April 21, 1999

Amateur Video Access winners reflect diversity

By Garret Leiva
Herald staff writer
       You would be hard pressed to find an Armani tuxedo or a Gucci gown in the audience at the Amateur Video Access awards. Nor would you spot Jack Nicholson grinning behind a pair of sun glasses or Roberto Benigni leap-frogging over Steven Spielberg's head to make an acceptance speech.
      You might, however, be surprised to see your next door neighbor take home the award for Best Field Shoot.
      Friends, family members - even the person next door - were all up for awards at the second annual AVA awards for programming on the tctv2 cable access channel held Sunday at the Dennos Museum Center on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College.
      This year's ceremony featured 19 certified user producers with 39 shows vying for a chance at a wooden plaque, a compact disc or book and gift certificates at 11 different area restaurants. Entries eligible for the contest were aired on the public access station during the 1998 season.
      AVA awards were presented in nine categories including best studio production, children's show, funniest blooper, art/music/entertainment and a people's choice award. Judging the nominees were not members of the Arts and Science Academy, but representatives of Brauer Productions, Channel 29&8, TV 7&4 and Channel 9&10.
      Despite the lack of a flowing red carpet or flash-popping paparazzi, the AVA awards are a celebration of super star performances.
      "It's very difficult to put on a show - we say it's easy to become a producer through the workshop - but it is not that easy," noted tctv2 producer, Joan Julin, who along with Rita Melotti presented the AVA awards Sunday evening.
      "This is why we have these awards; to honor all those hours and hours of work."
      True to its diverse programming nature, the AVA awards featured subject matter from concealed firearms and Quilt-a-thons to Santa at the City Opera House and Geoffrey Feiger in Gaylord. Other nominees sharpened their focal ring on such subjects as Building 50, the Schooner Madeline and political candidates Michelle McManus and Bart Stupak.
      Winner in the category of Best First Produced Show, Traverse City resident Martha Alvarez said this type of diversity is exactly why she became involved in public access television.
      "What really got me interested in becoming a certified user was the freedom to voice whatever you're involved in," said the owner of the Karate Institute in Blair Township and producer of "Glen Lake Kids in Karate."
      For Traverse City resident Dale Cobb, who took home two AVA awards including one for his documentary on the Schooner Madeline, public access provides not only a way to preserve local history, but plays a vital role in shaping its future.
      "It is very important for a community to be able to express itself and with tctv2 people have that outlet. I think it puts a lot of energy in the right direction," noted Cobb, who won Best Field Shoot and Best Nature/Animal Show.
      Winner in the Best Children's Show, Kendra Campbell has also found public access to be an important tool of expression. Using her programs "T.C. Kids Read" and "T.C. Kids visit tctv2," the Traverse City teacher showed students not only the camera work and editing required to produce a television show, but the constitutional rights as well.
      "The students learn about the process of making their own show - camera work, sound, editing, story boards - but they also learn a lesson on the Bill of Rights. They realize that by going to a public access studio and producing a show they are asserting those rights," Campbell said.
      Giving perhaps the night's most memorable acceptance speech, AVA committee member Lars Kelto also reminded the audience to exercise another important right - to have fun.
      Speaking on behalf of "North Valley High" co-producer Andy Hoffman - who took an ill-advised bathroom break - Kelto said the People's Choice Award for the satirical send-up of high school life "takes (Hoffman) one step closer to his life long dream of wiring pyrotechnics for (the band) KISS."
      "Seriously though, you do have to remember that public access, as well as offering a venue for all types of nonprofit and community programming, is also a venue to entertain and have fun," he said.