Feature: Making Waves (p. 2)

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Making Waves didn't begin on the air, but on cable TV; more specifically, Tucson's cable public access channel system. When filming on the documentary began September of 2000, the project was to be a character study of Shane Eden, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Santa Claus and had spent the last 16 years hosting a public access TV program. Eden was also involved in the launch of an unlicensed "constitutional" radio station, named KRVL.

"The more I learned about the LPFM movement, and the civil disobedience of the pirates that had pushed the issue of radio and free speech into the courts and Congress," wrote Lahey, "the more I wanted to integrate the LPFM story into the character study."

Through his contact with KRVL Lahey learned there was more than just one microradio station on the air in Tucson. That led to meetings with two more: KOPC and Radio Limbo. The founder of KOPC was originally involved with KRVL but spun off his own station to pursue inquires beyond the limited realm of political speech.

Radio Limbo was explored last, since it employs the "stealth mode" of broadcast operations. "David Forbes of Radio Limbo was the last one I interviewed, about 9 months into the project," said Lahey. It is Forbes, along with cuts from an interview conducted with the infamous reverend Rick Strawcutter (Radio Free Lenawee), who provide the factual narrative of the documentary.

"James [Welborn, KOPC/Free Radio Tucson]...actually had a copy" of a now-classic how-to microradio video produced by Rick Strawcutter. That led to arrangements for an interview, later shot by cinematographer Colin Sims. With the components in place, the premise of the documentary was fundamentally changed.

"I negotiated nothing with my interviewees other than telling them that I would let them voice their opinions and then present [them] as openly as possible," said Lahey. "I think that they correctly felt that I was genuinely curious about their ideas and their plight, and that I had very few preconceived notions about them."

This leads to Lahey's ability to capture some incredibly candid moments and paint some vivid pictures about each station's personality. This process, from first interview to final cut, took three and a half years and involved about 75 hours of raw footage. It ended just three days before its Making Waves premiered at the Arizona International Film Festival (April 21, 2004). In between Lahey moved from Tucson to Minneapolis.

The Sometimes Painful Honesty (next page) --> 1, 2, 3, 4