Garden Bay Films Lizzie "Mini"

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:54 am

Forum member Richard has just released the first in what promises to be a wonderful series of mini film documentaries about Lizzie, Lizzie-related personalities and sites. This is a great fresh approach, both entertaining and educational in the popular Youtube format which is so easy to access. Great job Richard! Mondo and other blogs are singing your praises! For those just now on lunch hour- click on the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlJumWmayLc

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:16 pm

Thanks for the post, Shelley! Oh - it was so good! The music was good for it. You looked real pretty. And you spoke so well ! (I love your little accent.) You didn't have a script, and you just rattled everything off. I liked hearing about Eli (as you now have me referring to him as). I enjoyed hearing your personal thoughts about him, and he and Alice Russell. It was soooo nice that you placed red roses at his grave, out of the respect you shared with us. I totally enjoyed it. I'll be watching this several times. There was so much information in that short piece. I hope you do many more. Richard - congratulations on an entertaining and touching film!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:31 pm

Thanks! I am so impressed with Richard's work- and his concept of bringing small details and lesser-known but interesting aspects of the Borden case to us all in this wonderful way. I could talk about Eli Bence until the cows come home. His story has always captivated me. I always wonder what happened to so many of those people AFTER the great trial, and just what kind of people they were, backgrounds, motivations, etc.

The accent is, pure Eastern Shore, Maryland I am afraid. I have been a Yankee for 36 years but have yet to absorb that New England twang!

JoAnne · Post by **JoAnne** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:08 pm

Kudos Richard !!
The mini -film is wonderful. I think you captured througth the music and the footage just how we all feel about our friend, Eli Bence. Shelly as always you were grand. Your sincerity is truly evident. I love the way these people are coming to life for us. No longer one dimensional characters from a trail transcript but real people with real lives.

That was one of my best times ever at the B&B. Everyone was wonderful, friendly and eager to see the sites.

Long Live the N.O.M.E.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:11 pm

It's great that Richard is interested in doing this kind of thing, to preserve knowledge for us, and those that come afterwards. I like his writing. And when we've emailed on business he's hilarious.

Shelley, you carried that whole show on your own. You're a natural ! Your authentic care and interest comes thru. I gotta give you a "10".

I know I LOVED you as Mrs. Churchill at the B & B re-enactment a couple years ago. The tours you gave some of our Forum members must have been priceless.

(Now to post this so this thread will be first, where it belongs!)

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:21 pm

Bravo Richard, brava Shelley! Wonderful job!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:29 pm

I had no idea Richard was filming- maybe that was for the best. I might have been self-conscious. Oh boy, though, next time Richard, I want make-up, wardrobe and hairdressers! It was bitterly cold, and none of us had much sleep the night before so some of us are a little "rough round the edges"- still, if one is among friends, it doesn't matter does it?

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:37 pm

Well, Shelley did the research and acting, Stefani did the writing, Justin Durban composed and records the music, Eli Bence did the living...all I did was press a button on a camera!

Seriously, filmmaking is a collaboration between many people. The director organizes and makes choices. I'm glad people liked the choices I made (especially the music) because I want vidoes like this and others I have planned to go on YouTube and bring some information to people who otherwise won't see a copy of the Hatchet or read some of the web sites or blogs.

When you "google" Lizzie Borden on youTube, you get a lot of fluff. I figured getting some honest accurate historical information in there and promoting our own research to a more general audience can't hurt.

Thanks guys for the vote of confidence. I have six or seven more Lizzie Minis planned for the first half of 2008!

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:10 pm

Good job, Richard! And Shelley, you look so cute in your hat.

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:32 pm

Thanks Richard and Shelley! It was great! Not only did it bring to life Eli but everyone there, especially Shelley, it was really nice to be able to hear her voice. I can't wait to see more!! Bravo

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:20 pm

You did a fantastic job of bringing Eli Bence to life, Shelley! As for wardrobe, makeup and whatnot, the deerstalker cap did the trick.

twinsrwe · Post by **twinsrwe** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:08 pm

Awesome job, Richard! Shelley, you also did a great job! The film is simply wonderful. I truly enjoyed it.

