a highly respected breeder of goats, winning prizes and making milk while he met with presidents and performed on television.

Everyone who knew her spoke about her much the same way Carl did, that she was an angel of wisdom, competence and companionship.

She, very tangibly, helped make Sandburg the iconic figure he is today and will not be forgotten in our telling of his story.

the marvelous rebellion of man

2006-02-10T16:11:00.000-05:00

Carl's poem "Who Am I?" (below) was certainly not intended to express the public awareness of his work here in 2006, but something more significant, the 'elusive captive' of truth. Poetry does not fully explain itself, by its nature it too is elusive.

Some days in this process I look at what I expect, and what others think this project should be and I want to trash the signs (and scripts from the past) that tell me what to do. It's long been my belief and philosphy that how you tell a story should be based (in part) on the character and style of the subject itself. These trace elements of insight and history help to mold and shape the outcome. That is why there are two large piles of books and folders on my desk. Seven different biographies of Sandburg, one of Bob Dylan, original editions of his Lincoln biography... even the texture of the paper and binding say something about the work and period it was written. It is an on-going search for the truth, or as close as you can get to expressing the essential elements of the subject.

WHO AM I?

My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of
universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I
reach my hands and play with pebbles of
destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs
reading "Keep Off."

My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive
in the universe.

Carl Sandburg

(From Chicago Poems, In public domain)

Subject matter. Really.

2006-01-28T08:43:00.000-05:00

What's this story about ? Really?

It's a question I ask myself quite a bit. I consider all the poems, books, photographs, stories of Sandburg, comments made in passing, by noted critics or by strangers I meet at the coffee shop. I think about the century that has passed and what remains important? Where are the lessons in the lives of others and the past?

Here are some things that bounce back at me. Democracy. Creativity. Study. Music. Reality. Optimism. Fantasy. Expression. Struggle. Truth.

Democracy: His countless writings about politics, socialism, racism, Lincoln, the Wars, American History.
Creativity: His seemingly limitless ability to conjure up a new style, method, subject.
Study: His fascination with details, inovations and exploration of complex subjects.
Music: His passion for collecting, publishing and singing some of Americas most beloved songs.
Reality: His life that was grounded by basic faith in the people.
Optimism: His believing that within those people, is goodness (along with everything else).
Fantasy: He took children's literature to a new place of exaggeration and nonsense...
Expression: As only a poet can, saying things that need to be said.
Struggle: Celebrating the struggle of existence, and not giving in to complacency.
Truth: Always searching... 'Where to? What next?"

I think about these ideas and what we can learn through Sandburg's experience. I think about my early childhood visits to the big white house with goats and books and guitars... and I think about expressing those things forward to the next generation.

My Son, Jonah Bonesteel at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, Flat Rock, NC

New York City Sandburg, and other thoughts

2006-01-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

In 1949 Alan Lomax took Carl Sandburg to see Pete Seeger and The Weavers play in New York's Village Vanguard club. Many nights in the late 1950's on the upper east side Sandburg would sing at eclectic impromptu parties held at the house of Terry and Gregory d'Allesio. And it was at the Museum of Modern Art with his brother-in-law Edward Steichen that he would collaborate on the landmark photographic exhibit The Family of Man. Sandburg may have captured Chicago in poems but he knew and loved New York.

In New York we interviewed Terry d'Alessio, Joanna Steichen, and the incomparable Pete Seeger, telling these stories and more for our documentary.

Our flight home from Newark followed the spine of the Appalachian mountains and snaking along the top I could see the Blue Ridge Parkway like a pathway leading us back to Asheville. On my I-pod I listened to an artist who is relatively new to me, a guy named Sujfan Stevens. His latest recording has a song on it that is titled (in part) ...Carl Sandburg came to me in a dream... with this bouncing around my head as the plane bumped and shifted in the winter air I was encouraged that someone like him would find inspiration in Sandburg. The record is beautiful and bizarre, melodic and challenging. Check it out.

After coming home I was listening to XM radio when a song by Pete Seeger's band The Weavers came up called Sinnerman. It was familiar... but not. I was confused. I thought this was a Peter Tosh song... but no, it's a traditional American song brought back in the 1950's by The Weavers and then recorded by The Wailers, and then Peter Tosh.

What does this have to do with Sandburg? We'll, it's just my continual realization that these things are connected. Like Pete Seeger says, "they are links in the chain" and the Peter Tosh version that I knew was made possible (in part) by The Weavers (and no doubt many others) recording it and others collecting the songs in the first place. Like Sandburg's American Songbag.

Photo by Evan Schafer: Director Paul Bonesteel talking with Pete Seeger

Helga

2006-01-09T16:19:00.000-05:00

I think that while Chicago Poems are great, and all of his poems are great, there's something about The People, Yes where he really knocked himself out. At the time when the country was at war, and he stopped what he was doing and he wrote this great thing for the people, I think that was important.
-Helga Sandburg Crile

It was July 2004, and we had just shot for five days in Marion, Indiana on our last documentary The Great American Quilt Revival (which is airing currently around the country on PBS). It was raining hard as Evan and I drove into Cleveland to sleep for the night. The dark skies and tired eyes played havoc on the driver, but we made it safely to a bed.

