AIR Member Spotlight: George Zarr, AIR Interlochen Radio Resident

AIR member George Zarr is in the midst of wrapping up his spring residency in Northern Michigan, bringing to a close AIR's third Interlochen Radio Residency. Every winter Interlochen selects an AIR member to set up shop from April through June. This year, Interlochen elected to expand the opportunity by two months and to include a teaching component in the Interlochen School of the Arts’ new film studies program. AIRblast caught up with George as he prepares to leave Michigan and asked him to provide us a little show and tell of his time there. Here's what he had to share:           My semester as a resident writer and producer at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan has provided me the unique opportunity to exercise my teaching and professional radio muscles in the service of audio theater. Interlochen, a school for exceptional high school students, attracts candidates from around the world: gifted musicians, writers, filmmakers, dancers, artists and actors. I’m currently leading a class comprising students from both the Motion Picture Arts and Creative Writing departments (who I dubbed “The Short Attention Span Audio Theatre”) as they write, direct and produce original audio projects for broadcast throughout Michigan.           I'm also collaborating with nineteen E.S.L. (English as a Second Language) students to create a half-hour live radio drama entitled Stand Up! And Sit Down, based on the 1937 Flint, Michigan sit-down strike. Two students in my audio class wrote the script, while the E.S.L. students participated as actors, SFX artists, directors, musicians and technicians. Performed in several venues, the post-produced 16-track recording is also slated for statewide broadcast. Additionally, I’m advising Motion Picture Arts students on the soundtracks for their senior thesis films.           I spend most of my time creating, writing, directing and producing, with technical assistance from Interlochen Public Radio, a national radio series for naturalist author Buck Wilder. I’m pleased to also co-produce with Chicago-based audio producer, actor and educator Marssie Mencotti. AIR Goodies: Enhance and expand your radio skills Online Legal Seminar: Using Music in Web-Distributed Productions June 1-8, http://interact.airmedia.org/ In response to discussions on the AIRdaily about the legalities of using music in web-distributed productions (specifically podcasts), AIR is pleased to convene an online seminar with entertainment lawyer Ernie Sanchez. Ernie has more than 30 years of experience in the legal aspects of program production, acquisition, distribution and marketing. He served as the founding General Counsel for NPR in the 1970s and represents many AIR members in high profile projects. In June, a special discussion area focusing on music and other copyrighted material will be launched at interact.airmedia.org where members can post questions and read Ernie's responses. The discussion will open June 1; watch the AIRdaily for further details. Transcript Now Available Online for AIR Member Live Chat with Stasia DeMarco From producing commercial station KYW's on-demand podcast to creating audio stories for the web-based magazine Dragonfire, Stasia DeMarco demonstrates how our audio skills can mesh with the media of the present and, likely, the future. AIR and the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University are working together to help YOU attend the CDS Summer Audio Institutes! Hearing Is Believing I (June 17–23) Hearing Is Believing II: Making It Sing (August 13–18) ALL AIR members accepted will receive a $100 discount! Complete course and registration details available at http://www.airmedia.org/ or http://www.learnmore.duke.edu/. Spring AIRspace Online! "A User's Guide to AIRmedia.org," with Guest Editor Samantha Schongalla. Because we want you to take full advantage of all the wonderful e-resources AIR provides the producer community, the Spring issue of AIRspace is completely focused on teaching you to work the myriad new bells and whistles on our handsomely redesigned website, www.airmedia.org. Everyone can access and reference the guide in PDF form online AIRspace is AIR’s quarterly online journal. Send your comments and questions to airblast@airmedia.org Funding for AIR comes from our members and the generous support of The New York State Council on the Arts, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.