I agree with you, Richard - YouTube NEEDS some honest, accurate, historical information on Lizzie. Great idea!!!

I am looking forward to your next Lizzie Mini - keep up the good work.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:57 pm

That was really cool! Great job, all of you involved. Informative and entertaining, you can't get much better than that.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:14 am

It's incredible, Shelley, your not knowing Richard was filming. You did it so naturally. And you looked fine. The cape and cap looked very attractive on you. And it lended a Sherlock Holmes feel that fits right in with this limb of the murders.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:41 am

Thanks! Everyone was just shooting photos so I was not paying any special attention to what Richard was doing. I was an English /French teacher for a long time, although it was not my chosen career- so I have never been nervous speaking in front of people. Doing tours, scripts, re-enactments and innkeeping at the house, and lecturing for 30 years on Titanic also tend to chase away stage fright! I also find, when the topic is dear to one's heart- it is never hard to find words, no matter who is listening and watching. I stopped using index cards years ago and just speak from the heart- people seems to enjoy the ride more that way. As one gets older, it seems to me that it gets easier to be oneself, not obsess about what people think of me, looking foolish, etc. When time gets short- go for it and just do your thing and if the folks don't like it, well, at least we have no regrets when the curtain comes down at the end.

Nadzieja · Post by **Nadzieja** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:02 pm

I thought the film was outstanding. The music, & the way Shelley gave the history were perfect. Congratulations to both of you, Job WELL DONE !!!

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:14 am

Richard, that is a really good film!
Shell I'm glad people can hear you- your voice, your manner- they can see how wonderful you are.

Richard- did Stefani write that? Because I thought Shelley wrote the article on Bence in the current Hatchet issue?
I'm confused.

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:52 am

If I had to guess - well, if you look at that recent Bence thread down Privy, I'd put my money on Shelley. Some of what she said in the film is almost word for word what she'd said just recently down privy. She knows her Bence inside and out, I'd say.

I must agree too: It's particularly nice to see the person (whomever it might be) on film or video for those of us who've not yet met. That only heightens the sense of reality, you might say. (The deerstalker cap was great too, but that's entirely beside the point at present!)

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:06 am

Kat, the opening titles describing who Bence is and his significance was lifted from Stefani's web site. The credit I gave her was for the text in the opening.

In retrospect, it makes it sound as if Stefani "wrote the bio" that Shelley speaks. But that wasn't my intention. The "Trbitue" was by Shelley and the "Bio" was by Stefani.

Yeah, it's confusing. If I had been thinking, I would have done something like, "Tribute by Shelley" and "Opening Bio by Stefani" or something like that.

I also forgot to give Shelley a photo credit for her cemetery shot of Eli's siblings in Oak Grove.

I'm glad you like it. I want to continue with this format and do more of them.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:54 am

Thanks Richard for clearing that up!
I was pretty sure Shelley spoke what she herself wrote.

(And the music haunted me for hours after, too!)

Bob Gutowski · Post by **Bob Gutowski** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:18 pm

Shelley, which thirty years did you lecture on the Titanic? And what kind of breathing apparatus did you wear? :)

Can't wait to check out this mini-docs! Great idea, sez me!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:22 am

Hi Bob- Oh I was holding forth from 1912- 1942, seems like just yesterday.
Here I am with my good friend Jules Verne-whatta guy!

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:28 am

Oh Shelley, that's too funny!!!

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:58 am

Hey guys,

The number of viewings of the Eli Bence Lizzie Mini has topped 400. It's only been up a month.

It seems like at this rate, it will have a few thousand viewings in a year. I'm hoping as I put up further Lizzie Minis, more people will discover it and take an interest.

I have enough material for another three Lizzie Minis but I'm trying to find the right music, so it may take another two or three weeks.

Thanks for your support....Richard

JoAnne · Post by **JoAnne** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:25 pm

Richard,
I can't wait to see the next mini Lizzie movie. I think the right music does make a big difference; so search high and low for just the right one.
Will the next one also be footage from our weekend adventure?

