Alfred Eisenstaedt: Photographer The behind-the-scenes look at the character and the style of one of the most important photojournalists of the 20th century, Life Magazine’s premiere photographer, Alfred Eisenstaedt. David Hoffman got to follow “Eisie” on a series of photo assignments and the result became an intimate portrait of a man who defined the craft of photojournalism for many. This program won a national Emmy award. More info or purchase

Photography: As Told by Life Magazine Photographers Hoffman had the chance to be with 15 of the greatest Life Magazine photographers for this program, made for the 50th anniversary of Life Magazine. Each photographer presents his/her best photographs and tells the behind-the-scenes stories of how they were made. The results are extremely valuable for photographers, but also deeply emotional for other viewers who want to relive some of the greatest moments of the 20th century, and some of the silliest as well. More info or purchase

Spike: A Montana Horseman Spike is a short film made for people of all ages about one of the last great American cowboys. The program won first prize at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Spike VanCleve from Big Timber, Montana, was one of America's great horseman and ran one of America's great horse ranches. He also went to Harvard, wrote two great books, and is considered a Cowboy poet. More info or purchase

Intimacies: Michael Kearns Successful Hollywood actor Michael Kearns saw his career go down the drain when he announced that he was HIV+. Starving for work, he developed his own one man play called Intimacies and took it on the road. With only a red sash as a prop, Kearns plays six very different HIV+ characters, from a Hollywood accountant in deep denial to a wisecracking black hooker and a confused flamenco dancer ("I'm not gay, I'm Spanish"). More info or purchase

A Day with Filmmaker Timmy Page This charming and funny program take as its subject a very bright and articulate 13-year-old who aspires to be a filmmaker. Years after Hoffman made this film (which won over 30 film festivals and opened the festival in NYC) Timmy would grow up to be a Pulitzer Prize winning author and classical music critic for The Washington Post. But in this program, Page enthusiastically directs his brother, his girlfriend and other pals in his scripted 8mm productions. More info or purchase

Making Documentary Film and Reality Videos: David Hoffman, Filmmaker This is the true-life story of the experiences of David Hoffman's 38 years making documentary films. In this almost two hour presentation, Hoffman presents clips of films from his entire career and tells the behind-the-scenes stories that led to some amazing documentary moments. This program is an inspiration to all filmmakers, whether they are planning their first film or have been in the business for many years. More info or purchase

Michael Yetnikoff: Child Poet This is the delightful motivational 30-minute program that reveals the life and poetry of a ten-year-old poet, Michael Yetnikoff. Michael says that he has been a poet since he could write. The result is a beautiful tale about a ten-year-old boy whose poetry contains wisdom and intelligence way beyond his years. Michael reads his poems and offers insight into what created them. He even writes a poem about the documentary!   More info or purchase

King, Murray King, Murray is a famous underground documentary made 34 years ago. It was one of the first feature documentaries, winning many first prize awards worldwide including at the Edinburgh film festival, and Editor’s top pick at Cannes. It tells the story of a Long Island insurance salesman going to Las Vegas on a junket to gamble with other high rollers. The film offers a fist hand glimpse into the controversial, misogynistic world of men who come to these events.  More info or purchase

Oil Men: No Women No Wine & Workin' All The Time This short documentary goes inside the work lives of the men who work on Oil Rigs in the world's most dangerous places. With an incredible music track by Wailin' Jennings, it tells the story of the humt for oil and of the unusual men who search for it. Locations include the North Sea, Sumatra, Northern Alaska, and the oil fields of Iraq and Iran. The film reveals that this is a truly dangerous line of work but very exciting. The men offer insights into why they chose to risk their lives in the hunt for oil.  More info or purchase

Also see: Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Jimmy Doolittle

Submarine: Steel Boats - Iron Men Everyday, American submariners go down below the waves for months at a time on submarine patrols. Steel Boats - Iron Men is the only film where the U.S. Navy allowed filmmakers to go down with them. The film presents a never before seen look inside a state of the art nuclear powered submarine on patrol. It shows, in extraordinary detail, the daily ordinary and extraordinary lives of submariners. More info or purchase

How Hitler Lost the War Most historians and history enthusiasts believe that the Allies won World War II. This extraordinary film looks at Adolf Hitler and shows, moment by moment, how Hitler and his strategists, lost the war. The film chronicles individual actions and inactions that might have changed the course of human history had Hitler done differently. The film presents German and English soldiers, sailors and airmen, who reveal, for the first and only time, what they saw and experienced. More info or purchase

Second Home: Going to Sea on a U.S. Aircraft Carrier This program takes place on the John F. Kennedy, one of our biggest carriers, as she heads to the Middle East. It closely follows a number of individuals before they leave home and as they go to sea. The result is an extremely revealing insight into the functioning of the ship as a second home, as well as the experiences of the men aboard. This is a very personal and touching film. More info or purchase

First Platoon: The U.S. Marines in Snow Country This PBS primetime special follows a platoon of U.S. Marines on an exercise in North Norway. It digs into the snow, and it digs into the characters of these extraordinary men. It shows them engaged in practice combat with the famous White Death Ski Troops of Norway. It is extremely detailed and reveals many techniques of how Marines prepare and fight under extreme stress. More info or purchase

F15 Fighter Pilots: The Wing The Wing takes a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the air force fighter pilots and their support teams at the U.S. base in Bitburg, West Germany. Their daily routine and preparations for air combat highlight the pride and excitement of everyone involved while not ignoring the fears and danger. Amidst spectacular flying footage, the men speak candidly and unreservedly about their chosen profession. This program ends by emphasizing the camaraderie and community spirit which permeate the base. More info or purchase

U.S. Army Rapid Deployment Force: 36 Hours In order to defend our interests around the world, we must have available a force that is trained and stationed in the United States but ready to go anywhere and fight on short notice. This program was shot over a period of 36 hours using several crews to capture the immediacy behind the scenes of a grueling exercise for the rapid deployment force. More info or purchase

Aviator Heroes: A Wing and a Race The Golden Years of the 1920s was the height of aerobatic racing and this short program, made for viewing at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, reveals the feelings, the attitudes, some of the spectacular successes and of the dramatic failures of some of the great aviators - including Jimmy Doolittle. More info or purchase

Jimmy Doolittle: An American Hero In the 20th century, there was only one Jimmy Doolittle, and this program is the only one that was made with Jimmy directly telling his story. Doolittle was a stunt pilot, an aircraft designer, a war hero, an inventor, a motorcycle racer, a prospector, a boxing champion, a military strategist, a scientist, a four-star Air Force general and an all-around hellraiser. But most of all, he was probably the greatest aviator America ever produced. More info or purchase

Following Amelia Earhart: Heroines of the Sky Linda Finch, the pilot who completed the around-the-world flight attempted by Amelia Earhart in 1937, leads viewers on the adventure into Amelia Earhart and her last flight. Finch, who made the flight in an exact replica of Earhart's aircraft, gives a woman aviator's perspective of Amelia, her life and times. More info or purchase

Space Worker: NASA after Challenger and Columbia NASA was in a precarious situation after the Challenger disaster. NASA employees were devastated and the country was wary of future space travel. The situation today after the loss of the Columbia is remarkably similar. Space Worker goes behind the scenes at NASA to look at and talk with management and others about the future of our space program, as they saw it at that time. Space visionaries share their views on why it's crucial that we continue in space, how we'll get there, and what we could find. More info or purchase

One People: One Planet - Apollo Astronaut Rusty Schweickart Schweickart got the unique chance to float outside as he was orbiting earth in Apollo 9. He was charged to go outside to repair his capsule and while there he had a truly life changing experience. Years later, he reflected on that experience with a most amazing "prayer" for the earth about all that he saw from space. One People: One Planet presents that prayer with some formerly unseen film from Apollo space missions. Schweikart called his reflection, "no limits, no frames, no boundaries." More info or purchase

Also see: Second Home, The Wing

If You Love Someone Who Smokes As NYC cop Ken McFeeley was dying of lung cancer at 46 years old, he decided to work with Tony Schwartz to make this film to help others quit smoking. To date, thousands have quit after hearing McFeeley's story, and Schwartz became known as "media central" for the anti-smoking cause. More info or purchase

Fight for Your Life: Dr. Bernie Siegel on Surviving Cancer Hospitals, hospices, and terminally ill patients from New York to Nairobi, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale have added a new weapon in the fight against cancer - a home video program called Fight for your Life. The video, using frank testimonials from cancer survivors and guided imagery, helps people (and their family and friends) battle their cancer by combining the power of thoughts and emotions with traditional medicine. More info or purchase

