OK, here’s some ancient history, to mix in with the future history. In the late 60’s a group of UT Student Orientation Advisers put together a ‘multi-media’ show for new students arriving in the summer before their entry into life on the Austin campus. The show was designed to be entertainment after dinner in the dormitory, at the new Academic Center Auditorium (AC 21). AC 21 was a wonderful gallery type lecture hall with 4 giant rear projection screens, a center stage level film screen, and clear walls above the stage for more front projection from the booth. People filed into the darkened room tentatively, wondering what was going on, here?
With the room still dark, a rock and roll sound track started off with the raucous voices of the Stones (She’s a Rainbow) and ended with the sweet tones of Judy Collins (Who Knows Where the Time Goes), and for 30-40 minutes the kiddies were pounded with multiple screen images (35mm slides, film, TV) of campus life, anti-war protests, football (Go, ‘Horns), parties, and oh yeah, classrooms. The sons and daughters of Texas and the world got a dazzling taste of life in the new world of 1968-70 in Austin.
… Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto. The times were definitely changing, and for the group calling itself Media 70, it was like a prehistoric version of Second Life, with mind expanding ‘stuff’, music, images, issues, people. The group went on to do other shows for different venues, on and off campus. The most ambitious was a theatrical show that brought live actors on stage (and on film) into the AC 21 for a psychedelic Moog version of the Wizard of Oz, called The Wozard of Iz (written by Jacques Wilson with music composed and performed by Mort Garson). Students being what they are, very little survived of the images, sound track or script for this and other shows, but here is replicated the flier produced to handout all over campus to fill the house for the 8 night, 24 performances of The Wozard. Wow.
I’m the SCARED CROW. I’m afraid that if I don’t have, people won’t think I am. Thingaling, thingaling hear that old cash register ring. Thingaling, thingaling, see the nice goodies that I bring. I have substituted thing for think, thingaling, thingaling. What shall I do? I have to stop thinging and start thinking.
I’m the IN-MAN and I squeak. It’s all numbers when I speak. Facts and figures, figures and facts. One adds or one subtracts. I’ve a mind like a machine. Charts and figures, figures and charts, I will total all your parts. I’m the IN-MAN and I’m all head. But everywhere else I’m kind of dead. Gains and losses, losses and gains. I’m lust loaded down with brains.
A book that someone gave me said that time is all time. That the now time, and the last time, and the future time all must be shared. Where they meet is where it’s at, and they meet in me. And I have a witch, and my witch is nonbelief in anytime. And . . . the witch must be killed.
The LYING COWARD. You stand before the man with the word. Where there’s a crowd, I will be heard. Tittle, tittle, that’s the way I raise the rabble. Pain on every word I utter. Beloved, you stand before the man behind the tongue. There’s a hothead of expression in each lung. Glory to my splendid oratory. But, with all my talking and distraction, you won’t find me near the action. Though no talk was ever truer. I’m a talker, not a doer.
Brothers & Sisters, Citizenry of Campus, Canvas and Kansas City!
We issue praise for your timely arrival, and beg the blessing of your goodwill and stable spirit in our journey from Was to lz. The nature of our intention & therefore our plot is simple and contained. Our hero Dorothy, a fair and kindly maid, eagerly seeks cure to a bewitched brain, and thus journeys with resounding discovery to the magical land of lz. She offers passage to 3 misplaced modifiers, by specification, the Scared Crow, In Man & Lying Coward. These shadows of her mind are the best of their kind, as they afford lengthy amendment to imagination. Again, people, let you be fully forewarned that you shall know, as Dorothy and as self, all that you are to know. To develop a recognition, to achieve a point, to straddle the essence of this. To travel the yellow-green road.
7:00 & 8:15 & 9:30 for sure
in the AC Auditorium
March 16, 17, 19, 20 23, 24, 26, 27
in 1971 (whew)
Sponsored by the Texas Union Entertainment Committee
University of Texas at Austin ~ Media 70 More about this topic
Back then multi-media meant showing a bunch of things at once. The Media ’70 version of mult-media was, in large part, defined by the venue–AC 21, the auditorium. It was an amazing place.
The AC audiorium had two large rear projection screens on stage right and stage left at stage level. It also had a drop down front projection screen at center stage. Overhead at center stage, there was a large front projection screen that was flanked on both sides by large white walls that were designed for projection.
The were 3 booths. A center booth at the back of the hall with a 16mm projection aimed at the overhead center screen. A pair of slide projectors for cross fading images was set up next to the booth. (early shows were done with pieces of cardboard; later shows with electonic faders.)
There were also two “translation booths” that faced the flanking projection walls. Each translation booth was outfitted with a pair of projectors for cross-fading slides.
The “heavy” equipment was located behind the rear projection screens. This included a pair of 2×2 slide projectors, a pair of 35mm projectors, a 4×5 glass slide projector, an early video projector, and a 16mm projector. The 4×5 glass slides where often hand crafted abstractions, montages or slogans made for each show. The rear projectors were controlled from panel about 4 rows up in the audience. For the most part the shows were run from there.
All in all it took at least 6 people to run the show. On some occaisons, the screen at center stage was replaced with a scrim used for a rear projection and or a shadow screen for a live performer. On those occasions the show was run by 10 people.
In order to take advantage of all the gizmos, a Media 70 multi-media show included 16mm film, 35mm slides, 2×2 slides, 4×5 glass slides, and a custom mixed sound track.
The result was a blast at the senses. It was quite trippy, and amazingly enough, often moving.
What can be so important about events that happened 38 years ago? Some would say nothing, but we can never tell where paths take us until we walk down them. bce
Barry … i though the review was very good … great stimulus to remember those days /pete
Thanks Pete. Kenny and I have been piecing the story back together. Check out the network we set up at http://media70.ning.com/
Hello Pete!
Last Xmas Barry dropped me a note from the blue. Since then we’ve contacted Bill, Judy and Kay. It would be nice to reach others who were involved.
As Barry mentioned, we’ve been trying to reconstruct some of the old stories. We created a time line that you can find on the link Barry provided. If you’d be willing to make any corrections, additions or suggestions let us know–we’ll give you write permission. Also it would be great if you had any photos from the era.
Hope you’re well. Glad you found Barry’s Blog.
best regards,
Kenny
Fact checking the Web about Media 70, AdVantage and GSD&M:
Media 70 started in 1968 by Pete Peters and Bill Gurasich
Six members of Media 70, Bill Gurasich, Roy Spence, Judy Trabulsi, Steve Gurasich and Barry Everett, decide to start an ad agency in the spring of 1971. They call it AdVantage Associates, Inc.
About the same time Tim McClure and Jim Darilek start McClure and Associates Advertising.
Read more: https://docs.google.com/View?id=dhp5tqm5_4gqzv9ghj
Answers.com gets it wrong…
“GSD&M’s Idea City traces its beginnings to the campus of the University of Texas, where in 1970 six friends were tapped by the dean of students to create an orientation film. Calling themselves “Media 70,” the six, Roy Spence, Tim McClure, Steve and Bill Gurasich, Judy Trabulsi, and Jim Darilek came up with a multimedia presentation that combined references to the Beatles, Janis Joplin, the Vietnam war, and campus mascot Bevo the Longhorn. The group subsequently put on a series of shows both on and off campus, and upon graduation in 1971 decided to form an advertising agency together. They initially used the name AdVantage Associates, but later changed it to Gurasich, Spence, Darilek & McClure (Judy Trabulsi, believing that she would get married and leave the firm, decided not to be listed).”
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/gsd-m-s-idea-city-1#ixzz18xnAUXUm