By WKTV Staff
tom@wktv.org
As part of its coverage for the 28th Street Metro Cruise, WKTV Community Media is creating three short films directed by regional filmmakers whose mission was simple: take six minutes telling a narrative film story about classic cars and classic design. All three projects, which are now nearing completion in production and moving through various stages of post production, covered the breadth of some of the most fabulous steel and iron to roll off American assembly lines.
In the course of producing the films, WKTV was charged with sourcing many of the classics for the film productions. Those cars included a 1954 Buick Century convertible in daffodil yellow from the Grand Rapids Auto Gallery along with a 1938 Ford Cabriolet.
“While the Grand Rapids Auto Gallery acts as a consignment dealer for classic cars, they were generous with loaning us three vehicles from their collection,” said Tom Norton, the series producer, including a 1958 white Corvette with a red interior that appeared on WKTV’s Metro Cruise coverage in 2019.
Another resource came from the Gilmore Car Gollection near Galesburg, Michigan.
“The Gilmore is such a treasure regionally and they were just wonderful,” Norton said. “When the script for one of the films called for an Auburn dealership from the 1930s, they were able to provide the entire set filled with shiny, gorgeous Auburn classics from the thirties. Just…wow!”
One hurdle for the three films was arranging period wardrobe. WKTV called on two resources, the Grand Rapids Civic Theater and Wyoming High School’s theater department and both were able to assist in outfitting characters from the 1930s, 1950s and 1980s.
The first film in the Metro Cruise series is called “Drive” and features a 1980s theme. The film takes place on a drag strip and, directed by WKTV volunteer Kyle Misak, stars from “American Idol” Margie Mays as a mechanic working on a drag strip with homage to all 1980s vehicles. The six minute music video took six days for Misak and his crew to shoot.
The second film, directed by GVSU professor John Philbin called “No Trip for Biscuits,” takes place in the 1930s and follows the philosophy of legendary designer Gordon Buehrig of the great Dusenberg classics. The short film features cameo appearnances by “Carol Lombard” and “Gary Cooper” and was filmed at the Gilmore Museum and in front of the 1930s facade of the old Civic Auditorium.
“What we loved about this project,” Norton said, “was that all of the filmmakers pulled out all the stops in terms of their creativity and resourcefulness to make these three period films happen. And of course, the classic auto community from GR Auto Gallery to the Gilmore provided serious lift as well.”
The last of the films’ “Horizon” which takes place during the 1950s and combines the design of the classic fifties vehicles with the civil rights struggles of the day, is just going into post production. All three films will be available on WKTV and on the station’s video on demand service this fall.
