SPOTLIGHT FRONT’N ABOUT
Electrifying show – and a unique side hustle for contractor >
training films for other companies on a contract basis. After three attempts to produce a written history of the 75-yearold electrical contracting firm (which often works with public utilities after storm The "On The Line" documentary about damage), and after assembling photos, Roanoke's Davis H Elliot electric utility videotaped interviews with long time contracting company premiered at the employees (some no longer here) the Grandin Theatre on May 26. The theatre was concept of a documentary that could also packed with company employees old and be used for new employee training came new, business associates, other community up. After hiring someone to produce safety leaders, family and friends connected to videos, Studio 46 had morphed into a the business. In addition to the interesting standalone entity of its own before On the story of the legacy, the hard work, how the Line came about . “It grew into a pretty company transitioned and worked through sophisticated TV-style studio with different various markets, public-private utility sets that we could use for different people commission agreements, union struggles, that were addressing our crews.” The strategizing and financing the growth, and “interesting, smart people,” hired to tying it all together to celebrate the “family,” produce those inhouse videos says Elliott, Bill Elliot presented a $25,000 check for still the company chair, are now contracting the Grandin’s fundraising campaign. with other companies to produce content under the Studio 46 banner. A complete Meanwhile that inhouse documentary, facility with all the latest equipment, Bill produced at what Elliott calls a state-ofElliott (pictured at right in the photo where the-art facility at the company headquarters a crowd is shown milling about in the lobby) in Lexington, Kentucky (he’s still in Roanoke, says cable TV channels have even used it where the firm originated) has also spawned for remote interviews with guests from a spin-off business, Studio 46, producing the Lexington area. vbFRONT.com / JULY 2022 u
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