Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School, 2013.
Narrative
Documentary film that looks behind the scenes of the Pearl Cohn Entertainment Magnet School's performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The film features interviews with students and faculty; an excerpt of an Obama speech (video by DimeWars). Emphasis on researching other performances that existed in order to make “our authentic version.” The documentary includes a video compilation of other performances (some of which are included in this collection). Significantly, the video also includes performances by everyday African Americans--in parks, on the street, in schools, and in other locales, emphasizing the songs’ relationship to the everyday and the staged peformances. Finally, the video takes us behind the scenes to look at the technologies involved in the “sonic process”--recording, editing, cutting, story-boarding--so that the song flows seamlessly.