FBN PRODUCTION PHOTOS
A PROGRAM PILOT
Intro Text
We trust you have enjoyed viewing some of the photos we have of FBN production shoots along with our comments. A very special thanks is extended to Al and Linda Davis for providing the slide photos.
Searching through our archives of material we found a collection of photos taken during some of the productions produced at FBN and have posted them on this page to share with you.
We should note that the interior photos shown on this page were taken while the production studio in Glendale was still in the construction phase. These programs were taped in the main auditorium and sanctuary of Faith Center. It has been mentioned elsewhere on this web site that the main auditorium served as a multifaceted facility. On Sunday and Tuesday evenings it was a church sanctuary equipped with rows of red chairs. Through the rest of the week the chairs were moved and the auditorium was transformed into a television production studio. Portable lighting “trees” were brought in along with the sets for the various productions.
Prior to the beginning of the parade and program taping co-host Greg Shannon is talking to Alex Valderama. Behind the camera is Max Balchowsky. The headdress of Black Buffalo, Ray Wilson, can be seen to the right of Greg. The on-air talent desk was on the north side of Cerritos Avenue. Camera, video and audio cables were simply extended from the main auditorium and across the front of Faith Center.
On the left, Director Bruce Braun is checking his shots on camera three prior to the parade beginning. Note the insignia of “Norelco” on the side of the camera. Yes, this is the same company that made the electric razors. During this era Norelco made some of the finest professional color video cameras available. They competed strongly against RCA who was another leader in broadcast television equipment.
On the right, Alex is conducting what we call a “Fax Check.” This is not a check of a facsimile machine that sends copies of documents over a telephone connection, but a facility (Fax) check to ensure all equipment is working properly before the production begins.
THE GLENDALE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
In the left photo Alex is opening the side door of the camera to assist in making technical adjustments to the camera to ensure the best pictures possible are televised. The camera is focused on on setup chart used to align the three color imaging tubes inside.
The photo on the right shows Alex checking the operation of the zoom and focus controls on camera one. This camera is affixed to the Cherry Picker and will be positioned 15 to 20 feet above street level.
Pictured here is the Cherry Picker camera in action. Marvin Rush was the cameraman during the parade. A sign was posted in front of the camera that read “Memorial Day Parade, Today on KHOF 30, 5:00 PM 9:00 PM.” The parade was taped and broadcast later at these times.
Co-hosts Greg Shannon and Gary McCarty seated at the desk to provide information on the floats and bands that pass by. Again, Black Buffalo can be seen in the background in his full Indian attire. Max Balchowsky is the cameraman.
It was mentioned earlier of a humorous event that occurred during the initial parade telecast produced in 1971. Again, due to lack of equipment we simply rolled a single camera out the front door to the corner of Glendale Avenue and Cerritos Avenue. As mentioned earlier, Ricardo Quintana was our talent who gave the “play-by-play of the parade coverage, Bruce Braun was the Director, Rick Riccio was the Audio Engineer and Joe Snelson was the Engineer In Charge. We had “bugged” Rick’s ear with an earpiece that had a feed from our intercom system which meant Rick was hearing the Director instruct the camera operator. This can be most distracting when trying to listen to the intercom and talk to a TV audience at the same time. Rick handled it pretty well up to a point.
A young man went by riding a unicycle and Rick mentioned it, however, the camera missed it. Bruce and Rick begin shouting on the intercom, “Where is he? Where is he?” Ricardo, being distracted, said, “He’s right over there.” Now realizing he was addressing Bruce and Rick and that the TV audience had no idea what he was talking about continued with, “Yes, folks...he’s right over there. That young man on the unicycle is right over there.” To this day nobody knows if we got the unicyclist on camera but we often remind Rick that, “He’s right over there.”
Camera two is aimed at the set while pre-production is taking place. The lion appears to taking things calmly during the staging process. I suppose one could say that nobody could reach us by phone that night since the “lion” was busy, just like the FBN production team.
We are unsure of who is making this gesture at the camera. This is not believed to be a part of the actual production taping. Maybe he was just releasing some excess energy while waiting for tape to roll.
