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AUDIOVISUAL

 Series
Identifier: 28

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Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The Marian Rees Associates (MRA) records date from 1981 to 2000 and measure 86 linear feet. The records document the production of each Marian Rees Associates film since the company was established in 1981. The records are arranged chronologically by airdate, starting with the earliest films produced by Marian Rees Associates. Although the titles of some films changed over the course of production, the series titles reflect the final titles used for the film when it was broadcast.

In the box list, this "As Broadcast" title is followed by the earlier versions of the title and by the films' original broadcast date. There is some variation in the process that a production takes from concept to final product, bit in general the process follows a certain order. This order is reflected in the subseries that are common to most, but not all, of the productions: Script library, Production files, Post-production files and Publicity. In particular, the records of the earlier productions are sparse and do not include all of these series. Some productions include additional subseries: Pre-production files, Location files and Awards.

Whether the project being developed is an original idea for television or an adaptation of an existing literary work, the Script library illustrates the transformation of an original idea or the printed page into a television program. This subseries often includes drafts that have been submitted by various writers along with their revisions reflecting the process of character and story development. Notes from the producers and directors offer insight into the process that within the MRA organization can often take several years; this subseries generally ends with either the final shooting script or the "As broadcast script."

The subseries Production Files focuses on the practical elements necessary to move a project from the script library and onto film. This sub-series often includes correspondence with networks and corporate sponsors, agents, crew and cast members. Information can be found regarding financial, accounting and budget realities and research on locations and shooting schedules. For most of these productions the last folders will be called "Production Book" while in other productions these folders will appear at the end of or after, the Post-Production files. Regardless of the location, these folders contain the day-to-day progress of the production as recorded by Production Executives. The Production sub-series illustrates the range of practical and material challenges that face different productions from shooting and travel schedules to daily script revisions and shipping film from often remote locations.

The Post-production files subseries often highlights the steps that shape the end product. From the Post production crew list to editing, negative cutting and continuity, dialogue repair and musical scoring this sub-series focuses on the ways in which raw film footage becomes a "movie." In many of the productions, information on "Publicity" will be included in the post-production files; for other productions, there exists a sub-series titled Publicity; both will contain much of the same type of information.

In the case of some but not all productions, there may be subseries that do not exist in other productions. One of these sub-series is called Pre-Production.Where it does exist, it may contain preliminary historical information and research that relates to the period of the story. When necessary, information on clothing and customs of the period are also included. Another one of these occasional sub-series is called Location files.This subseries will have information particular to filming in a particular location such as local contact information on housing and goods and services necessary to the film company.

The subseries Publicity folders will include a range of information from Inter-office correspondence announcing network airdates to newspaper and magazine cast interviews and reviews. Generally, Press Kits are included in the the Publicity subseries. These are mostly comprised of publicity "stills"- photographs from the film of the cast along with biographical information on the cast, MRA and Production Executives. Awards information is related to the Publicity subseries and is at times a subseries in its own right. For many of the productions, especially those that have won critical acclaim and received numerous awards, there will be multiple folders with reviews, interviews and print information. There may also be photographs and programs from the event itself as in the case of the Emmy awards or the Monte Carlo Film Festival.

Dates

  • Creation: 1981-2000

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The records are open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 86.00 Linear Feet

From the Collection: 1 items (Videocassette [V538] shelved with videocassette collection)

From the Collection: 9 Cassettes (9 audio cassettes [AC 1595] - [AC 1601], [AC 1605] - [AC 1606] shelved with audio cassette collection)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Repository Details

Part of the Iowa Women's Archives Repository

Contact:
100 Main Library
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5068
319-335-5900 (Fax)