Today I made one last trip to my local post office, bringing the last batch of backer copies to the USPS. In late March 2022, I launched a Kickstarter for a new Blu-ray/DVD project, Raymond Griffith: The Silk Hat Comedian.… Read More »Raymond Griffith: Ready To Launch
A rare kinescope of an early television talk show was posted recently. The reason a friend sent me the link, I’m quite sure, is that this 15-minute program manages cover two very important things for me: silent film accompaniment and… Read More »Buster Keaton kinescope from 1950
In February, I was a a guest speaker-accompanist at Antonia Lant’s silent film course at NYU’s Cinema Studies program. One of the films I played for was a 1919 two-reel educational film made in England called Dr. Wise on Influenza.… Read More »Flu epidemic silent film from 1919
Episode 57 Show Notes: Recording silent film scores for Tom Mix and Rin Tin Tin Recording scores for streaming and home video is different from a live performance Recording accompaniments for Tom Mix films Tom Mix in Sky High (1922)… Read More »Episode 57 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
In this episode: Ben and Kerr discyss about Ben’s process for creating and recording silent film scores for home-video releases, and how it differs from scoring a silent in performance. Ben talks about composing by using the start-stop possibilities of… Read More »ep. 57: Recording silent film scores for Tom Mix and Rin Tin Tin
Episode 56 Show Notes: Music for unconventional silent films and other purposes Replacing the podcast’s Theme Song: The Unknown: Ernie Kovacs and Haydn (not) Keeping the Combatants clear in Wings Recent and upcoming silent film shows: Sign up for Ben’s… Read More »Episode 56 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
In this episode: Ben and Kerr talk about the current theme music for the podcast and its impending replacement; Ben talks about playing for a recent screening of the newly restored Chaney film “The Unknown” and how he musically meets… Read More »ep. 56: Back to scoring silent feature films
Episode 55 Show Notes: Music for unconventional silent films and other purposes Accompaniments for documentaries, post-silent era films, and underscoring television. The Wizardry of Wireless with a score by Ben Discussing The Pottery Maker (1926) directed by Robert Flaherty (Nanook… Read More »Episode 55 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
In this episode: Ben talks about scoring silent films that lack a traditional narrative – films made for educational purposes – and creating music that is more “visual” than what is usually done for silents; films discussed are the 1922… Read More »ep. 55: Music for unconventional silent films and other purposes
In this episode: Ben talks about the fun and challenges of playing a number of different organs at silent film shows during October and November in Ocean Grove NJ, Ursinus College in PA, and at the historic Everett Theatre in… Read More »ep. 54: playing different theatre or pipe organs at shows in Oct & Nov 2022