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Saturday, September 02, 2006

'Hokie Nation' filming begins

If you're heading to today's season opener at Lane Stadium, you might want to look your best -- or your craziest.

Horse Archer Productions, a new local video production company, will be starting work on a feature-length documentary expected to be released this spring.

"We're filming every home game," explained Chris Valluzzo, who co-owns the company with partner Sean Kotz.

By day, Valluzzo works as the video producer for Montgomery County. Kotz is a Virginia Tech professor.

The two men plan to submit their documentary to film festivals and market it on DVD.

Valluzzo said the film is tentatively titled "Hokie Nation: A Story of a Team, a Town and the Best Darned Fans in College Football."

Students, tailgaters and organizations such as The Marching Virginians and Tech's Corps of Cadets will be the focus of filming, along with fans from all walks of life. Valluzzo said he is looking for "real people" who represent the energy and spirit that surrounds Hokie football.

Valluzzo said to his knowledge the film will be the first about college football fans.

"We have University Relations, Tech Licensing and the Virginia Tech Athletic Department on board, as well as the Blacksburg Sports Club, the Corps of Cadets, the Marching Virginians, Virginia Tech Alumni Association, plus dozens of individual fans and tailgate groups."

Valluzzo and Kotz already have a Web site, www.hokiemovie.com, providing news and updates on the film. He said the site received 13,000 hits in its first few weeks.

Traffic to the site, he said, came "basically by word of mouth."

The project, he added, is off to a flying start.

"The e-mails and excitement flood in every day as new interview subjects come forward."

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