The Artist & the Astronaut
The Artist & the Astronaut tells the unlikely love story between the artist Pat Musick, a civil rights activist, and the Apollo astronaut Jerry Carr as they participate in some of the most historic events in human history. The film is filled with never-before-seen footage of the early space pioneers and features interviews with key figures from that era. It chronicles Pat’s and Jerry’s vastly different paths as they traverse uncertain times, eventually coming together to render some of America’s most enduring art. The Artist & the Astronaut is a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance, and empathy as agents of change and love.
The story of the making of this documentary is as unlikely as the story depicted in the film. Bill Muench, a full-time teacher, and basketball coach, at the urging of his wife, decides to make a documentary on a local Vermont couple. He embarked on this journey with no plan or budget. In the next six years, he traveled to nine states and two continents to interview numerous Apollo Astronauts, their wives, award-winning authors, artists, art historians, and even NASA directors of mission control. Eventually teaming with music legend, Todd Hobin, they produce a story that otherwise would have never been told.
THE ARTIST:
PAT MUSICK
Pat has made art her entire life. But when the world became too much for her to ignore in the 1960s and 1970s, her art took on a new form.
THE ASTRONAUT:
JERRY CARR
Jerry’s only dream was to fly. From humble beginnings washing planes to flying intelligence missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he made that dream a reality. But he probably never imagined that that dream might one day take him to space.
How They Came Together
How They Came Together
How It All Came Together
Pat was planted on earth, fighting alongside civil rights activists and using her craft for advocacy. Jerry rose through the ranks in the military to find himself at NASA and eventually rose from the earth altogether.
Thankfully, history brought them together in Houston. With her keen eye and his engineering background, their collaboration has given us some of the world’s most creative and emotional pieces of art.
DIRECTED BY: BILL MUENCH
“Our present freedom to explore and express is extraordinary because of the pioneers who risked everything to move us forward.” -Bill Muench, Director
This is Muench’s debut documentary, centered around a uniquely American couple’s captivating story during the pinnacle of American exploration and social change.
Previously, Muench spent 31 years at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, Vermont where he taught English, AP Psychology, Cinematography, Broadcast Journalism and coached boys and girls basketball. Based on his passion for the history and science of Space, Muench created the widely popular class, Space and Time. It was during this class that Muench brought in astronomers, authors, mission directors, and NASA Astronauts. He recognized that the value of living history left a far greater impact on students than reading textbooks. It was in the context of Space and Time that Muench met Jerry Carr and Pat Musick.
Muench has a lifelong passion for photography and filmmaking. In 2010 he took over the Cinematography program at Burr and Burton Academy and realized an opportunity for documentary filmmaking.
COMPOSER: TODD HOBIN
Todd Hobin is an American composer and conductor. His music can be heard in film, TV, and Audio Books. Credits include scores for Impossible Choice and My Brother and Me, King Kong, and Shannon Hale’s Goose Girl. He directed and wrote the music for Fairest, a novel by Gail Carson Levine, author of Ella Enchanted, of which Publishers Weekly said, “This is a rare case: the book itself is superb, but the audio production surpasses it.” It was nominated for a prestigious AUDIE Award, as was his production of Graceling by Kristin Cashore.
He was the Musical Director and lead songwriter on the acclaimed, nationally syndicated children’s television series Pappyland. In addition to post-scoring films and videos, he has written and produced for clients as diverse as Coca-Cola, Hershey Park, ABC Television, and Tri-Star Pictures.
Most notably he performed and recorded with the Todd Hobin Band (1974-2019). ToddHobin.com