Camera

January 2004

National Television Academy

ff San Francisco/Northern California

EMMY ENTRY HD SEMINAR

DEADLINE, JAN 16 FILM ARTS
FOUNDATION
Thu. Jan 29th

(L to R)
Fred Meyers
Kim Aubrey
Jeff Cree
By Keith Sanders
HDTV is finally going mainstream.
Photo © Robert Mohr 2001
According to a recent Consumer Electronics
The deadline approacheth. Association survey, 9 million households are likely to
Television professionals in Northern California, purchase high-definition television products over the
Reno and Hawaii have until Friday, Jan. 16, to next 18 months. More than 7 million HDTV sets have
submit their entries in this year’s Emmy competition. been sold in the past five years.
There are 51 categories this year, including a new HD technology has changed the film world as
category for commercials produced and broadcast celluloid is giving way to silicon. “Star Wars Episode
locally. The “interactivity” category for television- II: Attack of the Clones” broke new cinematic ground
related web pages and Internet services returns for a as the first major motion picture to be shot entirely in
second year. HD. Now more than 100 major motion pictures have
There are also four newscast categories: large been shot this way, and many of them are being
market (Bay Area, Sacramento); medium market shown on digital HD projectors.
(Fresno, Hawaii and Reno); small market (Salinas, Later this month, NATAS and Film Arts Foundation
continued on page 4 offer an opportunity to meet some of the industry’s
top professionals such as:
Emmy Entry Deadline: Jan. 16
• Fred Meyers from Industrial Light & Magic-HD
Complete entry forms online at
supervisor for “Star Wars: Episode III”
www.emmysf.tv
• Kim Aubrey from American Zoetrope, who
Emmy Nominations: April 22
advises Frances Ford Coppola on emerging film-
Emmy Show: May 22
making technologies
Emmy Entry Fee: (each name on entry) • Jeff Cree from Sony-Works, who has worked
Members, $ 70 with major film directors such as James Cameron
Non-members, $200 (join and save $$) • Kim Salyer from Video Arts, whose company is
Membership Fee: Renewal New/Returning becoming SF’s first full-service HDTV post-production
San Francisco/Sacramento $65 $110 house
Fresno/Hawaii $50 $ 80 • And Russ Walker from Panasonic, an expert on
Smaller markets $35 $ 55 the D-5 HD mastering format. continued on page 2
Off Camera, January 2004, page 1
 HOLIDAY SHOWCASE HDTV SEMINAR - FAF
Photos © Robert Mohr 2003
(415-647-6647)
By Cynthia E. Zeiden
About 60 people showed up before the holidays
for the annual “Holiday Showcase” last month.
The event was a joint effort of the National Televi-
sion Academy, the Bay Area Women in Film and
Television (BAWIFT) and UCSF. It was held at
UCSF’s spacious Cole Hall Auditorium.
A networking party with wine, drinks and food was
held before the showcase began.
The first presenter was Wendy Walker, who
showed a music video called “Stylish Girl” that made
fun of the styles stars wore in the 1960’s. It featured
footage from “Casino Royale,” “Valley of the Dolls,”
and “Boom.”
Cynthia
Brian
Antonio
Montonari
Next came Cynthia Brian with her series, “Live
Your Dreams.” She showed excerpts in which she
interviewed a child actor who revealed, among other
things, how he got his red hair from the garbage
man.
On a more serious note, Antonio Montonari
showed an excerpt from his documentary, “U.S.A.
Versus Tokyo Rose,” an Emmy-nominated program.
The documentary was full of rare footage and told
the story of the infamous World War II spy, Tokyo
Rose.
Then, Jen Gilomen, showed a trailer from her
new one-hour documentary, “Art As Revolution.” Her
partner on this project is Jessica Dorfman. The
visuals were powerful and featured political artists in
the Bay Area. It showed how these artists are using
their skills to communicate their stand on issues.
