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Archival description
Provincial Archives of British Columbia audio interviews, 1974-1992 British Columbia. Government Travel Bureau
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Bernard Atkins interview

CALL NUMBER: T4077:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Interview with Bernard Atkins RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1983-06-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Atkins discusses: childhood in England; moving to Victoria; first interest in photography and first photographic assignment; going up to Alaska to make film on Alaska Highway, 1949; boss Clarence Ferris; work in hard-to-get-to parts of the province; first two films, "Look to the North" and "Land of Tomorrow"; work for civil service, Tourism and Travel Bureau for B.C. government. TRACK 2: More on development of the Peace River and Alaska Highway region. Describes what life was like in the north of B.C. in the '40s and '50s. Lack of funds in Travel and Tourism Bureau. Dealing with Phil Gaglardi at Department of Highways: agreed to make some films for that department. Films on industrial industries. Resignation of Clarence Ferris. Discussion of "Men, Mountains and the Challenge;". Film about Island highway and film about totem poles. CALL NUMBER: T4077:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Interview with Bernard Atkins RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1983-06-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Further discussion on "The Silent Ones". Going up to the Queen Charlottes with Wilson Duff and others from UBC. Bringing back the totem poles to UBC and the Royal B.C. Museum. Good relationship with Bill Reid and Kelly Duncan. Got along well with Mungo Martin, the Native carver. Feud between Chief Thunderbird and Mungo Martin. Atkins' last film was "Valley of the Swans," about Kootenay Flats being drained. Discusses "Kootenay Lake Holiday" and "Highway Sixteen". Dick Colby and Clarence Ferris anecdote. Describes working conditions at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and his relationship with Ferris. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Richard Colby interview

CALL NUMBER: T3833:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The Government Travel Bureau and filmmaking PERIOD COVERED: 1929-1976 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1981-04-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Summary of career, 1929-76. Move from Dept. of Public Works to Government Travel Bureau, Photographic Branch under Clarence Ferris. Working conditions, salary, hours of work, staff activities. Work sites (offices locations). Staff working attitudes. "The Road Home" (1955) on polio: discusses film. TRACK 2: Educational experience of filmmaking. Staff members, organization, responsibilities in office and out in field. Equipment. Distribution of travel films in market areas. Archival preservation of Government Travel Bureau films. Attitude towards Ron Worley's resignation and assumption of post of deputy minister by self. Projects as deputy minister. Tributes to work by ministers of New Democratic Party and Social Credit governments. Retirement. Public response to government promotional films. CALL NUMBER: T3833:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Government Travel Bureau and filmmaking (part 2) PERIOD COVERED: 1929-1976 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1981-04-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Distribution of films and public showings by staff. Non-release of film on west coast of Vancouver Island, "West by Nor' West". Bill MacDonald of Travel Bureau: promotional activities in Pacific Northwest and California. "Legend of the West" film. Feedback from public: negative and positive. Impact of television on career and Travel Bureau productions. Public attitude towards the "reality" of film. Story of the Glen Ford fishing film. Story of the U.S. filmmakers accompanied by Colby on successful filmmaking venture. Filmmaking con artists. Clarence Ferris as a person and filmmaker. Travel for filmmaking by car, train and bus. Filmmaking equipment. TRACK 2: Filmmaking equipment. Departure from Dept. of Highways and transfer of their equipment to Travel Bureau. Cameras described. Technological change. Pre- and post- production techniques. Wally Hamilton of Trans Canada Films lab. Films: Kodachrome and Ektachrome. Cameras. Still photography cameras. "Eggs Unlimited" industrial film. "Certified Seed Potatoes" film. "Of Mines and Men" film. "Johnny's Heritage" film on secondary industries. Recreational films: "Tight-lines" (fishing); skiing films by Norm Keziere and Bill Wiley, including "Sounds of Silence"; animal films: "Big Game Holiday" and "Land of the Red Goat"; story of the grizzly bear. First films for Dept. of Highways and Travel Bureau. "The Road Home" film. Lumbering film episode. Concluding statement. (End of interview)