Ben Model’s blog
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I don’t usually take on new pieces of equipment, but the Kodascope Model B projector didn’t take up that much space – something that was probably a part of the intent of the item’s design back in 1927. I’ve had a thing for the dawn of 16mm and its uses…
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ep. 68: “The Silent Film Universe” mini-episode
Ben and Kerr talk about Ben’s new book “The Silent Film Universe” on this mini-episode. Ben discusses the various aspects of silent film language covered in each chapter and how we as viewers are engaged with them, his own development and honing of the ideas in the book, and his…
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Episode 68 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
Episode 68 Show Notes: “The Silent Film Universe” On this mini-episode, Ben Model discusses his new book The Silent Film Universe with co-host and co-producer Kerr Lockhart, and the ideas and insights that inspired it. Works referenced during this podcast: Sign up for Ben’s regular email here to keep up…
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ep. 67: Scoring Wallace Reid in Kansas, Maurice Tourneur at MoMA, and “Ramona” for Kino Lorber
In this episode, Ben and Kerr talk about accompanying a rare Wallace Reid Film “The Valley of the Giants” and other films at the Kansas Silent Film Festival; playing for the newly restored “The White Heather” and for Francis Ford’s “The Craving” (both 1919) at MoMA’s “To Save and Project”…
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Episode 67 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
Episode 67 Show Notes: Silent Film music at the museum, on the radio, and at home On this episode, Ben and Kerr talk about Ben’s accompanying “The White Heather” (1919) at MoMA, “The Valley of Giants” (1919) at the Kansas Silent Film Festival, and creating and recording a new score…
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ep. 66: Catching up on live shows from the 2nd half of 2024
In this episode, Ben and Kerr talk about: Ben’s accompanying a rare Reginald Denny feature, sight-unseen, at Capitolfest 21; the rediscovery of “The Gorilla” (1927) and accompanying it on both piano and on theatre organ; Ben tries a new approach to underscoring the house-fall in Buster Keaton’s “Steamboat Bill, Jr.”…
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Episode 66 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
Episode 66 Show Notes: Catching up on live shows from the second half of 2024 On this episode, Ben and Kerr talk about Ben’s process for scoring Roland West’s “The Bat” (1926) for a home video release. The new restoration was produced and released by Ben’s Undercrank Productions home video…
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ep. 65: Scoring Roland West’s “The Bat” (1926)
In this episode: On this episode, Ben and Kerr talk about Ben’s process for scoring Roland West’s “The Bat” (1926) for a home video release. The new restoration was produced and released by Ben’s Undercrank Productions home video label. Show notes for episode 65 can be found here.
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Episode 65 show notes: The Silent Film Music Podcast
Episode 65 Show Notes: Scoring Roland West’s “The Bat” (1926) On this episode, Ben and Kerr talk about Ben’s process for scoring Roland West’s “The Bat” (1926) for a home video release. The new restoration was produced and released by Ben’s Undercrank Productions home video label. Sign up for Ben’s…
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“Sight-Reading” a Reginald Denny Comedy
One of the questions people ask me is “Do you ever accompany a film that you haven’t seen before?” The answer is “yes”. Although it happens less often than it did a decade or so ago, because now most films either have been restored digitally and an archive can provide…