Making the Film: Documentary Progress Timeline

August 2004

• Project development begins with Inland Sea Productions and TakeTwo (T2)
• Initial filming of redevelopment area prior to first demolition and construction
• Research begins and preliminary outline for documentary is defined
• Sprint Center arena vote passes

September 2004

• Leadership partners unite to discuss funding the project
• Four birds-eye locations selected for time-lapse camera shots
• Preliminary outline is in place, treatment is developed
• Downtown Arena Design Team is chosen for Sprint Center arena

October 2004

• Leadership partners outline fundraising strategy and working title
• Monthly on-site filming begins at various locations
• Preliminary fundraising proposal materials defined
• H&R Block groundbreaking filmed

November 2004

• Fundraising proposal distributed and presentations scheduled
• Selection of Academic Content Advisory Panel begins
• KCADC Coordinator, LeeAnn Burt, assigned to manage documentary project
• Downtown's "crane “farm” is captured on film

December 2004

• H&R Block comes on board as lead sponsor of film
• Executive Beechcraft joins funding efforts
• Major fundraising efforts underway, leadership partners begin meeting monthly
• Comprehensive footage from roofs of tallest downtown buildings captured

January 2005

• Sprint joins as a Marquee funding partner of documentary project
• The Kansas City Star article “Getting downtown down on film”
  published by Kevin Collison
• Funding Partners Sponsorship Rights & Benefits outlined
• Sprint Center arena construction manager selected

February 2005

• The Kansas City Star begins development of Downtown KC Comes Alive”
  special feature section to profile urban development
• Recruitment for Academic Content Advisory Panel continues, interviews with national urban planning experts underway
• Leadership partners update documentary concept video with new renderings and construction shots

March 2005

• Burns & McDonnell and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
  join as funding partners
• Initial interviews with architects, engineers, planners,
  contractors and developers
• Approach to national foundations for funding begins

April 2005

• JE Dunn Construction comes on board to help fund documentary
• Fully-developed documentary web site goes live at thinkdowntownKC.com
• Park University and Bryan Cave LLP join funding effort
• Funding to date meets half-way production goal
• Production Coordinator, Nicole Melton, of T2 is assigned to project

May 2005

• Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP and the Victor E. & Caroline E. Schutte Foundation join as funders
• Landmark Jones Store sign comes down
• Bartle expansion, including ballroom facility, is dedicated
• The Hilton President Kansas City Hotel sign goes up to announce fall re-opening under Hilton banner
• Leadership partners view initial film footage to date

June 2005

• Sprint Center arena groundbreaking captured on film
• Filming of potential spokespeople with on-camera interviews
• Sasaki Plan update unveiled
• Demolition filmed for Bartle Hall expansion project
• Kansas City, Missouri Neighborhood Tourism Development Fund
  approves grant to provide funding

July 2005

• Swope Community Enterprises, MWH Global, Inc., Kansas City Power & Light and Copaken White & Blitt come on board as funding partners
• Interior of the Hilton President Kansas City Hotel is filmed and photographed
• Project web site fully enhanced with video overview of project, documentary timeline, downtown development details and shot list
• AMC and The Cordish Company partner to transform two historic downtown buildings, the Empire and Midland Theatres
• Downtown development activity being recognized by newspapers such as the St. Louis Post Dispatch and the Des Moines Register

August 2005

• 360 Architecture joins as funding partner
• First anniversary of documentary project, 75% of production goal met
• The Kansas City Star Urban Living section features article on documentary
• Liberty Memorial festivities and fireworks captured on film, as well as Sunday River Market concerts
• Preliminary interviews with various engineering professionals for background content
• Sprint Center arena plans unveiled

September 2005

• Colliers Turley Martin Tucker joins as funding partner
• Oktoberfest, American Royal Parade, KC Marathon, Union Station New Rail Experience and Plaza Art Fair captured on film
• Preliminary interviews with economic development professionals and retail specialists sought for background content
• East Village concept for $340M downtown redevelopment unfolds
• The Metropolitan Kansas City Performing Arts Center announces plans to build a two-hall facility at 16th Street and Broadway

October 2005

• AEG and The Cordish Company come on board as Marquee funding partners
• Preliminary interviews continue with urban land strategists and energy-related institutions for background content
• The Jones Store final demolition, initial excavation of the Sprint Center arena and ongoing filming of H&R Block captured
• Sample opening script for narrator of documentary written as search for host begins

November 2005

• Filmed employees of H&R Block at beam-signing for new headquarters
• Preliminary interviews with real estate professionals and city officials begin
• 100% of production goal met, fundraising for promotional budget continues
• Plans for winter shoot of potential spokespeople with on-camera interviews underway

