After eight years, local authors Steve Kahn and Anne Coray are premiering “Rebuilding Brown” in Homer. The documentary follows the couple as they rebuild a cabin purchased in Lake Clark belonging to Brown Carlson, the first European to settle in the area at around 1906.
People may also be familiar with “Alone in the Wilderness,” a Public Broadcasting Service film about Dick Proenneke. He settled in Twin Lakes roughly twenty miles away from Lake Clark. However, Proenneke settled there more than sixty years after Carlson made it to Lake Clark.
When they decided to rebuild the cabin, Coray wanted to record the process. She said Kahn built on that idea.
“He said, ‘You know, there are still people around who remember Brown Carlson.’ And one of those is my brother, Craig, who was 10 years older than I am,” Coray said, “and he remembers Brown very well, so Steve thought, wouldn't that be fun to not just document the rebuilding of the cabin, but to have people tell stories about Brown?”
With the Alaska Historical Society as their fiscal sponsor, Kahn and Coray set out to create the documentary. The historical society’s support helped them apply for grants, receive donations and access historical materials.
Despite the challenges that come with creating a documentary – script writing, filming, finding the right people to work with – Coray and Kahn pieced together the historical background.
“We had several people that’d say, ‘well, I don't really remember Brown very well,’ and then they would get talking,” he said, “and then they really did, and they had some interesting stories.”
Kahn also said it was important to include local talent while making the documentary. They did so through the film’s music and editing.
“Playing the piano pieces for the film are Dean Epperson and his wife, Cynthia, and Dean was from Homer. And his mother Mary Epperson is well known around the area,” he said, “And our editor Silas Firth is from Homer, and the acoustic guitarist is from Anchorage, Rick Brooks.”
“Rebuilding Brown” will air at Homer Theater on Oct. 19.
