Copyright virginislandsdailynews
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. is working to craft a narrative around his legacy by creating a government-funded “documentary” film about himself. “The Office of the Governor seeks to produce a high-quality documentary film chronicling the final year of Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s tenure in office, while also capturing the story of his life, leadership journey, and service to the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands,” according to a request for proposals published on the website of the V.I. Department of Property and Procurement. “The film will provide a behind-the-scenes look at defining moments of the Governor’s last year in office, highlight major achievements during his two terms, and present an intimate portrait of his upbringing and early career,” according to the 13-page document. The bid solicitation is seeking a contractor to film interviews with Bryan and his family, to “serve both as a historical record and as a compelling narrative that connects the Governor’s personal story with the challenges and triumphs of the Virgin Islands over the past decade.” Government House Communications Director Richard Motta Jr. ignored questions from The Daily News on taxpayers funding Bryan’s unprecedented move. The amount of public money being made available for the film has not been disclosed, but according to the request for proposals, “Budget will cover pre-production, filming, travel between islands, post-production, licensing for archival materials, original music composition, and final distribution. Detailed budget to be developed in consultation with the selected production company.” The bid solicitation also has an incredibly tight turnaround time of only two weeks. While the document is dated Oct. 15, the request for proposals did not become available until Oct. 17, according to the Property and Procurement website, and bids are due by 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Property and Procurement Commissioner Lisa Alejandro will appoint a selection committee to evaluate and recommend a contractor, and Alejandro and the committee “shall attempt to negotiate a contract with such firm or person,” according to the request for proposals. If those discussions are unsuccessful, negotiations will continue with the next most-qualified bidders “and shall continue until an agreement is reached.” Proposals “will be evaluated and rated according to the following criteria in descending order,” project approach, qualifications, experience, references — and cost is ranked as the least-important factor for the selection committee to consider, according to the document. The request for proposals details an extensive scope of work, and includes “key interviews” with Bryan in “multiple sittings for different narrative phases,” as well as interviews with his children and siblings, close childhood friends, “political and community leaders who worked with him during Generation Now, the Labor Department tenure, and gubernatorial terms,” cabinet members, advisors, campaign team members, and “journalists and historians for contextual commentary.” The timeline is four to six weeks for pre-production, six to nine months for filming, eight to 10 weeks for post-production including “editing, graphics, music scoring, color correction, sound mixing,” and the “feature-length documentary film” must be complete within a year. Deliverables also include a promotional trailer, highlight reels “for use on Government House digital platforms,” and an “Archival Cut for the Government House archives, preserving raw interviews and footage for historical references.” When complete, the film “will be premiered locally in the Virgin Islands, broadcast on public television and Government Access Channel, and made available for public viewing. Portions will also be adapted for promotional and educational purposes,” according to the request. The document also includes specific descriptions of what the “documentary” film must include. Listed in the request are objectives such as, “Showcase Leadership in Action: Document key events, decisions, and moments from the Governor’s final year, providing an authentic, behind-the-scenes perspective,” and “Recap Major Achievements: Highlight significant milestones from his two terms, including economic development, education reform, infrastructure projects, healthcare improvements, environmental initiatives, and the government’s response to COVID-19.” The film must also “Share the Governor’s personal journey from childhood in Savan, St. Thomas, to his move to St. Croix, and his formative years,” “Document his early leadership development, the formation and growth of Generation Now, his role as Commissioner of Labor under the deJongh administration, and his successful election as Governor in 2018,” and “Inspire and Inform: Create a lasting film that resonates with Virgin Islanders and future leaders, showing the connection between character, resilience, and public service.” It’s unclear if the film will include any of the controversies that have also marked Bryan’s tenure, including his oldest daughter’s attempt to secure a lucrative government contract during the pandemic, his unprecedented divorce while in office from then first lady, Yolanda Bryan, his current relationship with Deputy Tourism Commissioner RoseAnne Farrington, the backlash from the public over granting himself a raise, with retroactive pay, and attempting to keep it until a majority of senators from his own party voted on legislation that ultimately put an end to it, or the investigation and prosecution of three of his former cabinet members, who were indicted on federal bribery and fraud charges in January. Former V.I. Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White was found guilty by a jury in July, and two others — former V.I. Police Commissioner Ray Martinez and former Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal — have pleaded not guilty and are set to go to trial as co-defendants in December. The request for proposals even details “Storyline Elements,” of the film which “will be divided into three main narrative arcs,” including “The Final Year,” a “Two-Term Retrospective,” and Bryan’s “Origins and Rise to Leadership.” Each “arc” includes a breakdown of what, specifically, Bryan wants to include, such as “Behind-the-scenes access to meetings, press briefings, community engagements, and private moments with staff and family,” and a “chronological recap of major accomplishments from 2019-2025.” The request also describes how the film should be shot, including a filming style that’s a “mix of cinema verite for present-day events and polished sit-down interviews for historical reflection,” with “on-location shoots across St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John to capture iconic locations, community life, and key project sites.”
