Hoop Dreams
In this Issue:
- ‘Hoop Dreams’ still resonates after 30 years, here’s why
- Documentary Film program
- Forbes article about AI (Wake mentioned)
March Madness is here, which means peoples’ minds are on basketball. And as it happens, we have a story to share about a Wake Forest connection with the documentary film ‘Hoop Dreams.’ I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
‘Hoop Dreams’ still resonates after 30 years, here’s why
Here’s one for our Gen X families: do you remember ‘Hoop Dreams’?
“The documentary film ‘Hoop Dreams‘ premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1994 and is remembered as one of the greatest sports films ever. In 2007, the International Documentary Association named ‘Hoop Dreams’ the best documentary of all time. The film’s 30th anniversary has been featured in The New York Times, Axios, and Collider.”
But did you know that the producer and cinematographer of ‘Hoop Dreams’ teaches in our Documentary Film Graduate Program? In 2011, the film’s producer and cinematographer, Peter Gilbert, joined Wake Forest’s Documentary Film Program as a creative director and outreach professor of practice. And one of my talented colleagues just did a terrific Q&A with him, which you can read here. I particularly love this back and forth:
“Q: What is the most important lesson for doc film students today?
A: One of the reasons why I teach at Wake Forest is because the documentary film program emphasizes ethics. You tell people’s stories. With reality television, there are no ethical boundaries. At Wake, I teach my students about what’s ethical. When you’re making a film, ask: What’s the right thing to put in a film? How far can you go? How do you discuss a film with your participants? These are real folks, and they’re giving filmmakers an incredible gift when they tell their stories. I tell students that, as a documentary filmmaker, you’re protecting their legacy and their family’s legacies. That’s the most wonderful thing I get to teach. And that came from making films like ‘Hoop Dreams.’”
My colleagues who work with social media also shared this video on Instagram, which is well worth a watch.
Documentary Film Program
The ‘Hoop Dreams’ story is a good reminder that we have some world-class talent teaching in our graduate programs. And for students who might be planning their long-term pursuits, I wanted to be sure they knew about our Documentary Film program, in case that might pique their interest:
“With an established track record of success in documentary film production and education, the Documentary Film Program at Wake Forest University offers you two graduate degree options:
I’m teaching a Communication class right now, and most of my professional life has been involved in communications in some form or fashion. For students who have a passion for telling stories, be that on the writing side, behind the camera, using social media, etc., these programs are worth a close look.
Forbes article about AI (Wake mentioned)
One of my colleagues passed on a link to this article from Forbes, which talks about how AI is being used in educational institutions. I am proud to say Wake was mentioned.
That’s all I’ve got for you today, Deac families. Have a great night!