School of Journalism & Media

‘The Library That Dolly Built’ Gets Dec. 9 Online Premiere

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Dollywood and Abramorama in association with The Dollywood Foundation have partnered to present a free one-night-only live streaming world premiere event for The Library That Dolly Built, the Land Grant Films documentary about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Originally scheduled as a nationwide live event on more than 300 screens this spring, the world premiere for The Library That Dolly Built has been reimagined as a free live stream screening of the film, exclusively on Facebook, available nationally on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. ET. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Dolly Parton, who will also … Read more “‘The Library That Dolly Built’ Gets Dec. 9 Online Premiere”

Cherokee Stickball Documentary Scheduled for TV, Festival Premiere

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Documentary Synopsis

Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina is a tight-knit community of the remaining members of the Cherokee tribe, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. One of the tribes’ cultural traditions still practiced is the game of stickball. In the year 2000, nearly 100 women: mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, and friends, took the field to play and exercise the matriarchal spirit that the Cherokee were known for. ᎡᏘᏴ ᏥᎾᎾᏛᏁᎮ ᎠᏰᎵᏐ ᎾᏛᏁᎰ / She Carries On tells the story of these women, how and why they played, and what the game means to them and their

… Read more “Cherokee Stickball Documentary Scheduled for TV, Festival Premiere”

Knox County Library Honors Geidner, ‘The Library that Dolly Built’

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Knox County Library honored journalism and electronic media associate professor Nick Geidner by presenting him with its 2020 Seeds of Imagination Award on Sept. 17 for his work on the Land Grant Films’ documentary “The Library that Dolly Built.”

This documentary takes viewers behind the scenes of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides registered children with one free book each month from when they are born to when they turn five years old.

Geidner, who directed and produced the film, has personal experience with this program.

“My oldest son got the Imagination Library books, and we just … Read more “Knox County Library Honors Geidner, ‘The Library that Dolly Built’”

Magic of ‘The Library That Dolly Built’

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Working at the Library of Congress in February 2018, the students on the Land Grant Films team began to understand that their project—a documentary about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, tied to the milestone of Parton’s giving away her 100 millionth book—was a much bigger deal than they had realized.

“We were there getting our press passes,” remembers Kayli Martin (’21), the film’s assistant producer. “I thought, ‘This is what it’s like to be a professional journalist.’”

“I had never been to the Library of Congress,” says Abby Bower (’19), a producer and the writer for the project. “The building, number

… Read more “Magic of ‘The Library That Dolly Built’”

Geidner: ‘Goodnight with Dolly’ Off to Great Start

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Goodnight Dolly

With Dolly Parton’s new 10-week bedtime-story series Goodnight with Dolly under way, the honorary UT alumna is doing her part to comfort kids all over the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to Associate Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media Nick Geidner, who produced and directed the documentary film The Library That Dolly Built.

“My one-and-a-half-year-old, Sam, who makes some cameos in the film, loved the first episode, especially at the end when Dolly sang ‘I Believe in You,’” Geidner said. “He loved the woo-woo-woos in the song, but I also think he loved it because it is … Read more “Geidner: ‘Goodnight with Dolly’ Off to Great Start”

Two years later: JEM Alumni receive Emmy nomination for Vietnam Veteran War documentary

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Often times, moments in history are forgotten and so are the people in them. As journalists, it is our job to make sure the moments and people are remembered for years to come. And, that is just what two recent University of Tennessee graduates did as journalism and electronic media students.

Isaac Fowler and Tim Morris, created a Vietnam War Veteran documentary titled “Welcome Home Brother” while working as undergraduates with the School of Journalism & Electronic Media’s documentary program: Land Grant Films. Dr. Nick Geidner, JEM associate professor and director of Land Grant Films, was executive producer and Clint … Read more “Two years later: JEM Alumni receive Emmy nomination for Vietnam Veteran War documentary”

JEM’s Land Grant Films Creates Veteran Documentaries for East Tennessee PBS

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Healing WatersEast Tennessee PBS will air five microdocumentaries on area veterans created by UT School of Journalism students, Land Grant Films, and UT’s WUOT-FM.

A release of the microdocumentaries began on Facebook and YouTube in late October. WUOT  aired the audio versions October 29 through November 2 along with original content from interviews with East Tennessee veterans.

The microdocumentaries will be compiled into a half-hour show that airs on East Tennessee PBS at 4 p.m. Sunday, November 11, and 5 p.m. Sunday, November 18.

“This project was a great opportunity for us to work with East Tennessee PBS and WUOT to … Read more “JEM’s Land Grant Films Creates Veteran Documentaries for East Tennessee PBS”

Student-Made Documentaries Take Home Awards at Knox Film Festival

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Isaac Fowler, left, and Tim Morris, right, with Doug (Snapper) Morgan, a Vietnam veteran featured in Welcome Home Brother, at the Knox Film Festival. Two documentaries with ties to UT’s School of Journalism and Electronic Media and Land Grant Films took home awards at the 2018 Knox Film Festival.

Welcome Home Brother took third place and Lieselotte took second place in the Tennessee Film Documentary category. Lieselotte also placed second in the Documentary Short Film category.

Both documentaries involved recent graduate Isaac Fowler, who had personal ties to each film. Fowler’s father served in the Vietnam War, and Lieselotte “Lottie” O’Brien is an icon in his hometown of Kingston, Tennessee.

“The festival is a huge asset to our local film community, and this year … Read more “Student-Made Documentaries Take Home Awards at Knox Film Festival”