Video Lab Posts

PDD Video Lab: Old Grand Marais Footage

In this edition of the PDD Video Lab we blend old film footage of Grand Marais from Richter Home Movies with “Easy Ride,” a song from the Doors’ 1969 release The Soft Parade.

PDD Video Lab: Edgewater, the Bellows and S.S. Meteor, 1976

For this edition of the PDD Video Lab we’ve taken yet another silent film from Dominic Chione’s Vimeo account. The clips here are from 1976, and they might make you weepy when you see them accompanied by the intro to the Manhattans’ 1976 hit “Kiss and Say Goodbye.”

PDD Video Lab: Lester Park, Skyline Drive and Twin Ponds, 1975

In this PDD Video Lab mashup we’ve taken another silent film from Dominic Chione’s Vimeo account and added music. This time the Duluth scenery includes Lester Park, views from Skyline Drive and Twin Ponds (with two slides going into the water). For music we’ve chosen “Sister Golden Hair,” a chart-topping single by America in 1975.

PDD Video Lab: Sandra’s Birthday Frolic in Duluth, 1973

For this PDD Video Lab mashup we’ve taken a silent film from 1973 that was recently uploaded to Dominic Chione’s Vimeo account and added Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground,” a track from his 1973 album Innervisions. The first minute of the video is kids frolicking in a yard; recognizable Duluth scenery kicks in after that.

But wait … there’s bonus footage.

PDD Video Lab: A Whole New Can of Worms

In a world where Duluth’s “Can of Worms” area is untangled and all the city’s hillside vegetation dies, comes a new video from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

When the PDD A/V squad saw MnDOT’s silent “Drive Through Animation,” the need to add music was overwhelming. The soundtrack above is a clip from Anthony Bennett’s song “Can of Worms” from the 2012 album Hello Cruel World. Tony is also PDD’s calendar editor, though he wasn’t in the lab when we picked his music.

PDD Video Lab: People’s Free Skate Rink 2019

Presented for your amusement, a series of videos chronicling the Feb. 19 and Feb. 23 skating parties on Lake Superior. Above are clips shot by Rich Narum, which the PDD AV Squad has assembled as an introduction to the wonder of the People’s Free Skate Rink.

PDD Video Lab: Knight Family 8mm Duluth Movie

For this edition of PDD Video Lab we’ve pulled the Duluth section out of a 1954 family film and repackaged it with music from the period — Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable.”

PDD Video Lab: Ghost Ship Emerges

Dawn LaPointe and Gary Fiedler of Radiant Spirit Gallery captured the Joseph L. Block emerging through the sea smoke like a ghost. The morning temperature was -20°F with a -40°F windchill. The video was processed at an 8x speed.

As is usually the case with the PDD Video Lab, we’ve supplied a soundtrack to the silent video. Press play on the audio file below, then press play on the video file and enjoy the marriage. The track is “Cold” by Duluth band Woodblind.

PDD Video Lab: Another Day

In this edition of PDD Video Lab we present 41 seconds of Duluthiness cut out of a 17-minute-long set of old movie clips that for the most part don’t seem to be shot in Duluth.

PDD Video Lab: Sea Smoke on Lake Superior

Video shot by Levi Drevlow on a -18 degree day. Choose an audio soundtrack below and enjoy. From indoors.

PDD Videolab: Christmas 1974

Another audio-less home movie from the Emil Praslowicz archives. Pick your soundtrack below.

PDD Video Lab: “Windows” at the Tweed

Sharon Louden’s exhibition is on display at the Tweed Museum of Art through May 29.

Pick your favorite soundtrack from the choices below and play it along with this silent video.

PDD Video Lab: Experimental Animation – Film to 3-D

In this silent video Adam Dargan, an animator from Duluth who now lives in Minneapolis, takes the physical exploration of film and re-imagines it in a 3-D environment.

If the silence is too much to take, we’ve selected some possible soundtracks for you. Start the video above, then press play on a soundtrack below.

PDD Video Lab: Halloween Edition

Happy Halloween, PDDers. Press play on the video above and select your favorite soundtrack below.

And don’t forget, we’re looking for your Halloween banners. Send them to [email protected]

PDD Video Lab: 1972 Birnamwood Homecoming Parade footage

Birnamwood, Wis. is in the vicinity of Wausau, a roughly four-hour drive from Duluth, but this 43-year-old parade footage is lovely enough to share anyway. Kudos to Duluth’s Kip Praslowicz for digitizing his grandfather Emil’s fine film work. Below are some possible soundtracks to go with the film.