The American Mercury won two Emmy awards at the 44th annual Northern California Emmy Awards June 6th, 2015. Becoming California was awarded Best Documentary – Cultural/Historical. It’s producer/director, Kit Tyler, also won an Emmy for Best Editing of a non-news program.
The Emmys are a fitting tribute to the vision and effort of the California Environmental Legacy Project: the executive producers Jim Baxter and Jeffrey White, the dedicated steering committee members, the many science advisors, the co-writer Richard York, and of course all the friends and family members who supported the epic project.
The best documentary award is especially sweet for Kit Tyler. While Kit has been producing, shooting and editing documentary films for more than twenty years this is the first long form environmental program he’s created almost single handedly. Acting as lead researcher, co-writer, producer, director, director of photography and editor… he truly is the program’s auteur.
Becoming California is narrated by Academy Award winner Jane Fonda, with original music by Grammy-winning musician Pat Metheny.
Since its public television premiere on KQED 9 in September 2014 the program has been broadcast hundreds of times in 43 markets reaching 30% of the nation.