Ken Burns
Full Name and Common Aliases
Ken Burns is a renowned American filmmaker, best known as Ken Burns.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on July 29, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York, Ken Burns is still active today.
Nationality and Profession(s)
American; Filmmaker, Documentarian
Early Life and Background
Growing up in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Burns developed a passion for storytelling through film. His father, Robert K. Burns II, was a historian and a professor at Amherst College, which exposed Ken to the world of history and narrative from an early age. This background would later influence his documentary work.
Major Accomplishments
Throughout his career, Ken Burns has been recognized for his contributions to film and television. He has won numerous awards, including:
Seven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Informational Series or Special
Two Academy Award nominations for Best Documentary Feature
A Peabody Award
His work often explores themes of American history, sports, music, and culture.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Ken Burns' most notable works include:
The Civil War (1990) - a 11-hour documentary series that explored the American Civil War
Baseball (1994) - an 18.5-hour documentary series about the history and culture of baseball in America
Jazz (2001) - a 10-part documentary series on the development of jazz music
* The Roosevelts (2014) - a 14-hour documentary series on the lives of Theodore, Franklin D., and Eleanor Roosevelt
These works have not only earned him critical acclaim but have also become cultural touchstones.
Impact and Legacy
Ken Burns' impact on documentary filmmaking is undeniable. His work has inspired a new generation of filmmakers to explore American history and culture through storytelling. His documentaries often spark conversations about important issues, making them a significant part of the national conversation.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Ken Burns is widely quoted and remembered for his thought-provoking documentaries that delve into America's rich history. His films are not just informative but also emotionally resonant, allowing audiences to connect with the stories on a deeper level. As a master storyteller, he has the ability to bring complex historical events to life in an engaging and accessible way.
By sharing the stories of America's past, Ken Burns offers insight into who we are today. His work serves as a reminder that our collective history is a shared experience, shaping us into the individuals we become. As a testament to his enduring influence, his documentaries continue to be widely watched, studied, and referenced in popular culture.
Quotes by Ken Burns
Ken Burns's insights on:
One of the things I really like about Ford’s films is how there is always a focus on the way characters live, and not just the male heroes.
Jackie Robinson stole home and he’s safe.“... Nobody could hurt him again. He wouldn’t hear the name-calling. He would only hear the cheers and somehow I could fantasize my own little story about where he was and how he was doing and let him rest in peace.
There’s always the certainty that the opposite of what I might believe in might also be true.
I read cover to cover every jazz publication that I could and in the New York Times, every single day reading their jazz reviews even though I didn’t put them in the films. I wanted to know what is going on.
You don’t work on something for six years and be blind to the myriad of other approaches.
I don’t use composers. I research music the way I research the photographs or the facts in my scripts.
You know, you meet some people, and do a lot of interviews, and you come across a Buck O’Neill and you know you are going to know him for the rest of your life. The same thing happened with Curt Flood.
I don’t think that there has been a film that I’ve done that hasn’t been influenced by libraries and archives.
Like a layer on a pearl, you can’t specifically identify the irritant, the moment of the irritant, but at the end of the day, you know you have a pearl.
I think my expectations for myself are much more severe and much more direct. You can’t work on a film for six years without being your own toughest critic. So you can’t really be distracted by the expectations based on your previous performance.