This year’s West Virginia FILMmaker of the Year is a Pittsburgh native who hails from West Virginia these days. Here at West Virginia Public Broadcasting we know Larry Dowling as the Production Manager but he’s also a videographer, lighting designer, grip, gaffer, director, and just about anything else you could think of in filmmaking. This year, he can add West Virginia Filmmaker of the Year to that list.
Along with his work with public broadcasting, Larry has also worked on films like Ashes to Glory, Frank Kearns: American Correspondent, Coal Country and has worked with almost every network out there including the Travel Channel, and ESPN.
Dowling says the best documentary that he’s ever worked on is, The Mine Wars by American Experience.
He recently worked on a film called Backfork, and just finished shooting a horror film called The Conduit. Dowling says one of the highlights of this past year was working on a movie called What the Night Can Do. It’s is a personal journey about the trials of love, loss and reconnection in this coming of age story that centers around 12-year old girl who visits her ailing grandfather, “Hugh,” in the hills of West Virginia. It’s expected to to be released sometime this year.
You can hear this interview and more about filmmaking in Appalachia on an upcoming episode of Inside Appalachia. Just click the red button below to subscribe to podcast.