Add Your Voice to the Virginia Historical Society’s Film “Virginia Voices”
The Virginia Historical Society (VHS) is stepping into the world of film, through a new project called “Virginia Voices.” The VHS urges Virginians to submit their short videos to http://www.virginiavoices.org/. Uploading is simple and quick and every submission will be promptly acknowledged.
“Virginia Voices” will be a 25-minute short made up of crowdsourced video that will be filmed and submitted by regular citizens. The VHS will assemble the videos into a single narrative that will give audiences an overview of the commonwealth, its people, and their stories. The film is a fully funded project of the VHS’s wider “Story of Virginia Campaign,” a $38 million effort that will expand, enhance and renew the Society’s presence both in Virginia and across the nation.
“Virginians have made more history than most,” said Paul Levengood, President and CEO of the Virginia Historical Society. “But history is much more than a collection of names, dates, and places in the past. It’s a constantly evolving story. The next chapters are being written by Virginians today, and ‘Virginia Voices’ offers them a way to make a personal addition to that story. It’s history as it happens.”
“We hope Virginians from all walks of life and all parts of the state will add their stories to ‘Virginia Voices,’” said Levengood. “Our goal is to produce a film that captures the great diversity of our commonwealth. “
“From the farms of the Shenandoah Valley, to armed services members in Hampton Roads and everywhere in between, few places in America can match Virginia for its variety of experiences and views,” Levengood continued. “On the surface, we’re a state in a constant state of change. But Virginians are bound by a common history that has shaped the world. Each of us has a story to tell, a memory to share, a dream to pass on. ‘Virginia Voices’ is our way of distilling the essence of what it means to be a Virginian today, and showing how our differences are really our strengths—the things that have and will continue to make Virginia so special.”
“Virginia Voices” will premiere at the Virginia Historical Society in the fall of 2014 and is being produced by BPI of Boston, Massachusetts, whose Jeff Boedeker is the senior producer.
The Virginia Historical Society (VHS)—a privately funded nonprofit organization—collects, preserves, and interprets the Commonwealth’s history, linking past with present to inspire future generations. Visitors may connect with the 8.5 million objects in the VHS collection through the research library, a variety of programs, and a recently redesigned website to learn more about the unparalleled story of Virginia. Exciting plans are underway to expand and improve VHS exhibitions in 2014 to offer visitors a better experience. The transformation of gallery spaces will create even more vibrant, accessible, and engaging gateways toAmerica’s past. The VHS is located at 428 North Boulevard in Richmond’s Museum District. Admission is free. Hours are Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. for the library, museum shop and a variety of programs. The VHS is closed on Sunday. For more information, call (804) 358-4901, visit www.vahistorical.org, or connect with the VHS on Facebook and Twitter.
