RUNNER-UP Best of Student Docs Contest 2010 - Short Documentary Category

"This film is about finding one's place in a supportive and artistic community, and the form of the film mirrors the lively nature of the knitting subculture." Jenni Nelson, Director

Tightly Knit introduces us to three knitters who defy the stereotype that knitting is just for grandmothers: Jasmin, who reveals inside lingo and the genesis of her knitting group, “The Minions with Pointy Sticks,” Laura, a knitting newbie, who immerses herself in the craft after losing her job, and Wonder Mike, an artist who specializes in knit graffiti or “yarn bombs.”

Explore the important connections between art, creativity and community in this intriguing film.

Jenni Nelson grew up in a small town in southern Idaho. After receiving her BA in Theatre Arts Studies for scenic design in 2003 at Brigham Young University, she revisited the idiosyncrasies of small town life while working as the prop master on Napoleon Dynamite. She continued to work as a professional production designer and art director for numerous feature films, corporate videos, and television shows, including Biz Kid$, an Emmy award- winning PBS television series that teaches financial literacy and entrepreneurship to children.

Prior to her study as an MFA student in documentary film at Stanford University, Jenni began working on nonfiction films as a way to reach out to communities and to better explore topics such as mental illness, homelessness, and poverty. From 2005-2009, she worked as an associate producer on the feature documentary Unlisted: A Story of Schizophrenia, which addresses family relationships and community care for those afflicted with chronic mental illness. In 2008, she produced, filmed, and edited a documentary short while volunteering at an orphanage in India.

Jenni has also worked as an associate producer on a documentary for HBO about homeless youth in Seattle. Tightly Knit is her most recent film.

LUNAFEST 2010 World Premiere Season Launch Thursday, September 30, 2010 - San Francisco, CA Info here: Tightly Knit is traveling with Lunafest for the next year. See when it is screening in your area. 

Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema Monday, October 4, 2010 - San Francisco, CA. More Info here.

Urban-TV Festival Finalist- Spain November 2010

San Francisco Film Society - Cinema By the Bay
November 5-8, 2010
 

• Tightly Knit on the web
  http://www.tightlyknitfilm.com

Interview with Jenni Nelson

t21:What motivated you to make Tightly Knit?
JN: One of my girlfriends was criticized for knitting at a party. I thought she was talented and was surprised by how fresh and hip knitting seemed after watching her. As I investigated the subculture further, I realized there were many fascinating things happening within the knitting community that defied stereotypes. My own background as a prop master and production designer made me excited to enter the world of handicrafts to make this film.

t21: Biggest obstacle in making it?
JN: I shot this documentary on black and white 16mm film on a vintage Bolex camera. This camera has a spring wound motor that allows for only 20 seconds per shot. I found myself frantically trying to get a light meter reading, wind the camera, and grab a shot while something interesting was happening. If I forgot to wind the camera, too bad, moment has passed! I only had the equivalent of 15 minutes of film stock that I could shoot, which I edited down to 5 minutes. This required that I picture the entire documentary in my head and plan carefully (every shot was critical), but the result was that I could try things that I would normally never try. These restrictions helped me problem solve and create in an interesting way, such as conserving a few seconds of footage for some stop-motion animation of yarn wiggling its way around an urban object.

t21: What do you hope people get out of the film when they watch it?
JN: Primarily, I hope people laugh and relax because life can be serious, but this film is supposed to be playful reminding us of our passions. The subjects of this film are passionate about the craft of knitting and their enthusiasm is contagious. I also hope that people recognize that even the simplest thing, such as knitting, can have surprising elements worth documenting.

t21: A topic you aspire to create a film about:
JN: Bollywood.

t21: Whom would you love to work with?
JN: Peter Greenaway or Heddy Honigman

t21: Personal motto?
JN: There is something to love and to celebrate in everyone that I meet.

t21: Favorite hour of the day?
JN: Dusk.

t21: First website you check?
JN: My gmail account.

t21: What's it like to be a student? If you’ve already graduated, what was the best part of being a film/ journalism student?
JN: The best part of being a student is being inspired and encouraged by my classmates. They have become my dearest friends and collaborators and we will work together for years to come.

t21: Favorite city or landmark?
JN: New York City.

t21: Favorite public figure?
JN: Barak Obama.

t21: The biggest global problem today?
JN: Poverty. Too many people have way too much while others are living in slums surviving as garbage pickers. There is enough to go around and we all need to do more.

t21: Last meal you made?
JN: Beet arugula salad with goat cheese and lime.

t21: Coffee, tea or water?
JN: Water.

t21: Latest obsession?

JN: An iPhone game called Shibuya.

I was at a dinner party recently when a tall, gorgeous friend pulled out her knitting materials and began working on a sock. I had always associated knitting with something dated, like grandmothers making tea cosies, but this friend was in her twenties, elegant and charming. This was new and fresh. I was mesmerized, and as I talked to her she said that her ex-boyfriend had told her she shouldn't take her knitting to social gatherings because she would be "committing social suicide." I laughed and knew that I had to dig deeper into the subculture of knitters. This was far from "social suicide;" her ability to multitask, and the jolt of the shattered stereotype, gripped my attention.

This was the initial inspiration for my film, and as I met more knitters I realized that there was a hidden community of socially well-adjusted people who knit themselves together, supporting each other through personal struggles. Not only was the community alluring, but the hand crafts they made were visually intriguing. I discovered "yarn bombing" and envisioned a film that would reveal how knitting is no longer limited to doilies and living rooms, but has taken to the streets in the form of knit graffiti. I wanted to make the yarn come alive through stop-motion animation in order to capture the surprise and intrigue I felt when I came across yarn bombing for the first time.

This film is about finding one's place in a supportive and artistic community, and the form of the film mirrors the lively nature of the knitting subculture.

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