Meet Three of the Filmmakers of DownEast Documentaries:


Martha Weeks Daniel
martha@danieldesign.com

When I picked up my video camera to document "Miss" Nancy Rascoe’s unique manners camp in Hertford, NC in the summer of 2005, I felt an overwhelming need to put on “film” a portrait of a wonderful and charismatic character. I wanted to document a glimpse into Southern social culture and a way of life still remaining in Eastern North Carolina. After 22 hours of footage, I knew I needed big help.

Fortunately, I found the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University and enrolled in their Certificate program for Filmmaking. Not only have I had the opportunity to learn about filming and editing, but also the philosphy, the ethics, the responsibility and the impact of doing documentary work. Thanks to the wise advice and knowledge of my instructors at CDS I have been able to manage and boil down my footage to a viewable film and embark on other new projects. I have found a new world that thrills me and a network of many creative and inspiring teachers and fellow students. I received my certificate in June 2007.

A wife, mother, and now grandmother, I graduated from St. Mary’s in Raleigh and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I taught art in Texas, Alabama, California,and Puerto Rico when my husband was in the Air Force but I have lived in Rocky Mount, NC most of my life. For the past 20 years, I have been busy with my graphic and website design business ( www.danieldesign.com ) which still keeps me very busy. I have been very active with various civic groups in my community. A founding member of the the Triangle East Advertising Marketing Association, I have also served on the board of the Friends of the Rocky Mount Arts Center, the Rocky Mount City Club, the Board of Visitors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and for many years served on the John Motley Morehead Scholarship regional selection committee. In 2004, I was named Small Business Woman of the Year by the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce.

Some of the documentaries I have created/or in the works are:

“Miss Nancy Minds Their Manners” 2006. This short documentary video follows 72 year old Miss Nancy Rascoe and her 12 young charges as they learn and live manners and hospitality for five days at her “ manners camp”. The setting is in her family’s 200 year old historic home, also a bed and breakfast, near Hertford, North Carolina.   Miss Nancy is aided by Mr. Peter, her husband; Miss Blue, helper/housekeeper; and Miss Anna, the counselor as they work with these young people culminating in a graduation tea. In addition to manners, their young charges enjoy outdoor activities in this rural setting.   Both heartfelt and humorous, this video is a portrait of a charismatic character and a glimpse into Southern social culture and a way of life still remaining in Eastern North Carolina. Southern people pride themselves on their manners, and while proper etiquette and a more genteel way of life appear to be fast fading away... they just might not if Miss Nancy can help it!

I am pleased to announce the addition of Creative Director and Writer Caroline Paxton, who has joined forces with me on Miss Nancy Minds Their Manners documentary! She shares my vision and passion. We have just launched www.missnancymindstheirmanners.com website; visit there for more information on Caroline and our latest updates. We are thrilled that our project was recently selected for fiscal sponsorship by the notable Southern Documentary Fund of Durham www.southerndocumentaryfund.org

The Gilded Paintings of St. Martin's . 2007. This film documents the nearly year long process of creating 2 large gilded paintings by Pinehurst artist David Hewson. Commissioned to hang in the beautiful and historic St. Martin's Episcopal church in rural Hamilton, NC, the film follows Hewson in his research, making sketches and model studies to painting and gilding with 23 karat gold two 4x8 foot panels through to the hanging of the panels in the church nearly a year later. The film also tells the history of St. Martin's church and some history of the surrounding area.

A Photographic Online documentary depicting the devastating Flooding of Eastern North Carolina from Hurricane Floyd in 1999 (see http://danieldesign.com/hurricane.htm)

It is my hope to use this website as a gateway where people can view area documentaries by other film makers and to assist in any way possible filmmakers who are interested in the many wonderful people, places and things particular to, and peculiar to, Eastern NC.

Martha Weeks Daniel
martha@danieldesign.com


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Caroline Rumsey Paxton
paxvideo@earthlink.net

Throughout my childhood, I was always ‘making up stories and directing my friends’ in some impromptu version of theatrical storytelling. As a Radio, Television & Motion Pictures major at UNC- Chapel Hill in the mid-eighties, I gained a solid base to build my now twenty year career in video production, and I joyfully merged a life-long passion with a rewarding career.

What Captures my Creative Spirit….
Some of my favorite work over the years has involved shooting interviews about peoples’ lives, hearing their stories, then creatively weaving their thoughts and feelings with dynamic visuals and music, into a whole piece that moves an audience. It is a form of story-telling, and usually only as compelling as the richness of its characters. But true documentary film making is new to me. Yes new, but the creative territory and technical aspects are all familiar. I am finding my work on Miss Nancy to be truly invigorating, unlike anything I have experienced in my career before. The difference? I am so driven and compelled to share with the world this truly unique and special person, in an idyllic southern place, and a time soon to pass by.

Seeking Martha….
 From the moment I saw Martha’s 15-minute clip about Miss Nancy Minds Their Manners in 2007 on the web, I knew that this was something special, something I felt personally drawn to, something I could not stop thinking about. I wanted to see more. I wanted desperately to be involved. I collected my thoughts and called Martha, my long time business acquaintance, with whom I had not talked with in at least a decade.

So here I was, out of the blue, sitting in a convenience store booth eating a hot dog (Martha’s favorite) sharing with her my passion and vision for her two year in the making film on the manners camp. She listened and took it all in. It was obvious we both clearly saw and shared the treasure of this story. Collaboration… hmm… can be a good thing. Perhaps the timing was right, and re-energized by my excitement, she welcomed me as a documentary partner, gave me courage to buy a fancy camera of my own, and off we went shooting boys and girls at the manners camp this summer .Those shooting days were the absolute all time highlight of my professional career. We could feel our documentary’s story grow stronger, even better than we could have written and hoped for.

