Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
I write, direct, produce and edit short documentaries for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
La Marisol and Los Texmaniacs [Behind the Scenes Documentary]
This short documentary captures the intimate collaboration between La Marisoul (Marisol Hernández) and Los Texmaniacs. Live in the studio, the musicians record their forthcoming album, Corazones y Canciones, which blends Mexican, Tejano, and American folk traditions.
Smithsonian Folkways approached me with over twenty hours of unscripted behind-the-scenes footage and asked me to condense it into a ten-minute promotional piece that would weave together a meaningful storyline. I began researching the history of Tejano music, mariachi, and boleros to better understand how this musical heritage fits into Mexican-American culture in the United States.
Through reviewing the interviews and B-roll, it became clear that this was more than a musical collaboration. It was, as the album title suggests, a project of the heart—a safe space for Marisol and the other band members to embrace their dual identities through songs that carry memory, affirm identity, and foster a sense of belonging.
The finished piece was shared on Folkways’ social media platforms.
Role: Writer, Editor
El Fanático De la Música Norteña
This video profile highlights Chris Strachwitz, the founder of Arhoolie Records in El Cerrito, California, and his early love of Mexican border music. In addition to editing the piece, I provided archival and research support for the project by conducting backgrouund research on the history of Arhoolie Records, Chris Strachwitz, as well as his “Frontera” collection. I also sourced archival photos and footage from Arhoolie Records and Les Blank Films to illustrate Chris’s work with iconic Mexican musicians, such as Flaco Jimenez and Lydia Mendoza.
This video was shared to Smithsonian Folkways social media and Arhoolie Records’ social media in celebration of Chris’s 91st birthday. It supports the joint effort of Arhoolie Foundation and Smithsonian Folkways to share Chris’s recordings and vast musical archive with a wide audience.
Role: Editor, Archival Researcher
Smithsonian Folklife Magazine
The Art of JD Smith
This short profile of artist JD Smith was produced for Smithsonian Folklife Magazine as part of a multimedia story. Smith creates historically accurate, highly detailed renderings of WWII battleships to honor both Japanese and American sailors who died during WWII.
I served as producer, director and editor for the project. I recruited a DP and still photographer, and coordinated with the curator of the art gallery at Battleship USS Iowa Museum in San Pedro, California, where Smith was preparing for his first gallery opening. Prior to filming, I conducted multiple interviews with Smith to shape the narrative and determine how to convey his complex life story in a short format.
We filmed on board the historic battleship—dodging tourists and seagulls, as well as in Smith’s Venice based art studio, which is located behind his childhood home.
Role: Producer, Director, Editor
Karagoz
I first experienced Ayhan Hulagu’s shadow puppets at a community arts event in Baltimore, and knew I wanted to do a story on his life and work. Ayhan is a Kurdish immigrant from Turkey, who has adapted the ancient art of Karagöz puppetry for an American audience. Over many cups of Turkish tea, we met several times at his home and talked about childhood, mythology, training with master puppeteers, and his vision for the future of Karagöz in the United States.
This video was produced as part of a multimedia story for Folklife Magazine.
Role: Producer, Director, Editor
Ann Savoy