CROSSINGS - Bridge Building in West Virginia Documentary Filming in Area

WVDOT’s Communications Office is currently producing a documentary focusing entitled CROSSINGS - Bridge Building in West Virginia.  This film, due for completion in March 2006, will show the formidable terrain our forefathers faced and how they overcame these transportation barriers with innovative, award-winning structures.   The project is funded through a Federal Highway Administration Transportation Enhancement grant.

        CROSSINGS - Bridge Building in West Virginia will be aired on Public Broadcasting, which advances education, culture and citizenship through high-quality programming and services. West Virginia Public Radio, West Virginia PBS, wvpubcast.org and Ready To Learn® are all services of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.  The documentary will also be made available to the History Channel, the WV Board of Education, state libraries and other media outlets. 

        “West Virginians have a transportation system they can be proud of, particularly if they are made aware of it,” says Terry Lively, writer and executive producer for WVDOH on the project.  “This documentary will encourage people of all ages to take pride not only in their transportation system but also in those who first created the framework and the builders who followed.”

        Digital Vision Works, a production company from Dunbar, WV, was awarded a contract to film the one-hour documentary. 

        Among several national and international awards Digital Vision Works has won is the recently added “Award of Excellence” given by the International Videographer Awards Association for their work on another West Virginia-based production, “The Captives.” This educational docudrama is based on the life of Mary Ingles Draper.  The firm shares this award with Jude Miller, a Roane County teacher who wrote and directed the story.

        “The film/video industry generates millions of dollars in other states across the country and there is no reason why we can’t do that here in West Virginia,” says Ronn Smith, executive producer for Digital Vision Works.  “We have the tools and the talent here in-state.”       

         Digital Vision Works hopes that the attention this documentary will generate helps the film/video production industry to continue to grow throughout the state. 

         Thursday, July 28, will find the crew filming the following bridges in the Morgantown area:  Star City Bridge, Dents Run Covered Bridge, Rubles Run Bridge and West Buckeye Bridge.  On Friday, July 29, the High Level Bridge, West Virginia’s largest reinforced concrete arch bridge, takes the spotlight.  Join us for a different look at the award-winning structures around us in West Virginia.

CROSSINGS – Building Bridges in West Virginia
FILMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday, July 28           

11 AM        Star City Bridge

Noon         Lunch

1 PM          Dents Run Covered Bridge

2 PM          Rubles Run Bridge

3 PM          West Buckeye Bridge

Friday, July 29             

9:30 AM     High Level Bridge

4PM           Return to Charleston