b'A South OrangeDocumentary Filmmaker Focuses onNewark HistoryScott Sinkler enlists local talent to capture the reinvigorated Ballantine House BY DONNY LEVITScott Sinkler directs a three-minute visual tour of the newly-renovated Ballantine House next to the Newark Museum of Art.F ordevoteesmorethanIn1994,asrighttoliveintheirhand-ofvibrantartmade shacks. Sinkler worked institutions,thethe director of photography NewarkMuseumforthefilm,whichwasfeatured of Art is essential view- in the 1989 Whitney Biennial and is ing.Foundednow part of the permanent collection at acenturyago,themuseumthe Museum of Modern Art.emphasizes contemporary arts and ancient artifactsSinklerfoundedPublicEye,avideo while prioritizing its role as a community arts hub. production services company that lends its exper-Duringthelastfewyears,themuseumhasseasoned talents as an award-winning documentarytisetocommer-workedonamajorrestorationoftheBallantinefilmmaker and exploring many angles of the localcial,corporate, House, the 27-room brick and sandstone mansioncommunity.andnon-profit located next to the main museum building. Long- Ivealwaysbeendocumentaryoriented,saysclients. The com-time South Orange resident Scott Sinkler filmed andSinkler, who took full advantage of his fathers Bo- panyhirescrew produced a striking three-minute visual tour of thelex camera while he was growing up. Although hemembersfrom house that now plays at the entrance of the mainattended classes in documentary film and produc- all over the New museum building. The films goal is to entice visitorstion, he is primarily self-taught. I learned as I wentYorkmetropoli-to experience the meticulously revamped three-storyalong, making mistakes along the way, he says. Hetan area, includ-home. The museums director and CEO, Linda C.has worked for more than four decades as a film- ingmanyfrom Harrison, says the goal of the project was to wake itmaker, producer, director, director of photographythelocalcom-up and shake it up. and editor. munity.In addition to his own talents, Sinkler employedSinklers first film is the award-winning Inside LifeInmorere-actors and seasoned film experts from the South Or- Outside, a 1988 documentary that explores the livescentyears,Sin- Sinkler filming the award-winning ange and Maplewood area. Throughout two decadesof a group of squatters on Manhattans Lower EastklerservedasInside Life Outside, a 1988 docu-mentary that explores the lives of of living in South Orange, Sinkler was embeddedSide. As a protest of New York Citys housing anddirectorofpho- a group of squatters on Manhat-in the arts and culture of the community, using hishomeless policies, the squatters sued the city for thetography for thetans Lower East Side.16/ matters magazine / hearth + home 2024'