A local television production company is marking its 40th anniversary next month, a milestone made more noteworthy by the fact that it’s run by Silicon Valley seniors.
Cupertino TV Productions (CTVP) will close out its fourth decade on Nov. 4 with a special retrospective program highlighting its history and achievements, including clips from the more than 1,200 shows created by a staff of volunteers ages 50 and up from all over Silicon Valley. The show will honor past and present producers, editors and crew members.
“We are incredibly proud to reach this significant milestone. It is a testament to the dedication, creativity and passion of our team, who are all volunteers,” said CTVP Vice President Grace Trafton in a statement. “We owe our success to our loyal viewers and partners, especially the City of Cupertino, KMVT15 and the Cupertino Senior Center, who have supported us throughout this incredible journey.”
Based out of the senior center, CTVP started in 1983, producing shows under “The Better Part” moniker. Programming was originally geared toward seniors and senior issues, but has since covered a diverse spectrum of topics for viewers of all ages, winning both local and national awards for its efforts.
The show has improved its production values over the years, but crew members say that technology has been the biggest change. The team has gone from analog to digital and from a single airing in one locale to its own YouTube page.
CTVP is always looking for new volunteers, with age being the main criterion for joining the production crew.
“CTVP welcomes individuals age 50 and above who are interested in TV production or simply have a passion for storytelling and creativity. said CTVP media representative and treasurer, Ranjana Mehra. “No prior production experience is necessary to join our group, our partner KMVT15 offers professional classes at its studio.
“CTVP fosters a supportive environment for members to learn and grow,” Mehra added.
CTVP meets biweekly on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Cupertino Senior Center to discuss program updates, brainstorm new show ideas, form production teams, and address administrative tasks. For more information, visit www.cupertinotvproductions.com or www.youtube.com/@CupertinoTVProductions.
Source: www.mercurynews.com