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:53 pm

Richard, if you ever stage a re-enactment of the murders, "The Anvil Chorus" is a natural for the soundtrack during the hatchet job.

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:16 am

The opening bars of Also Sprach Zarathustra might work, too! (The theme to 2001: A Space Odyssey.)

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:19 am

I do have footage from our last wekend in Fall River, but it pretty much amounts to home movie quality stuff.

I'm thinking of doing a parallel series called LIZZIE BORDEN HOME MOVIES which would completely toss out quality, composition, sound, editing or color correction and just toss up fun, rough, unedited home movie type stuff.

Of course for anyone who appears in the film, I'll have to get permission to use it.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:58 pm

That's a good idea- I like it!

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:46 am

I'm pleased to announce the release of a new Lizzie Mini: Lizzie Borden's Cellar.

This film features a tour of the cellar of the house on 2nd St. with Len Rebello.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on_-jMcBs-8

This is the second in a series. The next Lizzie Mini is scheduled to be released in about three weeks.

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:58 am

That was great! Some how I"d missed entirerly the fact that she'd gone to the bloody clothes and had done something. Why ? I wonder.......would they have noticed if she had added any thing? Or taken anything? That was great!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:12 pm

My children seem unimpressed- "Ma, you just look SCARY" down there in the dark. Parents get no respect.

Great job, Richard! The music really adds a lot too and is the perfect choice. I must say being alone in the dark in that cellar was a little unnerving and not something I would wish to do every night. Lizzie had nerves of steel. Looking forward to your next Lizzie endeavor.

bob_m_ryan · Post by **bob_m_ryan** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:40 pm

Richard -- thanks for that; enjoyed it.

twinsrwe · Post by **twinsrwe** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 8:52 pm

Richard, that was wonderful!!! I agree with Shelley - the music really adds a lot. And, Shelley you also did a great job, even if you do look scary! I enjoyed the film very much, and look forward to seeing the next third segment.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:11 am

shakiboo @ Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:58 am wrote:That was great! Some how I"d missed entirerly the fact that she'd gone to the bloody clothes and had done something. Why ? I wonder.......would they have noticed if she had added any thing? Or taken anything? That was great!

Well, Lizzie went to the sink area and *did something* whereas the piled up evidence was about 5 feet away from her. Still...
I think she was closer to the pail of menstrual cloths for longer. She might have stepped past the pile of stuff to put her lamp down, tho. She wasn't there a minute, according to Hyde who was watching.

That's a really good film- and Shelley you were the stand-out hit!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:29 am

Oh I think Richard's photo-techniques could make anybody look good! (or creepy)-I scared myself when I first saw it. Too bad there is no job market for a creepy old lady stalking around a cellar at night with possibly homicide on her hands!
The cellar sequence was just something I mentioned to Richard that afternoon at lunch and we went back to the house after dark to give it a try. I have always had that image in my mind of Lizzie walking through the house in the dark, then the lamplight under her face through that cellar window. Len had to wait in the kitchen window to give the cues to me when Richard was ready to start rolling outside, and it took a few "takes". Len would not come down into the black cellar though, so that unsettling prospect I had to face alone!

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:49 am

Shelley and Richard- the Lizzie scene gave me the absolute shivers. Very well done.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:00 am

Thanks for the compliments, guys. Len, Shelley and Justin (the composer) really made the film happen. It's a true collaboration. Sometimes I feel like I'm just the guy who presses the button on the camera.

Most of the opening title information came from Officer Hyde's testimony at the trial and I made an effort making those titles as accurate as possible. However, the shots of Shelley, as effective as they are, would not be completely accurate. For one thing she's holding an eletric light (LOL!) and Lizzie was using a kerosine lamp with a chimney on top.

A true and accurate depiction of Lizzie's trip to the cellar would have more light. Hyde testified that the kerosine lamp gave off a good light, enought for him to see the entire sink room that Lizzie was in. So the image of the face illuminated from below, as spooky as it is, may not be 100% accurate.

