The East Broad Top commissioned three Juniata College students, Tatum Poirier, Ashley Purvis, and I, in making a documentary film about the restoration and revitalization of one of the oldest still-standing industrial complexes in America. The East Broad Top Railroad in Mount Union, Pennsylvania is a beautiful complex with many textures. Stepping foot onsite instantly transports you back in time.
With compelling interviews from railroad workers young and old, we found our story through community.
To accompany the cinematography, I designed and animated the title cards and end credits to reflect the texture seen throughout the site, inspired by their old maps, documents, and signage. My goal was to reflect the feeling of the complex so if you have never been, you would be able to not only understand what it looks like, but get a sense of what it feels like.
Selected Animation
"this isn't like George Washington's hatchet, with 14 new heads and 14 new handles, this is the real deal." - Linn Moedinger
Selected Stills
"It gets in your blood." - Brad Esposito
Finding our story
Special thanks to Lawrence Biemiller and Ryan Kough