Category Archives: Off Camera

Former KCRA Assignment Editor Jim Drennan Signs Off at the Age of 86

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Former KCRA Assignment Editor Jim Drennan Signs Off at the Age of 86

By: Joyce Mitchell

Governor

In a quiet, poetic way, Jim Drennan was a force of nature. He had the strength to calmly manage the whirlwind that comes with overseeing newsrooms and assignment desks. Drennan signed off August 30, 2022 after a brief illness. His death is mourned by the Sacramento television community.

Drennan knew at the age of eleven that he was going to be a journalist. That’s when he earned his first byline in his Bakersfield school newspaper. Born in 1936, Drennan went on to graduate from San Jose University, studying journalism.

Following a two-year stint in the military, Drennan embarked upon a career in newspaper reporting in Madera and then Reno. In 1967, he bravely jumped into TV, becoming news director at KOLO in Reno. A couple of years later, Drennan joined KXTV in Sacramento as news director where he stayed a decade. Then it was on to KCRA Channel 3 as assignment editor/manager and he remained until his retirement in 1993.

An article written about Drennan back in 1972 refers to him as a face-paced man who likes “warmth and authority” in newscasting. He became an intricate part of the development of early TV news days. “These people who come into our living rooms are like an interesting guest who comes in and tells you what happened,” said Drennan in the story. In other words, he said that people must relate to talent, and invite them into their homes as they deliver the news.

Drennan oversaw the transition from film to videotape, a huge development back in the day that changed the TV world as we know it. “The other looming thing in the future is portable videotape,” Drennan is quoted as saying. “I think there’s going to be a battle between super-eight and portable videotape in the next decade or so.”

And was Drennan ever right. He lived to experience a great deal of change in the industry he loved and knew so very well. He also said it again and again – that TV is only as good as the story told. And that made him an excellent assignment editor and newsman. He always found the heart of the story – whether it was produced via film or videotape.

Drennan never stopped for a second after leaving TV. He eventually stepped in to lead Valley Broadcast Legends (VBL), a Sacramento based social club modeled after San Francisco Bay Area Legends – but perhaps even a bit more self-deprecating. As president of VBL, he always had a message in the newsletter to members about what was going on and planned excellent and relevant speakers. The organization lead the way for fun and fellowship for Sacramento’s veteran radio and television professionals.

He also volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Association after dementia claimed the lives of both his mother and partner Kenny Matsumoto. Drennan and Matsumoro had been together 46-years. Matsumoto died in 2019.

During Drennan’s final days, the TV set in his suite at an assisted living facility stayed tuned to news. He was glued to the headlines until the very end of his life. He was a true journalist.

A memorial service was held for Drennan September 22, 2022 by VBL at Sacramento Memorial Lawn. As in full Drennan-style, it was light-hearted, left people smiling about a life well-lived, a life that exuded “warmth and authority.”

Carolyn Tyler Joins San Francisco Film Commission

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Carolyn Tyler Joins SF Film Commission

By: Kristin J. Bender

Member Contributor

From “Vertigo” and “The Birds” to “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “The Joy Luck Club,” San Francisco has long been a prime spot for shooting first-class movies.

The Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay, the twisty and narrow streets and the diverse neighborhoods provide a rich backdrop for movies, television shows and commercials.

And it’s the mission of the San Francisco Film Commission and its board to make sure each and every production has a successful shoot in the cinematic city.

NATAS Gov. Carolyn Tyler is one of the new film commission board members. Tyler, who spent 32 years as an anchor and reporter for KGO-TV/ABC7, was appointed in May by San Francisco Mayor London Breed to join the 10-member board.

“It’s a volunteer job and it’s basically a labor of love,” Tyler of San Francisco says. “I’m just trying to give back to a city that embraced me for 32 years.”

Tyler doesn’t consider herself a film buff, but keeps up on the latest movies and TV shows. “I’m a San Francisco buff,’’ she says. “I really love this city and I’d like to help.” She’s in a good position to help. Because of cost constraints, labor union challenges and pandemic-related issues, some producers choose to come to San Francisco only for the iconic beauty shots. They then go to cheaper markets, such as Austin, Vancouver or Atlanta, to complete filming, Tyler says.

But the commission is working on that with a rebate program and other incentives. “Nash Bridges took advantage of that,’’ she says. “Nash Bridges” couldn’t have been shot anywhere else.” As for her favorite San Francisco- based movies, she counts “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “The Joy Luck Club” and “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” among them.

But that could change.

Tyler advises that a remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair” will be shot in San Francisco down the line.

