StoryCorps Returns for a Second Season of Animations on POV

National Oral-History Project Brings Stories of Everyday Americans to Life in Animated Shorts Airing on POV in 2011

"StoryCorps on PBS: Must-See, Can't-Miss, Your-Life-Depends-on-It TV." – Richard Corliss, TIME.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following the success of its first season on television, StoryCorps will bring its Peabody Award-winning storytelling back to PBS' documentary series POV (Point of View) for a second season in 2011.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110624/DC25928LOGO )

Animated and directed by the Rauch Brothers, the shorts use StoryCorps' original recordings and capture the intimate and emotionally resonant conversations that have become renowned as NPR's quintessential "driveway moments." This second edition of animated shorts will take viewers on a journey through America with stories about an indomitable Sunday school teacher and a strong-willed grandmother remembering late-life adventures as a Bloomingdale's detective.

Since 2003, the national nonprofit organization StoryCorps has been recording and preserving the voices of everyday people, one conversation at a time. Every Friday morning, millions tune in to NPR to hear the diverse voices of their nation, and now PBS viewers can enjoy these StoryCorps animated shorts on POV in summer 2011. StoryCorps' animated shorts are funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

POV, American television's longest-running independent documentary series, began its 24th season on PBS on June 21, 2011. The films of POV "Short Cuts" will have their national broadcast premieres on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 10 p.m.

Second season of StoryCorps animated shorts on POV:

"Miss Devine" (Total Running Time: 3:39)
Cousins James Ransom and Cherie Johnson recall their formidable Sunday school teacher, Miss Lizzie Devine, the only woman who scared them more than their grandmother. Set in the small Florida town of their memories, this short will have you laughing out loud as James and Cherie remember the fearsome Miss Devine.

"No More Questions!" (Total Running Time: 4:00)
Kay Wang was a strong-willed grandmother who was coaxed into a StoryCorps booth by her son and granddaughter. Though Kay was reluctant, she still had stories to tell — from disobeying her mother and rebuffing suitors while growing up in China to late-life adventures as a detective for Bloomingdale's Department Store. Kay passed away just weeks after that interview, and her son and granddaughter returned to StoryCorps to remember her gentler side, which she kept to herself.

The POV "Short Cuts" website includes interviews with StoryCorps founder Dave Isay and animators Tim and Mike Rauch, a photo gallery of the real people the animated shorts are based on, and additional StoryCorps shorts featuring stories about 9/11 launching September 6, 2011. Beginning the week of August 15, 2011, StoryCorps will feature daily sneak peeks on Facebook and Twitter that include Q&A with the Rauch Brothers, and a selection of their early sketches.

About StoryCorps:
StoryCorps' mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, preserve, and share their stories. StoryCorps has one of the largest collections of American voices ever gathered, with nearly 40,000 interviews recorded in all 50 states and archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps has published two books: Listening Is an Act of Love and Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps, both New York Times bestsellers. For more information or to listen to stories online, visit www.storycorps.org.

About POV:
Produced by American Documentary, Inc., and beginning its 24th season on PBS in 2011, the award-winning POV series is the longest-running showcase on American television to feature the work of today's best independent documentary filmmakers. Airing June through September with prime time specials during the year, POV has brought more than 300 acclaimed documentaries to millions nationwide. Since 1988, POV has pioneered the art of presentation and outreach using independent nonfiction media to build new communities in conversation about today's most pressing social issues. More information is available at www.pbs.org/pov.

About Rauch Brothers Animation:
Rauch Brothers Animation produces entertaining and enriching television, film, and Internet content for audiences of all ages, combining first-rate design and animation to create unique stories and memorable characters. For more information, visit www.rauchbrothers.com.

Contacts:
StoryCorps Press: 646-723-7020 x75
StoryCorps online pressroom: [email protected]

POV Communications: 212-989-7425
Cathy Fisher, [email protected]

SOURCE POV