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Take The Field: Michigan Marching Band

Follow the Michigan Marching Band through their coldest week of the season as they prepare for one of the biggest rivalry games in college football.
Take The Field is an inside look at how some of the best marching bands in the world operate. From auditions and fighting to keep a spot to learning a new show every week, this short documentary episode shows just how much work band kids put in to take the field in front of a hundred thousand screaming fans.

  • David Parrella
    Director
    Origin (2018), Secret Fling by Summer League
  • Michael Barasch
    Producer
  • David Parrella
    Producer
    Origin (2018), Secret Fling by Summer League
  • Dr. John Pasquale
    Key Cast
  • Kelly Bertoni
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Richard Frey
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Sports, Music
  • Runtime:
    24 minutes 48 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 2, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.90
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Vimeo
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: Internet, Pay Per View
Director Biography - David Parrella

Before David moved to Los Angeles to become a full-time Steadicam Operator, he served as the Head Trumpet Section Leader for the Longhorn Band while studying film at UT Austin, overseeing 64 trumpet players. In high school he was the drum major of a band that wasn't even that big!
After graduating, he continued to stay in the world of marching arts through his work as a producer, director, and cinematographer for various companies and organizations.
He's been to hundreds of football games in dozens of stadiums, and even directed multicam live broadcasts of the professional league for marching arts, Drum Corps International.
David's other passions include sci-fi, VFX, and skiing.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The year after graduating, I partnered with CollegeMarching.com to produce and direct a short documentary series that highlights the incredible efforts college band kids all around the country put in every fall, and how despite all their similarities, there are just as many unique aspects to how they shape their members and change their lives for the better.
This episode is one of my favorite ones so far, and I want to thank the incredible crew, sponsors, and donors that helped make this production happen.
We'd love any opportunity to showcase the incredible musical talent and hard work of these students.
Thank you for considering Take The Field to be part of your festival!
Sincerely,
David Parrella