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Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Accession 00-132

Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications

Productions, 1982-1989

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications
Title:Productions
Dates:1982-1989
Quantity:36.54 cu. ft. (58 document boxes) (7.54 tall document boxes)
Collection:Accession 00-132
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

Contains audio visual documentation of "Here At The Smithsonian," (HATS) an eight volume series of television productions. The series was conceived by Nazaret Cherkezian, Director, Office of Telecommunications (1976-1986). The series was produced by Ann Carroll (Volumes I-IV) and John P. Meehan (Volumes V-VIII). Due to funding cuts, the series ceased production in 1989. "Here At The Smithsonian" was a series of short features, designed and produced for broadcast via commercial newscasts, to disseminate information about Smithsonian exhibitions and research activities. The features were short (no more than 2 minutes) and flexibly produced. Segments utilized split track audio allowing stations to use either the voice of their own newscaster, or the voice provided by SI; beginnings and ends of the features were left with extra video and audio, permitting fade-in and fade-out; and no one appearing on the features was identified on screen, allowing stations to use the fonts and typefaces normally used for their own newscasts. The brevity of segments and flexible style of production made them easy to insert anywhere in a newscast. During the second season (1983), it became apparent that public television stations were much more interested in using the features than commercial news stations. Eventually, the features were lengthened to three to four minutes to suit the public television format, and further refined. Changes included the use of fade-in and fade-out to black; fully mixed audio tracks; and all on-screen persons were identified. Also, a standard musical theme, opening and closing sequences, and titling, were added. Reference copies of all features are available for viewing.

Descriptive Entry

Here At The Smithsonian was a series of short features for television created and produced by the staff of the Smithsonian's Office of Telecommunications between the years 1982 and 1989. The series was designed for public dissemination of information about Smithsonian exhibition and research activities. Each year had a volume number [1982 (Volume I) through 1989 (Volume VIII)], within the volume were multiple editions (four to five), and multiple segments within each edition (three to six). Although some segments were repeated, they were often lengthened for a second broadcast. Features totaled 160 (including repeats).

This accession contains some of the original camera footage, all of the cut shows, and preservation masters of all of the cut shows. The initial features were written and shot by in-house staff using rented professional broadcast equipment, recorded on U-matic tape, rough cut on U-matic tape, then edited to 1-inch tape at a commercial post production house (first at FAX Productions in Bethesda, Maryland, then at Techniarts in Silver Spring, Maryland). Features were shot on Betacam beginning in 1987, and mastered to D-2 beginning in 1989. In 1987, post production work moved to Henninger Video in Arlington, Virginia.

Due to the long run of the series, different individuals were associated with the various functions including series producer, segment producer, and narrator. Those playing the largest roles in the development and refinement of Here At The Smithsonian were Ann Carroll (series producer, Volumes I - IV) and John P. Meehan (series producer Volumes V - VIII).

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Access Restriction

Restrictions pertaining to the use of these materials may apply (based on contracts/copyright). Access restrictions may also apply if viewing copies are not currently available. Viewing copies can be made for a fee. Contact reference staff for details.

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This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.

Name

Subject

Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 00-132, Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications, Productions

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Container List

Series 1

Camera Originals

Box 1

Volume I, Edition 1: A Facelift for Old Planes, Tapes 1 - 5; The Rebirth of Dinosaurs, Tape 1

Box 1 of 71

Box 2

Volume I, Edition 1 (continued): The Rebirth of Dinosaurs, Tapes 2 - 7

Box 2 of 71

Box 3

Volume I, Edition 2: Diplomats in Buckskins, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 3 of 71

Volume I, Edition 3: Hooray for the Red, White and Blue, Tapes 1 - 2; A Festival of Animals Tapes 1 - 2

Box 3 of 71

Box 4

Volume I, Edition 3 (continued): A Festival of Animals, Tapes 3 - 4; Celebrations 'Round the World, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 4 of 71

Volume I, Edition 4: Raphael Soyer: An Art of Real Life, Tape 1

Box 4 of 71

Box 5

Volume I, Edition 4 (continued): Raphael Soyer: An Art of Real Life, Tapes 1a, 1b, 2, 2b, 3, 4

Box 5 of 71

Box 6

Volume I, Edition 4 (continued): Raphael Soyer: An Art of Real Life, Tape 5

Box 6 of 71

Volume II, Edition 1: Inside Meteorites, Tapes 1, 2, 2a, 3, 4

Box 6 of 71

Box 7

Volume II, Edition 1 (continued): From Fiddles to Banjos, Tapes 1 - 4; The Universe in a Box, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 7 of 71

Box 8

Volume II, Edition 1 (continued): The Universe in a Box, Tapes 3 - 4

Box 8 of 71

Volume II, Edition 2: The Ultimate Model, Tapes 1 - 3; The Elephant's Tale, Tape 1

Box 8 of 71

Box 9

Volume II, Edition 2 (continued): The Elephant's Tale, Tapes 2 - 4; A Museum for the Community, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 9 of 71

Box 10

Volume II, Edition 2 (continued): A Museum for the Community, Tapes 4 - 5; The World of Matthew Brady, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 10 of 71

