Department of Parks
Emmy Award-Winning Filmmakers Shot Scenes at State Park in Henderson, Ky.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Two Emmy-winning filmmakers shot scenes in and around John James Audubon State Park earlier this year for a documentary about the park’s namesake, which will air later this year on PBS.

The hour-long documentary, called “Audubon: Drawn from Nature,” will trace John James Audubon’s career from its unlikely beginning to its continuing legacy. The forces behind the film are Larry Hott, a noted filmmaker, and his wife Diane Garey, a producer, director and editor.

The pair co-founded Florentine Films/Hott Productions Inc., which also includes Ken Burns. They have made films since 1978 and have been recognized with a number of awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Historical Programming, two Academy Award nominations, and a George Foster Peabody Award. Their work has been broadcast on PBS, the Discovery Channel and as part of shows such as the American Experience, POV and National Geographic Explorer.

For the Audubon film, which is set to air in September as part of the PBS American Masters Series, they visited Henderson and interviewed Don Boarman, the former curator of the park’s museum, and Alan Gehret, who currently holds that position. They captured additional footage at the museum, which holds one of the most significant Audubon collections in the entire world.

The filmmakers have been working on the Audubon project for more than two years. Gehret has consulted with them for much of that time. They also have filmed in New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, the Carolinas and other locales that mark significant chapters in Audubon’s life.

Established in 1938, John James Audubon State Park is dedicated to Audubon, who was the first to depict life-size birds and animals in their natural surroundings. The park is located on US 41 in northern Henderson.

The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov