Production Notes
 

Horses of Gettysburg is the fourth film in the popular CIVIL WAR MINUTES® documentary series. Producer/director Mark Bussler says "We are very pleased with our previous film Gettysburg and Stories of Valor and it seems like viewers and critics are too. I think that the "no talking heads" style, high production value and cinematic panoramas of the battlefield worked well to tell the stories of the men who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. In Horses of Gettysburg we set out to make an even better film. We wanted to out-do ourselves with more high-definition cinematography, more action and even bigger sound. This is a documentary about the partnership between a horse and rider, between a mule and driver - the main focus always remaining on the animals and their roles in this epic battle."

Bussler says, "The idea for the film started with questions like how many horses were involved in the Battle of Gettysburg, who fed them, how were they trained, what happened to them during the battle?" Civil War historians and writers Michael Kraus and David Neville exploded with ideas of horse-related stories and the little known details about how the immense army of horses was kept productive in the field. "Making this film was an incredible and unique experience for me. Not only did I get the opportunity to work with these wonderful animals, but I also learned about the 72,000 horses and mules that were involved at the Battle of Gettysburg. We uncovered amazing details about the animals who served in the war, and through the film we visually tell their stories. The courage portrayed by the horses, mules and soldiers while in the chaos of battle is inspiring."

For Horses of Gettysburg, the Bussler, Kraus and Neville team changed their style of storytelling to fit the subject. "This is the first time we looked at the battle in chronological order, starting with cavalry on the first day's fight and ending with Pickett's Charge and the equestrian monuments at the Gettysburg National Military Park. The viewers learn about the three-day battle as well as the cavalry and artillery horses' roles in it. In keeping with the CIVIL WAR MINUTES® style, the film is broken down into individual segments, with each episode containing a different story."

Bussler imagines that his experience working with live animals closely resembles the stories in the film about the soldiers and their horses working as a team. "This is an independent film with a tight budget and needed a lot of horses! We spent two full days filming the animals and recreating some of the battle scenes from the script. At first I thought directing the animals might be a challenge and that we wouldn't get all the footage we needed for editing, but I soon learned that well-trained horses take directions very easily from their riders. No matter what was asked of the horses, whether it be multiple charges, passes by the camera or turns and stops, they performed flawlessly! Sure enough, the union between the horse and rider that we cover in the film is apparent." The mule on the other hand, typical to its nature, was stubborn at first, but eventually warmed up to writer Michael Kraus. "Once the mule trusted Kraus, like the mules in the film trusted their drivers during the Civil War, he was a character on camera. I actually believe he enjoyed being filmed."

Production for this documentary was organized and meticulously planned out. Shooting took place over four seasons so the battlefield and monuments could be captured in different angles of the sun. "When filming the Gettysburg battlefield, lighting is the key element. In order to capture the absolute best footage of the battlefield today, multiple shoot dates are required with close attention paid to the weather." says Bussler.

Since the documentary was filmed in high-definition, the clarity of each of the monuments and statues is far greater than what is visible to the naked eye. Bussler was able to zoom in and capture the detailed sculptures with telephoto lenses and macro close ups, thus bringing the statues that are normally 30-feet high to eye level with the audience revealing details the casual tourist would never see.

"We set out to make a documentary honoring the brave horses and mules that fought at the Battle of Gettysburg and served throughout the Civil War, and I believe we accomplished that goal. We hope the viewers enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it."