Crime Tales 1982 by Robert Burden and Dictelio Cepeda

New York-- "On location in Union Square: hard facts and hard humor about a hard way of life" was, according to records, the tag line  provided by video makers Robert Burden and Dictelio Cepeda. This exceptional documentary--a first work by the partners-- was  made as a program segment for the Spring 1982  series of Communications Update, and subsequently shown at the Kitchen (February 1983),  at the Jon Leon Gallery (June 1983), at Mr Dead and Mrs Free's Café (July 1983), and at The Museum of Modern Art (November 1983).  Directed and graphic design by Dictelio Cepeda, camera and editing by Robert Burden. Music by E.J. Rodriguez. 
Note: Robert Burden was a brilliant editor who had worked  with me on the subtitles for Oued Nefifik: A Foreign Movie, moonlighting at NVI where he worked. LB

Squat Theatre 256 West 23rd Street New York

George C. Stoney, Documentary Filmmaker and Media Activist 1916-2012

NEW YORK-- George Stoney, a seminal documentary filmmaker, media activist and teacher championed the use of public access television since its inception. He  believed it was about more than access--that films should change situations and help build community. He passed away on July 12 2012 in his New York apartment  shortly after his 96th birthday party at the  Puleston estate in Brookhaven, Long Island, an annual celebration hosted by Betty Puleston, George's long time companion, and attended by relatives, friends  and George's NYU film school students and colleagues on the faculty. 
Note: In the early days of Public Access, George's cable TV show "NYU Presents" was pre-empted for a commercially-sponsored program on baby foods. 

Photo: Liza Béar, June 2012, Brookhaven LI

The Algiers Killings by Janet Densmore

Produced for the Communications Update, 
Spring 1981, series

Eye-witness testimony of a grand jury case
involving killings by police in New Orleans' 
black community. This documentary program 
was initially shown on C-Update in October 1981
following censorship in New Orleans. Some of
Densmore's original footage was incorporated
into a CBS 60 Minutes treatment of the story
a year and a half later.

Screening Dates:
October 1981    C-Update, MCTV, New York City
January 1982   The Kitchen, Video Viewing Room
Fall 1982           PBS Station, Houston, Texas
May 1983          Art Expo Chicago
May 1983          The Museum of Modern Art

Instructions to Producers and First Draft of Schedule for Communications Update 1982 Spring Series

Polisario Front : An interview with Abdullah Madjid by Liza Béar

Produced for the Communications Update,
Spring 1981, series

An interview with Abdullah Madjid,
representative for the Western Sahara territories
at the United Nations (exact title to be
checked on tape) by Liza Béar.

Poster : Spring 1982 Series Screening at The Kitchen

At the time, 1983, The Kitchen was located on Broome Street in SoHo.  Robert Stearns may still have been

director before he relocated to Ohio. (datesT K ) The Kitchen administered the  invaluable Media Bureau which, provided funds--very small amounts--fairly fast with a minimum of paperwork. for video production. Eric Bogosian ran the Media Bureau. for a while (dates TK)

Communications Update at New Museum

Liza Béar and Milly Iatrou present segments from Communication Update's Spring 1982 series at New Museum including "The Very Reverend Deacon b. Peachy," "A Matter of Facts," "Crime Tales" and "Lighter Than Air." 

Mark Magill
Lighter Than Air, 1982

by Mark Magill

A scientific comedy on helium, buoyancy,
nuclear fusion and lighter than air travel.

still from

Crime Tales, 1982
by Robert Burden and Dictelio Cepeda

On location in Union Square, New York: hard facts and hard humor about a hard way of life, Music by E.J. Rodriguez.

Stephan Balint and Boris Major

A Matter of Facts, 1982
by Eric Mitchell
in collaboration with Squat Theatre

Starting with a scene from Squat Theatre's Mr Dead and Mrs Free,  A Matter of Facts draws a parallel narrative which follows the characters into real life.

Ronald Morgan
The Very Reverend Deacon b. Peachy, 1982
by Iatrou and Morgan

A satire of tele-evangelism. The Very Reverend and Sister Mary Lola in this first episode of an on-going saga.



A 60-minute version of this program is now running on Monitor B in the Fifth Floor resource room of the New Museum. It will continue to play for a week through next Thursday. Museum admission is FREE on Thursdays from 7 to 9 pm.