A new documentary about Virginia’s oldest operating micro brewery, Legend Brewing Company in Richmond, is in the works from veteran independent film company, Horse Archer Productions. They are raising funds and asking for community involvement in a project that will show how one small business has beaten the odds for two decades to become a successful brewery and pub with their unique products.
With the working title, “The Stuff of Legends: Inside the World of Craft Brewing,” the Horse Archer hopes to attract the attention of both the die-hard Legend fan as well as the general craft beer enthusiast.
“We have a number of goals with this film,” said director/producer Sean Kotz, who noted the film will be Horse Archer’s ninth documentary since they released “Hokie Nation” back in 2007.
“On one hand, it is a story of craft beer and how it is made without any pretense of glamour and glitz,” said Kotz, who thinks beer fans will enjoy seeing the process first hand and be amazed at the innovation and hands-on labor involved.
“On the other, the Legend story is representative of most craft brewers nationally who have to compete with giant corporations and navigate a sea of regulations that vary from state to state, so we see this as a film about American small business as well.”
David Gott, Vice President of Operations at Legend Brewing, is excited about the film and said it will give people a much better understanding of the industry as a whole.
Gott, who gives tours of their facility off the James River where Legend maintains both a full brewery and a pub, said many people have an interest in the technical end of the brewing process but don’t know much about it.
However, they are even less aware of how much has to be done to get the product to the consumer.
“Most people never consider the bureaucracy of producing a product so heavily controlled by federal, state and local authorities,” said Gott.
“One of the things this documentary will do is give a good behind the scenes view of what goes into getting beer from a small craft brewery onto the shelf and in front of the customer.”
The project coincides with Legend’s preparation for their 20th anniversary in February of 2014. During the last two decades, Legend has survived the economic tides and changing laws, not to mention ice storms, run away kegs, and a showdown between local TV weathermen on the deck of the pub years ago.
By the same token, has been the hub of many lives, an inspiration for both new businesses and new romances and a watering hole for long time regulars who congregate routinely to talk and enjoy the beer.
In fact, there are no televisions in the bar or restaurant. Founder Tom Martin wants his customers to be able to enjoy a good conversation and a good beer without the constant visual intrusion of TV screens.
To make the project happen, the film makers are using the crowd sourcing cite, Indiegogo.com. Contributors can pre-order copies of the film and get perks like t-shirts or tap handles by going to www.indiegogo.com/legendbeer.
Horse Archer is also interested in involving the community, especially beer fans. They ask that people with good stories or specific contributions go to horsearcherproductions.com and contact them via email.
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