Author: Ben Model

  • Episode 62 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast

    Episode 62 Show Notes: “Round-up of January 2024 shows, and more” Theme & Introductions Introduction Live Performances of Improvised Scores The Importance of Experiencing Silent Films presented with Live Music Silent Film Comedian Marcel Perez Intermission – Home Video activities From Kino-Lorber Vitagraph Comedies From Classic Flix: Silent Our Gang Comedies Silent Films at MoMA…

  • ep. 62: accompanying a Mary Pickford film on campus, Marcel Perez at the Silent Clowns, Monta Bell at MoMA, and more

    ep. 62: accompanying a Mary Pickford film on campus, Marcel Perez at the Silent Clowns, Monta Bell at MoMA, and more

    In this episode: Ben accompanies Tom Mix in “Sky High” at the Library of Congress, adapting for organ some themes he originally composed for piano; Ben and Kerr discuss the importance of seeing silents with live music, and how a film may play one way when watched alone and completely differently at a show; Ben…

  • Episode 61 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast

    Episode 61 Show Notes: “Improvising Themes for Re-Use and Development” Theme & Introductions Ben and Kerr discuss the dearth of holiday movies from the Silent Era Ben talks about recording the new Podcast Theme on a grand piano at MOMA. Playing for THE BIG PARADE at the Elmont Memorial Library, introduced by Philip Harwood A’…

  • ep. 61: Improvising Themes for Re-Use and Development

    ep. 61: Improvising Themes for Re-Use and Development

    In this episode: Ben shares his experiences accompanying the silent era blockbuster “The Big Parade”, the rare Italian film “A’ Santanotte”, Laurel & Hardy shorts, and others; he and Kerr discuss the practices of creating leitmotifs on the fly during a show, and then repeating them later in the film’s score; there’s some deep info…

  • Episode 60 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast

    Episode 60 Show Notes: “Music on the Road: Late Summer – Autumn 2023” Ben demonstrates contrasting styles and instrument sounds for shows of The Loves of Casanova (1927), Safety Last (1923), Second Fiddle (1923). Theme & Introductions MoMA in August “Safety Last” in the Adirondacks “Second Fiddle” at Capitolfest Other Projects: “The Mark of Zorro”…

  • ep. 60: Music on the Road: Late Summer – Autumn 2023

    ep. 60: Music on the Road: Late Summer – Autumn 2023

    In this episode: accompanying several films at MoMA in August of new restorations and a series of early color process silents; audience response difference between San Francisco Silent Film Festival and MoMA screening, and how this affected Ben’s score in NYC; Ben talks about pivoting when presented before a show with a change of running…

  • Kickstarting and Pre-ordering

    I’ve heard Kickstarting a home-video project referred to as, essentially, pre-ordering the Blu-ray or DVD. It is, and it isn’t. For the fan or consumer, in the sense of the definition of “pre-ordering”, backing a Kickstarted Blu/DVD project certainly looks like that’s what you’re doing. You’re sending in money for the product in advance of…

  • Episode 59 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast

    Episode 59 Show Notes: “The Dog Days are here (July), but maybe not in San Francisco” Undercrank Productions’ 10th Anniversary Accompanying Edward Everett Horton shorts at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival New Tom Mix restorations released in July from Undercrank Prods Thoughts on bringing a music light to shows, and about climbing the Bolton…

  • ep. 59: San Francisco Silent Film Fest, Undercrank’s 10th Anniversary, Tom Mix, and More

    ep. 59: San Francisco Silent Film Fest, Undercrank’s 10th Anniversary, Tom Mix, and More

    In this episode: Ben talks about preparing for his performance at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, his first time at the fest; his Undercrank Productions home video label celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2023; Ben talks about the two newly restored Tom Mix silent films that were released by Undercrank on Blu-ray in July;…

  • The Williams Center – Rutherford NJ

    The Williams Center in Rutherford NJ is in the building that was originally built in 1922. It was originally known as the Rivoli and boasted a seating capacity of 2,200. The Rivoli presented movies as well as vaudeville. A fire in 1977 destroyed most of the cinema’s original lobby. It was renamed in 2021 for…