Michael Bavaro
Encyclopedia
Michael Bavaro is a filmmaker based in Manhattan
. Born in 1959, he grew up in Milford, Massachusetts
and graduated from Fitchburg State College
in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
with a B.S. degree in communications. In 1980 while at Fitchburg he produced a 16mm documentary film about his hometown of Milford. The film was part of the bicentennial celebration and featured WBZ
radio personality, Larry Glick
as the narrator.
Working the entertainment industry as an art director of broadcast promotion, Bavaro won several awards for his work for the Walt Disney Company and the NBC
network.
In 1993 He established Digital Freeway, a new media company to design and create digital entertainment content. Bavaro was one of the charter members of the fledging telco joint venture of TELE-TV
formed by Bell Atlantic, NYNEX
and Pacific Telesis
. He was innovative in creating several concepts that would be come part of the lexicon of digital media.
He recently produced a one-hour documentary about his childhood hero, Rex Trailer
. The film titled, "Rex Trailer's Boomtown" was broadcast on WBZ-TV
in Boston
and was nominated for a New England Emmy award for best historical documentary. The broadcast master and archives are now part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Television & Radio
in New York City
.
Bavaro has recently finished a one hour documentary film about the original Filene's Basement
in Boston
titled, "Voices from the Basement." It premiered on May 10, 2010 in the rooftop ballroom of the Omni Parker House in Boston. In attendance was former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis
, Academy Award-winning actress Estelle Parsons
, and many of the people who worked and shopped in The Basement over the past 100 years. Also in attendance was the great-grandson of A. Lincoln Filene
, David Roberston.
Michael Bavaro is credited with coining the phrases, "The present is the moment of truth" and "The essence of the universe is always as it is being."
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Born in 1959, he grew up in Milford, Massachusetts
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
and graduated from Fitchburg State College
Fitchburg State College
Fitchburg State University, also known as Fitchburg State, is a four-year public institution of higher learning with a compact urban campus, located in the city of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Fitchburg State University has over 3,500 undergraduate and over 1650 graduate/continuing education...
in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
with a B.S. degree in communications. In 1980 while at Fitchburg he produced a 16mm documentary film about his hometown of Milford. The film was part of the bicentennial celebration and featured WBZ
WBZ (AM)
WBZ is the call sign for an AM radio station in Boston, Massachusetts owned by CBS Radio, itself owned by the CBS Corporation. Originally based in and broadcast from Springfield, Massachusetts, WBZ was the first commercial radio station in the United States...
radio personality, Larry Glick
Larry Glick
Larry Glick was an American talk radio host, based in Boston, Massachusetts, whose long-running show on WBZ and later WHDH became a New England institution in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s....
as the narrator.
Working the entertainment industry as an art director of broadcast promotion, Bavaro won several awards for his work for the Walt Disney Company and the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
network.
In 1993 He established Digital Freeway, a new media company to design and create digital entertainment content. Bavaro was one of the charter members of the fledging telco joint venture of TELE-TV
TELE-TV
TELE TV was a media and technology company formed by Bell Atlantic, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, and Creative Artists Agency in February 1995. The company, based in Reston, Virginia, USA, set out to design a pioneering Interactive TV service with a set-top box that would allow customers to view video on...
formed by Bell Atlantic, NYNEX
NYNEX
NYNEX Corporation was a telephone company that served five New England states as well as most of New York state, except the Rochester area, from 1984 through 1997....
and Pacific Telesis
Pacific Telesis
Pacific Telesis Group was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies, sometimes also referred to as "RBOCs" or "Baby Bells", created in 1983 in preparation of the breakup of AT&T as a holding company for Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell, Pacific Telesis International and several other...
. He was innovative in creating several concepts that would be come part of the lexicon of digital media.
He recently produced a one-hour documentary about his childhood hero, Rex Trailer
Rex Trailer
Rex Trailer is a Boston, Massachusetts based television personality, broadcast pioneer, and Country and Western recording artist. He is best known as the host of the children's show Boomtown.-Early life:...
. The film titled, "Rex Trailer's Boomtown" was broadcast on WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and was nominated for a New England Emmy award for best historical documentary. The broadcast master and archives are now part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Television & Radio
Museum of Television & Radio
The Paley Center for Media, formerly The Museum of Television & Radio and The Museum of Broadcasting, founded in 1975 by William S...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Bavaro has recently finished a one hour documentary film about the original Filene's Basement
Filene's Basement
Filene's Basement, also called The Basement, is a Massachusetts-based chain of department stores which was owned by Retail Ventures, Inc. until April 2009 when it was sold to Syms....
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
titled, "Voices from the Basement." It premiered on May 10, 2010 in the rooftop ballroom of the Omni Parker House in Boston. In attendance was former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
, Academy Award-winning actress Estelle Parsons
Estelle Parsons
Estelle Margaret Parsons is an American theatre, film and television actress and occasional theatrical director.After studying law, Parsons became a singer before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She worked for the television program Today and made her stage debut in 1961...
, and many of the people who worked and shopped in The Basement over the past 100 years. Also in attendance was the great-grandson of A. Lincoln Filene
A. Lincoln Filene
Abraham Lincoln Filene was an American businessman, social entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he was one of 5 children of William Filene and Clara Ballin...
, David Roberston.
Michael Bavaro is credited with coining the phrases, "The present is the moment of truth" and "The essence of the universe is always as it is being."
Review
Filmmaker Michael Bavaro was one of those kids who watched Rex Trailer on TV, thought it was real and never forgot the memory of its magic. "I grew up in Milford, Massachusetts and Boomtown was one of my first memories," he recalls. "I really believed it was the Wild West." He credits the show with sparking his interest in film and television.