Documentary produced by Elon alumnus earns Colorado Broadcasters award

Eric Hernandez ’16 served as an associate producer on “Colorado Experience: Galloping Goose,” an award-winning episode of a TV series produced by Rocky Mountain PBS.

Eric Hernandez ’16, who earned a B.F.A. in cinema and television arts at Elon, poses with the Colorado Broadcasters Association Award of Excellence his documentary won March 10. Photos courtesy of “Colorado Experience”
​Elon University alumnus Eric Hernandez ’16 and the creative team behind “Colorado Experience,” a half-hour documentary series produced by Rocky Mountain PBS, were honored March 10 at the Colorado Broadcasters Association’s annual awards celebration.

Executive Producer Julie Speer, Editor Brian Malone and Hernandez, an associate producer, were presented a Colorado Broadcasters Association Award of Excellence for Best Mini-Documentary or Series, Public Television. They were recognized for their Dec. 7, 2017, episode titled “Galloping Goose.” The 26-minute documentary highlights the operational railcars — affectionately known as “geese” – that ran through the rugged San Juan mountains from 1931 to 1952, carrying cargo, mail and passengers.

Hernandez was heavily involved in the production of the episode, which requiring filming throughout Colorado, including Durango, Denver, Telluride and Ridgeway. Additionally, he filmed several dramatic aerial shots with a drone.

“Colorado Experience” is a weekly TV series produced by Rocky Mountain PBS dedicated to preserving and celebrating the people, events and places that shaped Colorado. Hernandez has served as an associate producer and finishing editor for the series since spring 2017.

An up-close look at the Colorado Broadcasters Association award recognizing the half-hour documentary “Colorado Experience: Galloping Goose.”
​Last summer, Hernandez and fellow Elon alum Mia Watkins ’16 collaborated on a music video for Denver-based R&B artist Mawule that drew strong reviews online.

​As an Elon student, Hernandez was one of three finalists in the 2016 Coca-Cola and Regal Films student film competition, receiving $15,000 to produce a 30-second film that captured the emotions of the movie-going experience.