Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2013 - (Page 30)
GivinG Back
StorieS of GenerouS GiftS from
alumni and friendS
cUlTURal collecTion
f
Robert hackborn, left, with archivist curtis sassur and artifacts donated
to the Ryerson library and archives. Below: a railway bridge mock-up
from Mr. Rogers’ Neighbourhood; at left, a clock from a beta version of the
Mr. Dressup set; above, a painting from an unknown cBc special; and
top, a diorama of a set used in a canadian Brass special.
also of note, the mirror which catches hackborn’s
reflection was used to create the special effect of
spontaneous human combustion. The reflection of flames
was reflected off the mirror onto an actor who pretended to be on
fire, creating a realistic special effect on a very limited budget.
or nearly four decades, Robert Hackborn worked
at the CBC on the design and production of sets
and special visual effects for television shows. Now,
Ryerson students and researchers have access to an
extensive collection of materials related to his work,
which Hackborn has donated to the Ryerson Library
and Archives. Included are photographic and textual
documentation of the various film-based special effects
pioneered and employed by Hackborn in his work, as
well as documentation of the earliest stages of the show
development process for the major children’s television
programs Mr. Dressup and Mr. Rogers’ Neighbourhood.
There are also records related to the creative processes
behind Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock, including images of,
and correspondence with Henson. The Robert Hackborn
collection represents a valuable resource for students
and academics studying the history of Canadian television
production and cultural output.
The secReT of his sUccess
hollywood pRodUcER aRThUR SMiTh offERS inSidE SToRy To RTa STUdEnTS
By ShEldon GoRdon
H
ell’s Kitchen, the frenetic
competitive cooking show
that began its 11th season on
Fox in March 2013, is not for
the faint of heart. Celebrity chef
Gordon Ramsay rules his culinary
contestants with an iron fist amid
organized chaos.
The popular reality show’s
guiding hand is Arthur Smith,
RTA ’82, who owns A. Smith &
Co. Productions in Hollywood.
Smith has 21 TV shows in
production, including American
Ninja Warrior and Kitchen
Nightmares, yet spends part of
30 Ryerson University Magazine •
every day on the set of Hell’s
Kitchen. He admits the pace is
as unrelenting behind the 82
cameras as it is in front of them.
“The dinner service is madness,”
he says. “And there are so many
stories going on at once. “
Last summer, 30 RTA students
visited the set as part of the
inaugural “RTA in L.A.,” a twoweek boot camp where Ryerson
students sharpen their writing
and producing skills, tour
studios and meet TV executives.
Smith is chair of the RTA in L.A.
committee, which will help with
fundraising; he also made the
first major donation to the
S U M M E R 2013
program – $25,000. “It’s great
to expose RTA students to what’s
going on in the business,” he
says. “They get to see things from
different points of view. Watching
their faces was amazing. It also
reminds them that the U.S. is an
option, if they want it to be.”
Smith never needed a reminder.
He was reading Variety as a teenager and producing major sports
events for the CBC at age 22. He
became head of CBC Sports at 28,
before departing for Hollywood
in 1990. “I’ve always had jobs that
combined business and creative,”
he says. “But my own production
company is the best job I’ve ever
had. Now I get to do everything.”
ShEldon GoRdon iS a
ToRonTo-BaSEd wRiTER.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2013
Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2013
President's Message
Showcase
Gould Street
Hello, World
Learning for Life
Board Q & A
Welcoming Women to Wikipedia
Super Scholar
Readers' Advocate
Research: The Science of Sweet and Salty
Giving Back
Alumni Diary / VP Viewpoint
Class Notes
Remember When?
Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2013
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