FIDO Films wins bronze Telly for doc on history of presidents’ helicopters

A bronze telly went to FIDO Films and Mark McCarville’s 19-minute documentary “HMX-1 55th Reunion,” a segment of FIDO ‘s two-hour in-progress doc “Marine One,” tracing the history of the HMX-1 helicopter squadron that has transported U.S. presidents since Dwight Eisenhower.

“I’d always been interested in the military – I’d done recruiting videos for the Marines in the past,” said McCarville, producer of both films.

McCarville secured $150,000 from HMX-1 manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft to fund “55th Reunion” and is still seeking some of the $600,000 needed to complete “Marine One.”

In 2001 McCarville began working through the military’s bureaucratic channels to obtain unprecedented access to the helicopter squadron. He approached multi-award-winning TV producer AnnaLisa Lunn to direct the doc. They had worked together at Stan Cottle’s Cottle Communications in the ’90s.

The film’s 20 hours of recorded footage includes extensive aerial photography and interviews with former presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton. McCarville is still working to arrange an interview with the current President George W. Bush.

New York DP Mark Chamberlain shot “Marine One” on an HD package supplied by Fletcher. Eve Saxon edited at Post Effects.

McCarville screened a 25-minute cut of “Marine One” at the IFP Market in New York last fall. There he connected with Solid Entertainment of Santa Monica, which has signed on to distribute the film. At February’s RealScreen Summit in Washington, D.C., McCarville and Solid made contact with “a couple networks” that are now in talks to broadcast the doc, he said.

McCarville is also at work on a follow-up doc about the construction of the new Marine One helicopter, and on a program for the Food Channel. He has worked in locations on commercials and corporate films, and on features including “Midnight Run” and “Cheaters.” He founded FIDO two years ago

FIDO Films is at 4838 N. Kildare. Call 773/794- 8598 or see www.fidofilms.com.

? by Ed M. Koziarski, edk@homesickblues.com