In our January newsletter we featured Borderland's writer and narrator, Kate Klise in a special Q&A forum. This month we are happy to share insights from Executive Producer and jack-of-all trades - Bill Ames.
Fundraiser, problem solver, inspirationalist…Bill Ames is the literal backbone behind the Borderland film project. Most people aren't even aware that he has years of experience working in film production or that, if not for his support, the project might not have even come to fruition. “He brings a real energy to the work,” said Director/Producer Kevin Friend who, along with Kate Klise, welcomed Bill's input and companionship during their many research outings and location shoots. So, thank you, Bill, for all your hard efforts and for helping to make the Borderland documentary a reality.
BILL AMES INTERVIEW - TAKE TWO!
Q: Describe your relationship/lineage to Blanche Ames.
BILL: I am her husband's second cousin twice removed. My grandfather and Oakes were second cousins and great friends. Both were very interested in botany, flowers etc... They were very active in founding the Harvard Forest back in 1907 and both served on the board of the Arnold Arboretum.
Q: How did the concept for a Blanche Ames documentary initially emerge?
BILL: Kate Klise was the artist in residence here at the Ames Free Library for five summers and to her goes a lot of the credit for getting us started. She was very interested in Blanche, women's suffrage and well beyond. She volunteered to write the script and is very much a born leader.
Q: What has been your central role in the creation of the documentary?
BILL: I was in charge of raising the funds to get it produced and was along for the ride to locations such as Smith College with Kevin and Kate. It was always great fun to work with those two as we knew we had an extraordinary opportunity to tell the world of her amazing life and times.
Q: Did you face any challenges along the way? If so, please describe.
BILL: Fund raising is always a challenge but the Ames family and friends responded generously and that made it all a lot easier.
Q: Why was doing a documentary on Blanche and sharing her amazing story so important to you?
BILL: Well that is a very good question. Blanche did me a great favor by inviting me up to Borderland the day before I left for Vietnam in 1967. Knowing I was going to pay her a call and that I was assigned to the First Air Cavalry Division, she had put up a map on her wall of Vietnam and after some small talk pointed to a red pin she had placed in the 'Central Highlands'. "There is where you will go first - to their base camp in An Khe." So one week later there I was, on the dirt landing strip in An Khe. As I looked around, it occurred to me that Blanche telling me about An Khe was a good sign. I knew well of her father's Medal of Honor in the Civil War, of his close connection to the famous 20th Maine Regiment that saved the day at Little Round Top, and of the book she wrote about his life. And that her grandfather, Ben Butler was also a general in the Civil War. So, my visit must have had a sentimental meaning for her. Perhaps she imagined the day in 1861 when her father, fresh out of West Point, headed off to his first assignment. I always felt badly that I never wrote her a note from An Khe. Making this film helped me feel that at last I had given her a tip of my hat for that glass of ice tea on August 4th 1967.
Q: From your perspective, what is the overarching theme or message of the Borderland documentary?
BILL: I think that Blanche was a great role model for her family and certainly for the others like myself who did not know her as well. A role model for what one can accomplish in one's life if you stick to it and keep upping your game, if you will. There are many such role models out there for us to admire, but she was a very special person as we tried to portray in the film.
Q: Blanche's obituary referred to her merely as: Mrs. Oakes Ames a Botanist's Widow - with no mention of her political and artistic aspirations and successes. If given the opportunity to re-write her obituary what would you like it to say?
BILL: Well of course it should address all her successes and talents in her life. But from a filmmaker’s point of view, ironically that headline was pure gold because it made the key point all over again in under 10 words. And at the very end!
Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
BILL: We are very grateful for all the people who helped us out along the way. Two of them stand out. Ann Biller Clark who wrote Blanche's biography 'My Dear Mrs. Ames' was of crucial importance. Not only did her book give us facts and inspiration but her interview in the film was truly excellent. The late Pauline Ames Plimpton, her daughter and oldest child, was often in our thoughts when we were at the archives at Smith College. Pauline was the one who made sure that Blanche's extensive writings, drawings, etc. were given to Smith and no doubt spent countless hours there assisting in the collection's creation. Kevin used many of its photographs and articles. And of course, Julie, you were the key fourth wheel to keep us moving ahead, taking care of the many loose ends, etc. Many thanks to all of the aforementioned!