December 2005

• Captured JE Dunn workers signing Block beam and interviewed H&R Block employees at ceremony raising signed beam to roof, with comments by H&R Block CEO Mark Ernst
• Filmed updates on the IRS building, new Federal Reserve construction site, demolition of Missouri Employment Security Building, the "opening up" of new vistas created by the demolition of the Jones Store building, initial ground work on arena site, the foundation for the Power & Light District site and the River Market Holiday Festival
• Preliminary interviews for background content of architects and engineers continues

January 2006

• Captured the Kansas City Southern railroad bridge moving to Union Station to connect to the Freight House District
• On-camera interviews of government officials and real estate professionals continue
• Begin logging “pool” footage for use by funding partners

February 2006

• Planning for mid-way project report begins
• Additional filming of H&R Block, IRS Center and foundation of Power & Light District continues
• Plans for spring shoot of additional spokespeople with on-camera interviews underway

March 2006

• On-camera filming of city and community leaders continues
• Kansas City's 33rd annual St. Patrick's Day Parade is captured on film
• Preliminary interviews carry on with landscape architects
• Newly-renovatedHilton President Kansas City Hotel is filmed

April 2006

• Preliminary interviews with potential spokespeople continues
• Planning underway for mid-way project report to funding and development partners
• Academic Content Advisory Panel finalized
• Footage bank categorized and available for funding partners to repurpose

May 2006

• KC Documentary Sneak Preview and progress report held at Screenland
• Funding partners, production team and community leaders meet
• First showing of raw footage, interview clips and time-lapse to funding partners and community leaders
• SMACNA-KC, Oppenheimer & Co. and Bangert Computer Systems, Inc. join as funding partners
• "Celebration at the Station" symphony concert and activities filmed at Union Station

June 2006

• Christopher Leinberger, Academic Content Advisory Panel Chair visits KC
• Kansas City Southern railroad bridge opens in Freight House District
• Preliminary interviews continue and "people on the street" captured on film

July 2006

• The Cordish and Liberty Memorial Museum media tours are captured on film
• July 4 festivities, Riverfest, Field of Flags and the Mission Mall demolition are recorded for footage bank
• Sprint Center arena time-lapse camera continues to log day-to-day construction progress and photographer takes still shots

August 2006

• First Fridays in Crossroads Arts District and Cordish announcement on loft space in Power & Light District caught on film
• Search for host and narrator continues
• Approaches to cable television networks begin
• Preparation for fall shoot underway

September 2006

• Chief's "Red Friday" Rally in Westport, Boulevard Brewing grand opening and ribbon-cutting and Oktoberfest captured on film
• Preparations for numerous on-camera interviews for October underway
• Discussions concerning musical score for documentary begin
• Additional filming of updated construction of Sprint Center arena and surrounding area

October 2006

• On-camera interviews of real estate experts attending the University of Michigan Urban Land Institute Real Estate Forum in Detroit secured
• H&R Block grand opening dedication and lobby artwork captured on film
• Discussions on venue for gala premiere underway

November 2006

• Liberty Memorial grand opening and festivities recorded for footage bank
• Additional filming of updated construction of Sprint Center arena and surrounding area
• Preparation for winter shoots begin

December 2006

• Interviews of local business leaders involved in downtown's renaissance filmed
• Time-lapse camera moves from Sprint Center arena to Power & Light District
• Gallery reception on public art recorded for footage bank

January  2007

• On-camera interviews of local business leaders continue and various buildings around KC captured on film
• Scriptwriting and approach to potential host and narrator begins
• Venue options for gala premiere determined
• 12-month planning calendar for production completion defined

February 2007

• Approach to venue for gala premiere to determine accommodations and availability
• Meetings and negotiations to develop musical score underway
• Scriptwriting continues, as do final interviews and miscellaneous footage

March  2007

• Background research and development for script accelerates
• Filming of urban housing and loft spaces captured
• Plans for spring shoot underway

April  2007

• Detailed production calendar defined and T2 editorial and special effects team assembled
• "String-out script" prepared
• KC Convention Center's new grand ballroom filmed

May 2007

• Final interviews near completion
• Rough draft script developed
• Process to gather background footage begins

June 2007

• AMC Entertainment Inc. joins as a Marquee funding partner
• Folly Theatre international fashion show, "Transgressions & Transformation," and "A Summer Wonderland" fashion show in the Crossroads Arts District are captured on film
• Creative meetings between Inland Sea Productions and T2 step up as film goes into production phase
• 2007 Avenue of the Arts, Quixotic, Friends of the Art and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Bloch Building grand opening are filmed

July 2007

• Kauffman Foundation joins as a Marquee funding partner
• Final script and interviews underway
• Visual "string-out" of on-camera interviews compiled

August 2007

• Editing and graphics underway at T2
• Host/narrator selection being finalized
• Production progress report and DVD, "Your Downtown, Our Downtown 2007" for funding partners created and produced for distribution

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