A new exhibit from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) examines the history of industrial filmmaking in Dallas.
Hosted on Google Arts & Culture, Mavericks and (M)ad Men: The Industrial Film Legacy of Dallas uses surviving film and videotape collections to tell the story of a few of the independent filmmakers who turned the Texas metroplex into an epicenter for commercial film production.
Created in partnership with the Office of the Governor’s Texas Film Commission (TFC), the exhibit features 13 videos submitted to the Texas Film Round-Up by Dallas media producers and Texas organizations. View the exhibit here: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/SwVRWyoQLDxNdQ.
Before Dallas became a popular destination for film and television production, resident creators had already cultivated national renown for a different kind of production—commercial film production, e.g., newsreels, industrial and promotional films, government and educational films, and television commercials. Showcasing videos from TAMI’s online collection, this digital exhibition takes a closer look at a few of the companies and personalities that helped establish this creative legacy and earned Dallas the nickname "Little New York of the Southwest."
“Any Texan can probably name at least one film or television series filmed on location in the Lone Star State, but the industry here encompasses so much more than that. Always has,” said Exhibit Curator Katharine Austin. “In introducing us to a few of the pioneers who helped make Dallas such a hub for film production, the exhibit also highlights what I consider some of the most fun and entertaining content found in TAMI's online collection.”
Some highlights of the online exhibition include marketing films for Pearl Beer and advertisements for brands like Dr Pepper, Imperial Sugar and Frito-Lay. The moving images featured in the exhibit are the result of the Texas Film Round-Up, TAMI’s partnership with TFC to digitize and provide access to films and videotapes documenting Texas.
“Commercial production continues to be a vital part of the media production ecosystem. It provides access into our everyday lives through the goods and services we utilize, the jobs we hold and the stories we share. More importantly, commercial production provides creative professionals a means to advance their craft and also make a living,” said Stephanie Whallon, Director of the Texas Film Commission. “We are glad to partner with TAMI to highlight such an important part of the media production industries in Texas and to celebrate that legacy and lasting impact.”
The exhibit will be celebrated in TAMI’s February Archive Dive, the organization's streaming video and conversation program, as well as at a screening in Dallas in March. More details on both coming soon.
This is the second exhibit developed by TAMI on Google Arts & Culture. Users can view Wave to the Camera, an exhibit featuring clips from more than 100 home movies, as well as more than 150 additional videos from TAMI’s collections, on the platform: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/texas-archive-of-the-moving-image.
The Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) is an independent non-profit organization founded in 2002 to discover, preserve, make accessible and serve community interest in Texas’ moving image heritage. To learn more about the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, visit texasarchive.org. Since 2008, TAMI has partnered with the Office of the Governor’s Texas Film Commission (TFC) to administer the Texas Moving Image Archive Program, providing new access to more than 50,000 films and videotapes as well as educational resources exploring Texas media history. To learn more about the program, visit https://gov.texas.gov/film/page/moving_image_archive.
(Taken from a press release)
