Comments on: MUSIC BY PRUDENCE: The Roger Ross Williams-Elinor Burkett Oscar Speech Duel-Duet

By: Paul Beckett

Paul Beckett — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:09:26 +0000

At the Telluride MountainFilm Festival on Memorial Day I met Roger Williams, saw the movie Music by Prudence, and heard Prudence perform live. Wonderfully Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) came on stage and performed with Prudence. All of this was a wonderful experience. Roger Williams is a delightful person to meet and continues to support Prudence in the joys that follow their mutual recognition by the Academy.

As a result of their participation at the Telluride FilmFest, Dr. Rick Hodes who stars in “Making the Crooked Straight” has arranged to have Prudence’s spinal problems corrected by a foremost back surgeon in New York plus corrective surgery for her hand as well. Anyone who was inspired by this movie and wants to help Prudence can do so by going to Rickhodes.org and clicking on donate.

By: Maren

Maren — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:52:30 +0000

Madge, I would take anything Ms. Burkett says with a grain of salt. She WAS included in earlier Oscar week events, Roger Ross Williams WAS the designated acceptance speaker (while more than one person may speak for larger awards, the shorts were strictly limited to a single speaker), and she DIDN’T name all members of the band — she named four, fobbed off three others as “all the others” and then named Prudence (who, if you look at the clip and the reaction shot of Prudence in the audience, very subtly shared a look with the woman seated to her right, that didn’t seem to reflect too well on Elinor!).

As for “running to the stage” — I’ve seen plenty of Oscar winners run for the stage, especially if they’re seated in the back, and I have seen speakers begin before the entire group arrives, especially if it’s a large group of recipients.

This is a woman who Betty Friedan hung up the phone on! (She protested Elinor Burkett’s crusade against “special favors” given to parents!)

Also, note that Roger Williams was also a producer as well as the director. Patrick Wright was another co-producer, as well as associate editor. HBO provided funds, as well. Elinor Burkett is a wealthy woman who dissociated herself from the film because she didn’t like the creative direction it was taking and sued the rest of the people working on the project. Real nice. She could afford to sue, and I’m sure HBO and Williams wanted to settle before running up huge legal bills — I’m guessing the settlement included Burkett retaining a producing credit. But I think the proof of the validity of the creative direction (that Burkett didn’t like) is in the pudding, er… Oscar.

I’m really amazed at people who think Roger Williams was rude!!! He seemed the epitome of class to me.

By: Madge P, Morgan

Madge P, Morgan — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:34:15 +0000

I was watching the Oscars and I thought ‘Why is he running off and leaving that lady’? The particulars of what went down between Mr. Williams and Ms. Burkett did not matter. She made him aware of Liyana, and she produced it. He should not have shut her out when the Doc was nominated, he should not have ignored her attempts to contact/talk to him, and definitely should not have run up there to accept the Oscar without her. She made sure to mention everyone in the group. He brought that ruinous moment on himself. Still, Music by Prudence deserved to win the Oscar, touches my heart and soul, and makes me cry. I will be purchasing my very own DVD soon.

By: Maren

Maren — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:35:38 +0000

EtiquetteB — the transcript is EXACTLY correct — Burkett said “and especially Prudence” and Williams said the rest (with Burkett trying to interrupt him again, echoing “who is here tonight”)

Watch the clip: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/08/short-film-producer-elino_n_489893.html

By: luvsthecity

luvsthecity — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:20:45 +0000

Elinor Burkett was clearly out of line. By her own words, she said that the movie took a direction that she did not endorse. She said that she left the movie over a year ago. She was only able to be on the ballot as a technicality. It’s not her vision, it’s not her film, the vision which won the award was the director’s. He should have gotten the award. She didn’t deserve it and she stole his moment!

By: Wondering

Wondering — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:09:31 +0000

So many people are giving her crap for supposedly pulling a “Kanye” but I’m wondering if she’s the one that got shafted. If you look at the video when the winner is announced, she clearly gets up at the same time he does but for some reason can’t get through the aisle. He just happened to be closer and ran to the stage. Plus, it makes no sense that they would only allow one person to accept the award if there were obviously two.

By: KD

KD — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:30:42 +0000

In her own words, ‘the director and I had a bad difference over the direction of the film that resulted in a lawsuit…’, meaning, she didn;t agree with what he did – and yet, when it wins, she’s up there to claim it
!

By: Ed

Ed — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:43:20 +0000

I could not believe what I was seeing. It made no sense! Just rude and out of place. She had no respect for him at all, I wonder why!

By: Mary Mokhtari

Mary Mokhtari — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:14:35 +0000

Hard work and professional accomplishment must be acknowledged. This was not a lone project. You go girl.

By: etiquette bitch

etiquette bitch — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:59:03 +0000

technically, yes, it was rude, but i’m giving burkett a pass on this one. she was due to accept the oscar as well, and his mom blocked her with her cane???

and I don’t think the transcript is right. it was burkett who said, “she’s here tonight.” and if i recall right, williams went on about how he wanted to do this since he was a child. (?)