Smoking is a Dirty Business - with Tony Schwartz This educational video program, hosted by Tony Schwartz, exposes the subtleties of cigarette advertising. Using frank dialogue interspersed with Schwartz's own hard-hitting anti-smoking radio spots, Dirty Business drives home its message: If you smoke, stop. If you don't smoke, don't start. For junior, senior, youth groups, college and adult. More info or purchase

The Child Sexual Abuse Story: Why, God - Why Me? Thousands of American children are sexually abused. And thousands of adults - survivors - carry the pain and confusion from the abuse they suffered. It's a difficult problem to talk about and an even tougher problem to prevent. Why, God - Why Me? dramatizes the true life account and frank revelations of a single woman. This program offers a common ground for discussion and understanding. It ends on a positive note, demonstrating that life can go on and survivors can find loving relationships and personal serenity. More info or purchase

Running On Empty—How To Overcome Job Stress This documentary follows the men and women who work the night shift at Detroit's Receiving Hospital, a level 1 shock trauma center.   These individuals deal with stress levels higher than most of us could imagine and they have a lot to say about stress management.   This documentary goes inside the ER and suggests ways that workers on distress deal with stress and burnout. Included are ways to fight demoralization, depression, and exhaustion in any workplace. More info or purchase

Earl Scruggs: Family and Friends Earl Scruggs and his band (including his sons) were on the road in search of musicians and music that could push his banjo picking styles. He tried Rock and Roll, Classical, Bluegrass, Country, and Mountain music. The film also includes Doc Watson and Merle, and Randy Scruggs. Backstage at the Grand Old Opry with Bill Monroe and his band, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, & Roger McGuinn & The Byrds and others-- each playing with Earl and his banjo. More info or purchase

B.B. King and Joan Baez - in Concert at Sing Sing On Thanksgiving Day, 1972, New York's famous Sing Sing Prison (a maximum correctional facility), invited B.B. King, Joan Baez, the Voices of East Harlem, comedian Jimmy Walker, and others to perform for and with inmates. That day produced an amazing concert, and was recorded on film by 9 camera crews. New York's Daily News called it one of the greatest concert moments in live entertainment. B.B. King later said it was maybe the best performance that he had ever given. More info or purchase

Bluegrass Roots Bluegrass Roots takes viewers deep into the back country of the southern bluegrass mountains and lets them experience the hard-scrabble, dirt road, real people sounds that dominated this region 40 years ago (as it does today). It presents a string of the most extraordinary singers, players and dancers the Bluegrass Mountains had to offer. Many later became famous. Some were never heard from again. More info or purchase

The Complete Bascom Lamar Lunsford Bluegrass Story Lunsford was a superb mountain musician who spent his life hunting down the songs, dances and unknown performers of the Appalachian region. He fought to bring dignity to "hillbilly music" and this made him a folk hero. He recorded thousands of songs for the Smithsonian. In the summer of 1928, he created the first Bluegrass Festival by founding his first Asheville Mountain Dance and Folk Festival. This film tells his story and includes music, clog and square dancing, never before seen footage from southern musicians, as well as Bluegrass and Mountain music legends. More info or purchase

Horseback Riding for America: The Olympic Equestrian Team This program follows the U.S.'s top equestrians (young and old, men and women), as they compete to represent the U.S. in the Olympics as a member of our elite equestrian team. These world class riders share their techniques and philosophies as well as their personal feelings about the horse. Through show jumping, dressage, and three day eventing, viewers see amazing successes and horrible disasters. This film is used by equestrian instructors, schools and clubs, and animal organizations. More info or purchase

Double Dutch Jump Roping A sidewalk game becomes a riveting sports event when a group of young girls compete in a double dutch jump roping contest. This is a heartwarming story about four black girls from inner-city Hartford, CT, who excel at jumping double dutch. Their team, Black Magic, was a national winner and one of the greatest double dutch teams ever. The program depicts the sport, the girls, and their contest victory prize: a trip to England. More info or purchase

Olympics Challenge: The 1984 Los Angeles Games The 1984 opening ceremonies of the Los Angeles Summer Olympics was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular, ever. How could it be anything but fantastic, since it was put together by the best producers in Hollywood and national sports programming. This primetime PBS special went behind-the-scenes in the days, hours and minutes leading up to the historic opening to see the athletes, the security and the production team at work. It is a powerful and emotional look at some of the thousands of people who made the event happen. More info or purchase