Sheila Ganz ended the program by showing an
extended clip from her documentary, “Unlocking the
Heart of Adoption.” This program covers the adop-
tion triad, the adoptee, the adoptive parents and the
birth parents.
Off Camera, January 2004, page 2
You’ll hear about recent continued from page 1
projects, see clips projected in HD
and participate in an audience
Q&A at the 3rd Annual San
Francisco HD Seminar on Thurs-
day Jan. 29, beginning at 7pm at
Film Arts Foundation, 145 9th St.,
San Francisco. Please RSVP early
Kim Salyer
as last year’s seminar was sold
Russ Walker
out.
Admission is $20 for NATAS
members and “filmmaker level”
FAF members; $30 for others. To
register: please e-mail:
hdtv@emmysf.tv or 650-341-7786.
Refreshments are being pro-
vided by Snader and Associates.
ROAD TRIPS TO
SACRAMENTO, RENO
The Television Academy’s Northern California
chapter was “on the road again” in December.
Chapter president David Mills made a second trip
to Sacramento and visited Reno as part of the Board
of Governors’ annual drive to drum up membership.
Mills returned to Sacramento on Dec. 4 to visit
with employees at KTXL-40.
Two weeks later, Mills drove to Reno to chat with
workers at KTVN, KOLO and KRNV. The chapter
president told the television industry employees
about this year’s Emmy competition as well as the
advantages of joining The Television Academy. The
president noted he only lost $10 of his own money —
that while playing Keno — the entire time he was in
Reno.
Mills will visit the Salinas-Monterey region this
month.
The National Television Acad-
emy will have an informational
booth at the DI2004 Indie
Media Expo and Reception,
Saturday, January 31st from 5
to 7 p.m. at the San Francisco
Marriott. Information on the
Digital Independence confer-
ence is at:
www.digitalindies.com
The Longboard studios tour scheduled for
January 10th has been postponed until summer.
 CHRISTMAS CUTS AT TWO SF STATIONS
It was not a very merry Christmas
for several on-air employees at two
San Francisco television stations last
month.
KRON let go at least a half-dozen
workers, three of them on-camera
personnel. The biggest name was
Emerald Yeh, the Emmy-award win-
ning consumer reporter who had
worked at the station for 19 years.
Executives at the independent
station decided not to re-sign Yeh after
they eliminated KRON’s midday and 4
p.m. newscasts and cut back the
station’s Contact 4 unit. Despite the
decision, KRON did broadcast in mid-
December a retrospective on Yeh’s 19
years of reports. Emerald Yeh
“It was not something I expected,” Yeh told Off
Camera, “but it was a professional and amicable
parting.”
Along with Yeh, reporter Anna Duckworth was
not re-signed. She was hired in late December by
KPIX as a morning news reporter.
Weathercaster Lisa Argent also left the station
after she was reportedly assigned to work weekends
and refused to do so.
KRON executives refused to comment on the
layoffs. Employees say the station still hasn’t recov-
ered financially from the loss of its NBC affiliation
three years ago.
“Morale here is pretty low,” said one KRON em-
ployee. “People are concerned about who’s next.”
Comcast Communications is reportedly close to
a deal to purchase San Francisco-based TechTV.
“TelevisionWeek” reported in mid-December
Comcast was offering $300 million for the technol-
ogy-based network started by billionaire Paul Allen in
May 1998.
Comcast would reportedly merge TechTV with G4,
the network’s video game channel launched in April
2002.
TechTV is available in 40 million homes while G4
is available in 11 million homes nationwide.
If the agreement is reached, it’s not clear yet what
the combined channel would be called or who would
run it.
Off Camera, January 2004, page 3
Anna Duckworth Lisa Argent
KPIX also said good-bye to one its anchors. The
CBS affiliate decided not to re-sign morning anchor
