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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