Betsy and Joe began their careers in public television. Their recent filmmaking collaborations have a quiet, meditative style which is reflected in the shorts selected for this screening.

Betsy Seamans is a writer and filmmaker who makes documentary films about community and traditional life in the United States. She worked with Fred Rogers for over 30 years as script writer, actor and filmmaker for the MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD program and to produce training materials related to children and community violence. For the past 15 years she and Joe have documented daily life in rural Tennessee. She received a National Endowment for the Arts award in 1971.

Joe is a documentary filmmaker by trade, working primarily for the Public Broadcasting Service since 1970 for series like the National Geographic Specials and NOVA for which his credits include producer, writer, and director of photography. Eight years ago, Joe began designing projections for theater and opera, primarily in Pittsburgh, where he has completed fifteen major productions.