April Cummings, who had worked at KPIX since
1999.
KPIX executives refused to comment on
Cummings’ departure. The station’s morning news
ratings have dipped the past few months. The broad-
cast finish fifth in its time slot in November.
Employees said they were surprised and sad-
dened by the news. Cummings said she had indica-
tions she might not be re-signed. She added she’ll
look for new opportunities now.
“They made a judgement I don’t agree with, but
it’s their judgement to make. That’s just the way
things are,” Cummings said.
ABC 7 ADDS STAFF
KGO ABC 7 is adding staff for the
new year. Nannette Miranda was
named Sacramento Bureau Chief
for the ABC owned stations in
California. Miranda is from WFTS,
Tampa FL.
General assignment reporter
Nannette Lilian Kim joins ABC 7 from CNN,
Miranda she also has worked at KCRA,
Lilian Kim Sacramento.
ABC 7 has a new political re-
porter, Mark Matthews. He has
worked at KERO, Bakersfield and
KSBY, San Luis Obispo.
Jim Huntington was named
assignment manager, he was man-
aging editor at KNBC in Los Angles.
 EMMY ENTRIES continued from page 1
TOWERS STAND TALL
Monterey, Redding, Chico
and Eureka); and daytime
IN SACRAMENTO
newscast (all markets). They aren’t used much
The program categories anymore, but three struc-
include breaking news, tures of steel loom large
continuing coverage, general in the Sacramento televi-
reporting, features, special- sion industry.
ized reporting, documentary, They’re the broadcast
investigative, sports, live towers that hover mightily
event, cultural affairs, infor- next to the three major
mation, children, entertain- network affiliates in the
ment and current affairs. state capital.
The crafts categories The triple towers are
include photography, graph- part of the history of
ics, directing, editing, set KXTV, KCRA and KOVR
design/lighting, on-camera and have developed into
and writing. part of each station’s
Categories for public service announcements, identity.
community programs and promotions are also in the “They’re really part of the skyline,” said Margaret
call for entries. Mohr of KXTV.
Entry forms may be filled out ONLINE. When No one is quite sure why Sacramento is home to
you use the online form, the entry information goes a trio of old broadcast towers. The central location of
direct into the Academy’s database without having to the city and its flat terrain are probably factors.
be retyped. You can also pay online with Visa, The story begins in 1955 when KCRA went into
Master Card or American Express credit cards. Just operation and used its tower to send out its broad-
go to www.emmysf.tv for all the information you cast signal to homes in its market area. When cable
need. came into vogue in the 1960s, the tower was no
Membership forms are also available on the web longer needed for that function. KCRA and other
site. stations built a 1500-foot tower in Walnut Grove
In addition, entrants can call the Academy office at (south of Sacramento) to bounce live signals. In the
(650) 341-7786 for information. 1990s, KCRA constructed a 2,000-foot tower in
No entries will be accepted after Jan. 16. Entries Walnut Grove — at the time, it was the largest hu-
submitted before Jan. 16 that are incomplete or need man-made structure west of the Mississippi.
additions will be charged a $25 late fee. The deadline The original tower is used as a back-up and for
for corrections to entries is March 31. cell phone, skycam and other transmissions. None-
Nominations will be announced on April 22. The theless, it remains a fixture in the KCRA parking lot.
2004 Emmy Awards show will be held Saturday, May The same is true for the tower that stands near
22, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. the front entrance of KXTV. The 302-foot tower was
completed in 1999 and helps broadcast HDTV.