For that reason, I called Shelley "The Basement Spirit" instead of Lizzie Borden. It's still very effective and I like the way the movie came out.

Len is great too. He was very generous in letting us use the footage.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:47 am

Nice job, Richard. Appropriately spooky.

Shelley makes a great "spirit".

Tina-Kate · Post by **Tina-Kate** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:52 am

Alas, I have to wait until they get the new computer installed here before I can pick up any of these features. I can't wait, tho...

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:02 am

Oooo Richard- don't give away the trade secrets! I held my hand over that flashlight to disguise it. Actually the light shining through the fingers was a bonus. I found the REAL oil lamp the week after. Maybe we should give that a shot next time. I noticed the light on August 4th at 8:30 p.m. is not pitch black as it is when we shot the mini-doc which was December 17th. So the cellar would not have been as dark on that night in 1892.

Actually- I am more Abby-esque than Lizzie-esque in every way from age to size- but, she's my most sympathic character so I don't mind at all. Poor old thing.

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:21 am

Another fine job, Richard and Shelley! Please keep up the good work!

This latest film makes excellent use of the available resources. We are fortunate to have the actual crime scene and the testimony about the events at our disposal. We are able to see what happened and where it happened without fictional conjecture or Hollywood staging. We are also very fortunate to have folks among us willing to recreate the events. Many thanks!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:52 am

My dream- and I hope the Second Street Irregulars will pull this off this summer- is to walk through in REAL time, the events from 8:45- 12 noon on August 4th having a timeline for every single major and minor character and in costume because it DOES make a difference for the women. I will also need people to be stationed with notebooks and cameras at strategic points, recording and observing on film and written notes what they see , what can be seen and heard.

Cemetery Jeff has already volunteered to be Morse and do the Emery House jaunt-he has the long legs to do it! Timing is everything.

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:14 pm

Now, THAT'S a project!! I think the final product as a visual aid would be of great value. Would it be possible to film part of the sequence with "Lizzie" holding the camera? Maybe using various scenarios, she did it, she didn't do it, etc?

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:17 pm

Oh yes- there WILL be two Lizzies of course- one innocent, one guilty. The innocent one will have to go through every single motion- INCLUDING eating the 3 pears slowly in the loft. Nothing can be left out, including Hyman Lubinsky coming down the street. I have been planning this for 16 years and all I need is a CAST of characters to make this happen. No acting ability required.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:41 pm

Perhaps it we can get volunteers to film all the key characters, we can make a short film out of this.

I have two cameras..Maybe if we can get 3-4 more people to bring their digital video cameras and they are all in miniDV, I can do a small film based on all the footage.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:45 pm

I was hoping you would volunteer Richard. I know this would make a great human interest story for the Herald. I have always had the feeling some things would become very clear if a real-time re-enactment would be tried. Those we do now on August 4th are only 30 minute condensations due to the crowds we have to accommodate. The observers and videographers will be truly doing the hard work- they will be The EYES and EARS of us all 116 years later.

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:31 pm

Oh that would be great! Wish I didn't live so far away!!

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:35 pm

I do enthusiastically volunteer. However, I'm saying we need several camera people to follow around the various characters. I can see two camera persons to stay with each of the Lizzies, one to follow Andrew around town, another to track Bridget in her window washing and trip upstairs to nap and then later to follow Bridget around the corner to get Alice, another to follow Mrs. Borden up to the guest room and then perhaps scoot over to the Barn to catch one of the Lizzie's eating her pears, etc.

If we can get a list of everyone who will be involved and plan out their perambulations, I can determine how many cameras and who will stick with who, etc. We may capture something historical, that's never been done before.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:13 pm

Everyone will have a carefully detailed time line and a watch with them , as well as their known dialogue to repeat, and we will try to pin it down as best we can, allowing for a few minutes here and there and the fact some of the clocks and watches may not have been exact. I tend to support the Western Union office's clock and using Bowen's telegram to Emma as a fixed time to work back for Bowen.