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2008 Rock River flood documentary earns national Telly Award

JANESVILLE — John Gage spent the summer of 2008 with his feet in the water.

As the Rock River rose—and rose and rose—Gage documented its impact on the landscape and the people who lived closest to the catastrophe.

Gage died in car crash in August 2008, just as he was finishing work on the video he called, "The Flood of 2008." His father, Howard Gage, finished the work.

Now, almost a year later, that video has won a national Telly Award.

The Telly Awards display the best work of advertising agencies, production companies, TV stations, cable companies and corporate video awards. In this year's competition, other winners include ESPN, Kohl's and the Weather Channel.

Gage's video was in the documentary category.

Howard Gage remembered how it all started.

"On June 22 last year, he called from Jefferson and said, 'Dad, this is pretty bad, I think we need to do something about it,'" Howard Gage said.

The two men own Videogenics Productions, a business specializing in videos for businesses and individuals.

That day, they decided to create a video about the flood, sell it and give the proceeds to the United Way.

"We went up to see Gail Graham, the president of the United Way, to tell her about it," Howard Gage said. "That was the day they were moving out of their building because of the flooding."

Along with John Gage's footage, the video contains photos taken by Gazette photographers and footage from a Madison news station.

The video raised more than $50,000 for the United Way.

Howard Gage said his son was proud of the video and proud to be able to contribute to the community.

The business has won five other Tellys, including one for John Gage's commercial for the Beloit Film Festival and another he won in conjunction with Mercy Hospital.

"We'll be getting the statuette later this summer and will put it up at the office," Howard Gage said.

It will be another reminder of John and the contributions he made to the community.

Gage appears in 'Public Enemy' scene

John Gage loved the movies—especially when he got to be in them.

In 2008, he managed to secure a spot as one of the extras in "Public Enemy," the film starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.

"He made it into the film," said his father, Howard Gage. "He's a photographer, and he's standing behind Johnny Depp in the courtroom seen."

The younger Gage also was a stand-in for a scene shot at Mirror Lake near the Wisconsin Dells.

"He was running down hills in the dark while being shot at," Howard Gage said.

Once, he called his father from Mirror Lake and said, "Be quiet and just listen."

"It was quiet and then all of a sudden I heard a machine gun firing," Howard Gage said.

Howard Gage hasn't been to see the film.

"I just can't bear to go," he said. "Maybe I'll watch it when it comes out on DVD."