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Screen Shot 2021 08 24 at 4 25 53 PM

We Real Cool

Using simple, illuminative paper-cut puppetry, this enchanting video imagines the moment of witness that inspired Gwendolyn Brooks to write her landmark poem, “We Real Cool.”

Created by Manual Cinema in association with Crescendo Literary, with story by Eve Ewing and Nate Marshall and music by Jamila Woods and Ayanna Woods. Produced by Poetry Foundation

Premiered in 2017

​​Produced by Poetry Foundation
Created by Manual Cinema & Crescendo Literary
We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks
Written by Eve Ewing and Nate Marshall
Music by Jamila Woods and Ayanna Woods

Credits

​​Produced by Poetry Foundation

Created by Manual Cinema in association with Crescendo Literary

We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks

Written by Eve Ewing and Nate Marshall

Music Composed by Jamila Woods and Ayanna Woods

Filmed by Drew Dir & Sarah Fornace

Music

Music Performed by

Nolan Chin (piano, rhodes piano)

Anton Hatwich (bass)

Jonathan Wenzel (drums)

Jamila Woods (vocals)


Recorded at Manual Cinema Studios by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter

Mixed and Mastered by Kyle Vegter

Sound Design by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter


Puppetry

Puppetry Performed by

Drew Dir

Sarah Fornace

Charlotte Long

Kasey Foster

Julia Miller


Puppet Design by Drew Dir

Fabrication by Drew Dir and Sarah Fornace

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