FRIDAYS WITH ART

“Fridays with Art” is insiders’
accounts of the early days of
the TV biz by some of the
guys who make it work. The
It’s also part of KXTV’s logo
book is edited by Dick
and is used to display informa-
Woolen. Art Greenfield was
tion. It emits a red glow if the
the catalyst and mentor for
temperature tops 100 degress;
many. Our own Silver Circle
white, if it is cloudy or foggy;
member Dick Block is a
green, if it’s raining; and purple if
contributor. E-mail
the Sacramento Kings win.
info@parrotmedia.com
continued on page 5
Off Camera, January 2004, page 4
 CINEMA CLUB
SAN FRANCISCO, JAN. 19 SACRAMENTO, JAN. 17
NOTE DATE CHANGE Romance and Drama
(3rd Mon, this month only) 2 hrs. 35 min. Directed
Drama and Comedy by Academy Award®-
2 hrs. 05 min. Edward winner Anthony
Bloom (Albert Finney) Minghella (“The English
has always been a teller Patient”, “The Talented
of tall-tales about his Mr. Ripley”) and based
oversized life as a on Charles Frazier’s
young man (Ewan best-selling Civil War
McGregor), when his novel of the same name,
wanderlust led him on COLD MOUNTAIN tells
an unlikely journey from the story of Inman (Jude
a small-town in Ala- Law), a wounded con-
bama, around the world, federate soldier who is
and back again. His on a perilous journey
mythic exploits dart from home to his mountain
the delightful to the delirious as he weaves epic tales community, hoping to reunite with his pre-war sweet-
about giants, a witch and conjoined-twin lounge heart, Ada (Nicole Kidman). In his absence, Ada
singers. With his larger-than-life stories, Bloom struggles to survive, and revive her father’s farm with
charms almost everyone he encounters except for the help of intrepid young drifter Ruby (Renee
his estranged son Will (Billy Crudup). When his Zellweger).
mother Sandra (Jessica Lange) tries to reunite MPAA Rating: R for violence and sexuality.
them, Will must learn how to separate fact from Produced by: Wiliam Horbert, Albert Berger, Ron
fiction as he comes to terms with his father’s great Yerxa, Sydney Pollack
feats and great failings. Meet vice president George Franco in the lobby
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for a fight scene, some of the Regal Theatres at Natomas Marketplace,
images of nudity and a suggestive reference. 3561 Truxel Road, Sacramento (Off I80). Networking
Directed by: Tim Burton at noon, check theatre for exact start time. FREE to
Produced by: Richard D Zanuck, Dan Jinks, NATAS members who may bring a guest.
Bruce Cohen

