MAKING THE DOCUMENTARY SHORT: CAPTAIN TYRONE MEREDITH, 4TH-GENERATION AFRICAN AMERICAN WATERMAN
Ages 16-29
Spring 2023, JHU-MICA Film Centre and on location on the Eastern Shore
While watermen have been around since the founding of Maryland, it’s relatively recently that attention has been paid to the African American watermen tradition. According to historians, being a waterman (basically an independent contractor, selling what you fish), was an opportunity for African Americans after the Civil War, when they struggled to find steady employment. Today, finding someone who carries on that legacy is rare. In this short, concentrated workshop, student fellows will explore this unique history and culture, focusing on 60-year old skipjack captain Tyrone Meredith. On a field trip to the Eastern Shore, they’ll visit Captain Ty at his Grasonville marina, where he continues working as oysterman and charter fisherman. They’ll also visit the Chesapeake Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, to deepen their understanding of context for Captain Ty’s story. Working together as a crew with the instructor, fellows will experience the entire process of documentary videography, from pre-production to shooting to storyboarding to editing. They’ll interview Captain Ty, and, weather permitting, venture out on his charter boat to capture the Bay environment, ultimately creating a collaborative short documentary feature that depicts a waterman in a modern world, but with deep roots in his own family history. Their film will be shared on the program website and at a public screening. Limited to 6 student fellows.
Charles Cohen's recent documentary films include Riding Wild, which follows a group of BMXers into Baltimore's urban wilderness, and The Crooked Tune, an Old Time Fiddler in a Modern World. He holds an MFA in Film and Digital Media from American University and has written for The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, and Baltimore City Paper.
Gaybriell Paredes is a a Chicago native and graduate of the TV arts program at Columbia College Chicago. Since relocating, she continues her work in post for a D.C. media publication.
