Filmmaker Ken Burns comes to San Francisco

Posted on September 15, 2010

Filmmaker Ken Burns, co-director of ‘The Tenth Inning’, PBS’s newest production, poses with photographer Brad Mangin before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 14, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Adm Golub)

 

Last night was a big night for baseball in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Giants were hosting the Dodgers in the opening game of a huge three game series at AT&T Park in San Francisco. I went to the game with all my camera gear, which is rare for me during a night game in September. However, I was not there to shoot the game really, I was there to talk with and photograph filmmaker Ken Burns. Burns was in town to promote his upcoming film “The Tenth Inning” along with his co-director Lynn Novick. Burns and Novick created the film “Baseball” that was released in 1994 consisting of nine innings. This sequel to the original film takes over where the first film left off and makes it’s debut on PBS on September 28, 2010.

One of Brad Mangin’s images is featured on the screen as San Francisco Giants broadcaster Dave Flemming, left, and filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, co-directors of ‘The Tenth Inning’, watch a clip from their new baseball film before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 14, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I really enjoyed the original film when it came out in the middle of the baseball strike in September of 1994, and I would normally be excited about the upcoming sequel. However, I am extra-excited about this new film because many of my photographs will be featured in the two-part, four-hour documentary. Michael Welt, an Associate Producer from Florentine Films found me and my online archive way back in December of 2008. Thanks to my extensive collection of baseball images in my searchable archive powered by PhotoShelter I was able to provide Welt with many pictures that fit well into the storyline of the film. That’s right sports fans- when the new film debuts in two weeks I will have over a dozen of my pictures featured in “The Tenth Inning!”

Filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, co-directors of ‘The Tenth Inning’, PBS’s newest production, celebrate with a forearm bash after being presented with San Francisco Giants jerseys before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 14, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I was invited to a private screening of the first half of the film in New York City at the end of July and was thrilled to see some of my photographs in the film. It was especially cool seeing the “Ken Burns Effect” applied on my pictures! After the screening I was able to meet Burns at the post-game reception and while we chatted he told me he was coming to San Francisco in September to promote the film. I knew I had to be there, and last night was the night.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre #6 talks with filmmaker Ken Burns, co-director of ‘The Tenth Inning’, PBS’s newest production, before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 14, 2010 in San Francisco, California. UPI photographer Terry Schmitt is in the background. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Giants team photographer Andy Kuno hung out with me before the game and was able to meet both Burns and Novick, first in the Giants dugout and later in a reception put on by local PBS station KQED. This was a super cool thing, because Andy’s father Tak Kuno has many terrific old black and white photographs of Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays featured in the film. Andy was able to talk with the filmmakers about his father, and thank them for using his father’s photographs. I was able to see Tak’s images in the first half of the film when I was in New York, and I know Andy will be so proud when he sees the film for the first time in two weeks.

I was able to get re-aquainted with Burns and meet Novick for the first time and talk with them about the film before the game. Last night’s excitement surrounding the film got me even more amped up for the release in two weeks. I know I will be in front of my television set on September 28th to watch the top of the Tenth Inning. Will you?

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