November 2008 – Robin Amer

Eugene’s Gary

A portrait of one Gary neighborhood through the eyes of one resident.

Part 1, 7:50

Part 2, 5:05

Part 3, 6:02

Eugene’s Gary is a portrait of one Gary, Indiana neighborhood through the eyes of Eugene Pawlak. Pawlak, who fixes up houses and is a life-long Gary resident, is the kind of guy you want as your neighbor. He looks out for kids riding bikes in the middle of the street, helps octogenarians carry in their groceries and knows everyone on the block.

But Pawlak’s happy-go-lucky disposition belies a starker past. As he joshes with his neighbors, slowly a portrait of Eugene himself emerges. A freak, on-the-job accident at U.S. Steel left him physically and emotionally broken; only by channeling his energy through his children was he able to find his footing again.

Produced in the style of cinema verite using complex but subtle on-site field recordings, (local birds, bicycle bells, the slow rumble of a passing train) the sparse but purposeful use of sound in Eugene’s Gary highlights and supports the unique timbre of each character’s voice.

This series was originally recorded and aired on Vocalo.org during several live broadcasts in August of 2007.

Eugene’s Gary won 3rd place in the category of Best Use of Sound from the Indiana Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists.

Lease Eugene’s Gary for broadcast through the Public Radio Exchange (PRX).

Ghosts of Gary

The story of one abandoned movie theater is the story of this very post-industrial city. People haunt places, and places haunt people.

19:14

Ghosts of Gary is an exploration of Gary, Indiana’s semi-abandoned downtown and historic past. Dorothy, a non-Indiana native, stumbles into Gary on a road trip and sees the remnants of its once vibrant downtown. Among the shuttered buildings is the stately Palace movie theater, long-closed. But how long closed? Has it been closed since the Jackson Five, still advertised on the theater’s marquee, were last together? Has Gary’s downtown been a ghost town that long?

With the help of some life-long Gary residents, an urban explorer, and an investigative journalist, Ghosts of Gary unravels the mystery of the Palace Theater and how long it has been closed. On the way the story touches upon John Dillinger’s escape from the Crown Point jail, the subbasements of Broadway Avenue and the economic exploits of Donald Trump.

The individual stories and interviews in this series originally aired on Vocalo.org as part of several different live broadcasts between June and October of 2007. Production by Robin Amer. Additional production of title segment by Adam Yoffe and Tom Herman. Music by Mudboy and Black Forest/Black Sea. Voices, in order are: Dorothy Fennell, Laura Jones, Mr. Matthews, Eugene Pawlak, “Syd,” and Steve Walsh. Above photo by Dorothy Fennell.

Ghosts of Gary won Best Radio Documentary 2007 from the Indiana chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists. It was also nominated for a Peter Lisagor Award from the Chicago Headline Club in the Radio Documentary category.

Lease Ghosts of Gary for broadcast through the Public Radio Exchange (PRX).

Reconstructing Providence

Adaptive Reuse, Urban Revitalization and Neighborhood Change

An hour-long radio documentary about the renovation of mill buildings in the poorest neighborhoods of the “Renaissance City,” and the subsequent displacement of artists and small businesses. The following audio clip is an excerpt from the introduction of the piece.

There are nearly 250 old mill buildings in Providence, Rhode Island, left over from the city’s days as an industrial powerhouse.

In recent years, renovation and adaptive reuse of the mills has sparked intense debate, revolving around the city’s efforts to revitalize the neighborhoods, and the need for artists’ space in a city and region that promotes the arts. The battle over the city’s mills is a battle about gentrification, about who controls change in a city that’s changing fast.

In the next few years some of the mills will be converted into retail space and condominiums, some will be demolished to make way for new construction, some will be reused by artists, non-profits and small businesses, and some will burn down.

Reconstructing Providence is a documentary about the adaptive reuse of the city’s mill buildings, and all the controversy that’s come with it.

This hour-long story includes interviews with Providence city officials, developers, artists from the now legendary Fort Thunder collective, activists, historic preservationists and city residents. It features an original score for cello and violin by composer Alec K. Redfearn, performed by Margie Wienk and Olivia Geiger.

A live performance version of the piece debuted at AS220, May 10, 2004. Originally aired on WRNI, Rhode Island’s NPR News Station, August 15, 2004. Subsequently aired on WZBC Newton, Mass., and WMPG Portland, Maine.

To buy a CD copy of Reconstructing Providence, featuring original artwork by Ian Cozzens of Secret Door Posters and layout by Jeffery Alexander and Miriam Goldberg of Secret Eye Records, email me.