Descriptive Summary
UA 1244
Brigham Young University Motion Pictures Studio
Records,
1979-1987
Brigham Young University. Motion Picture
Studio
L. Tom Perry Special Collections
4 Boxes (2 linear ft.)
The first large building
constructed in 1958 was the BYU Motion Pictures Studio. As early as the summer
of 1952 the General Authorities of the Church had expressed a desire to
initiate a motion picture program to produce films for the Church's auxiliary
organizations, priesthood quorums, bishop training seminars, and welfare
programs. They were convinced that BYU was the ideal place to launch such a
program. That same year Church leaders asked Wetzel "Judge" Whittaker, director
of animation at Walt Disney Studios, to head the new nonacademic Department of
Motion Picture Production. From 1953-1958 the Motion Picture Department was
housed in a temporary building with a small sound stage east of the North
Building at the present site of the Harold B. Lee Library. In April 1958
construction of a new studio began on a secluded 15-acre rural tract in the
Provo River bottoms north of Provo. Eleven months later the 13,160-square-foot
structure was dedicated by Carl W. Buehner, then a counselor in the Presiding
Bishopric of the Church. The Department of Motion Picture Production was at the
time solely a production organization for the Church and not a part of the
University's academic curriculum.
This collection contains correspondence
from 1979-1987 concerning the BYU Motion Picture Studio.
Provenance
Transferred from Records Management, February 2006.
Access
Restricted. Closed for 25 years after the creation of the records and
thereafter open to the public after consultation with the University Archivist
and in accordance with the General Restriction Statement of the L. Tom Perry
Special Collections.
Conditions of Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary
copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from Brigham Young University Motion
Picture Studio Records, 1979-1987 must be obtained from the Supervisor of
Reference Services and/or the Special Collections Board of Curators.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: UA 1244; Brigham Young
University Motion Picture Studio Records, 1979-1987; University Archives; L.
Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.
Following Citations:UA 1244, LTPSC.
Biographical History
The first large building constructed in 1958 was the BYU Motion
Pictures Studio. As early as the summer of 1952 the General Authorities of the
Church had expressed a desire to initiate a motion picture program to produce
films for the Church's auxiliary organizations, priesthood quorums, bishop
training seminars, and welfare programs. They were convinced that BYU was the
ideal place to launch such a program. That same year Church leaders asked
Wetzel "Judge" Whittaker, director of animation at Walt Disney Studios, to head
the new nonacademic Department of Motion Picture Production. Not long
afterward, Wetzel's brother Scott, a professional screenwriter, also joined the
staff. The new department was built around these talented brothers. From
1953-1958 the Motion Picture Department was housed in a temporary building with
a small sound stage east of the North Building at the present site of the
Harold B. Lee Library. In April 1958 construction of a new studio began on a
secluded 15-acre rural tract in the Provo River bottoms north of Provo. Eleven
months later the 13,160-square-foot structure was dedicated by Carl W. Buehner,
then a counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of the Church. It was divided into
three wings: a sound stage, a two-story office wing to the north, and a storage
wing to the west. The large concrete sound stage contained facilities for the
production of most kinds of motion pictures. In the fall of 1964 a second sound
stage was finished, but unfortunately it was destroyed in a September fire.
Reconstruction began immediately so that the expanded studio occupied 30,0677
square feet. Judge Whittaker described the completed studio as "the finest
motion picture production studio in the country for its size." The total cost
of nearly $230,000 for constructing and furnishing the two-story building was
financed by a loan from the Church to be repaid from the proceeds of the motion
pictures produced. The Department of Motion Picture Production was at the time
solely a production organization for the Church and not a part of the
University's academic curriculum.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains correspondence from 1979-1987 concerning the
BYU Motion Picture Studio.
Notes on Arrangement
This collection is arranged by like subject.
Subject Tracings
Institutions
Brigham Young University. Motion Picture Studio
Places
Provo (Utah)
Genre/Form
Letters
Subject
Motion Picture Studios
Container List
BYU Motion Picture Studio
BYU Motion Picture Studio
Box
Folder
Contents
1
1
Steve Anderson,
1980
1
2
Steve Anderson,
1981
1
3
Steve Anderson,
1982
1
4
Steve Anderson,
1982
1
5
Steve Anderson,
1983
1
6
Jesse Stay, personal
1
7
Jesse Stay, personal
1
8
Jesse Stay, personal
1
9
Jesse Stay,
1980
2
1
Jesse Stay,
1981
2
2
Jesse Stay, 1982
2
3
Jesse Stay,
1983
2
4
Miscellaneous,
1980
2
5
Miscellaneous,
1980
2
6
Miscellaneous,
1981
2
7
Miscellaneous,
1982
2
8
Miscellaneous,
1983
2
9
Dottie Bahling,
1980-1983
2
10
Broadcast Services, College of Fine Arts and
Communications,
1981-1987
2
11
College of Fine Arts and Communications, Dean James
Mason,
1984-1987
2
12
College of Fine Arts and Communications, general
correspondence,
1979-1987
2
13
Computer Services,
1983-1985
3
1
Division of Media Services, Dean VanUitert,
1983-1984
3
2
Electronic Media Department
3
3
Audio Visual Services
3
4
Kae Weight
3
5
Employment
3
6
General, on campus
3
7
General, on campus,
1982-1987
3
8
Account Receivable, Muriel Thole
3
9
Personnel Services
3
10
Bob Crandall
3
11
Mike Nelson
3
12
Lyman Durfee
3
13
Insurance Office
3
14
LDS Church
3
15
LDS Foundation Development
3
16
Media protection, Jim May
3
17
Mike McDonough, Media Producations
3
18
Vehicle Replacement
4
1
MTC
4
2
Purchasing
4
3
College of Fine Arts and Communciation, Scott M.
Boyer
4
4
Tax exemptions
4
5
Travel report summary
4
6
Telephone office
4
7
PTFMA-The Bottom Line
4
8
PTFMA-the Bottom Line
4
9
Insurance