Author: Ben Model

  • silent film music at “Meet Me At The Corner”

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    Ben Model

    A new episode of “Meet Me At The Corner” was posted today on meetmeatthecorner.org, a well-traveled educational website of virtual field trips. The episode is about silent film and its music, and I was the guest in the piece. We shot this last fall, when the Colorado-based producer, Donna Guthrie, contacted me in advance of…

  • interim post: Lee Erwin-scored short

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    Ben Model

    I know, I know, I haven’t posted any video here in a few weeks. To keep you happy, here is a 1929 Mack Sennett short co-starring Carole Lombard that I just uploaded to YouTube. It has a score by Lee Erwin, which he performed and recorded on his ersatz theatre organ, comprised of three early…

  • video blog episode 2: accompanying “The Last Laugh” at MoMA

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    Ben Model

    Here’s episode 3, in which I talk about preparing for and accompanying F.W. Murnau’s “The Last Laugh” on two consecutive days. The theme song (seen briefly at the beginning) was actually shot at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, where I was guest speaker/artist (third time!) at Larry Burke and Larry Wallach’s film music course on…

  • video blog episode 2: playing for Alice Guy films and early cinema, et al

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    Ben Model

    Here is the latest episode of my video blog. I talk about accompanying Alice Guy Blaché films and the challenges of playing for nickelodeon-era films, about working with Parallel Exit, and some other tidbits. Enjoy! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prQ6ceftEZc&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1]

  • video blog episode 1: Griffith, Gish, and instant leitmotifs

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    Ben Model

    I’m going to give video-blogging another go in 2010. Using the FlipVideo camera makes it a little more convenient, and talking-head blogging sure beats writing, and typing and correcting typos (which only seem to appear after I click on ‘publish’). I’m hoping I can be a little more consistent than the last time I tried…

  • musical theme: “An Auteurist History of Film”

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    Ben Model
    in

    This is a theme I came up with for the series at MoMA, which I play as the lights go down and between films (if it’s a double-bill). Gives you a look (and a listen) at the mod-looking Modus digital piano Yamaha has loaned to MoMA for the series. (I shot this quickly, before the…

  • Auteurist series at MoMA moves in the 1920s

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    Ben Model

    Well, we’re out of the woods, now (meaning films of the ‘teens), and the pictures just get better and better every week. The series screens on Wed/Thur/Fri at 1:30pm; the dates below reflect the fact that I only play on Weds and Thurs. In 2010 I will use the Miditzer for accompaniment more, as by…

  • L&H, Keaton and Lloyd Hamilton

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    Ben Model

    Looks like a deleted scene from Playtime, doesn’t it? I’m sitting in the Bauhaus lounge at MoMA. I’m early for my show today, and enjoying the free wifi at MoMA. Have been too danged busy to reflect and post here, but I know people read this blog, so I’ll jot something down, just to stay…

  • vote for The Silent Clowns on Chase Community Giving

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    Ben Model

    Are you on Facebook? Please help support The Silent Clowns Film Series by voting for it (a/k/a Silent Cinema Presentations, Inc., our not-for-profit corp identity) on the Chase Community Giving page on FB. Click here and type in Silent Cinema Presentations, Inc. in the ‘search for your charity’ field:

  • Alice Guy silent films at the Whitney (schedule)

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    Ben Model

    I’ve just received my “marching orders” for the Whitney’s Alice Guy retrospective, Alice Guy Blaché: Cinema Pioneer. Below are the dates and film titles I’ll be accompanying. There will be other screenings dates, times and films, but I do not know what they are. There will be piano accompaniment for most Sunday afternoon screenings, and…