The next day was the first interview we conducted on this project, which, even then, had taken years to make happen. It was with Helga Sandburg Crile, Carl and Paula Sandburg's third and only surviving daughter. I started correspondance with her back in 1992 and she was kind to entertain my inquiries and poetry. We arrived at her house to barking and playful dogs, flowers blooming throughout the garden and a welcoming subject.

Here she is discussing her father and uncle, the photographer Edward Steichen.

Helga has been, since an early age, 'Carl Sandburg's daughter'. She enjoyed it, rebelled against it and ultimately became a creative force herself writing many books of poetry, fiction and biography. Sitting and talking with her you can see it in her eyes, hear it in certain words and phrases, bits and samples of her Father's personality.

Her interview was delightful, sentimental, revealing and surprisingly straightforward in her opinions on the life of her Father and where he fits into the 20th century literary history. Reading books that other people have written about him can sometimes separate Sandburg the real person from the character he becomes when you read about him. In moments like this all of that changes. Real people write, real people make history, real people become the characters we read about later. For Helga, we were talking about her dad... And once again a hundred years or more were compressed down to a mere instant.

But, you know, just go back to his Complete Poems. And if you have a child that is able to read, just a little bit, give him The Complete Poems. Don't tell him what he should read, and what poem is right for a child, for heaven's sake. Let the child go.
-Helga Sandburg Crile

And that is why I love what I do.

The Great Hunt

2005-12-27T08:49:00.000-05:00

I cannot tell you now;
When the wind's drive and whirl
Blow me along no longer,
And the wind's a whisper at last--
Maybe I'll tell you then--
some other time.

When the rose's flash to the sunset
Reels to the rack and the twist,
And the rose is a red bygone,
When the face I love is going
And the gate to the end shall clang,
And it's no use to beckon or say, "So long"--
Maybe I'll tell you then--
some other time.

I never knew any more beautiful than you:
I have hunted you under my thoughts,
I have broken down under the wind
And into the roses looking for you.
I shall never find any
greater than you.

Carl Sandburg

Two days after Christmas 2005, and I'm listening to 'The Band'. Music that was made forty years ago that sounds as fresh and authentic as anything that is being made today. Which brings up an important topic, what constitutes 'greatness' in music, poetry or otherwise?

Today if you bring up Carl Sandburg's poetry in academic circles some accuse it of being "period poetry", "too simple" or even "propaganda". His poems are not being taught in schools as they once were, many have been removed from anthologies. There is a fairly consistent record of him being criticized both before and after his death in 1967 for any number of reasons.

But if you do a google 'blog' search you'll see thousands of references to Sandburg and his poetry in people's thoughts and postings. His work does still resonate today. People who read him remember the imagery and ideas... It still 'works' as poetry for many. Sandburg never sought the approval of the academic poets, but he dabbled in their thoughts and criticisms it did mean something to him. There will be a component to this debate in our documentary; where did the reputation of Sandburg go and why? Did his popularity eclipse his work? I welcome thoughts on this topic. What poems still 'work' for you? And why? Click on the link on the title above for a site with Sandburg's Chicago Poems (in public domain), take a read.

Come on people where are you?

Interview with Studs

2005-12-15T17:22:00.000-05:00

You wonder these days about 'The People Yes'... the way we've been going, perhaps I'd re-title it 'The People Perhaps' or 'The People Maybe'.

-Studs Terkel, interview, Chicago, 11.10.05

Photo: Director Paul Bonesteel talks with Studs Terkel. (Studs had just listened to a recording of an interview he conducted with Carl Sandburg in 1959)

Meeting and interviewing Studs Terkel was humbling to say the least. To interview someone who has done the same with many of the most influential people of the 20th century, was exciting and fulfilling. Studs read from Sandburg's poetry, stopping between lines to make comments and, in fact, doing a bit of Sandburg impersonation. He was especially good with his version of "The Peeeeeeeople, Yes".

I am grateful to Studs for opening his door to us and telling us his stories.

Galesburg

2005-12-09T12:38:00.000-05:00

Galesburg Ill. November 2005

I love the feeling when you can sense the passage of time, what a century of years make.

The warm late fall weather betrayed the date. A few blocks away from the tiny shack Carl Sandburg was born in the trains come and go, making sounds that trains make. This is where his father toiled on steel, where Carl walked the tracks to school, delivered milk, newspapers and where his mother carried in water from the pump outside. Standing there, you can almost hear the Swedish words and accents coming from inside the house, smell the burning coal from the cooking stove that served as the only heat. This was not a place from which you'd expect a poet to emerge, but, once again, humanity surprises.

