GBH Openvault
New Television Workshop; Making of Severe Clear, The
Part of New Television Workshop.
02/28/1986
“The Making of Severe Clear,” 1986, is a documentary-style work that traces the creation of choreographer Dana Reitz' and light-and-space designer James Turrell's work, “Severe Clear.” Rehearsals with Reitz and dancer Sarah Skaggs are featured, revealing Reitz' use of drawing and movement improvisation as choreographic tools. James Turrell's stage design is seen as it is being constructed. The video ends with the final performance of “Severe Clear” at Radcliffe College in the summer of 1985. A slow, contemplative duet, “Severe Clear” is set in a boxed area. The dancers move in and out of both the enclosed portion of the set and lit areas. The tape dubbed during NTW Master Dubbing in August 1998.
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- Series
- New Television Workshop
- Program
- Making of Severe Clear, The
- Series Description
The New Television Workshop originated at WGBH in 1974 to support the creation and development of experimental video art. This experimental programming included dance, drama, music, performance and visual arts on video and film. As early as 1968, WGBH was committed to the development of video art through residency programs, with artists such as Nam June Paik. Many of these early works (pre-1974) were broadcast both locally and nationally. Fred Barzyk, a WGBH producer and director, was the Workshop's Executive Director from 1974 to 1982. Susan Dowling was Executive Director from 1982 to 1993. In 1993 the Workshop ceased production at WGBH. Major broadcast series created by the Workshop included "Artist's Showcase," "Frames of Reference," "Dance for Camera," "Poetry Breaks," and "New Television." Individual works were created for "Visions," a series produced by WNET (New York), and "Alive From Off Center," a series produced by KTCA (St. Paul - Minneapolis). The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund was co-founded by the Workshop and Boston's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in the 1980's, to commission works by video artists. Series release date: 1974
- Program Description
“The Making of Severe Clear,” 1986, is a documentary-style work that traces the creation of choreographer Dana Reitz' and light-and-space designer James Turrell's work, “Severe Clear.” Rehearsals with Reitz and dancer Sarah Skaggs are featured, revealing Reitz' use of drawing and movement improvisation as choreographic tools. James Turrell's stage design is seen as it is being constructed. The video ends with the final performance of “Severe Clear” at Radcliffe College in the summer of 1985. A slow, contemplative duet, “Severe Clear” is set in a boxed area. The dancers move in and out of both the enclosed portion of the set and lit areas.
- Duration
00:23:36
- Asset Type
Broadcast program
- Media Type
Video
- Genres
- Documentary
- Performance for a Live Audience
- Topics
- Film and Television
- Performing Arts
- Dance
- Creators
- Turrell, James (Lighting and Space Designer)
- Reitz, Dana (Choreographer)
- Contributors
- Reitz, Dana (Performer)
- Skaggs, Sarah (Performer)
- Citation
- Chicago: “New Television Workshop; Making of Severe Clear, The,” 02/28/1986, GBH Archives, accessed April 26, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_9F2785E1136F4AECA55B8B033313AC6F.
- MLA: “New Television Workshop; Making of Severe Clear, The.” 02/28/1986. GBH Archives. Web. April 26, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_9F2785E1136F4AECA55B8B033313AC6F>.
- APA: New Television Workshop; Making of Severe Clear, The. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_9F2785E1136F4AECA55B8B033313AC6F