Press Reviews

• San Diego Union Tribune | show/hide snippet

  The documentary shows the often-raucous scene at a competitive poetry event and the adult themes the poets explore. The film also illuminates the dichotomy between the poets' performances and their offstage lives.

• Coast Dispatch | show/hide snippet

  Freeman’s most recent film is “Poetry Live(s),” pronounced according to whether it’s a noun or a verb. . The focus is on an invitational spoken word poetry slam held at the La Paloma Theatre.

  Freeman’s intent is to capture the spirit and energy of the poems being presented—by using black-and-white footage, backwards footage, clips of old educational films from the 1940s and 1950s, and hand-held camera. Robert Nanninga, a local and very active spoken word poet and emcee of the slam, was very instrumental in helping Freeman gain access to the slam, introducing him to the poets, and assisting him in filming preparations. A film study of spoken word poetry fits right in with Freeman’s documentary studies of living artists.

  Robert Nanninga and Spoken Word Poetry

  What, exactly, is spoken word poetry? Bob Nanninga — slam emcee, a Full Moon Poet, an E Street Café manager, a weekly columnist for the Coast News, an instructor in school theater programs for children, and involved in environmental organizations — said spoken word poetry is recited before a gathered audience; it’s live presentation.

  “The spoken word is much more dynamic than poetry read aloud; it’s much more 20th century, performance poetry,” Nanninga said.

  It isn’t acting, per se, but it’s entertaining. The spoken word poet uses inflection and body movement in such a way as to convey the poem’s meaning. Spoken word slams at the La Paloma Theatre are competitions, with cash prizes collected in a popcorn bucket from the audience, and the proceeds going to the top three winning poets.

• Library Journal | show/hide snippet

  “…an excellent video…. will provide support for high school, college, and community performing arts or creative writing efforts. Highly recommended for general library collections and specialized collections in literature, poetry, and the performing arts.”
  Library Journal

• Video Librarian | show/hide snippet

  *** "Recommended"