By Kyle Peveto, Arts Editor
Cameramen brandishing huge high-definition cameras will be seen on campus throughout the year while documenting the life of ACU.
Documentation of a year in the life of ACU will be produced as a film in part of the Centennial Vision of ACU. The finished product will accompany the celebration of ACU’s 100th anniversary.
The Phillips Production Company, based in Dallas, was hired to produce a documentary of the Opening Day Ceremonies that accompanied the first day of Chapel and is also filming footage for the centennial documentary.
“We have a very good working relationship with ACU,” said Martin Perry, production manager and director of corporate projects for Phillips. Perry graduated from ACU in 1982 with a degree in mass communication, with an emphasis in radio and television production. “Our company and ACU seem to click.”
Phillips has also produced videos for the university’s “To Lead and to Serve” campaign and videos for the President’s Circle Dinner.
While monitoring campus life, cameramen from Phillips were present at Sing Song Saturday and will be filming parts of opening night of Bible Lectureship Sunday night. Cameramen will also film the spring commencement ceremony and various other academic and sports events.
The staff of Phillips Production Company is hard to miss. Along with the high-definition cameras, the staff’s presence is often made known by boom microphones on long arms and carts used to push the cameramen alongside the action being filmed while keeping the camera steady.
High-definition film is the latest form of film technology to become available.
“It allows incredible detail and color you can’t get on traditional video or beta-type products,” said Ron Hadfield, director of creative services, who is also involved in bringing the crew from Phillips to ACU.
High definition allows the image produced to be sharper like a still photo and allows a wider picture that is similar to cinematic quality, Perry said.
Cameras used in HD filming currently cost between $80,000 and $100,000.
Few television networks currently are ready to present programs on HD film. PBS, NBC and ESPN have all experimented with HD presentations.
The 28-minute documentary filmed on Opening Day was viewed Saturday at the President’s Circle Dinner in the Teague Center. Beginning at 5 p.m., the film was shown to the President’s Circle members, donors who give $1,000 or more annually.
The projector used in the viewing Saturday was loaned to ACU from Panasonic. The corporation was very supportive in the filming of Opening Day, even to the point of loaning an extra camera to Phillips Productions, Perry said.