Leslie Griffith, former longtime KTVU anchor and reporter, dies at 66

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Leslie Griffith, former longtime KTVU anchor and reporter, dies at 66

Leslie Griffith, the highly-acclaimed and much-honored journalist who graced Bay Area television screens for 20 years as an anchor and reporter at Oakland's KTVU Channel 2, died Aug. 10 in Lake Chapala, Mexico, where she had been living for the last several years. She was 66.

Her family said Griffith endured a years-long battle with Lyme disease.

The nine-time Emmy Award-winning Griffith worked at KTVU for 20 years -- from 1986 to 2006 -- beginning as a reporter and as co-anchor, with George Watson, for the station's 10 p.m. weekend newscast. For several years in the 1990s, she anchored that weekend broadcast by herself, doing the same as well for a weekend early evening edition. In 1998, following the departure of Elaine Corral from KTVU, Griffith was promoted to anchoring the weeknight 10 p.m.newscast with Dennis Richmond, a position she held until she left the station in 2006.

Prior to joining KTVU in 1986, Griffith's television news resume included a stop in Colorado Springs, Colorado, followed by a stint at KSBW in Salinas. Before entering television, she cut her journalistic teeth as a reporter for the Associated Press and the Denver Post. Prior to that, she worked as a teacher.

Throughout her 20 years at KTVU, Griffith received many accolades, including nine Emmys for her work. She was on the frontlines of many of the Bay Area's major stories, including the devastating 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the massive firestorm that swept through the Oakland hills in 1991.

In 2006, she left KTVU and television news, but she was never far from being a storyteller. She continued to write, and prolifically, for publications that included the San Francisco Chronicle and the Huffington Post. And, concerned with the problem of tuberculosis in circus elephants for many years, Griffith championed getting elephants out of performing in circuses. In 2015, Griffith's storytelling took her filmmaking. She was the brainchild behind her film, "When Giants Fall", which she wrote and directed. For Griffith, the film spotlighted the ivory trade as a cruel business -- that every 15 minutes, an elephant is killed for its ivory and that 65 percent of Africa's elephants have been killed for their ivory in a span of five years. Griffith's film went on to collect numerous accolades from film festivals across the United States. The film was also supported by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

A family member confirmed to KTVU that Griffith was suffering the effects of Lyme disease since being bitten by a tick while living in Oregon in 2015. She also had a home in Lake Chapala, Mexico, where she had been living since 2016.

Griffith is survived by her two daughters, Trenton and Carly, and by her adopted son, Eric. She is also survived by two grandchildren.

Board Retreat Renews Enthusiasm and Ignites Ideas

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By: Brooks Jarosz 
NATAS SF/NorCal President

Great minds from the newly seated NATAS San Francisco/Northern California Board of Governors met in-person and virtually, for a fruitful day focused on serving our Chapter and its members.

For some, it may have felt like the first day of school. The excitement spilled throughout the meeting rooms and event space at OakStop in downtown Oakland on a sun-filled Saturday in August.

“The enthusiastic interaction and collaboration was quite wonderful,” National Trustee Alison Gibson said. “It shows we are all working together in earnest to make this Chapter stronger than ever.”

As the newly-elected President, it was my first time leading a retreat to culminate new ideas, provide structure, and aim to get every board member involved in one or more of our hardworking committees.

The retreat began with introductions and then breakout sessions between our markets including the Bay Area, Sacramento, Hawaii, Fresno, and other smaller markets. It allowed the Vice Presidents who represent those areas to discuss what mattered most, including how the organization could better serve those markets.

While NATAS is often only associated with the coveted Emmy Awards, our efforts in producing programs, funding and awarding scholarships, and providing valuable mentorships for our members, are just a few other key objectives.

“This was among the most productive board retreats I’ve attended in over a decade on the board,” said Finance Co-Chair Julie Watts. “Our newly elected board members brought energy and fantastic ideas.”

Those ideas for new initiatives led to robust discussions about events, sponsorships, member benefits, outreach and diversity. Stay tuned.

Great strides were also made to bolster key committees, including the Education Committee.

“This year’s smaller and much more focused group came up with many more innovative ideas for us to devote ourselves to in the coming year,” said Toby Momtaz who chairs the committee.

By assigning governors to specific roles or tasks in committees, plans are already being charted to encourage greater participation and expand our Chapter’s reach.

Ultimately, all of us on the board volunteer our service for the betterment of our Chapter, to serve our members, and to acknowledge and reward excellence.

I speak for all of us when I say, we are always open to new ideas, criticism, and finding ways to evolve and innovate.

“The retreat was just what we needed to discuss our needs, as a chapter and from a committee standpoint, to collaborate and restructure things,” said Marketing Chair Larena Baldazo. “I am excited to see how we evolve from here.”

If you have ideas or feedback, please email brooks@emmysf.tv