Login | April 16, 2024
Ohio Supreme Court receives Telly Award
RICHARD WEINER
Technology for Lawyers
Published: July 10, 2015
Justice Finds a Home, a stirring film about the Ohio Supreme Court’s move from the Rhodes office building to its new building in 2004, has received a Telly Award for outstanding filmmaking.
The half-hour film was a joint production of the Supreme Court and Ohio Governmental Telecommunications (OGT). It tracks the entire timeline of the building on the banks of the Scioto River at 375 High St. from its inception and construction in 1933 as the main Ohio governmental office building to its current reclaimed incarnation as the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center.
The Telly Awards were founded in 1979 to “honor outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs; video and film productions and web commercials, videos, and films,” according to a press release.
“The documentary captures the essence of Chief Justice (Thomas J.) Moyer’s quest not only to restore a treasured architectural structure but also to find permanent quarters to match the majesty of the rule of law that the court represents,” Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor said in a press release. “Through the film, we gain insight into the beauty of the law through Chief Justice Moyer’s eyes.”
In fact, the film showcases never-before-seen footage of the former chief justice discussing his vision for the courthouse, along with a few humorous moments featuring Justice Paul Pfeiffer talking about his own resistance to the project.
Other rare footage shows Moyer in hard hat, paying close attention to every detail of the building restoration.
“We started filming the Supreme Court building 10 years ago,” said Dan Shellenbarger, OGT executive director. The film was overseen by Shellenbarger and former Ohio Supreme Court public information director Christopher Davey, said Bret Crow, who now holds Davey’s old position. Davey himself has moved on to the communications department of The Ohio State University. Shellenbarger remains with OGT.
“We spent hundreds of hours shooting and editing,” said Shellenbarger. “This award is a great way to be recognized for all of the effort done by our team. The court was extremely helpful and encouraging as we strung together the narrative of this fantastic building. The building is a work of art. Telling its story made all of the work that went into this so very enjoyable.”
“A lot of work went into this film,” said Crow. “And for it to get this kind of recognition is pretty neat.”
The film documents the history of the building itself, starting with the historic background of the riverbank area of downtown Columbus and the social, legal, architectural, and economic histories that led to the need for, and construction of, an office building for the people of the state of Ohio.
After falling into disrepair, and with the state’s offices, along with the Supreme Court, moving to the monolithic Rhodes building, there was, according to the film, talk of tearing the building down.
But Moyer had other ideas, and convinced first his fellow justices, and then Gov. George Voinovich along with the state legislature, to restore the building.
That restoration fills most of the film, and includes interviews with artists, architects and others who worked on the painstaking, three-year project. Throughout the entire time, Moyer was present at every stage of the reconstruction.
The building is filled with 1930’s-era murals, many depicting life in Ohio, the country’s labor movement and events in the state’s history. All of that artwork was restored, a monumental wooden courtroom was installed with all modern technology and the 400-plus employees of the court now occupy an up-to-date building reconstructed around an 80-year-old building, which opened its doors as the Ohio Judicial Center.
Crow said that the film, “is about the beautiful art and architecture. The courtroom is as a courtroom should be.”
Unfortunately, Justice Moyer passed away unexpectedly in 2010. Following his passing, the building was renamed in his honor.
Altogether, OGT received four awards for various court documentaries across the state. The other three Tellys were for documentaries about courthouses in Green, Highland and Licking counties.
Two categories of Telly Awards exist: silver (highest) and bronze. All judges, totaling more than 650 individuals, are prior silver award winners.
Justice Finds a Home won a bronze Telly medal, and has also been nominated for several regional Emmys.
The film is available at http://www.ohiochannel.org/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=144381.