Five-Part ‘Untold Story’ To Begin Airing In April (April 2014 Civil War News) DENVER, Colo. — “Civil War: The Untold Story,” a five-part documentary series focused on the Western Theater, will start airing on public television stations in April. The series is produced and directed by Chris Wheeler of Great Divide Pictures. For more than 20 years, Great Divide has been producing award-winning historical documentaries such as “How the West Was Lost,” “Our Time in Hell: The Korean War” and “Godspeed, John Glenn.” The company has produced visitor center films for more than 25 national parks, including Shiloh, Chickamauga & Chattanooga and Kennesaw Mountain. These park films prompted Wheeler to produce the series which aims to show why the West played such a vital part in the war’s outcome. Timed to coincide with the 150-year anniversary of the Campaign for Atlanta, the series also chronicles the presidential campaign of 1864 in which Abraham Lincoln was nearly defeated. Within the story of the Western Theater, the series highlights the causes of war, the home front, the politics of war and the impact of war on Southern civilians and women. Actress Elizabeth McGovern from “Downton Abbey” narrates the series. In addition to archival imagery, 2-D and 3-D graphics and interviews with Civil War scholars, the series features battle action. “From 2010 to 2013, we filmed with hundreds of reenactors from all over the country, the biggest concentration coming from Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama,” said Wheeler. Shiloh, the largest reenactment, included 350 reenactors, 35 horses and a dozen artillery pieces. Filming was permitted on the grounds of Shiloh National Military Park and Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. “At Shiloh, we filmed on the 149th anniversary of that battle. For scenes depicting battles of the Atlanta Campaign, we filmed at the Resaca Battlefield, located about 40 miles north of Atlanta,” Wheeler said. The Vicksburg scenes were filmed at the Battle of Raymond site, west of Jackson, Miss. All of the scenes were filmed with the technical advisors and historians to insure authenticity and historical accuracy. Wheeler said, “For some of the shoots, the production crew could be as large as 50 people. Critical to the scenes were the use of authentic makeup, special effects to simulate artillery explosions and bullet hits, and simulated smoke machines.” Up to six cameras were rolling for some scenes. He said, “For the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, we constructed a period Civil War earthworks which became an important set piece for many scenes.” The series has five episodes. “Bloody Shiloh” includes Abraham Lincoln’s election, the secession of Southern states and Shiloh. In “A Beacon of Hope,” Confederates retreat south, escaped slaves build a community at Corinth and Lincoln begins drafting the Emancipation Proclamation. “River of Death” includes the Vicksburg Campaign and city’s surrender, Union control of the Mississippi River and Chattanooga. The battles at Chickamauga and Chattanooga are in “Death Knell of the Confederacy.” “With Malice toward None” concludes the series with the 1864 battle at Kennesaw Mountain, battles around Atlanta, Lincoln’s re-election and Sherman’s March to the Sea. The series is sponsored by Nashville Public Television and will be distributed to public television stations by American Public Television. It will be released on DVD in April. The DVD will include archival footage from the 50-year anniversary of the Siege of Vicksburg and a 12-page viewer’s guide with a map, timeline, profiles and articles on African Americans fighting for their freedom and Texas in the Civil War For more information visit facebook/CivilWarTheUntoldStory and greatdividepictures vimeo/57004598
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 17:30:30 +0000