Greg Quandt sitting on the set, maybe pondering on what’s next. Greg was the Floor Director for many FBN productions. He was charged with making sure the talent is in the right place at the right time. He is “the man in charge” on the set (floor).
Here is the set that was used during the taping of the program. As you can see the setting was fairly elaborate and, again, in the main auditorium of Faith Center. This is confirmed by closely examining the photo on the right where you can see the unlit chandeliers interspersed with the studio lighting fixtures.
Marvin is seen here sending a message
It seems Rick Eisleben is “yoked” to his work but enjoying it.
Looking like he is “behind bars” cameraman Al Davis poses for a shot on the wagon wheel
The production is ready to begin. When recording begins a test pattern and audio tone are placed at the beginning of the videotape. This is done so that during playback the videotape player can be optimized for the best playback possible based on the way the tape was recorded. Following the test pattern is the “slate” showing the name of the program, the show number and the date is was recorded. The photo on the right shows the camera pointed at the slate that Floor Director Steve Rudolf is holding. After 5 to 10 seconds of slate the video is switched to black, then the program fades up from black and is on-the-air as seen in the photo on the right.
This was a little staged humor on the part of cameraman Marvin Rush who had put in a long day.
For many years the city of Glendale sponsored a Memorial Day Parade. While we can’t recall the origination point for the parade it proceeded south on Glendale Avenue to Cerritos Avenue and turned right, heading west, on Cerritos. The parade passed by the front and on the south side of the Faith Center campus which is directly across from the main entrance to Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
KHOF-TV took advantage of the parade route passing by and did its first telecast of the parade in 1971. The production was rather simple consisting of extending a single color television camera from the Faith Center auditorium to the corner of Glendale Avenue and Cerritos. Even though at the time KHOF-TV had two studio cameras we only had enough camera cable to get one camera extended to the corner. To the best we can recall the crew consisted of Ricardo Quintana as the “man on the street” talent; Bruce Braun, Director; Rick Riccio, Audio; a cameraman and Joe Snelson, Engineer In Charge. A humorous event that occurred during that initial telecast will be shared later.
During the years that followed additional equipment was acquired by KHOF-TV and allowed for more sophisticated productions to be produced. The televising of the 1974 Glendale Memorial Day Parade was, without a doubt, one of the most sophisticated parades that was produced by FBN.
It was produced with three cameras with one mounted on a “Cherry Picker” to get aerial shots. Here are a few photos taken of that event.
These photos are believed to be of a pilot program taped at the Faith Center studio in 1973. Even though we are uncertain what the program was about or its title we, nevertheless, wanted to share the photos taken to give you an idea of the magnitude and diversity of programming produced at FBN.
HARVEST TIME
Harvest Time was a special program with a Thanksgiving theme produced by KHOF-TV in 1973. This program was also produced in the Faith Center main auditorium similar to the program mentioned above. It was presented by the Metropolitan Tabernacle of Lynwood, CA. An excerpt of this program is posted under the video clips section of this web site. Click here to go to the program clips and you will see Harvest Time at around 23 minutes into the clip.
Production sessions at FBN often went long and sometimes past midnight. Some of the photos that follow are of the crew behind the scenes posing during some downtime of the production.
Going...
Going...
Gone!
MORE PRODUCTION PHOTOS
We are not sure of what this production is, but we know it was shot at the Faith Center facilities circa 1973 and had a contemporary looking set for the time.
THE OTHER SIX DAYS
Here is some of the production crew from the Other Six Days taken around December, 1973.
Third row (Left to Right):
Rick Eisleben - Director
Al Davis - Cameraman
Second Row:
Unidentified
Phil Bonk - Engineering (Videotape)
Unidentified
Paul Diederich - Art Director
Marvin Rush - Cameraman
Coreen DeBelius - Production Assistant
Front Row:
Tim Rote - Engineering (Video)
Steve Rudolf (holding slate) - Floor Director
Click here to go to the program clips and you will see a snippet of The Other Six Days at around 18 minutes into the clip.