Stephen Ives, producer and director of “Panama Canal,” tells of the drama behind the creation of the canal, which opened August 15, 1914, connecting the world’s two largest oceans and ushering in America as a global superpower. Building the canal took over a decade of grinding work, cost $350 million, and took more than 5,000 lives. “Panama Canal,” part of the PBS series American Experience, airs January 24, at 9 pm.