Guerrilla Media: Using the Media to Get Your Messages Heard In this ground breaking program, master communicator Tony Schwartz shows how individual citizens can overcome media power and indifference, by using unconventional methods to craft messages for radio and television - inexpensively and effectively. "Schwartz shares extraordinary principles and case studies not found in any other books." - Kathleen Jamieson, Dean of the Annenberg School of Communications. More info or purchase

Personal Ethics: It's Up to You This program was made to help young people examine their personal ethics. It demonstrates effective techniques for finding one's personal values and standards, and presents some very striking examples of what can happen when people don't search inside themselves. It allows viewers to understand and articulate their own personal ethics and their ethical standards. This video is hosted by Meg Ryan and made especially for young people over the age of 12. More info or purchase

Protecting Yourself & Employees From Terrorism This insightful information rich program is designed to help Americans avoid being involved in deadly situations while traveling abroad and especially while flying. It begins by following the story of Tom Cullins who was captured by terrorists, and has first-hand knowledge of the worst-case scenario, and offers his insights. This is a relevant, helpful documentary for anyone who must traveling abroad. More info or purchase

An Antique Collector Speaks Out Fred Fried of New York City is one of America's greatest collectors of antiques.  He has five large warehouses filled with things. In this short film, Fried freed takes viewers around these warehouses and looks at specific items.  Fried is America's largest collector of Carnival and children's carousel horses and other early handcarved items.  He shows these as well as segments of his huge collection of antique alarm clocks.  Fried is a charming host and the items he shows are spectacular and unusual.  A short film for antique lovers of all ages. More info or purchase

An Old Maine Town—The Rockport Story This documentary looks presents the extraordinary details of the history of Rockport Maine in a story that mixes wonderful images including home movie film with interviews with Rockport citizens who tell amazing stories about the town and the people who came before them. Insights and intrigues abound as hundreds of stories, historical photographs, and wonderful narration reveal the rich history of the area. More info or purchase

The End of Wollen Mills This short documentary goes inside the Knox Woolen Mill in Camden, Maine on the last days before it closed its doors for good. It follows the true stories of the local people who work there and lets them tell the story of the Knox Woolen Mill in the days when it produced wool. This is an intimate, moving documentary about change and about the great days of the mills in New England. More info or purchase

Migrant Farm Workers Speak Out This historical documentary—the very first on the subject—reveals with shocking reality the lives of African-American migrant farm workers living and working in the duck farms of Long Island in the early 1960s. Individual male and female workers speak candidly and honestly about the poverty and hardship they experienced with racism and indifference to their needs. An important and thought-provoking historically relevant piece of filmmaking dealing with racism an inequality in America’s past. More info or purchase

Cooling a Hot Situation: How To Stop Child Aggression This hilarious video for young people gives them specific techniques that strengthen their desire to keep from committing acts of violence. It takes the viewer inside the minds of eight weirdo violent kids and shows how to stop the pressure that they cause from bubbling up into trouble. It uses humorous situations to demonstrate techniques and yet carries serious messages designed to motivate kids to think twice before fighting at school and at home. Cooling a Hot Situation has been effectively used in classrooms across the country. More info or purchase

How to Talk Corporate Speak THE video resource for effective communications in a variety of corporate situations. Whether you are an employee, manager, or CEO, the insights and lessons contained in this program will improve your ability to get your ideas across and to hear the ideas of others. The host and leader is nationally known expert Roger Dupree and he teaches the ins and outs of communicating on the job. This program is very helpful in creating a better, more productive environment in the workplace, giving practical advice, and techniques of communication. More info or purchase

Dealing With Angry Kids This is a film made for young people between the ages of 7 and 13. It deals with anger and how to manage it better. It was produced with a grant from the Metropolitan Life Foundation especialty to help young people to cope with anger and to manage it better. It uses children from outer space who come down to earth to look at earthling children playing in a playground as its metaphor. Short, and charming, and good for any child to watch who is dealing with anger management or bullies in school. More info or purchase

The Piano Moves This 10 minute documentary follows a group of New York City piano movers as they miraculously move a piano from an apartment 12 stories high. It includes the life and wonderful performance famous pianist Michaela Harel when she was just girl. Harel's piano playing and their unique profession make for a one of a kind, delightful slice of life. More info or purchase