A masterly composition of eye and ear, hand and heart, labor and music — Chicago Sun Times

"Four Stars"— TimeOut New York

NOTE BY NOTE: THE MAKING OF STEINWAY L1037
March 22-24, 27-31

Sat 7:00pm, Sun 8:45pm, Mon 7:00pm, Thurs 8:45pm, Fri 7:00pm, Sat 8:45pm, Sun 7:00pm, Mon 8:45pm

USA 2006 // Director: Ben Niles // 81 min // Digibeta

"How does a piano get to Carnegie Hall?" asked James Barron the New York Times, writing on the history of the 150-year-old Steinway company, "one of the last outposts of hand craftsmanship in a machine dominated industry."Intrigued, Ben Niles has made a documentary on the genesis of a Steinway grand.

Note By Note is a feature-length independent documentary that follows the creation of a Steinway concert grand, #L1037— from forest floor to concert hall. It explores the relationship between musician and instrument, chronicles the manufacturing process, and illustrates what makes each Steinway unique in this age of mass production.

From the factory floor in Queens to Steinway Hall in Manhattan, each piano’s journey is complex—spanning 12 months, 12,000 parts, 450 craftsmen, and countless hours of fine-tuned labor. The mystery of each piano's sound and personality is explored by experts like Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Harry Connick Jr., Hélène Grimaud, Marcus Roberts, Hank Jones and Chinese prodigy Lan.

Filmed in key Steinway locations—the factory, Steinway’s reserved “Bank,” and private auditions—Note By Note is a loving celebration of not just craftsmanship, but of a dying breed of person who is deeply connected to working by hand.

In the end, this is an ode to the most unexpected, and perhaps ironic, of unsung heroes. It reminds us how extraordinary the dialogue can be between an artist and an instrument—crafted out of human hands but borne of the materials of nature.

Ben Niles is a documentary filmmaker and award-winning graphic designer. During his fifteen years as a graphic designer, Ben directed and produced photo shoots, videos, commercials, and print campaigns for commercial and entertainment clients including Atlantic Records, The Nantucket Film Festival, and the Jacob Burns Film Center. In his years in the record industry, Ben created album packages for Collective Soul, Jewel, Jon Bryon, celebrated box sets for Shish and George Carlin, and packages and identities for jazz musicians Cyrus Chestnut, James Carter, and Henry Butler. His first documentary, Josh Joplin: Better Days, about the recording industry and the role of the singer-songwriter, received industry acclaim.

"Engrossing! a stirring symphony of specialized labor."— Variety

"Beethoven would have been pleased" — Stanley Kauffamann, The New Republic

Official site and to view trailers: http://www.notebynotethemovie.com/

Photos at: http://www.vifc.org/fileshare/login.php

Username: media • Password: download

More photos at: http://www.argotpictures.com/nbn_press.html

VIFC TICKETS AND INFO

Call the Starbucks Hotline 604.683.FILM (3456) for the latest info and listings. Tickets can be purchased in advance on-line at www.vifc.org or in person 30 minutes before showtime.

Double Bill Pricing!
The Vancity Theatre is offering double bills at a special price. At just $12 for two films ($10 for Students/Seniors and Bronze and above members), it's one of the cheapest (and still most comfy) seats in town!

Note: Double Bill pricing is not available for online sales. However, you can purchase your first ticket online at the regular price and get the double-bill price on the second ticket when you arrive at the box office. Double Bills are two consecutive films on the same day at the Vancity Theatre; rentals and Special Events are not included.

Adult tickets: $9.50 (Double Bill - $12)

Student/Senior $7.50 (Double Bill - $10)

Matinees $7.50

Bronze and above members receive a $2 discount on their tickets. (Double Bill - $10)
Silver and above members also receive a $2 discount for a guest ticket.

As a registered non-profit society, the VIFC screens films that have not always been seen by the BC Film Classification Board. Under BC law, any person wishing to see these unclassified films must belong to the VIFC Society and be 18 years or older. Valid for one year based on the date of purchase, the VIFC basic membership cost is $12, but includes the ticket price of your first film.

Please note that membership benefits and restrictions are valid for VIFC presentations only. They are not applicable to Vancity Theatre "Rental" presentations by other organizations.

For More Membership Information go to http://www.vifc.org/membership.html.