Sept. 19, 2007
Movie Before the Movie Inspires, Too
We Are Marshall Meets West Virginia
Analysis by Tony Seaton
Huntington News Network Writer
So, you got your "We Are Marshall" DVD, widescreen version, and you take it home, and pop it in the home theatre player. You hit play and you expect you'll have to sit through or fast forward past, a couple of previews for upcoming movie events, whether DVD releases or new theatrical ones; that's become common.
What isn't common is what you see instead. It almost looks like it might be the beginning of the movie, what with the beautiful late afternoon sky framed by goalposts, and the empty stadium...then, you realize, that's Joan C. Edwards stadium, not Fairfield or a movie representation of it. Hey, wait a minute! Then you see Matthew McConaughey and David Strathairn in their movie outfits, and Strathairn starts talking: "Thrills, adventure, history...in the time we've spent here in West Virginia, filming the story of the Thundering Herd and Marshall University, we've discovered all these things." What? Wow!
Yes, indeed, the Division of Tourism, in conjunction with the Governor's office, arranged to have actors Strathairn, McConaughey and Fox hang out a little while longer, since McG wanted to do some more filming in Huntington anyway, and shoot a promo for the state. "We were working with the Governor's office trying to determine what we could do to support McG's having more time to stay in the area longer," said Betty Carver, Commissioner of the Division of Tourism, "because he was very fond of Huntington and wanted to have some additional film time here."
Charles Ryan and Associates came up with the scripts, with input from the Division of Tourism. Park Group, a production company from Richmond, VA, shot the footage of the actors, who are either on camera or doing voice-over narration for the entire piece. Park Group also filmed the footage that covers the narration, for the Division of Tourism and the West Virginia Development Office. previously, for use in other projects.
Warner Bros. was so impressed with the final film that when the Division of Tourism inquired about buying some advertising time on the DVD, they offered 5 minutes and suggested it be an 'auto-play' element on the DVD, according to Pam Haynes, Director of the West Virginia Film Office. That meant that when the viewer hit play to watch the movie, the promo film would automatically play, instead of having a button somewhere in the menu that someone would have to find and then click to see it. "With five minutes, that gave us more than a tourism opportunity" said Betty Carver, "It gave us the opportunity to pitch the state as a live, work and play location," she said. The Division of Tourism worked with the West Virginia Development Office, which promotes West Virginia to businesses, to achieve that goal. "We were delighted to have that opportunity to collaborate with the Development Office," said Carver, Commissioner of the Division of Tourism, "because the Development Office has so much to offer as far as a business location, and we have so much to offer as a tourism location; we were able to combine, [those things,] into the five minute piece."
The five-minute film is breathtaking in its beauty. You know those films put out by various universities that you see at halftime of televised games? This thing puts them to shame. With shots of rolling hills, mountain ridges, white water rafting, snow skiing, mountain climbing, New River bridge jumping, swooping helicopter shots over rivers, around mountains, above communities, and awe inspiring aerials of Cass Scenic railway and Seneca Rocks, it will amaze. Tamarack, Mountain Stage and Civil War reenactments are featured as well. To see the entire pre-movie film produced by the Division of Tourism and the Governor's office, just go buy or rent the DVD. OR you can click right here for a sample: Wild Wonderful West Virginia Promotional Film Enjoy!
We Are Marshall Meets West Virginia
Analysis by Tony Seaton
Huntington News Network Writer
So, you got your "We Are Marshall" DVD, widescreen version, and you take it home, and pop it in the home theatre player. You hit play and you expect you'll have to sit through or fast forward past, a couple of previews for upcoming movie events, whether DVD releases or new theatrical ones; that's become common.
What isn't common is what you see instead. It almost looks like it might be the beginning of the movie, what with the beautiful late afternoon sky framed by goalposts, and the empty stadium...then, you realize, that's Joan C. Edwards stadium, not Fairfield or a movie representation of it. Hey, wait a minute! Then you see Matthew McConaughey and David Strathairn in their movie outfits, and Strathairn starts talking: "Thrills, adventure, history...in the time we've spent here in West Virginia, filming the story of the Thundering Herd and Marshall University, we've discovered all these things." What? Wow!
Yes, indeed, the Division of Tourism, in conjunction with the Governor's office, arranged to have actors Strathairn, McConaughey and Fox hang out a little while longer, since McG wanted to do some more filming in Huntington anyway, and shoot a promo for the state. "We were working with the Governor's office trying to determine what we could do to support McG's having more time to stay in the area longer," said Betty Carver, Commissioner of the Division of Tourism, "because he was very fond of Huntington and wanted to have some additional film time here."
Charles Ryan and Associates came up with the scripts, with input from the Division of Tourism. Park Group, a production company from Richmond, VA, shot the footage of the actors, who are either on camera or doing voice-over narration for the entire piece. Park Group also filmed the footage that covers the narration, for the Division of Tourism and the West Virginia Development Office. previously, for use in other projects.
Warner Bros. was so impressed with the final film that when the Division of Tourism inquired about buying some advertising time on the DVD, they offered 5 minutes and suggested it be an 'auto-play' element on the DVD, according to Pam Haynes, Director of the West Virginia Film Office. That meant that when the viewer hit play to watch the movie, the promo film would automatically play, instead of having a button somewhere in the menu that someone would have to find and then click to see it. "With five minutes, that gave us more than a tourism opportunity" said Betty Carver, "It gave us the opportunity to pitch the state as a live, work and play location," she said. The Division of Tourism worked with the West Virginia Development Office, which promotes West Virginia to businesses, to achieve that goal. "We were delighted to have that opportunity to collaborate with the Development Office," said Carver, Commissioner of the Division of Tourism, "because the Development Office has so much to offer as far as a business location, and we have so much to offer as a tourism location; we were able to combine, [those things,] into the five minute piece."
The five-minute film is breathtaking in its beauty. You know those films put out by various universities that you see at halftime of televised games? This thing puts them to shame. With shots of rolling hills, mountain ridges, white water rafting, snow skiing, mountain climbing, New River bridge jumping, swooping helicopter shots over rivers, around mountains, above communities, and awe inspiring aerials of Cass Scenic railway and Seneca Rocks, it will amaze. Tamarack, Mountain Stage and Civil War reenactments are featured as well. To see the entire pre-movie film produced by the Division of Tourism and the Governor's office, just go buy or rent the DVD. OR you can click right here for a sample: Wild Wonderful West Virginia Promotional Film Enjoy!
