Modern Heirlooms: Park Hill Journalist Documenting Family Histories through Video

Veteran journalist Barry Bortnick with his camera at home in Park Hill. Bortnick considers his work creating family documentaries a way of taking the family scrapbook to a much more sharable level. “You insure your life, your home and your car,” Bortnick said. “Why not do the same for your life story?
By, Rebecca Voll
Contributor
“I’ve spent my whole life trying to tell stories,” says Barry Bortnick, a skill he’s mastered over 30 years as a journalist, national news field producer, media specialist and more recently as a documentary filmmaker. It was through the latter endeavor that Bortnick learned to appreciate the story telling power of film, an appreciation that led to his latest venture as owner and operator of True Blue Media in Park Hill, a producer of documentary films for private clients.
In his career as a filmmaker, Bortnick has produced documentaries on a wide range of subjects, from corruption in the courts to Denver doctors who travel to Guatemala and operate on disabled locals as “Operation Walk” volunteers.
One particular documentary that was groundbreaking for Bortnick was “Tundra Teachers,” a film about schoolteachers in a remote part of Alaska, which he produced with the help of a single cameraman.
“When I say Alaska, you probably have something completely different in mind,” said Bortnick. “These are impoverished communities with no running water.”
The film was a recruiting tool, but one that gave potential teachers a clear, honest view of the challenges of life in an isolated, rural location.
Soon after, Bortnick connected with the parents of Samantha Spady, a promising CSU student who died tragically of alcohol poisoning, and proposed making an educational documentary about her life and death. The film raised over $60,000 for the Spady family’s foundation and brought national attention to the issue of college binge drinking.
“I know that in a small way it has actually helped to educate young people,” Bortnick said.
Realizing the impact of these films, Bortnick has sought to bring the power of film to individuals and small businesses in the community.
“What I struck upon was to use all my background as storytelling, interviewing, research, video, all of that, and put a new niche concept together.”
To that end, True Blue Media produces marketing films for neighborhood businesses like Oblio’s and Cake Crumbs, as well as “Video Heirlooms,” personal tribute pieces about an individual’s life, which are popular gifts for birthdays and other milestones, and are frequently commissioned by the subject’s family.
“There’s not much that we can own in this life; everything comes and goes, but your story is your story. You’re the only one who has it,” Bortnick said.
Video Heirlooms, which were partially inspired by his wish to know more about his own grandparents, Russian immigrants who came through Ellis Island. Bortnick has heard the family history, but says, “I would love to hear that guy’s voice, see his face, but I’ll never have that opportunity.”
“There’s scrapbooks, there’s pictures, but this is the next progression. People are staring to get that. We’re in the ‘YouTube zone’ now.”
For more information, visit truebluemedia.co or call 303-995-7269.