By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

The Denver filmmaker who did a much-praised history of Denver’s Union Station next will tackle the history of Colorado’s Capitol.

Havey Productions’ Jim Havey, working in partnership with Historic Denver Inc., recently received a $50,000 state Historical Fund grant to do a 30-minute film on the golden-domed building, which was constructed in the late 1800s. The fund’s money comes from taxes on state gaming revenues.

“It’s a documentary, a half hour, on the history of the state capitol building,” Havey said. “This is not a film about the dome. It’s about the history of Colorado as reflected in our state capitol. The early legislatures went to great pains to make sure the whole state was represented in the art and architecture. That’s what our story is going to bring out.”

Havey referenced the dome because it is set to undergo a $12 million restoration project beginning later this year that will have it covered in scaffolding for the time being. The dome project will require Havey to begin filming immediately to get the “glamor shots” of the dome before the restoration begins.

Nevertheless, Havey’s company is working closely with Colorado Preservation Inc., the nonprofit that’s heading up the dome project. “We want to help them with their effort,” Havey said. The $50,000 grant will be matched in part with donations from Colorado Preservation Inc. and other grant-makers; the film’s total cost will be $100,000, he said.

The documentary is expected to premiere in early 2012.

The Havey film was discussed at the Sept. 17 meeting of Colorado’s Capitol Building Advisory Committee.