WEST BEND - Economic Development/ Washington County’s $30,000 tourism film is ready for its close-up.

The 20-minute program, titled "Washington County – More Than a Destination," was produced through the Discover Wisconsin television series. It will first air throughout the Midwest April 4-5, after a "red-carpet" premiere in West Bend the previous week.

The TV show will ultimately air a total of three times over two years, said Discover Mediaworks Director of Operations Corey Hehenberger. It is part of a larger marketing push that includes radio spots, Web exposure, news segments and trade show representation throughout the region.

Locally, the episode will be broadcast on Saturday, April 4 at 10 a.m. on Fox Sports Net; at 5 p.m. on WGBA TV-26, Green Bay’s NBC affiliate; and on Sunday, April 5 at 9 a.m. on WITI TV-6, Milwaukee’s Fox affiliate.

The episode will first be seen at an invitation-only showing at 6:30 p.m., March 25 at the University of Wisconsin-Washington County. About 150 are expected to attend – black tie optional, said Tuti Saysana, ED/WC administrative assistant.

The show will air throughout its run on network and local access stations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

"It is regional, so it will air far beyond Wisconsin, absolutely," Hehenberger said.

Filming for the program was conducted throughout 2008 in each Washington County municipality, documenting key people, places and events on film.

Discover Wisconsin Television was created in 1986 by Dick Rose and expanded into radio in 1993. Since 1993 the TV program has been hosted by Stephanie Ann Klett.

Discover Wisconsin is a division of Discover Mediaworks Inc., an electronic communications and broadcasting firm. Recent Discover Wisconsin subjects include Kewaunee, Green Lake, Merrill and Tomahawk, and Marquette County.

The episode was shot in high-definition, but will not air in the format because most of the stations that show it are not ready to broadcast taped hi-def, Hehenberger said.

"Most of them can air live broadcasts in high-definition, but can not air tape that way yet," he said. "It was acquired in HD, but it will be shown in standard-definition."

Red-carpet prepared for premiere

Most attendees at the March 25 premiere were involved in the film’s production, including businesses and personalities interviewed or featured therein. ED/WC board members, staff and investors will also be joined by board members of local chambers, historical societies, nonprofits and other civic groups.

"It’s an eclectic mix," Saysana said.

No one will see the Discover Wisconsin video before its premiere next week, ED/WC staff included.

"This is truly a debut for Washington County," Saysana said. "So we’re all really excited. This will be the first time we see it."

The premiere is sponsored by West Bend Mutual Insurance Co., We Energies, and the Kewaskum, West Bend, Hartford and Germantown area chambers of commerce. Several local companies contributed gift certificates, baskets, hotel accommodations or restaurant vouchers to the Discover Wisconsin Destination Giveaway, Saysana said. Viewers can enter to win the prizes at Discover Wiscon-sin’s Web site.

Participating businesses will be recognized at the premiere, Saysana said.

Tapping into tourism

ED/WC’s Board of Directors approved spending on the project last June. Discover Wisconsin crews collaborated with ED/WC staff and marketing committee members on the video’s content.

Shooting for the program largely wrapped in October with some pickup shooting held in December to get shots of Wisconsin winter, ED/WC President Doreen Buntrock told the County Board on March 10.

In a statement, she said the video was a way for the county to attract a share of Wisconsin’s $14 billion tourism industry.

"It’s a lot more than getting a television show," said Buntrock, an official at Westbury Bank.

The Web, radio and public relations components are already in rotation, Hehenberger said.

"If they haven’t aired already, they are already in the process of airing on our radio stations throughout the year," he said. "You get promotion at all of our trade shows. We’ll hand out your literature. We were recently at the Madison Fishing Expo, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Sport Show. (Washington County) will be a part of that process here for the next two years. It’s really a lot of promotion."

For more information or to view a clip of the Discover Wisconsin episode, visit www.discoverwisconsin.com. DVDs of the program will be available through the Web site after it first airs, Hehenberger said.

ED/WC also recently unveiled a four-and-a-half minute promotional video to attract business and work force talent to the county. Produced by West Bend marketing firm EPIC Creative, the video was played for the first time at ED/WC’s annual meeting Feb. 12 and shown to the County Board on March 10.

The Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce will be shown the clip at its annual meeting on March 25.

Familiar faces appear in film

Several Washington County residents are interviewed during the 20-minute video, including WE Energies official and West Bend Economic Development Corp. president Andy Gumm; West Bend Parks, Recreation and Forestry Director Craig Hoeppner; Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit Superintendent Terry Jensen; Basilica of Holy Hill Director Fr. Don Brick; World-ranked Geo-cacher Tammy Mauland and her family; Sunburst Ski and Tubing Area owner Jim Engel; Innkeeper Pamela Terpstra; General Store Antique Mall owner Cindy Gruber; Washington County Historical Society Director of Marketing and Development Lisa Rogers; Germantown Historical Society President Irene Blau; Graeme Reid, Assistant Director at the Museum of Wisconsin Art; Richfield Historical Society member and Grist Mill tour guide Norm Grier; Wisconsin Automotive Museum Executive Director Dale Anderson; and Washington County Fair Park Executive Director Nancy Justman