Volume II, Edition 3: Time Capsule of the Revolution, Tape 1

Box 10 of 71

Box 11

Volume II, Edition 3 (continued): Time Capsule of the Revolution, Tapes 2 - 3; Faulkner: A Living Portrait, Tapes 1 - 3; Design for People, Tape 1

Box 11 of 71

Box 12

Volume II, Edition 3 (continued): Design for People, Tape 2

Box 12 of 71

Volume II, Edition 4: Video Astronomy, Tapes 1 - 5

Box 12 of 71

Box 13

Volume II, Edition 4 (continued): Video Astronomy, Tapes 6 - 9, 11, unnumbered tape

Box 13 of 71

Box 14

Volume II, Edition 4 (continued): Ballooning's 200th Birthday, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 14 of 71

Volume III, Edition 1: Nature Through a Viewfinder, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 14 of 71

Box 15

Volume III, Edition 1 (continued): Nature Through a Viewfinder, Tape 3; Surgery is Painless, Tape 1 - 2; Islam in Africa, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 15 of 71

Box 16

Volume III, Edition 1 (continued): Islam in Africa, Tape 4

Box 16 of 71

Volume III, Edition 2: Big Ideas in Small Packages, Tapes 1 - 4; The 20,000 Year Old Man, Tape 0

Box 16 of 71

Box 17

Volume III, Edition 2 (continued): The 20,000 Year Old Man, Tapes 1 - 4; A Place for Touching, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 17 of 71

Box 18

Volume III, Edition 2 (continued): A Place for Touching, Tapes 3 - 4, two unnumbered tapes; Microscopes Make it Big, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 18 of 71

Box 19

Volume III, Edition 2 (continued): Microscopes Make it Big, unnumbered tape, Tape 5; The Plastic Historian, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 19 of 71

Volume III, Edition 3: The Golden Age of Aviation, Tape 1

Box 19 of 71

Box 20

Volume III, Edition 3 (continued): The Golden Age of Aviation, Tapes 2 - 3; The Birdman of America, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 20 of 71

Box 21

Volume III, Edition 4 (continued): Eyes on the Universe, Tapes 1 - 5; Strike Up the Bandstand, Tape 1

Box 21 of 71

Box 22

Volume III, Edition 4 (continued): Strike Up the Bandstand, Tapes 2 - 7

Box 22 of 71

Box 23

Volume III, Edition 4 (continued): An Ancient Game Reborn, Tapes 2 - 3

Box 23 of 71

Volume III, Edition 5: TR in Africa, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 23 of 71

Box 24

Volume III, Edition 5 (continued): TR in Africa, Tape 5; Outer Space Artist, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 24 of 71

Volume IV, Edition 1: Say It Ain't So, Wesley, Tape 1

Box 24 of 71

Box 25

Volume IV, Edition 1: Say It Ain't So, Wesley, Tapes 2 - 4; Black Artists in the 19th Century, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 25 of 71

Box 26

Volume IV, Edition 1 (continued): Black Artists in the 19th Century, Tapes 3 - 4; Mechanical Musical Marvels, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 26 of 71

Box 27

Volume IV, Edition 1 (continued): Mechanical Musical Marvels, Tapes 3 - 4; The Vanishing Frontier, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 27 of 71

Box 28

Volume IV, Edition 1 (continued): The Vanishing Frontier, Tapes 4 - 5

Box 28 of 71

Volume IV, Edition 2: Deep Sea Mysteries, Tapes 1 - 3; The Smithsonian's Model Shop, Tape 1

Box 28 of 71

Box 29

Volume IV, Edition 2 (continued): The Smithsonian's Model Shop, Tapes 2 - 4; Something to Hang the Paint On, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 29 of 71

Box 30

Volume IV, Edition 4 (continued): Something to Hang the Paint On, Tape 4; Advertising: Yesterday and Today, Tapes 1 - 5

Box 30 of 71

Box 31

Volume V, Edition 1: The Old Country Post Office, Tapes 1 - 2; Magnificent Voyagers, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 31 of 71

Box 32

Volume V, Edition 1 (continued): Magnificent Voyagers, Tapes 5 - 6; A Gallery for Today, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 32 of 71

Box 33

Volume V, Edition 1 (continued): A Gallery for Today, Tape 5

Box 33 of 71

Volume V, Edition 2: Hollywood: Legend and Reality, Tapes 1 - 5

Box 33 of 71

Box 34

Volume V, Edition 2 (continued): Art in New Mexico, Tapes 1 - 6

Box 34 of 71

Box 35

Volume V, Edition 2 (continued): At Home on the Road, Tapes 1 - 5

Box 35 of 71

Volume V, Edition 3: The California Artist, Tape 1

Box 35 of 71

Box 36

Volume V, Edition 3 (continued): The California Artist, Tapes 2 - 4; Discover Graphics, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 36 of 71

Box 37

Volume V, Edition 3 (continued): Discover Graphics, Tapes 4 - 5

Box 37 of 71

Volume V, Edition 4: Reaching Rural America, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 37 of 71

