Kevin R Hershberger - Director, Screenwriter, Producer

Filmmaker Kevin R. Hershberger grew up in Maryland, but moved to Virginia while attending the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. He majored in International Studies and History, graduating with the class of 1995. He then served as a Military Intelligence Officer in the United States Army. Kevin is founder and President of LionHeart FilmWorks, LLC. With partner D.J. Perry the company produced the award-winning dramatic, Korean War-set short film "The Nest" (1999) – which aired on PBS and which has recently been released on DVD. Kevin next wrote and directed LionHeart's multi-award-winning feature film, "Wicked Spring" (2001) -- An epic character study of lost soldiers during the American Civil War. "Wicked Spring" has won awards for ‘Best Cinematography’ and Kevin’s awards include ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Action Feature’ at the 2002 New York International Independent Film Festival. Peace Arch Home Entertainment released the film worldwide on home video/DVD in December 2003. The release has been a phenomenal success.

LionHeart FilmWorks, LLC is a member of the Virginia Association of Museums, and Kevin and his company have built an impressive resume and reputation as creators and producers of authentic and honest historical feature films and documentaries. Recent successful project include "Up From Slavery" a 7-part documentary series about the history of slavery in America from 1620 to 1870… "Medal of Honor: Extraordinary Valor" a 6-part series telling stories of the men who have been awarded America's highest honor from the Civil War to Afghanistan… and "Let It Begin Here" a high-end, layered Museum orientation film for the new Boston Tea Party Museum opening in summer 2012. Beyond historical projects, Kevin has directed national commercials, including for Time/Warner Books and best-selling author David Baldacci. Released in 2010, Kevin worked as 2nd Unit Director and Historical Producer for Eleventh Day Entertainment's impressive documentary "For Love of Liberty," the story of African-American soldiers from the Revolution to Iraq. This 3-hour program aired nationally on PBS, and is hosted by Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, and features the voice talents of Mel Gibson, Ossie Davis, Susan Sarandon, Jonathan Pryce and John Goodman.

Kevin wrote his first screenplay while at VMI and most of his more than 15 scripts, thus far, deal with his passion for American history. Kevin also has plans for several follow-up feature films to shoot in the next few years.

In the past, Kevin's worked on the big-budget feature films "Glory," "Gettysburg," Hallmark‘s "The Love Letter," "The Patriot" and on CBS TV's hit reality show "The Amazing Race" and the HBO and Tom Hanks produced mini-series “John Adams.” He was featured in Showtime's "Assault at West Point" starring Samuel L. Jackson and Sam Waterston. Back in September 1999 Kevin produced and directed a 60-minute Civil War musical concert film for the 2nd South Carolina String band and then in December 2002, Kevin worked on the music video to legend Bob Dylan’s "Cross the Green Mountain." As well, Kevin was featured in a segment of Indie-film guru John Pierson's cable television series "Split Screen" airing on the Independent Film Channel and Bravo. Of late, Kevin is a founder of the new Virginia Production Alliance, judge for the Virginia Governor’s Screenwriting Competition, and Jury panelist for the VCU International Student Film Festival. Kevin also sits on the advisory panel of the Virginia Governor's Motion Picture Committee and the Virginia Motion Picture Incentive Task Force. Kevin has worked with scores of award-winning production companies throughout North America and Europe as well as the broadcast networks Smithsonian, National Geographic Channel, History Channel, Military Channel, Discovery, PBS as well as the National Park Service, the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the new National Museum of the United States Army. As a Director/Writer/Producer, Kevin fine-tuned his craft as a twelve-year member and officer of the prestigious Virginia Screenwriters Forum. "Wicked Spring," and all of LionHeart's upcoming feature projects represents Kevin's continued desire to show humanity and strong characters in exciting, historical-fact based projects. Since 1999, Kevin's film projects have been awarded more than 60 national and international film festival and industry awards. He currently lives and works in Richmond, Virginia.

EDUCATION B.A., Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia
Major: International Studies
Minors: History & Fine Arts
PERSONAL Prior-military, 8 years as Military Intelligence Officer, U.S. Army

LIST OF PROJECTS THAT KEVIN'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH:

Director / Producer / Editor "The Civil War: Inside Out - 150th Anniversary Series" (2012) LionHeart FilmWorks / Mill Creek Entertainment

Director / Producer / Editor "Taps 150th Anniversary: Civil War Military Music" (2012) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Fired By Liberty: Black Soldiers of the Civil War" (2012) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Road to Ruin: The Battle of First Bull Run (Manassas)" (2012) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor "Medal of Honor: Extraordinary Valor" (2012) LionHeart FilmWorks / Mill Creek Entertainment

