We’ve been a little remiss in getting reports from Home Movie Day events posted here, but we’ll start now, with a report from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Event Venue: Koning Microcinema, a 60-seat screening space inside the historic Wealthy Theatre, operated by the Grand Rapids Community Media Center
Event time (screening): 1:30 - 4:30
Event time (inspection): 1:00
Total Audience: ~30 - 35
Number of people bringing films: 4, plus orphaned films provided by the coordinators to fill out the screening
Films screened by Gauge: 8mm: 15 Super 8: 12 (3 with sound) 16mm: 0 9.5mm: 0 Video: 0, although we did have a gentleman come wanting to show his video of home movies; we weren’t showing video at this event, however
Volunteers (# and names will be acknowledged in CHM annual report unless otherwise indicated): 5 volunteers: Jennifer Proctor Margo Greenlaw George Wietor Paul Wittenbraker Sean Kinney
Press (pre-event; no post-event anticipated):
Two interviews on WGVU radio (NPR affiliate): The Morning Show (10/15), Mid-Day West Michigan (10/16)
Grand Valley State University’s Lanthorn
Grand Rapids’ Public Library blog, The Atrium
Home Movie Day - West Michigan home page
Report submitted by Jennifer Proctor, proctor.jennifer@gmail.com
Some memorable films:
Lovely double exposed 8mm film of British Columbia from ~late 1940s/early 1950s, featuring families in upscale clothing and images of nature, including a spectacular superimposed image of a windmill against people walking. Film found in a dumpster in Grand Rapids; creators unknown.
Home Movie Day coordinator Margo Greenlaw’s sound Super 8 films, shot by her mother in Knoxville, Tennessee. In particular, from the early 1980s, a scene of her brother and her in the kitchen as Margo sings Halloween songs while her mother talks to her, and young Margo displays a bit of a rambunctious side. Margo is also coiffed in “Annie”-like curls. Garnered great laughter from the audience.
A Super 8 orphan film from the 1970s of Christmas scenes, which includes a family hamming it up for the camera, in particular by flashing their undies from under their robes.
Gorgeous Kodachrome footage of a contributer’s grandfather at work in Japan, and tourist footage of Japan while there, from probably the 1950s. Some lovely moments of men in business suits - American and Japanese - laughing in front of the camera. This was the first time this contributer had seen these films, which, he said, helped him to better understand all the stories his family had told of his grandfather’s time in Japan.
Another orphan film consisting of kids having fun riding on small motorbikes, followed by unusual and somewhat unnerving footage of a funeral. Label said Oklahoma, 1972.
Perhaps the most moving of the event - a man brought films of his parents, who had passed away when he was young, so he was raised by his grandparents. One 8mm film from the 1970s featured footage of him as a young child riding on a toy fire truck, while we can see his grandfather’s (the cameraman’s) shadow on the ground. But, perhaps more moving, is another, longer 8mm reel that consists of 1940s-1950s footage of his mother as a young woman - this film is the only item he has from his parents to remind him of them. His mother is carefree and fun, playing with a dog, kicking her feet in the air as she lays on the grass. The contributer thought - but didn’t know for sure - that a brief shot of a sailor might have been his father. Lots and lots of footage of dogs - quite a dog-loving family! But mostly footage of people enjoying one another’s company, hugging each other, enjoying cookouts outside.