William Ames, a distant cousin of Oakes Ames, has produced many historical documentaries. A resident of North Easton, MA, Bill brings to this project his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the Ames family, and his expertise in production and the investment business.
Fundraiser, problem solver, inspirationalist…Bill Ames is the literal backbone behind the Borderland film project. Most people aren't even aware that he has years of experience working in film production or that, if not for his support, the project might not have even come to fruition. “He brings a real energy to the work,” said Director/Producer Kevin Friend who, along with Kate Klise, welcomed Bill's input and companionship during their many research outings and location shoots. So, thank you, Bill, for all your hard efforts and for helping to make the Borderland documentary a reality.
BILL AMES INTERVIEW - TAKE TWO!
Q: Describe your relationship/lineage to Blanche Ames.
BILL: I am her husband's second cousin twice removed. My grandfather and Oakes were second cousins and great friends. Both were very interested in botany, flowers etc... They were very active in founding the Harvard Forest back in 1907 and both served on the board of the Arnold Arboretum.
Q: How did the concept for a Blanche Ames documentary initially emerge?
BILL: Kate Klise was the artist in residence here at the Ames Free Library for five summers and to her goes a lot of the credit for getting us started. She was very interested in Blanche, women's suffrage and well beyond. She volunteered to write the script and is very much a born leader.
Q: What has been your central role in the creation of the documentary?
BILL: I was in charge of raising the funds to get it produced and was along for the ride to locations such as Smith College with Kevin and Kate. It was always great fun to work with those two as we knew we had an extraordinary opportunity to tell the world of her amazing life and times.
Q: Did you face any challenges along the way? If so, please describe.
BILL: Fund raising is always a challenge but the Ames family and friends responded generously and that made it all a lot easier.
Q: Why was doing a documentary on Blanche and sharing her amazing story so important to you?
BILL: Well that is a very good question. Blanche did me a great favor by inviting me up to Borderland the day before I left for Vietnam in 1967. Knowing I was going to pay her a call and that I was assigned to the First Air Cavalry Division, she had put up a map on her wall of Vietnam and after some small talk pointed to a red pin she had placed in the 'Central Highlands'. "There is where you will go first - to their base camp in An Khe." So one week later there I was, on the dirt landing strip in An Khe. As I looked around, it occurred to me that Blanche telling me about An Khe was a good sign. I knew well of her father's Medal of Honor in the Civil War, of his close connection to the famous 20th Maine Regiment that saved the day at Little Round Top, and of the book she wrote about his life. And that her grandfather, Ben Butler was also a general in the Civil War. So, my visit must have had a sentimental meaning for her. Perhaps she imagined the day in 1861 when her father, fresh out of West Point, headed off to his first assignment. I always felt badly that I never wrote her a note from An Khe. Making this film helped me feel that at last I had given her a tip of my hat for that glass of ice tea on August 4th 1967.
Q: From your perspective, what is the overarching theme or message of the Borderland documentary?
BILL: I think that Blanche was a great role model for her family and certainly for the others like myself who did not know her as well. A role model for what one can accomplish in one's life if you stick to it and keep upping your game, if you will. There are many such role models out there for us to admire, but she was a very special person as we tried to portray in the film.
Q: Blanche's obituary referred to her merely as: Mrs. Oakes Ames a Botanist's Widow - with no mention of her political and artistic aspirations and successes. If given the opportunity to re-write her obituary what would you like it to say?
BILL: Well of course it should address all her successes and talents in her life. But from a filmmaker’s point of view, ironically that headline was pure gold because it made the key point all over again in under 10 words. And at the very end!
Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
BILL: We are very grateful for all the people who helped us out along the way. Two of them stand out. Ann Biller Clark who wrote Blanche's biography 'My Dear Mrs. Ames' was of crucial importance. Not only did her book give us facts and inspiration but her interview in the film was truly excellent. The late Pauline Ames Plimpton, her daughter and oldest child, was often in our thoughts when we were at the archives at Smith College. Pauline was the one who made sure that Blanche's extensive writings, drawings, etc. were given to Smith and no doubt spent countless hours there assisting in the collection's creation. Kevin used many of its photographs and articles. And of course, Julie, you were the key fourth wheel to keep us moving ahead, taking care of the many loose ends, etc. Many thanks to all of the aforementioned!
William Ames, a distant cousin of Oakes Ames, has produced many historical documentaries. A resident of North Easton, MA, Bill brings to this project his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the Ames family, and his expertise in production and the investment business.
