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Meet the Faculty

Lawrence Burke

Why I came to Simon's Rock

I started teaching at Simon's Rock as an adjunct professor in 1999, just one digital video production course, after my daughter, who was then a student here, suggested to Ba Win that I might be a good person to fill in for Bill Jackson during his sabbatical, since I had been an assistant professor of film at Columbia University School of the Arts prior to moving to the Berkshires.

Pullquote
❝In my production courses, I guess I aim for something that could perhaps be called 'meaningful fun.'❞
A favorite Simon's Rock teaching moment

One favorite moment occurred a few years ago when I arranged for special effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull to hold a three-week residency within one of my production classes. The culminating class involved not only Doug and my students, but actors from Aimee Michel's drama class and a host of filmmaking professionals, all working together to create a short film using virtual reality (computer-generated) sets within the confines of our Electronic Arts Studio. An amazing collaboration!

My teaching style

In my production courses, I guess I aim for something that could perhaps be called "meaningful fun." The emphasis is on letting each student choose the subject matter for his or her film, and then challenging the student to think deeply about the cinematic form that will most enhance the effect of the resultant film. I make it a point to expose my students to many filmic approaches, both in the fiction and non-fiction production courses.

In the more scholarly/critical thinking courses that I teach, I again try to illustrate points relating to film history, theory, or narrative structures with examples from great (and sometimes not-so-great!) films. Classroom discussion is central to all my classes.

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Larry Burke

Film studies, digital video production
Division: Arts
Appointment: 1999

Daniel Arts Center
413-528-7285
lburke@simons-rock.edu

 

Education:

MFA, Columbia University School of the Arts, Film, 1971
BA, Boston College, English,1969
Canterbury School, 1965

Professional History:

Instructor in Film, Columbia University School of the Arts, 1973
Asst. Professor in Filmmaking, Columbia University School of the Arts, 1974 - 1979
Acting Chairman of the Film Division, School of the Arts, 1978

Areas of Interest:

  • Film structure: the elements of cinematic usage that are special and unique to the medium.
  • Film theory, in both fiction and non-fiction cinema
  • The symbiosis of film and music
  • Film/digital video production in both fiction and documentary forms.
  • Films that inhabit the territory where fiction and non-fiction cross.

Research Interests/Professional Service:

My company, Flying Cloud Motion Pictures, makes digital films, most commonly for non-profit organizations.

Publications/Book Chapters/Exhibitions/Performances

Films of mine have been exhibited, or are still being shown, by such organizations as The Mount and Stonyfield Farm Yogurt. Most recently, a film I made about painter Ann Getsinger is on view in the Hillman-Jackson Gallery at Simon's Rock.

Awards/Grants

My film "Holyland USA" was screened at MOMA and WNET and is in the film collection of the Donnell Library in New York City and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. My film "New Alchemy: A Rediscovery of Promise" received an award in Switzerland and was distributed by Bullfrog films. A scene from the film was also used in the recent documentary, "Food Inc".

Other Activities

  • Editor of a community newspaper, The New Marlborough Five Village News.
  • Member of the Board of Directors of the Flying Cloud Institute.
  • Teacher in the SMArt Program of Flying Cloud Institute.
  • Photographer.