The Carl Sandburg birthplace is a State of Illinois Historic site, run by a lone employee, the director Steve Holden and assisted by a non-profit support group. It is filled with artifacts and photos, original books and a guitar. Our trip there was as much for inspiration as it was for research. We shot some images, talked with Steve, pitched our project the The Friends of Carl Sandburg group there in Galesburg and met two scholars from Knox College, an english professor, Robin Metz, and Rodney Davis of Knox College’s Lincoln Studies Center. Their input was reassuring to me that Sandburg the poet still has things to say, and that his Lincoln biographies still resonate today.

We will return at some point to conduct on-camera interviews and shoot additional footage and gather archival images.

Director Paul Bonesteel shooting Remembrance Rock, the resting place of the Sandburg's ashes

(photographs by Evan Schafer)

Where to? What Next?

2005-12-08T14:10:00.000-05:00

It was 1992 when I first decided to tell the Sandburg story in a documentary. I had just completed my second film called "If The People Will Lead" focusing on the journalistic and other media efforts at work in the complex story of the fall of the Soviet Union. It was an extraordinary experience being in the U.S.S.R in May of 1991, and the work that went into telling that story had given me the confidence that the time was right to take on Sandburg. A year and a dozen of so grant requests later the project had not generated any funding and had lost momentum. My efforts were put into a new documentary, called "Caribou Bones".

The truth was, I was not ready to take on a subject as vast and complex as Carl Sandburg, and I put the idea in the freezer for a while.

Fast forward to early 2004. With a half dozen other films produced, and much broader life experiences to draw upon, I decided the time was right to jump start the idea. I found my old ideas, my correspondence with Helga Sandburg Crile and others, and decided to begin again. It was my opinion that the time was right to tell Sandburg's story. The country was divided politically and socially and faced (and continues to) many of the same challenges that Carl Sandburg wrote about during his lifetime. Who better than to turn a mirror on our times than a populist poet who lived and breathed democracy with all its warts and blemishes?

I turned to Penelope Niven's Sandburg biography (which was always close at hand anyway) and a number of other books to reaquaint myself. We wrote the initial treatment for funding requests in the fall of 2004 and submitted it to many groups like NEA, NEH, PBS and others. While it was well received, it produced no funding, and I knew we had to look harder at the subject and the story we wanted to tell. It needed more controversy, it needed a more critical view of the life and times... Here in 2005, merely celebrating a substantial writer is not enough.

As always, the subject of Sandburg does not disappoint. Controversy, criticism, war, race, politics, literary feuds, pain, loss and suffering… its all here in his story.

I have since reached further into the well of scholarship on Sandburg, finding some important works, like Philip Yannella's "The Other Carl Sandburg" and Dan Zanes' recording of songs Sandburg collected in The American Songbag, called "Parades and Panoramas". These two works have further motivated me that the story of Sandburg has value and relevance today. Many other books, articles and photographs about Sandburg are serving as inspiration, as well as a growing list of prominent scholars. The team has grown into a major league ball club of consultants and interviewees. Finally, we are going to tell this story in a way that deserves national PBS distribution.

Currently we await word from about six different funding opportunities. We submitted a highly revised treatment, proposal and draft script to the National Endowment for the Humanities in November. I wish I could say that now it's wait, wait, wait... But that is not the case. Our development of the script continues as we incorporate some of the information that we are gathering.

If you've read this much thanks, I'll do my best to bring up the excitement level of the posts... I just had to cover the groundwork before moving forward.

From this point this blog may deal with topics or experiences, not exclusively linear progress. There will be events and shoots from the past that will be described, research topics pondered, and perspective sought. So, please feel free to contribute.

Where to? What Next?

(Photo: self portrait in Chicago 11.05)

Many years in the making, already!

2005-12-04T02:31:00.000-05:00

Whats this Blog all about? The making of a documentary film about Carl Sandburg.

My connection to Carl Sandburg started young. When we moved to Flat Rock, North Carolina in the early 1970's I was seven. Soon my Mom was volunteering at Connemara, the home of Carl Sandburg and his wife Paula for the last twenty or so years of his life. It had just a few years earlier been turned into a National Park and there we were, milking goats, growing vegetables in our own garden plot and exploring the houses and trails that make up the historic home and grounds. Soon I was learning how to write Haikus in the grassy fields around the house, part of a poetry class I was taking with my Sister.

Sandburg then was a distant grandfatherly figure in photos, unfathomable to some extent. But the goats were real, the cats were real, the hippy poetry teacher was real and the place seemed to have a magic about it. Sandburg seemed to me then as some sort of magician, capable of both the simplest poems and enormous books that I would'nt read for many years. There were cigar butts and papers still where he left them. Guitar strings that he had casually strummed. All of it rich with history and importance, but yet humble and tangible.

We are well on our way of telling a new and fresh story about Carl Sandburg, hopefully on PBS. We've been hard at work for the past two years (this the 'modern effort') doing research, grant writing, interviewing and team building. In the next few posts I'll go back re-cap where we've been, and bring you up to the present. Then you'll be along for the ride as we battle our way through a story that is as immense as it is wonderful, a process that is as painful as it can be long... and twists and turns that will have you begging for me to just "call me when it's done!"