Box 38

Volume V, Edition 4 (continued): At the Hirshhorn's Bequest, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 38 of 71

Volume V, Edition 5: A Smithsonian Holiday, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 38 of 71

Box 39

Volume V, Edition 5 (continued): A Smithsonian Holiday, Tapes 3 - 7; Russia: The Land, the People, Tape 1

Box 39 of 71

Box 40

Volume V, Edition 5 (continued): Russia: The Land, the People, Tapes 2 - 5; A Painter at Large, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 40 of 71

Box 41

Volume V, Edition 5 (continued): A Painter at Large, Tapes 3 - 6

Box 41 of 71

Volume VI, Edition 2: A Grasp of Reality, Tapes 1 - 4

Box 41 of 71

Box 42

Volume V, Edition 2 (continued): Spanning the Distance, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 42 of 71

Volume VI, Edition 3: American Art Deco, Tapes 1 - 3

Box 42 of 71

Volume VI, Edition 4: Remembering John La Farge Tapes, 1 - 4

Box 42 of 71

Volume VII, Edition 2: King Herod's Dream, Tapes 1 - 2

Box 42 of 71

Box 43

Volume VII, Edition 2 (continued): King Herod's Dream, Tape 3

Box 43 of 71

Series 2

Cut Show Masters

Box 44

Volume I, Edition 1

Box 44 of 71

Volume I, Edition 2

Box 44 of 71

Volume I, Edition 3

Box 44 of 71

Volume I, Edition 4

Box 44 of 71

Box 45

Volume II, Edition 1

Box 45 of 71

Volume II, Edition 2

Box 45 of 71

Volume II, Edition 3

Box 45 of 71

Box 46

Volume II, Edition 4

Box 46 of 71

Volume III, Edition 1

Box 46 of 71

Box 47

Volume III, Edition 2

Box 47 of 71

Volume III, Edition 3

Box 47 of 71

Box 48

Volume III, Edition 4

Box 48 of 71

Volume III, Edition 5

Box 48 of 71

Box 49

Volume IV, Edition 1

Box 49 of 71

Volume IV, Edition 2 (2 copies)

Box 49 of 71

Box 50

Volume IV, Edition 3 (2 copies)

Box 50 of 71

Volume IV, Edition 4

Box 50 of 71

Box 51

Volume V, Edition 1 (2 copies)

Box 51 of 71

Volume V, Edition 2 (1 of 2 copies)

Box 51 of 71

Box 52

Volume V, Edition 2 (2 of 2 copies)

Box 52 of 71

Volume V, Edition 3 (1 of 2 copies)

Box 52 of 71

Box 53

Volume V, Edition 3 (2 of 2 copies)

Box 53 of 71

Volume V, Edition 4 (2 copies)

Box 53 of 71

Box 54

Volume V, Edition 5 (2 copies)

Box 54 of 71

Box 55

Volume VI, Edition 1 (2 copies)

Box 55 of 71

Box 56

Volume VI, Edition 2 (2 copies)

Box 56 of 71

Box 57

Volume VI, Edition 3 (2 copies)

Box 57 of 71

Box 58

Volume VI, Edition 4 (2 copies)

Box 58 of 71

Volume VI, Edition 5 (1 of 2 copies)

Box 58 of 71

Box 59

Volume VI, Edition 5 (2 of 2 copies)

Box 59 of 71

Volume VII, Edition 1 (1 of 2 copies)

Box 59 of 71

Box 60

Volume VII, Edition 1 (2 of 2 copies)

Box 60 of 71

Volume VII, Edition 2 (1 of 2 copies)

Box 60 of 71

Box 61

Volume VII, Edition 2 (2 of 2 copies)

Box 61 of 71

Volume VII, Edition 3 (2 copies)

Box 61 of 71

Box 62

Volume VII, Edition 4 (2 copies)

Box 62 of 71

Volume VII, Edition 5 (1 of 2 copies)

Box 62 of 71

Box 63

Volume VII, Edition 5 (2 of 2 copies)

Box 63 of 71

Volume VIII, Edition 1 (2 copies)

Box 63 of 71

Box 64

Volume VIII, Edition 2 (2 copies)

Box 64 of 71

Box 65

Volume VIII, Edition 3 (2 copies)

Box 65 of 71

Volume VIII, Edition 4 (1 of 2 copies

Box 65 of 71

Box 66

Volume VIII, Edition 4 (2 of 2 copies)

Box 66 of 71

Promo

Box 66 of 71

Open/Close 1986

Box 66 of 71

Box 67

Open/Close 1988

Box 67 of 71

Open/Close 1989 (English and Spanish versions)

Box 67 of 71

Series 3

Preservation Masters

Box 68

Volume I, Edition 1 - Volume III, Edition 4

Box 68 of 71

Box 69

Volume III, Edition 5 - Volume VI, Edition 2

Box 69 of 71

Box 70

Volume VI, Edition 3 - Volume VIII, Edition 4

Box 70 of 71

Box 71

Promo

Box 71 of 71

Open/Close 1986

Box 71 of 71

Open/Close 1988

Box 71 of 71

Open/Close 1989 (English and Spanish)

Box 71 of 71

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