THREE TOWERS
This is a special PRIVATE screening at the Delancey
Street Screening Room, 600 The Embarcadero, San
Francisco. Refreshments & Networking 7 p.m., movie
7:30 p.m. Seating limited to first 146 to arrive. The continued from page 4
CINEMA CLUB is a FREE first run monthly screening Mohr says the tower
(second Monday) for NATAS, DGA and AWRT mem- was carefully planned to
bers who may bring a guest. be part of the station and
the community.
WANTED: VIDEOGRAPHER “We put some thought
into it,” she said.
TO SHOOT CUTE KIDS IN SCHOOL REVUE The third tower sits at
Beach Elementary School in Piedmont is looking the beginning of the drive-
for a videographer/editor to videotape its legendary way into KOVR’s West
Beach Revue this March. Responsibilities will include Sacramento offices. The
shooting the behind-the-scenes footage, the perfor- structure isn’t used much,
mance and rehearsals; editing; and making dvd and except to bounce the
vhs copies which will be purchased by the children’s occasional live signal.
families. A small stipend is being offered. If you are However, it too is a land-
interested, please contact Lisa Scimens at: 510-655- mark for a Sacramento t-v
7759 or scimensmoss@aol.com . station.
Off Camera, January 2004, page 5
 A FIRST IN DOCU-DRAMA
By Vince Casalaina
“The Choice between Life and
Death,” a one-hour program, was the
first locally produced viewer interac-
tive docu-drama. It aired on KPIX in
1977 at 10pm. The program was
funded and produced as part of the
monthly “KPIX Impact” series of public
affairs specials.
“The Choice between Life and
Death” looked at California’s recently
enacted death penalty law and how it
could affect everyone in the commu-
nity. The story involved a robbery
gone bad where a store owner was
gunned down. Each act of the pro-
gram looked at one of the primary characters of the
drama — the young man who committed the robbery,
Robert Mayhew played by Carl Lumbly; the young
public defender, Mark Arnold played by Mark
McIntire; the older prosecutor, John Gilbert played
by Scott Beach; the wife of the shop keeper; and the
jurors who would decide the case.
“The Choice between Life and Death” was the first
program on television to ask the viewers to determine
the outcome of the drama. At the close of the 60
minutes, the station asked the audience to call KPIX
and cast their ballot on whether Robert Mahew was
to live or die.
Following the local news, we played the ending
that had been selected by the audience. In this case,
they chose execution.
KPIX then devoted the next 90 minutes to a round
table discussion of the death penalty with San Fran-
cisco District Attorney Joseph Freitas,
U.S. Attorney James Browning, state
Public Defender Paul Halvonick and
psychologist Dr. Thomas Hillard. An
studio audience and viewer call-ins
continued the viewer interaction of the
production.
The program won a local Emmy for
“informational programming” and an
American Bar Association Silver Gavel
for legal reporting.
The docu-drama’s co-producer Ben
Bayol went on to produce the PBS
daily informational show “Over Easy”
and later developed the “Digital West”
program at KQED.
Director Vincent Casalaina went on to direct
“Over Easy” and later produced sports programs
featuring pro-am sailboat racing that aired locally, on
national cable television and on international broad-
cast television.
Actor Scott Beach went on to appear in the films
“The Right Stuff,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Tucker.”
Actor Carl Lumbly went on appear on television in
“Alias,” “Men of Honor” and on the New York stage in
“Siswe Bansi Is Dead.”
Mark McIntire went on to star in the one-man
show “JFK Lives.”
“The First Time” is the theme of our 2004 Emmy
show on Saturday, May 22.
If you know of any television “firsts” (dealing with
television professionals, programs and technology) in
the Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno, Reno and Hawaii,
please send them in to firsts@emmysf.tv.

THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS Stewart Heller, York Productions

OFFICERS: Adam Housley, Fox News
David Mills, KPIX, President Ashley James, KTOP(Publicity)
Lynn R Friedman, KGO, VP, SF Ronald Louie, KTVU
Keith Sanders, DVCreations, VP, SJ Terry Lowry, LaCosse Productions
George Franco, KOVR, VP, Sacramento Deanne Moenster, KTVU
Erik Rosales, KGPE, VP, Fresno John Murray, JM Communications
SAN FRANCSISCO
David Ratto, ImageSync, VP, Reno Sharon Navratil, KTVU NORTHERN C ALIF
CALIF ORNIA
ALIFORNIA
Pamela Young, KITV, VP, Hawaii John Odell, CCSF 4317 Camden Avenue
Michele Ball, KBWB, Secretary Ross Palombo, KRON San Mateo, CA 94403
James Spalding, Spalding & Co., Pat Patton,Young/KRON (Member)
Treasurer (Finance) Terri Russell, KOLO
NATIONAL TRUSTEES: Heather Searles, ITVS
James Lautz, Tudor Communications Damian Trujillo, KNTV
Cynthia Zeiden, Zeiden Media (Activities) Javier Valencia, KRON (Awards)
GOVERNORS: Kira Vilanova, KDTV (Publicity)
Dan Adams, KXTV Stuart Yamane, Independent
Dan Ashley, KGO Richard Zanardi, Notre Dame
Brian Avery, KTLN COMMITTEE CHAIRS
John Catchings, Catchings & Assoc. Darryl Cohen, Cohen & Cooper (Legal)
(Museum) Linda Giannecchini, KQED (Museum)
Albert Garcia, KUVS EXECTIVE DIRECTOR
Alison Gibson, Media Cool (Education) Darryl R Compton, NATAS
Off Camera, January 2004, page 6