Experiencing Interruptions?

Because No One Else Would

This is the story of the Durham Renaissance, from booming tobacco town to abandoned 19th century relic and back again as the Silicon Valley of the South. It’s the story of vision and risk, partnerships and perseverance to rebuild a community.

  • Tim Finkbiner
    Director
  • Dan Oliver
    Director
  • Hal Goodtree
    Writer
  • Hal Goodtree
    Producer
  • Mayor Bill Bell
    Key Cast
  • Jim Goodmon
    Key Cast
  • Michael Goodmon
    Key Cast
  • Connie Walker
    Key Cast
  • Brad Brinegar
    Key Cast
  • Jim Wise
    Key Cast
  • John Guss
    Key Cast
  • Adam Klein
    Key Cast
  • Wendy Hillis, AIA
    Key Cast
  • Walker Stone
    Key Cast
  • John Morris
    Key Cast
  • Bil Kalkhof
    Key Cast
  • Mike Hill
    Key Cast
  • Scott Selig
    Key Cast
  • Jason Fischer - Cinematography
    Crew
  • Joe Anthony - Cinematography
    Crew
  • Wayne & Richard Mann - Aerial Cinematography
    Crew
  • Ben Parks - Sound
    Crew
  • Dan Oliver - Editor
    Crew
  • Tim Finkbiner - Titles
    Crew
  • Hal Goodtree - Writer
    Crew
  • Trudi Abel, PhD - Duke University, historical advisor
    Special Thanks
  • Robert Durden, PhD - Duke University, historical advisor
    Special Thanks
  • Office of the Mayor - Durham, NC
    Special Thanks
  • Durham Police Department
    Special Thanks
  • Preservation Durham
    Special Thanks
  • Digital Durham Project
    Special Thanks
  • Durham County Library
    Special Thanks
  • WUNC-FM
    Special Thanks
  • McKinney
    Special Thanks
  • American Tobacco Campus
    Special Thanks
  • Capitol Broadcasting Co., Inc.
    Special Thanks
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 1 second
  • Completion Date:
    September 2, 2014
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • WRAL
    Raleigh, NC
    December 4, 2014
    Broadcast Premiere
    #1 rating in prime time
  • Longleaf Film Festival - Best Short Documentary
    Raleigh, NC
    May 2, 2015
    Best Short Documentary
  • Tupelo Film Festival - Selected
    Tupelo, MS
    April 18, 2015
    Selected
  • Fargo Film Festival - Selected
    Fargo, ND
    March 4, 2015
    Selected
Distribution Information
  • Capitol Broadcasting Company
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Tim Finkbiner, Dan Oliver

Tim Finkbiner is director and editor at Horizon Productions. His work has aired on PBS, Discovery Channel, TLC, ABC, NBC, and many other channels.

Dan Oliver is an Emmy award winning producer, editor, writer and director at Horizon. He previously worked at WRAL.

Hal Goodtree is a writer-producer who has worked with the NFL, The New York Times, actor James Earl Jones and director Albert Maysles. His work has been awarded a commercial Emmy and a Cannes Advertising Lion.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This project started as a short video celebrating the 10th anniversary of American Tobacco Campus in Durham, North Carolina.

But as we began shooting, interest and excitement began to build around the production. We expanded from one and half interview days to four. We hired an aerial drone team to fly over Durham. People began asking us about DVD sales and exhibitions.

The rebirth of Durham in just ten years from an desolate tobacco town to one of the most exciting cities in the South is an amazing story. We are very grateful for the opportunity to tell it.