Music Inn - A Documentary Film

The Film

The film will focus on the Music Inn from 1951 to 1960, when Stephanie and Philip Barber first hosted the Jazz Roundtable workshops which evolved into the first School of Jazz. The visual content for the film will consist of three elements: interviews, still photographs and archival footage from the time. The soundtrack will primarily consist of recordings from Music Inn, and perhaps some snippets of other recordings by the principal participants and interviewees. We shall also incorporate some film footage from Music Inn, however to this point, only one short reel has been located. The film will be divided into chapters that address the different elements of Music Inn as an important phenomenon in jazz history, and American cultural history in general. Woven among the chapters, will be 1-3 minute segments that document different elements of the social, cultural and political environment as they relate to the story. These segments will consist of stock archival footage and a voice-over, written by Dr. Benjamin Barber, historian, political theorist, and Stephanie Barber’s step-son. Different segments will be edited and presented in varying styles to reflect the relationship of each particular aspect of the social environment to Music Inn, as well as to direct the pace of the film as a whole.

We shall develop a principal theme that transcends the separate chapters: Stephanie Barber as a dynamic, charismatic and loving steward, whose character is reflected in the magic of the time and place. This will be achieved through interviews with Stephanie and, more importantly, with the visitors, participants and observers who remember her fondly, as the heart of the Music Inn phenomenon.

One technique that we plan to employ is interview two or more participants (musicians and others) simultaneously, in addition to their individual interviews. This creates a more dynamic interaction between the subjects and the film’s audience, and may also help bring out more details to the stories and events that they recall. We would like to arrange a reunion “party” that we would document extensively for the film. This would give everybody an opportunity to get together, chat, and of course, to jam, and would give the film a more “live” quality, to balance the mostly retrospective and “archival” film-making style.

We plan to include recordings by participating musicians as rights permit.

Thematic Elements of Focus (chapters)

Focus on African Culture
First School for Jazz music
Racial Harmony
Rural Retreat for musicians and their families
Bringing African American music into a more prestigious mainstream environment.

What was mainstream music/culture at the time?

Elements of Context: Social Environment

Segregation/Civil Rights
Politics

Cold War
McCarthyism

Industry/Economics/Technology
Arts/Entertainment

Evolution of music (before and after)
Style/fashion
Radio & Television

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	The Film The film will focus on the Music Inn from 1951 to 1960, when Stephanie and Philip Barber first hosted the Jazz Roundtable workshops which evolved into the first School of Jazz. The visual content for the film will consist of three elements: interviews, still photographs and archival footage from the time. The soundtrack will primarily consist of recordings from Music Inn, and perhaps some snippets of other recordings by the principal participants and interviewees. We shall also incorporate some film footage from Music Inn, however to this point, only one short reel has been located. The film will be divided into chapters that address the different elements of Music Inn as an important phenomenon in jazz history, and American cultural history in general. Woven among the chapters, will be 1-3 minute segments that document different elements of the social, cultural and political environment as they relate to the story. These segments will consist of stock archival footage and a voice-over, written by Dr. Benjamin Barber, historian, political theorist, and Stephanie Barber’s step-son. Different segments will be edited and presented in varying styles to reflect the relationship of each particular aspect of the social environment to Music Inn, as well as to direct the pace of the film as a whole. We shall develop a principal theme that transcends the separate chapters: Stephanie Barber as a dynamic, charismatic and loving steward, whose character is reflected in the magic of the time and place. This will be achieved through interviews with Stephanie and, more importantly, with the visitors, participants and observers who remember her fondly, as the heart of the Music Inn phenomenon. One technique that we plan to employ is interview two or more participants (musicians and others) simultaneously, in addition to their individual interviews. This creates a more dynamic interaction between the subjects and the film’s audience, and may also help bring out more details to the stories and events that they recall. We would like to arrange a reunion “party” that we would document extensively for the film. This would give everybody an opportunity to get together, chat, and of course, to jam, and would give the film a more “live” quality, to balance the mostly retrospective and “archival” film-making style. We plan to include recordings by participating musicians as rights permit. Thematic Elements of Focus (chapters) Focus on African Culture First School for Jazz music Racial Harmony Rural Retreat for musicians and their families Bringing African American music into a more prestigious mainstream environment. What was mainstream music/culture at the time? Elements of Context: Social Environment Segregation/Civil Rights Politics Cold War McCarthyism Industry/Economics/Technology Arts/Entertainment Evolution of music (before and after) Style/fashion Radio & Television
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