2008 Woodie Awards
Archivist shares SIUE history through multimedia
Jeff Mason
Issue date: 6/25/08 Section: A&E
In 1969, Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon, the iconic Woodstock festival was in full swing and SIUE premiered its first self-produced video, now available for viewing online.
"Back in the 1960s and the 1970s, SIUE had its own motion picture production unit, which was part of University News Services," university archivist Steve Kerber said. "This unit produced several short promotional motion pictures about the university, plus the two Mississippi River Festival documentary films and several television commercials."
Two of these segments, "The Impact of Our Presence" and "Insights," were directed, edited and photographed by Don Magary, who was the director of motion picture production from 1968 to 1977.
"(Director of Information Services A.R. Howard) wanted to start a film unit, and at the time I was in the Air Force and was just getting out," Magary said.
The group had the convenience of working with some of the best available technology at the time and was able to put out quality videos. Their two videos covering the Mississippi River Festival in 1969 and 1975 received national recognition.
"It was a pretty exciting time," Magary said. "That was during the time that John Rendleman was the chancellor of the university. He was a really forward-thinking leader, as well as highly sensitive to the importance of promoting the university, so we had a lot of support from the chancellor … and got what we needed to do a professional job."
Kerber found the videos in the university archives while processing collections of records. He said the videos were intended for showing to high school students, clubs and organizations.
The motion picture production unit, which produced the videos as part of University News Services, stayed active throughout most of the '70s.
"The purpose of the motion picture production unit was to create visual materials that could be used to provide various public audiences with promotional information about SIUE," Kerber said.
"Back in the 1960s and the 1970s, SIUE had its own motion picture production unit, which was part of University News Services," university archivist Steve Kerber said. "This unit produced several short promotional motion pictures about the university, plus the two Mississippi River Festival documentary films and several television commercials."
Two of these segments, "The Impact of Our Presence" and "Insights," were directed, edited and photographed by Don Magary, who was the director of motion picture production from 1968 to 1977.
"(Director of Information Services A.R. Howard) wanted to start a film unit, and at the time I was in the Air Force and was just getting out," Magary said.
The group had the convenience of working with some of the best available technology at the time and was able to put out quality videos. Their two videos covering the Mississippi River Festival in 1969 and 1975 received national recognition.
"It was a pretty exciting time," Magary said. "That was during the time that John Rendleman was the chancellor of the university. He was a really forward-thinking leader, as well as highly sensitive to the importance of promoting the university, so we had a lot of support from the chancellor … and got what we needed to do a professional job."
Kerber found the videos in the university archives while processing collections of records. He said the videos were intended for showing to high school students, clubs and organizations.
The motion picture production unit, which produced the videos as part of University News Services, stayed active throughout most of the '70s.
"The purpose of the motion picture production unit was to create visual materials that could be used to provide various public audiences with promotional information about SIUE," Kerber said.
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