Documentary Co-produced by RIT and WXXI Receives Two Telly Awards

RIT 175, a film co-produced by Rochester Institute of Technology and WXXI Public Broadcasting, has been honored by the Telly Awards, a national competition that recognizes excellence in video and film productions. RIT 175: Rochester and its Institute chronicles the origin of RIT and traces its history to the present in celebration of the university’s 175th anniversary. The film received a Silver Telly award (top honors) in the “History/Documentary” category and a Bronze Telly award in the “Use of Animation” category.

RIT Film and Animation Professor Malcolm Spaull and David Cronister, director of the Educational Technology Center, directed and produced the 55-minute film. RIT Chief Communications Officer Bob Finnerty and WXXI Executive Vice President Susan Rogers served as the film’s executive producers, while RIT students in the School of Film and Animation assisted in the project.

“The documentary is about an American success story,” said Spaull. “Henry Lomb, George Eastman and the other original leaders would be amazed if they could visit the campus today. It was a vocational school founded to serve a specific need in a growing industrial city. Now it is a leading university with some internationally elite programs. Not to mention more than15,000 students.”

Spaull added: “The parts of the film that are not history (roughly 50 percent) are a snapshot of the Institute mostly through the faculty and student's eyes. This complements the history by illustrating the level of accomplishment that the history professes.”

Spaull and Cronister said it was only fitting to incorporate work from students from the School of Film and Animation, who benefited from a “a real world opportunity.” Cronister also noted the expertise provided by the WXXI crew. “We formed a close and creative partnership with WXXI. Working with their videographers, sound engineers and other members of WXXI’s production team was a highly rewarding experience for the students and everyone involved,” Cronister said.

Since the documentary premiered on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11) in December 2004, it has received many accolades including an honorable mention at the 53rd Columbus International Film Festival, the “Winner” at the Aegis Video & Film Production Awards and the Crystal Award of Excellence at the 2005 Communicator Awards.

The Telly Awards annually showcase the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world. The Telly Awards are a widely known and highly respected national and international competition and receives over 10,000 entries annually from all 50 states and many foreign countries.

The documentary is dedicated to the RIT faculty and staff, past and present. Along with the film, another 30 minutes of content has been added to a DVD, including extended interviews and student-produced mini-films. The DVD is available in the RIT bookstore, Campus Connections, for $18.95 plus shipping and handling and tax. For more information, call 585-475-2504 or visit http://bookstore.rit.edu