Director / Producer "Triggers: Weapons That Changed the World" (2011) Morningstar Entertainment / The Military Channel

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. “The Civil War 150th Anniversary Promo Film” (2012) The Virginia Film Office

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Gettysburg: Armored Warfare" (2011) Radioactive-Software

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Up From Slavery" (2011) LionHeart FilmWorks / Mill Creek Entertainment

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "V.M.I. Civil War documentary" (2012) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor "Harriet Tubman: Freedom Warrior" (2011) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer "The Wilderness Before Us" (2011) Omniscience Productions

Director / Producer "Boston Tea Party Project" (2011) Historic Tours of America, Inc

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Mr. Lincoln's Army: Fighting Brigades of the Army of the Potomac" (2011) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Henricus: A Citie of Beginnings" (2011) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / D.P. "Australian Gold Commercial" (2010) Cinsay, Inc.

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Possession" (2010) LionHeart FilmWorks

Historical Producer / Casting / Costumer "Jefferson" (2010) Left/Right Films, Inc. / History Channel

Historical Producer "Lights of Liberty" (2010) Niles Creative - Philadelphia, PA

2nd Unit Director / D.P. / Historical Producer "History Detectives" (2010) Lion Television / PBS

Historical Producer / Costumer "Extraordinary Fidelity" (2010) PictureWorks / C.I.A. - Langley, VA

Producer "Squashing Ticks" (2009) Megan Holly

Historical Producer "The Adventists" (2010) Journey Films

Historical Producer / Costumer "Pioneers turned Millionaires" (2010) Gebruder Beetz - Hamburg, Germany"

Historical Producer "Great Falls National Park Film" (2009) Aperture Films / NPS

Historical Producer / Costumer "Samar Island: 1901" (2009) Batwin & Robin/National Museum of the Marine Corps

Historical Producer "Dolly Madison" (2009) Middlemarch Films / American Experience PBS

Historical Producer "Lincoln: American Mastermind" (2009) National Geographic Channel

Historical Producer "Secrets of the Founding Fathers" (2009) Digital Ranch Productions/History Channel

Historical Producer: "Ninety-Six National Battlefield Park" Interpretive Film (2009) High Noon Productions / Great Divide Pictures

Historical Producer "Belleau Woods, June 6 1918" (2009) Batwin & Robin/National Museum of the Marine Corps

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "The Battle of Atlanta 145th Anniversary DVD" (2008) LionHeart FilmWorks

Co-Director / Producer: "Vicksburg National Battlefield Park" Interpretive Film (2009) Northern Light Productions

Historical Producer & Military Coordinator "Lincoln's Last Night" (2008) VidiCom, Hamburg, Germany

Director / Producer / Editor / Cinematographer "Hush" (2008) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "The Battle of Chickamauga: 145th Anniversary DVD" (2009) LionHeart FilmWorks

Historical & Military Coordinator "We The People" (2008) Imax Documentary, Inland Sea Productions / Smithsonian

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Monmouth 1778: Battle for the North DVD" (2008) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer: "Primal Quest Sprint Series" (2008) Race Day Films, LLC

Historical Advisor / Historical Wardrobe, "Poe" & "Drift" (2008), La Femis/VCU Cinema

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Gettysburg: Darkest Days & Finest Hours" (2008) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer: "The Nation's Triathlon" (2008) Race Day Films, LLC

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "White Oak Museum Documentary (working title)" (2008) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer: "The Annapolis Triathlon" (2007) Race Day Films, LLC

Historical Military Coordinator "Lafayette: The Lost Hero" (2007) Documentary, The Documentary Group/Storyville

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "The Battle of Cooch's Bridge 230th Anniversary DVD" (2007) LionHeart FilmWorks

Production Supervisor, Commercial "The Worlds of Busch Gardens" Busch Entertainment (2007) Mirror Films

Historical Advisor / Costume Designer, "Lustig" (2007), Red Cactus Films

Director / Producer / Editor "Fury" (2007) LionHeart FilmWorks

Production Supervisor, Commercial "The Griffon: Legend" Busch Gardens Europe (2007) Mirror Films

Director / Co-Creator / Co-Writer "Eyewitness History" (2007) SERIES PILOT - The History Channel

Historical Military Coordinator "John Adams" (2007) Mini-Series - HBO / Playtone

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "The Life and Death of the Army of Northern Virginia DVD" (2008) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Yorktown: Battle for Victory 225th Anniversary DVD" (2007) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor "The Scarlet Letters" (2006) Short Film (segment of the feature film titled "Seven Deadly Sins")

