Historical videos commissioned by museums and nonprofits

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Cosmos Mariner Productions is the 'go-to' team for museums and historical nonprofits who need orientation films, documentaries, videos for exhibits, and more. Our clients include:  Owens-Thomas House Museum and Slave Quarters, Isaiah Davenport House, Historic Savannah Foundation, Coastal Heritage Society, National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force, Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum, Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, and others.  Here are some examples of our work:

From Ironclad to Artifact: The Journey of the CSS Georgia

 In 2015, Cosmos Mariner Productions was hired to produce the official US Army Corps of Engineers documentary on the raising of the wreck of the CSS Georgia, a Civil War ironclad warship, from the Savannah River. The ship was built with money raised by Georgia's women, sunk by its crew to prevent capture, and accidentally discovered in 1968. This film chronicles the fifty-year effort to raise, conserve, and exhibit the historic ship's remains. The video was completed in 2017 and released in early 2018.

Urban Slavery at the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters​

In 2018, we produced a new short video for Telfair Museums’ Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters in Savannah highlighting the groundbreaking things the museum is doing to tell the little-known stories of the enslaved people who toiled behind the scenes in this sumptuous Southern mansion.
Our crew cataloged the meticulous preservation work carried out by experts inside the Owens-Thomas House's slave workspaces, interviewed scholars who have conducted original research into the identities of the enslaved individuals, and even painstakingly re-enacted the hours-long culinary tasks and backbreaking laundry work they performed here more than a century and a half ago.

Lafayette's Struggle to Give Freedom to All

For decades, tourists have learned about the Marquis de Lafayette's 1825 visit to Savannah and his lodging at the well-known Telfair Museums’ Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. But not everyone was aware of Lafayette's tireless work to end slavery around the world--until now.
The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters in Savannah hired our team to produce a new short film about Lafayette's passion for freedom for all. This video, released in November 2018, is now screening daily within a new exhibit inside the new orientation gallery.

Saving Savannah:  Historic Preservation

The Historic Savannah Foundation commissioned Cosmos Mariner Productions to create this video in 2012.  The video tells the story of historic preservation in Savannah, from its beginnings as a reaction to the destruction of historic buildings in the 1950s and 60s, to the recognition today of Savannah as a national leader in saving historic structures.

Isaiah Davenport:  Portrait of a Master Builder

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We earned a coveted 2014 Silver Telly Award for this half-hour film, which profiles the 19th-century Savannah craftsman who built the landmark Isaiah Davenport House.

Yellow Fever:  A Dreadful Pestilence

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Our team received a 2014 Bronze Telly Award for this video about the impact of Yellow Fever in 18th-century Savannah.  The mosquito-borne illness was devastating to the coastal city, causing hundreds of deaths in several massive outbreaks.  The Isaiah Davenport House museum uses the video as an orientation for visitors taking part in an annual drama about Yellow Fever.

Civil War Battlefield Archaeology

In a project funded by a grant form the National Park Service's American Battlefield Protection Program, archaeologist Dan Elliott and his team from the LAMAR Institute investigate a little-known Civil War battlefield on the outskirts of Savannah.

Cockspur Island Lighthouse

In 2013, the nonprofit Friends of the Cockspur Island Lighthouse commissioned Cosmos Mariner Productions to create this promotional video, highlighting their efforts to save the threatened light.  The tiny Cockspur Lighthouse, originally designed by renowned early 19th century architect John Norris, has marked the entrance to the south channel of the Savannah River since the 1830s.  Even though it was directly in the line of fire, the light survived a fierce artillery battle between Union forces and Confederate-held Fort Pulaski in 1862.

Tybee Island Post Theater

Built in the 1930s as part of the now-defunct Fort Screven army post, Tybee Island's Post Theater is now a cherished local landmark.  The Friends of the Tybee Theater are working diligently to restore this historic structure and transform it into a performing arts and cultural center for the entire community.  The Friends organization commissioned Cosmos Mariner Productions to produce this short video for their website, chronicling the history, restoration work, and future plans for the building.

Massie School: A Cradle of Public Education

​Dating to the days just prior to the Civil War, Massie Heritage Center has a rich history as the oldest public school in Savannah, GA. Today it serves as a museum of Savannah's history and an education center for thousands of school children each year.
This short film is used to introduce visitors to Massie and all it has to offer.
The film is the recipient of a 2016 Roger K. Warlick Local History Achievement Award from the Georgia Historical Society.