When www.siemens.com.>Siemens Energy chose Hutchinson, Kansas as the site of a new wind turbine equipment factory in spring of 2009, an exciting window of filmmaking opportunity opened up for husband and wife directing team Chris Riess and Amy Hill. nnThe www.paydirtpictures.tv.>Paydirt directing duo, whose work is heavily ‘real people’ with a forte for documentary style shooting, were commissioned by creative directors and partners at Ogilvy and Mather NY, Jeff Leaf and Robert Balog, to shoot a piece about the impact that the factory, which manufactures nacelles, would have on the town of Hutchinson. nnRiess/Hill were given creative freedom to direct, shoot and edit the piece, and in the process they would discover the inner workings of the town- from meeting the Governor, to sitting down with small business owners to discuss what the factory’s opening means to them. nnThe resulting piece delved into the windy city’s challenges and victories both past and present and is a celebration of a community on the verge of revitalization through green jobs. nnThe Hutchinson doco spot, which currently has over 70,000 views on YouTube, became affectionately viewed as a little tale of Americana, and the only logical thing to do next was to create more pieces about the effect that Siemens, in different sectors- such as the medical, manufacturing, and water sectors, is having on jobs, communities, and lives in towns across the USA. nn
Siemens “Somewhere In America” a trailer for 6 Siemens doco spots from Riess/Hill on Vimeo.
nNext stop for Riess/Hill on this filmmaking journey was the town of Norwood, Ohio where the Norwood Motor Manufacturing Plant, originally built in 1898, is one of Siemens’ oldest manufacturing facilities in the world. A $30 million expansion of the plant was completed in 2007, and the plant won 2010 USA factory of the year. nnRiess/Hill’s piece on the town of Norwood and the factory there evokes a sense of American pride as it unveils the story of this plant being picked out by Siemens to “shine.” The creation of jobs as well as the stories woven into the doco spot about the workers who have seen the factory through it’s earliest years, are inspiring and empowering in an American economy rocked by job outsourcing and a downward trend in general. nnUp next for the directing team on their cross-country Siemens filmmaking excursion was the small town of Gainesville, Texas where Riess/Hill had the opportunity to tell the story of the North Texas Medical Center which thanks to Siemens Imaging, now has the best technology at their hospital. The film spotlights Siemens’ belief that everyone has the right to easy access to the highest quality of care no matter how small the town they live in. nnThe doco spot duo just wrapped up Siemens Water, on the topic of facilities around the Chesapeake Bay which take industrial water and “recycle” it into something else. The piece will reveal the effect that Siemens water filtration systems have had on the people, the economy and on the environment. nnFrom New York to Virginia, over 40 major rivers link land and communities to the Chesapeake Bay. Siemens Water discusses how it’s water filtration installations help to fulfill the ambitious conservation effort of the Chesapeake Bay Initiative to protect 100,000 acres of high priority land and water within the watershed. nnIn September, Riess/Hill returned to the Hutchinson factory to meet the first hires at the plant and create part two of the story. Then on December 3, the first nacelle rolled off the assembly line and Riess/Hill was there to finish the triptych, the making of which was an experience they describe as incredible. Being in Hutchinson to document the new plant in it’s various stages through to completion and having the opportunity to tell one town’s story of shifting toward green energy made the directors feel like they were part of something timely and truly special. The 3 pieces explore the impact of new jobs and the future of wind energy through the words of numerous fascinating people. nnCreditsnAgency: Ogilvy & Mather NYnAgency Creative Directors/Partners: Jeff Leaf, Robert BalognProduction Company: www.paydirtpictures.tv.>PaydirtnDirectors: Riess/HillnExecutive Producers: Jonathon Ker, Jeremy BarrettnProducer: Leah FleischmannnEditorial Companies: Cosmo Street, Union Editorial, JumpnnAbout www.paydirtpictures.tv.>Paydirtnwww.paydirtpictures.tv.>Paydirt is a Beverly Hills based production company founded in 2009 by partners/executive producers Jonathon Ker and Jeremy Barrett. Directors on www.paydirtpictures.tv.>Paydirt‘s roster include Iain Mackenzie, Riess/Hill, Lorenzo Fonda, Saman Keshavarz, Lex Halaby and Leila and Damien de Blinkk. www.paydirtpictures.tv.>www.paydirtpictures.tv./a>
