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1935 Preuss Road
Los Angeles, CA 90034
August 16, 1983
Tel. 213-838-8190

Mr. George Nakashima
Minguren
New Hope, Pennsylvania 

Dear Mr. Nakashima:

I am writing to enquire if you would be interested in exploring with me the possibility of making a 30-minute documentary film about you, your work, and your philosophy as a woodworker. 

I am an associate professor at the University of Southern California and teach film and video production in the School of Cinema and Television. I also am a documentary film maker and make films in addition to teaching. I am currently finishing a one-hour documentary film about the evacuation in 1942 of all persons of Japanese ancestry from Terminal Island, located in San Pedro Bay, Los Angeles. This film is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and by the Japanese American Citizens League. 

My interest in your work goes back a number of years when I happened across several of your trestle tables and captain's chairs located in a Seattle branch library. I was very much impressed with the simplicity and craftsmanship of these items and enquired after them and thus obtained your name. Some time later I visited you in New Hope and you graciously showed me around your studio.

My interest in you and your work was renewed recently when I read your book, "The Sould of a Tree." As your work had done before this book excited me particularly your remarks about the nature of wood and working it. Your comments and observations about sawing great trees and searching for the beauty within I responded to very much. I was also much interested in your remarks about examples of fire work and craftsmanship evident in early American farm houses and buildings located in the region where you live.