Stories are everywhere, and everyday history slips through society's fingers, but one Memphian is there to put it all back together in his documentaries.
Elvis, Cotton and the Delta are just a few of the subjects that William Bearden has helped bring to life in his documentaries.
Bearden, founder of the William Bearden Company, is an independent filmmaker with more than 20 years experience that is blazing his own trail in documentary films.
Bearden's work has taken him as far away as the Dominican Republic and all over Mississippi and Memphis.
"I've gotten to the point in my career where I do what I want to do," Bearden said. "I do my work because I feel like it is important. You've got to give to get, and the more that you do, the more you get to do."
Bearden got his start in documentaries partially because of his love of cigar culture, he said.
"I got in touch with Carlos Fuente, the greatest cigar maker alive," Bearden said. "He and I hit it off, and he agreed to let me do a film on his family."
His award-winning film, "Cigars-From Seeds to Smoke," was well received and was reviewed in publications like "The New York Times" and "The Wall Street Journal." Time Life eventually bought the rights to the film and distributed it.
Overton Park and Elmwood Cemetery are just a couple of the subjects that Bearden has tackled in his career.
"I think that Elmwood is the intersection of Memphis history. It is the nexus of everything that has happened in Memphis," Bearden said. "Any story that you want to tell can be touched in that cemetery, from the yellow fever epidemic to the "Sultana (greatest maritime disaster of U.S. history)"."
Bearden stays away from big, Hollywood style, film shoots with lots of crewmembers because it eliminates spontaneity and moves too slow for him. Bearden prefers his shots to be him, his subject and a camera, he said.
"I don't ever go into one of these projects knowing what it's going to be," Bearden said. "I'll go out and shoot right up to the end of the editing process. I'm not settling for a mediocre shot. The story reveals itself beautifully."
Bearden's drive and his passion for work keep his office busy working on multiple projects all at the same time.
"I have no idea what it's like to do one project. I can tell you what its like to do 15 projects at the same time though," Bearden said. "I feel so fortunate to be able to do this. I wanted to do something that would leave a legacy, something that meant something to the world."
Many documentarians aren't much more than grant writers, and they won't make films unless they get money, according to Bearden.
"A lot of these films have come out of my own pocket," Bearden said. "This is what I do. It's what I'm meant to do. A lot of people will throw away opportunities to work and get better because they don't have someone giving them money."
Bearden's determination and work ethic gives him the ability to create a unique working environment that fosters the talent of his staff, according to Rafe Murray, Bearden's self described right-hand-man.
"He's very easy to work with. It's very relaxed around here. There isn't a feeling of any kind of hierarchy," Murray said. "He knows his strengths and talents, but he doesn't make any compromises. There's a lot of freedom in that."
In addition to his work in film, Bearden has written several books, covering topics from the history of Memphis garage bands to the blues in Memphis and Cotton, to name a few. He wrote three books in 18 months.
Part of Bearden's focus on Southern subject matter comes from the fact that he was born and grew up in Vicksburg, Mississippi where he spent time reveling in the fruits of Delta life.
"I thought that everybody knew all this stuff. I thought that everybody had hung out in a juke joint," He said. "It finally occurred to me that people don't know what I know, and I wanted to share my experiences."
Bearden's desire to share and educate people has worked its way into almost all aspects of his career. He has even been trying to give his films to the schools so that the can make a video history class.
"It would be a great project for someone trying to get their masters in education," Bearden said. "I would love to give these films to them (the schools). I want these stories to be told. It's something to connect the kids to the place we live, to give them some context and let them know where they come from."
Bearden's works are often aired on the library channel and on public television.
The most important part of filmmaking is maintaining the balance between art and technology, according to Bearden.
"You have to be an artist first, but you also have to know the technical side of your art form," he said. "That's how I made my career."
