ADDITIONAL VIDEO EXCERPT

102 MINUTES THAT CHANGED AMERICA | HISTORY| EDIT, SOUND DESIGN

2 HOUR SPECIAL AIRED SEPT, 2008.

EMMY WINNER | OUTSTANDING SPECIAL: LONG FORM

EMMY WINNER | OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CRAFT: SOUND DESIGN

EMMY WINNER | OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CRAFT: SOUND MIX

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INSIGHT WINNER | EDITING

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iTUNES | BEST SPECIAL of 2009

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102 MINUTES THAT CHANGED AMERICA reconstructs the morning of September 11th in New York City – in real time – using only visuals and audio recorded between 8:46 am and 10: 28 am… the impacts of AA Flight 11 and UA Flight 175 into World Trade Center and the final collapse.

9/11 is the most charged event of modern history, transforming not only our country but the entire globe as a whole. Lives broken, wars fought, civil liberties changed… A new frightening world emerged where it seemed as if everyone was using the events of that day as some kind of platform… and in the process those rough, jagged, hard edges of that September morning were being smoothed and polished, and something was being lost… think of this:

In 1904, 1342 passengers boarded the General Slocum, a steamboat that serviced New York City’s East River. Their destination was a picnic site at East Longneck, Long Island. Most of the passengers were women and children, members of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. At the half hour mark of their journey a fire broke out in one of the cabins and soon engulfed the entire ship. With the lifeboats inaccessible, mother’s place life vests around their children and threw them overboard. The children sank below the dark waters. The life preservers were old and the contents of them actually absorbed water. By the time the vessel sunk, 1,021 people had either burned to death or drowned. After the event there were headlines around the country, inquests and memorials, indictments and new laws… and a vow to never forget. There is a faded marble memorial in Tompkins Square Park that most people pass unknowing. [NPR radio piece]

Working on 102 MINUTES was very much a labor of love, I cut it in my bedroom over the better part of a year. This DIY aesthetic was also shared by my friend and brilliant composer, Brendon Anderegg, who working out of the tiny hallway in his apartment created the soundtrack. It is important to mention that ALL of the “music” in the film is actually manipulated sounds recorded on the morning of Sept, 11 2001. An ambitious and amazing achievement!

“There is no question that 102 Minutes is the most comprehensive and accurate record of the events of that day, told from a number of very human perspectives. You have done a great public service by producing a documentary that will help our families’ children and grandchildren understand this momentous event in the history of our department and of our country.”

– SUZANNE SEBERT, FDNY FAMILY ASSISTANCE UNIT

“A minute-by-minute account of the unfolding catastrophe by piecing together footage from numerous sources and locations. Some of the footage was shot in the very shadows of the World Trade Center; some shows the scene in Times Square or New Jersey… But it’s not all as familiar as you might think, thanks to some smart choices by the editors… what pervades these 102 minutes is a sense of utter helplessness. There is value in being reminded of that feeling of impotence, and of that old saying about eternal vigilance.”

– NEW YORK TIMES

“What’s so incredibly unique – and uniquely powerful  about “102 Minutes that Changed America”  is that it is visceral and elemental. There is no moment over these 102 minutes that plows the mind any closer to comprehension, but instead, quite the opposite. To watch is to reverse some process that we’ve all gone through over these years – a process of grudging and painful acceptance and even partial understanding. This program is a knife that scrapes living bone and tissue. It’s a hot poker in the belly. In sum, “102” is a remarkable film. You should watch.”

– NEWSDAY

“I know the promise of a 9/11 made for TV documentary isn’t the most enticing, but directors Nicole Rittenmeyer and Seth Skundrick make use of an ingeniously simple approach to overcome the challenges of reframing a historical event that’s been repeated by the news media ad nauseam. The film combines multiple sources (16mm film footage, amateur home video, news) and edits them into an almost real-time replay of the terrorist attacks as seen from the hundreds of people who capture it with their cameras. Some brilliant editing and subtle sound design result in a truly visceral multi-angled piece of citizen journalism, full of amazing images and harrowing moments.’102 Minutes That Changed America’ overcomes a desensitized, jaded perspective on one of the most replayed, retold, and rerun news events. Unfortunately, I don’t think it has quite overcome the stigma of its made-for-TV History Channel roots.”

– THE DOCUMENTARY BLOG

Executive Producers: GREG JACOBS, JON SISKEL

Producer: NICOLE RITTENMEYER

Composer: BRENDON ANDEREGG