News & Events

January 2007

Institute Alum David Cassidy to Visit After Recent Success with Shut Up and Sing

David Cassidy

Just five years ago, Institute alum David Cassidy was immersed in the editing process of his thesis film One Small Step: The Story of the Space Chimps. Next week, he will take a break from a hectic year and visit his alma mater to share advice and insights from his past five years working in the independent film industry. Cassidy recently produced Shut Up and Sing, a feature-length documentary about the Dixie Chicks and the political controversy that exploded around them following their lead singers’ anti-war comment in London on the eve of the Iraq conflict. The film, directed by Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck, was recently short-listed for the Academy Award. Cassidy will speak to current students this Thursday, January 18th, at 4 p.m. Later that evening, the Hippodrome will be showing Shut Up and Sing.

David Cassidy has produced and/or directed documentary series and features. Cassidy also directed and produced the documentary feature One Small Step: The Story of the Space Chimps (2003) with Kristin Davy, about the chimpanzees used by NASA in the space race and what became of them. After graduating from the Documentary Institute in 2002, Cassidy moved to New York City to work with Cabin Creek Films where he was part of the producing team behind the critically acclaimed A&E Indie feature Bearing Witness (A&E, 2004) and the VH1 vérité documentary series “I Married…” (VH1, 2003-2006). Cassidy co-produced a segment that will be part of HBO’s forthcoming special on addiction (HBO, 2007) and was an Associate Producer on a four-year long project about New York City Small Schools (PBS, 2007). Cassidy continues to produce with Cabin Creek Films, independently develops projects through his own company 78rpm Productions and is presently consulting on an animated feature film. He lives in New York City with his girlfriend and three cats.

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