Festival focus of Documentary

It’s like a big block of stone given to an artist to make a statue. It can go in any direction.

And that’s exactly how it is with shooting and editing documentaries, said Mike Wallace, production director for RFD-TV in Omaha.

“They sort of come to life as you shoot them,” he said.

Wallace will be in Norfolk on Saturday and Sunday at the Viaero Great American Comedy Festival, filming for a 60-minute special to be shown later this year.

RFD-TV is a 24-hour television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests of rural America with programming focused on agriculture, equine and rural lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment.

Country music has been the core of the network, Wallace said, but the comedy festival allows RFD-TV to expand its programming and do something different.

“Johnny Carson hits home here with a lot of viewers,” he said, adding that the network is always looking for programming that appeals to its broad audience. “Humor works well on our network.”

The comedy festival offers family-friendly entertainment, and Norfolk fits the bill as rural, which also matches the RFD-TV mission.

While he’s in Norfolk, Wallace will try to capture what the comedy festival is all about, the people who created it and their motivation.

“It’s a story of an ongoing annual event, how the town welcomes all the performers, the atmosphere and what it means to everybody,” Wallace said. “I want to tell a story.”

There will also be clips of stage performances and talking to comedians off-stage.

He’ll ask them such questions as “What drives them?” and “What brought them to Norfolk?” as well as “What’s their game plan when they go to comedy festivals?”

There will obviously be funny moments to help drive the story, Wallace said.  

Wallace said he usually gathers about five times the material he will actually use.

“I let it all happen in front of me and then put it all together,” he said.

The special will air in early fall.

In the Norfolk area, RFD-TV is available on DirectTV on Channel 345 and Dish Network on Channel 231. Those interested in having RFD-TV offered on CableOne can make a request at www.rfdtv.com/findrfdtv. There’s also an opportunity to view streaming content at the RFD-TV website, www.rfdtv.com.