Re-enactor Coordinator / Field Producer "Rebel" (2006) PBS Documentary

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "The Battle of Green Spring 225th Anniversary DVD" (2006) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director / Producer / Editor / D.P. "Von Steuben's Continentals: The First American Army DVD" (2006) LionHeart FilmWorks

Director (2nd Unit)/Camera Operator/Segment Producer, "From All Sides: The Battle of Fredericksburg" (2006) The History Channel/Digital Ranch

Director (2nd Unit - all live-action sequences), "For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots" (November 2007) Eleventh Day Entertainment

Director / Cinematographer, more than 150 commercials, C.G.I. Communications, Rochester, New York (2004-2008)

Director / Writer, "No Retreat From Destiny: The Battle That Rescued Washington" (2004)
Co-Director / Cinematographer "The Image" 2004

Director / Writer "Mystic Motel" 2003

Director / Writer / Executive Producer, "Wicked Spring" 2003 (currently in distribution with Allumination FilmWorks Home Entertainment)

Director, 2003 -- Commercial "Split Second by David Baldacci." Time/Warner Books

Historical Producer & Coordinator "Cross the Green Mountain" 2002, Music Video -- Bob Dylan

Director / Writer, "Wesley Culp" & "The Last Goodbye" 2000 -2001

Director / Writer, "Far, Far From Home: Music and Camp Scenes from the War Between the States" -- 2nd South Carolina String Band Music Video, 1999

Supervising Producer, "The Flock" 1999

Director / Writer, "The Nest" 1999

Director / Writer, "Angel of Marye's Heights" 1998 (unreleased)

"The Battle of Bunker Hill" 2006 -- 1775 Virginia Militiaman

"The American Experience: Alexander Hamilton" 2007, PBS/Middlemarch Films -- 1780s New York Gentleman

"We Fight to Be Free" 2006, Greystone Communications/Mount Vernon Ladies Association -- Continental Militia Soldier, 1776 & Virginia Irregular, 1755.

"The Battle of Cowpens" 2006, Great Divide/Cowpens NPS -- Continental Soldier, 1781 period

"The Revolution" 2006, Partisan Pictures/The History Channel -- Continental Soldier, 1777

Key Wardrobe Supervisor, "The Revolution" 2006, Partisan Pictures/The History Channel

"Freemason Mysteries" 2006, The History Channel -- Anti-Freemason, 1840s

"Antietam: The Bloodiest Day" 2006, The History Channel, '10 Days That Unexpectadly Changed America' -- Union Soldier in The Cornfield

"The Amazing Race: Season 8" 2005, CBS Television, Worldrace Productions -- Union Soldier

"Fields of Freedom" 2005, Greystone Productions -- 1863, Confederate & Union Soldiers

"100 Greatest Discoveries" 2005, Discovery Channel/Think Films -- 1846, Doctor Jones

"War So Terrible" 2005, Historical Films Group/Media Magic, Pamplin Historical Park -- Confederate Soldier 1861

"Battlefield Detectives" 2004, Grenada Television/Discovery Channel -- Union & Confederate Soldiers

"Spotsylvania" 2004, Wide Awake Films -- Union Soldier, Battle of the Wilderness

"Viva la Bam" 2004, MTV Series Episode -- Confederate Soldier

"Stoney Point..." 2003, Commercial -- 19th Cent. Gentleman

"Super 8 Motels, Inc." 2002, TV Commercial

"Wicked Spring: The Making of an Independent Epic" 2001, 60-minute documentary film

"The Patriot" 1999 -- Member of Mel Gibson's Militia

"Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided" 1999 -- PBS-WGBH, David Grubin Productions -- Union Soldier

"Legacy" 1999, UPN TV -- Horse Racing Episode

"Split Screen" 1999, Bravo/IFC -- Segment Subject

"Antietam: A Documentary Drama" 1998, Media Magic -- Confederate Soldier(s)

"The Love Letter" 1997 Hallmark -- Union Soldier

"Civil War Journal: Nathan Bedford Forrest" 1994 Greystone/A&E/The History Channel -- Confederate Courier

"Ghosts of Gettysburg" 1994 Greystone/A&E/The History Channel -- Confederate Hospital Ghost

"Red Badge" 1994, Musical Stage Adaptation of Stephen Craine story -- Historical Advisor, Costume
Designer, Props.

"Assault at West Point" 1993 -- 1880s West Point Cadet (SAG role), V.M.I. Cadet Coordinator/Wrangler

"Gettysburg" 1992 -- Confederate Soldier

"Glory" 1989 -- Confederate Soldier