Marfa is Chock Full!

Written by: Hilary Cline

After much enthusiasm and expressed approval from alum, Barefoot Workshops added another workshop to its roster and is scheduled to head for West Texas. While Marfa is only 1.6 square miles and a former railroad-watering stop, the town has grown to become an international tourist destination and arts community. The eccentric town is also home to the acclaimed, minimalist artist Donald Judd whose two foundations (The Judd Foundation and the Chinati Foundation) attract artists, collectors, and enthusiasts from around the world each year.

Located in the Chihuahuan Desert and between the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park, a long history of cattle ranchers continue to be the true pillars of Marfa. The stories that have been passed down through the generations surely still live on these ranches, as do the stories that continue to be the quite pulse beneath the surface. It is easy to marvel at the timeless backdrop and relish in the sensation of being ‘nowhere’ when visiting Marfa. Yet for documentary storytellers, Marfa is a wide, open landscape that beckons investigation and creativity.

For the visiting filmmaker, Marfa holds the key to a number of subjects. For instance, Marfa is most famous for its mysterious Marfa Lights or Marfa Ghost Lights. Some say the source of the colorful size orbits are caused by static electricity or by swamp gas; others believe the lights are signals from above. Perhaps, you will find yourself at the viewing station on U.S. Route 67 and as a result of being entranced by these magnificent lights, follow the lead on an alien story?

Marfa has also been a production location for many award-winning films over the years (Giant; Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean; There Will Be Blood; and No Country for Old Men) and held its first annual film festival, Marfa Film Festival, in 2008. What tales still remain from the making of these films? Who are the local stars of Marfa?

What kind of trouble happens in a town where there is no local law enforcement, or does it? Perhaps, you will find yourself filming on an abandoned runway at the old Army Airfield and reveal a secret never exposed? Perhaps, you will meet the owners of the local motel Thunderbird and uncover the stories that live there?

Marfa, whose name reportedly comes from Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov, is as rich in character as they come. Consequently, it is no paranormal phenomenon that Barefoot is offering a two-week documentary workshop in Marfa this August. Without question, you will unearth the footprints to some remarkable stories. In the process, you will learn that your time in Marfa is much more than the making of a film. 

This new workshop is not to be missed!  Be the first group of students to capture the stories of the local community and help share with the world why Marfa is like no other.

2-Week Documentary Workshop - Marfa, Texas

August 14-27, 2011

Tuition: $2,239.00 (housing not included)

Download the Course Description

To register, please contact us at .