Name
Pennebaker, D. A (Interviewee)
Hogenson, Barbara (Interviewer)
Title
Reminiscences of Donn Allan Pennebaker, 1981
Abstract
Childhood: father's photographic career, parents' divorce; engineering studies; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Yale, 1947; founder, Electronics Engineering; early literary aspirations; filmmaking techniques and influence of Francis Thompson; marriage to and divorce from Sylvia Bell; documentary filmmaking with Drew Associates and Time-Life Films, 1959-1963: association with Julien Bryan, Ro bert Drew, Ricky Leacock, Albert Maysles, Greg Shuker; development of cinematic techniques, sound and camera equipment; philosophy of documentary filmmaking; selection of characters and subjects, editing, role and size of production crew; films discussed in detail: film loops for Brussels World's Fair, DAYBREAK (1953), GYPSY (1958), DAVID (1961), SUSAN STARR (1962), JANE (1962), SECOND CITY COMMERCIALS (1965), DONT LOOK BACK (1966), MAIDSTONE (1968), MONTERREY POP (1968), 1 PM (1969), KEEP ON ROCKIN' (1972); Pennebaker Associates filming in the White House during the Kennedy and Carter administrations; relationship of Public Broadcasting System and National Film Board of Canada to independent filmmakers; impressions of Gypsy Rose Lee, Chris Hegedus, John DeLorean, Hope Ryden, Jean-Luc Godard, Bob Dylan, Eddie Sachs, Norman Mailer
Collection Name
Individual interviews oral history collection
Subjects
Cinematographers; Motion picture producers and directors; Cinematography; Documentary films; Motion picture journalism; United States Social life and customs; Pennebaker, D. A; Public Broadcasting Service (U.S.); National Film Board of Canada
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
1981
Physical Description
811 pages
Note (Biographical)
Filmmaker; interviewee b. 1925
Note
Interviewed by Barbara Hogenson
Language
English
Library Location
Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Browse Location’s Digital Content
Catalog Record
15308245
Also In
Oral History Archives at Columbia
Time-Based Media
Time-Based Media
Persistent URL
https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-m8sz-m884
Related URLs
Available digital content for this interview.