HEARTWORKS

Roethke - Running commentary
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Seattle-Saginaw: The Reach of Theodore Roethke
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Blue Moon for Poets Reading
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Alaska Poets in Winter ~ 2013 - Emily Wall
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Poem at Christmas - 2009
"To the Moon" - Roethke
Roethke Score
Roethke - Running commentary
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Roethke film - Raw footage
"To the Moon! Credits
Poster - The Making of Roethke tribute
T-Shirts and more for Roethke
Production Stills
"Plotting" Midnight Sun Cafe
Naked Seattle - Fremont Solstice
BHS Class of '63

Running Commentary from producer, director and cast:

4/15/10  We have a Roethke Fan page titled "To the Moon." 

4/10/10 - Sent to composer Dean Jensen for work. 

4/6/10 - Rough cut done. Shown at UAA on big screen as part of the Graduate Student Association's, Research Summit.   

3/30/10 - GSA donates $100 to project travel.   

2.17/10 - Several individuals supporting the film with donations.  Much of the film budget is for promotion and travel. 

1/19/10 - Last casting call (below) /Finale at the Blue Moon done.   

 On Jan 13, 2010, at 6:24 PM, Michael-Peter wrote:


> Performers needed Friday Jan 15th for HD Video project filming at the
> Blue Moon Tavern on 45th in the U-District. Filming will take place
> from 2:30 to 5:00.
>
> Performers will take part in a staged "open mic" reading poems from
> the 1950's and 1960's. You may select your own favorites. Choose arty,
> offbeat or topical poets from that time.
>
> Please wear black or dark colors. Performers must be over 21.
>
> The bar will be open and performers may order beer if they like. No
> free beer. Sorry.
>
> This is the project web page: http://www.heartworksak.net/roethke.html
>
> This is a dual production of the MFA Creative Writing Program at
> University of Alaska Anchorage
> and Seattle Central Film and Video program.
>
> Sandra Kleven is the writer. She and son Mike Kleven are sharing
> directing and producing duties.
>
> The project is being shot on the Canon 7D. Audio is being recorded on
> the Zoom H4N and Sound Devices 702T


1/11/10 Taping in the University District, done.  Great weather.  Relentless rain followed for days.  Got an okay from Gus at the Moon to do the final scene on Friday afternoon.  

01/01/10 Taping at Blue Moon (see out takes).  

12/28/09 Talked to Gus Hellthaler, owner of the Blue Moon.  Will meet him there on Friday to talk about Roethke's relationship with the Moon.  

12/26/09 Stan Iverson has been dead for 30 years.  We visited the Blue Moon Tavern.  Mary, behind the bar, pointed out Andy King as one with a lot of history.  He told me about Stan.  If he were alive, I suppose he'd be about ninety -- maybe older than that.  There are a few online tributes to him.  He's called an old Trotskiite and Anarchist.  Mostly, he was good... unconstrained... full of life and strong.  He introduced me to black coffee and stuffed green peppers.  His daughter with Barbara Tomlinson --  would be 40 something.  Thanks for everything, Stan.   

12/12/09 
It won't be stressful because it's too funny.  Remember your addition to it is for your vivacity... joyful, sparkplug kind of quality.  It should have the mood of a lark... a goofy, funny, an adventure -- until it grows more serious of with its own weight. 

But let's let things develop.  I have lots of time before you get there to get things moving and some of the film be finished (Like the exteriors the voiceover poems).

Then, so he can film (being in school)... can Saturday (or Sunday) be your long day? Sat might be art walk in Ballard.  Wine in all the galleries with curiously interesting art all about.  Maybe, that would be where we film the preliminary conversations... about Roethke... while on the art walk talking about the art and reflecting on Roethke.  All spontaneous.  End up at the Blue Moon that night.  I know I contradict myself and as the famous somebody said, "So I contradict myself." 

I hope the weather is good for the time of year.  Maybe there are no artwalks in Winter.  I'll check these things out.  It is a "short" film being in the unscripted parts should feel no different then an outing when someone in the family is videotaping. The only thing scripted are the poems and that's all in voice over.    sk

12/9/09 

I don't know where Ted Roethke is, but I am in Fairbanks, working on preproduction research. See web page. A few nights ago, my computer seemed to have a ghost in it. The keys kept typing nm,06. Then the return would zip on to add maybe 26 blank pages. A Rilke poem opened "Ninth Requiem," as I recall. At first, Ithought it was a Roethke poem which increased my sense of freaking out... the next day the effect was gone -- but now my computer is real fast. The ghost was a computer tech.  sk

12/7/09 

I am writing  to you about my Roethke film, now titled “Where is Ted Roethke?”  because I just made scene 2 take place at your house. Go to the web page and scroll down to the story board.  If any of that is intelligible it will show that my thought for this short film is that we start out with little… just as it would be in the first two scenes as you and I for example talk about Roethke… with  movement through the piece… we’ll have this wonderful actor reading the poems.  The poems themselves will have an impact of some kind as will our comradely… with the one’s I am calling my posse.  It will end with a trip to the Blue Moon to see Roethke’s portrait which I am almost positive is still there – and if it were not, that too would be fine.  The poems will carry the movie and we will just be responding to the experience.   sk

THAT WAS A FABULOUS ARTICLE!!!  i had actually googled roethke yesterday...but didn't see this particular article in my search.
how exciting this is going to be?
thank you for including me.... it's right up my alley.....
yes, a veritable sashay up my sidewalk!  

[Just added the link to notes from a student.  Will find and add link to The Stranger article, too.]

12/06/09 

Your project sounds right up my vocal alley!

Please send me the text for your film.

~~~

Gosh, does one need to be conversant about Roethke?  If so, I'll study up

~~~

The movie idea sounds SUPER FUN!!!   my 15 seconds of fame right around the corner.   will i have lines to say and a costume?  shall i start to practice right this minute?   will i get to say "I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP . . ."  

~~~

Okay, I have to go back to the start of the film project that you are in. It's a movie... I want you to be in the movie.  The movie (a short) will be something I show at my graduate colloquium -- next July.   Maybe, it will go on You Tube.   

For the film, we are going to discover some things about Theodore Roethke.  He died in 1963.  He taught at the University of Washington until his death.  From 1948 onwards, he lived in Seattle though he is still considered Michigan's poet.  He drowned on Bainbridge Island in a swimming pool. He hung out at the Blue Moon tavern.  Some say he drank too much.  There was a cadre of what you might call Bohemian's who hung out there.  I know some of them but not Roethke.  I am going to try to find some of them and the discussion that ensues will be part of this short movie.  Some of this to happen at the balky ****'s house if he will allow it.  I will call him today. I will also make a page for the project with links and things so people can get into Roethke and the film... which will need a name [Where is Ted Roethke?].   

      I have written summaries of this for the others and for the "voice over" guy, an actor.  The film I am conceptualizing will be a 6 - 15 minute thing -- when all the video is edited and I will show it at my graduate colloquium where they decide if I am worthy of the degree.  

12/04/09  -- The filming for the project will be done between Dec 26 and Jan 16th.   If you are interested, please write me back.  I’ll tell you more of the conceptual stuff and give you some background on Roethke.  The play “First Class” was produced in Seattle a couple years ago.  You can find a trailer or some short material by searching on You Tube.  

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