Lighthouse To Be Film Star!

Richard Saucer, brick-cleaning chairman and board member of SGLA, is filmed during a brick-cleaning re-enactment in St. George Lighthouse Park. Manning the cameras are Rick Schutte and George Steitz of Impact Television Productions.

The Cape St. George Light will be one of three lighthouses featured in a 10-minute "trailer" video being filmed for the Florida Lighthouse Association. Producer George Steitz and cameraman Rich Schutte of Impact Television Productions spent three days shooting interviews and footage of the lighthouse from June 17-19.

FLA plans to eventually produce a full-length film about all 30 of Florida's lighthouses. To market the project to potential funders like PBS, the Discovery Channel, and corporate sponsors, FLA has contracted with the Pennsylvania production company for creation of the trailer.

The first day of filming on Wednesday featured a boat trip to the original lighthouse site on Little St. George Island, and interviews with George Watkins and Ricky Hathcock. George and Ricky are the ANERR employees who heard the crash on October 21, 2005, and were chagrined to find that the noise was not thunder, as they originally suspected, but rather the sound of the Cape St. George Light crashing into the Gulf.

Thursday's shots included a re-enactment of brick cleaning and interviews with many of the original volunteers who helped clean the bricks and reconstruct the lantern room. Friday's special guest was Bill Roberts, whose father and grandfather were both keepers at Cape St. George. Bill recounted his memories of living at the lighthouse, and provided for great footage as he entertained children visiting the lighthouse with stories of helping his Dad tend the light.

The trailer will also include segments on the St. Augustine Lighthouse and the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, both of which are beautifully preserved landmarks. The Cape St. George Light is proud to be in such august company!

Mr. Steitz said that filming and editing will continue through the summer, with the final product scheduled to be completed in time for the FLA annual meeting in October.

Posted by Administrator - Sunday, 06/21/09, 07:33 AM - Comments - Category: News