A Letter from Fred is a documentary about a 96 year old man who entered a singer-songwriter contest sponsored by a music studio. His wife of 70+ years had died shortly before, and his entry was a love letter to her. Despite his entry not fitting the parameters of the contest, his words touched the heart of the contest organizer. This is the story of what transpired from this connection.
Wish we’d do sweet things again;
Don’t want to move on.
Via Win! A part of the Cheezburger Network
Created by Green Shoe Studio and Fred Stobaugh.
I usually share videos related to libraries or books. However, this video does tell a story, and is an example of a maker-space creating art as well as community. Maker-space is a hot buzzword in the library profession; it is a location within a library in which patrons can create content as well as consume it. That is, as libraries’ roles evolve in the face of technology and the Internet, librarians are exploring new and expanded ways of remaining relevant to the communities we serve. Some libraries believe that a maker-space is something that will draw new and existing patrons to the library to learn skills and create music/software/things with the resources of a shared space. The maker-space featured in the video is not part of a library, but something like it could be in the future. Also, the music studio owner’s belief that music creates community echoes my convictions regarding public libraries.
The video is an excellent example of storytelling. It sets the stage for the big reveal by gradually sharing details about Fred and his letter. The video creates sympathy for Fred by showing photos from his past, and close up of him as he expresses his feelings. It also builds a low level of suspense as it teases viewers with the promise of hearing the song. I enjoyed the song, and my appreciation for it only increased by the conclusion of the video. Also, Fred reminded me of my grandpa.
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