I Build the Tower facts for kids

I Build the Tower is a documentary film that tells the life story of Sabato Rodia. He was an Italian immigrant who built the amazing Watts Towers in South Los Angeles.

Many people have praised the film. Robert Koehler from Variety called it "the most complete visual account of Rodia and his masterpiece."

Making the Film

The film I Build the Tower was finished in 2006. Edward Landler and Brad Byer directed, wrote, and produced it. Brad Byer started the project because he had done a lot of research on his great-uncle, Simon Rodia. He had special access to many family materials.

Byer then teamed up with Edward Landler. Landler had been working with groups in the Watts community for several years.

Early Filming

They began filming by interviewing Buckminster Fuller. He was a famous architect and designer. Fuller called Rodia "one of the greatest sculptors of the twentieth century." He talked about how Rodia understood art and engineering naturally. This interview happened in 1983, just three months before Fuller passed away.

The filmmakers shot scenes in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and southern Italy. They kept working on the film even when they had to wait for years. This wait was for the city to remove scaffolding from the Watts Towers, which were being restored.

Telling the Story

The story in the documentary comes from old audio interviews with Rodia himself, recorded in the early 1960s. The film also includes new interviews with Rodia's family, neighbors, and others who knew the Watts Towers well. These people include artist John Outterbridge and historian Mike Davis. Phil Proctor from the Firesign Theater group provides the voice for old court records about Rodia.

The Music

The film's music is based on opera songs by Giuseppe Verdi. Rodia loved Verdi's music. The score connects 19th-century Italy to modern-day Los Angeles. Robert Israel, a famous silent film music composer, arranged and conducted the classical parts.

Jazz pianist Nate Morgan created new jazz music using Verdi's themes. Filmmakers Byer and Landler also came up with a hip-hop song. It uses Rodia's own voice as the lead singer. Jazz singers Dwight Trible and Logan Johnson, Jr. sing backup. Michael Abels created the music for this song.

Film Recognition

In April 2009, I Build the Tower was the first film shown at a big meeting in Genoa, Italy. This meeting was called "Art and Migration: Sabato Rodia's Watts Towers in Los Angeles." It was the first international conference about the Watts Towers. The University of Genoa and U.C.L.A. International Institute helped put on the event.