SUTTON, W.Va. – August 11, 2016 – West Virginia FILMmakers Festival is pleased to announce Mountain Craft Productions as a new festival sponsor. Mountain Craft Productions recently produced two West Virginia FILMmakers Festival commercial spots, which will air on Shentel channels in three states and at local independent theaters throughout West Virginia.
Mountain Craft Productions, based in Fairmont, is a new production company that produces both commercial content and scripted narrative films. A recent short film produced by Mountain Craft Productions and directed by David Smith called “State Inspection” will be shown out of competition in our program this year along with a music video for the Morgantown music artist Brett Goff. Mountain Craft Productions has already produced commercials across the state for clients such as Fairmont Regional Medical Center, Resolute Forest Products, Melnor Lawn and Garden Products, Fairmont State University, Pierpont Community and Technical College, HeartCry Missionary Society, and many others.
Ben Berry, the creative producer and editor at Mountain Craft Productions, graduated with a digital cinematography degree from Full Sail University in 2014. Last year, he was named Marion County’s Entrepreneur of the Year for his video and social media work with local businesses. Ben has worked in project management with large companies such as Puma, Samsonite, and Champion. He’s also recently launched a company called “Natives,” which is exploding onto the scene with a new brand of fly fishing apparel, lifestyle videos, and a focus on conservation.
Justin Litton, the cinematographer and colorist at Mountain Craft Productions, boasts a bachelor’s degree in communications from West Virginia State University and a master’s degree in film cinematography from the Northern Film School in Leeds, England. Justin has earned credits on shows for CMT, National Geographic Channel, CNN, and Pivot TV. He has shot projects in Germany, Thailand, England, and all over the U.S., and his work has screened in festivals all over the world including the 2014 Student Academy Award-winning short film “Border Patrol” for which he was the director of photography.
Both Berry and Litton have previously had their work screened at the West Virginia FILMmakers Festival. In 2014, Berry’s music documentary “The Ultimatums: A Band from Nowhere” was a selection in the documentary category. Litton has won twice in the West Virginia FILMmakers Festival student film category with “Border Patrol” (2014) and “Displacement” (2010) and has twice worked as the festival editor.
The 17th Annual West Virginia FILMmakers Festival will welcome filmmakers to Sutton September 30th through October 2nd. For more information visit: wvfilmmakersfestival.org/festival.
