Jen G’s Blog

The first film of the project has been shot!  I went out to Brentsville on Tuesday, December 30th and got some great general establishing shots of courthouse.  I set up some of the lights inside the courthouse and got some good zoom in/out shots of some of the maps they have on the walls and of a portrait of Prince William.  I figure it is better to get all the footage I can now and then I can look into whether I have to get permission from the VA Historical Society or a variety of other groups in order to include the documents. 

I also found some useful files in the site office, particularly helpful was a list of all of the men in the 4th VA Cavalry, Co. A which formed at Brentsville. 

Later I went to the Bull Run Library and did some research in their local history room. Unfortunately they did not have copies that could be checked out but I did request an extra copy be sent from another library and am planning on picking it up tomorrow.  The book is a diary of a young soldier who was a member of the 4th VA.  I am hopeful that I can find some good quotes to use. 

Today I went out to Manassas Battlefield because I had found out that they were doing an artillery demonstration and the next one would not be until spring.  Since it was a public event it was slightly crowded and a bit noisy.  I was able to film some decent footage but I will probably have the drop most of the sound due to background noise, which is unfortunate because the cannon firing was impressive.  I was also able to speak with some of the reenactors afterwards about participating in the two reenactments I am trying to shedule.  I am starting to think it may not be a reasonable goal to try to get both accomplished within the next two weeks.  I am going to push to get one at Brentsville as well as some interviews but I may have to save the one at Ben Lomond for later.  That one would be more complicated anyway since I would like to have a reenactor who is a surgeon and reenactors who can make themselves look wounded.

I have begun to write up a general historical narrative of the story and facts I want the viewer to get from my documentary which I can use as a guide to fill in what interviews may not cover and to try to obtain images that correspond. 

Tomorrow I am going back out to Manassas to get speak to someone and to get some general outside shots.  I will also stop by and pick up the soldiers diary.  Aside from that I am continuing to look for useful period photographs and writing the historical narrative.