SLATER SMITH

After the “Back O’er Oregon” video project wrapped up, I wanted to do more. I assembled a creative team of video and audio engineers to film regional bands performing in our state parks. With a small budget provided by the parks system, we filmed bands playing in a lighthouse, outside a WWII bunker, and under the largest cottonwood in North America. The five videos premiered on OPB last spring. The project objective was to promote our parks system and the local artists by bringing the two together, under the common flag of Oregon and Northwest identity.

After finishing our first summer of shoots, I approached the Oregon State Parks and OPB about a second season. In partnership with Oregon Film and Travel Oregon, season two of OPB's Road Sessions premiered on NPR Music and aired on OPB Music every Thursday through June 2016.