But perhaps the greatest silver lining for me as I am working on this project, is the remarkable connection Martha and I share. Way beyond professional respect, inspiration and support, I’d dare to say we could be kindred creative souls, both with the same deep appreciation of a sense of humor, remarkable characters, and not afraid to think and step out side the box. Her energy and positive approach to life and what she does truly motivate and inspire me. The fact that we have a 20 year age difference makes us a pretty dynamic duo, and the fact that we were both Chippewas at Camp Yonahlossee, makes it all make sense.

Years of Experience, Laying a Foundation…….
Wilson , NC became my home in the early 90’s, and working for a small, local production company kept me on my toes. From all night shoots deep within the heart of in the world’s largest turkey processing plant (Carolina Turkeys) to frigid production days in remote West Virginia saw mills for Coastal Lumber Co., our production crews embraced these jobs with gusto. A “mock” robbery shoot for Texas Steakhouse was a career highlight for drama. Perfectly cast, shooting ‘til dawn, we created realistic and valuable training scenes for Boddie-Noell’s Texas Steakhouse employees.

In 1996, I made a break, ventured on my own, and with little overhead, and a hearty list of exceptional shooters and editors to call on, I started my own company, Paxton Productions, to provide comprehensive video production services. For the past decade, I have had the privilege of producing, writing, and directing videos for colleges, hospitals, businesses and organizations throughout North Carolina. I also work as scriptwriter and director for other production companies. The scope of our projects includes training, recruiting, marketing, public relations, and orientation presentations.

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Elizabeth Sprague Holt "Liz"
etsholt@yahoo.com

I recently completed the Certificate in Documentary Studies Program in Filmmaking at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. I consider myself a life-long learner, as demonstrated by my completion of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree at North Carolina State University in May of 2004. In my self-designed program of ten courses, which I designated “Understanding the World Through the Arts,” I studied sacred, classical and world music; literature, visual art and film pertaining to American Slavery, Labor Unions, the partition of India a and Pakistan, Mythology and Religion; British Cinema; and wrote a screenplay. My final project was a film documentary that I titled “Why Perform?” For this project I interviewed and filmed local artists, musicians and dancers from a variety of genres rehearsing and performing, and I asked them why they do what they do in front of an audience. The hour-long documentary was passed by my Graduate Committee and was shown at public screenings at NCSU. I have a deep curiosity about the world and a desire to contribute to the community. While making the documentary, I realized that I had found a new and exciting avenue of expression through which I could satisfy some of this curiosity and desire.

Since completing my Masters degree, I have already had many opportunities to use the filming and editing skills I acquired creating the “Why Perform?” documentary. I documented on film a project called “Community through Photography” that took place as part of a camp for at-risk middle-school students in Robeson County, NC. Children enrolled in the program were taught skills in photography and essay writing that would help them portray their communities in visual and written form. Seventeen children completed the three-week program and their work was displayed at UNC-Pembroke (until December of 2004). The 53-minute documentary, which was commissioned by Americorps VISTA and Communities in Schools of Robeson County, was shown in 2004. I have also completed many straight performance videos (DVD and VHS form) including projects for Triangle Dance Ensemble, Even Exchange Dance Theater, Immaculata Catholic School, the International Festival, and NCSU. In addition to the performance projects I have documented events such as the Tanglewood II Symposium at NCSU in 2007. I have edited travel and interview pieces that are used for instructional purposes. I have created short artistic pieces used as backdrop during performances.

Currently I am working on a project about Alzheimer’s Disease titled “You Won’t Forget Me, Will You?” and a project called “What Is Music For?” to be incorporated in classroom use. I have been privileged to work with all these community members and artists and would like to specialize in projects involving people relating to the world through the arts. I strive to portray my subjects honestly and sensitively.

My full time job as publisher of Carolina Parent Magazine in Durham, NC allows me to use skills in listening and documenting and it also allows me the flexibility to continue to pursue knowledge. I have the interest, energy, and enthusiasm necessary to become a successful documentarian. I will need some funding to be able to upgrade equipment, travel and hire some technical expertise.

Documentary Film: (see Films)
"You Won’t Forget Me, Will You? (The Mom Project)"

I am working on an hour-long film that I hope will help raise awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease, and it is also a portrait of my mother who is living with the disease. She is a resident in an Alzheimer’s Care wing of a local nursing home, has seen a long life and has a lot of stories about the past. But she has no more independence to do even the simplest things on her own, and no apparent ability to make new memories. The strongest memories she has are good ones, of love and family, and the music she made as a singer in her younger days. The film is a story about memory and its link to being human. The structure of the film includes interviews with my mother, my sister, and experts in the fields of health care and the arts who work with Alzheimer’s patients or have a deep interest in this disease and the people it affects. The structure incorporates old and new photographs, and current film. My mother asks my sister and me at times, “You won’t forget me, will you?” It’s an ironic question because she’s the one with the memory loss, yet she worries that her memory (in the other sense of the word) will be lost; that she will cease to exist in (and for) us. While my documentary concerns the trials of Alzheimer’s for the sufferer, the family, and the society at large, it also, by documenting my mother's fading world, will serve as a tool to use against “forgetting” by capturing the unexpected moments of discovery my mother and I are sharing in the present as we use music and talk to sift through the remaining fragments of memory. I’m also hoping that this film will bridge the distance between then and now, bring awareness to a health-care crisis, and explore issues surrounding the loss of short-term memory, and touch on techniques that can help patients and the families continue to enjoy life and make a difference.