Archive Record
Images
Additional Images [12]
Metadata
Object ID |
1000.145.01 |
Title |
The Making of a Documentary, "Chevy Chase, Maryland: a Streetcar to Home" |
Object Name |
Exhibit |
Date |
2006 |
Creator |
Evelyn Gerson |
Description |
The Making of a Documentary "Chevy Chase, Maryland: A Streetcar to Home" 2006 by Evelyn Gerson The Chevy Chase Historical Society has long dreamed of producing an engaging video to capture the unique history of Chevy Chase, Maryland. To mark its 25th anniversary in 2006, CCHS embarked on an 11-month production journey that resulted in its birthday gift to the community - an authoritative film celebrating Chevy Chase's history as one of the nation's early suburbs. This exhibit tells what it took to produce the documentary. A hardworking planning team The filmmaking process began in the autumn of 2005 when nine Chevy Chase HIstorical Society member formed a working committee to oversee all aspects of the production. [1000.145.01.01] Front row, left to right: Mary Sheehan, Mary Anne Hoffman, Evelyn Gerson Back row, left to right: Susan Elwell, Angela Lancaster, Shelly Brunner, Mary Anne Tuohey, Julie Thomas (Not picture: Eleanor Ford) Photo courtesy of Lance Hoffman [1000.145.01.02] Cover of DVD Contemporary footage VideoArt Productions shot several hours of color footage in all five Chevy Chase municipalities in order to capture life in today's community [1000.145.01.03]. A helicopter with camera crew aboard flew over Chevy Chase at sunset for two nights during the month of May to capture the area's beauty from above [2009.123.03]. Back on the ground, a videographer filmed July Fourth festivities [2009.123.11] Photos courtesy of Mary Anne Hoffman A Great Title Coming up with an interesting title for the documentary was easy. The planning group developed and submitted dozens of ideas over the course of several days. The best suggestion, however, came not from a committee member, but from Ollie Thomas, the husband of committee member Julie Thomas. Ollie just blurted out "Chevy Chase, Maryland: A Streetcar to Home" on a whim. The planning committee immediately fell in love with his title and unanimously decided to use it. See how easy? Titles considered: "1890-1940" "Chevy Chase, MD: Early Streetcar Suburb" "A House and a Patch of Lawn: The Early Years of Chevy Chase, MD" "Chevy Chase, MD... Designed For a Lifetime" "Chevy Chase, MD...Yesterday's Suburb for Today" "Chevy Chase, MD...A Century of Desirable Living" "Chevy Chase, MD...A Premier American Suburb" "Chevy Chase, MD...A Premier Streetcar Suburb" "Chevy Chase, MD...An Enduring Streetcar Suburb." "Chevy Chase, MD...A Streetcar to Home" (Ollie) "A Streetcar to Home: The Early Days of Chevy Chase, MD" Vintage Photos and Oral Histories The working committee sifted through hundreds of photos and dozens of oral histories from the Chevy Chase Historical Society's archive to illustrate what interviewees had said. The committee also found visuals for the script at other distinguished institutions, such as the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, Library of Congress, University of Nevada Reno Library, and the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, England. The members discovered so many wonderful images that they had difficulties choosing just one to represent a theme. The pictures displayed here were regretfully left out of the video. Women on block of Ice at the Columbia Country Club courtesy of the Library of Congress [1000.145.01.04] Couple in Front of automobile, from the CCHS collection, courtesy of Ellen Flood Talbott [2008.399.07] Bus on Connecticut Avenue in a Snow Storm, from the CCHS collection [1000.145.01.06] DC Slum with Capitol Dome in the Background, courtesy of the Library of Congress [1000.145.01.07] House at 6000 Connecticut Avenue, from the CCHS collection, courtesy of Joseph Valachovic [1000.145.01.08] A Clear Vision of the Film's Scope The committee's initial brainstorming produced this laundry list of important aspects of Chevy Chase's history. It quickly became clear that a 15-minute video would not be long enough to scratch the surface of our community's history. So the committee began planning for a 30-minute program. Themes: The beginning: - Who was Francis Newlands? - George Armes - Chevy Chase Land Company Societal Trends: - The societal trends/developments that led to streetcar suburbs Marketing: - Then - how marketed and sold by Chevy Chase Land Company - Now - individual agents Connecticut Avenue: - Connecticut Avenue - how extended...spanning Rock Creek/Klingle Valley - Electric rail service...switch to buses - How transportation trends shaped Chevy Chase First Homes: -First homes...oral histories (Shoot video of the ones still existing) Sections: - How the various sections developed - what makes certain sections unique Architecture: - Individuality of homes...variety of styles...quality architects - How technology changed the architecture Landscaping: - Variety of trees Enticements: - Chevy Chase Lake and amuseument park - Country clubs - Hotel Retail/Commercial: - Newlands' feelings, vision - How it was: coal, ice prescriptions delivered... - Connecticut Avenue strip - switch to Wisconsin Avenue in 50's - How it is now: Chevy Chase Center Transcript of interviews [1000.145.01.09] Name: - History of the name Mary Anne Touhey with VideoArt employees [2009.123.13] An Award-Winning Production Company [1000.145.01.10] The committee interviewed five production firms before selecting VideoArt Productions of Washington, DC to produce a broadcast-quality film. VideoArt Productions has created award-winning videos for some of the nation's top museums and historical groups, including Winterthur, the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Reception Rooms and the National Portrait Gallery. Images courtesy of VideoArt Productions. Music Inspired From the Past Composer Robert Xavier Rodriguez created an original musical score for the film, inspired by a tune called "Chevy Chase" which James Hubert "Eubie" Blake wrote in 1915 [1000.145.01.11]. Rodriguez provided 22 variations on Blake's ragtime tune so that VideoArt Productions could establish different moods in the documentary, from serious to playful. The music playing in this booth is exactly how the committee received it form the composer. Historic American Sheet Music, "The Chevy Chase Foxtrot," courtesy of the Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript and Special Collections Library [1000.145.01.12] Generous Funders Without significant financial help, "chevy Chase, Maryland: A Streetcar to Home" Could not have been a broadcast-quality documentary. The Chevy Chase Historical Society acknowledges generous contributions of the following supporters, who joined the Historical Society in funding production: Chevy Chase Village The Town of Chevy Chase Section 3, Village of Chevy Chase Section 5, Village of Chevy Chase Village of Martin's Additions Chevy Chase Bank HIstorian and Resident Interviews VideoArts Productions' President, Martin Huberman, likes to let clients tell their own story in his pieces. So instead of writing a typical chronological hstory with a narrator reading a script, Huberman weaves together stories from different perspectives. The CCHS planning team rounded up 15 residents and historians knowledgeable about Chevy Chase's architectural, cultural, economic, and social history to be interviewed. Four months of interviews, conducted from April through July, gave Huberman what he needed to begin telling Chevy Chase's story. Photos courtesy of Mary Anne Hoffman |