Anyone know anyone that worked at Varitel Video/Western Images back in the day?

We are trying to locate the company that filmed footage for the abandoned Perfect Strangers documentary in 1984/85. Andy info leading to contacts with any individuals that worked at this company would be greatly appreciated. Here is some info about the company below:


Varitel Video was led by Art Porter and John Cheney. The facility at 350 Townsend had a circular staircase descending to edit rooms for cutting TV news magazines. Varitel expanded into a luxurious full-service shop on the north waterfront. Blake Padila started as a tape op and became senior post producer, staying with Varitel 14 years. "The best part about working there was the variety of projects we worked on - from corporate to commercials, music videos, features, and docs. Varitel was one of the few facilities that provided all the services that people needed. It was the last of the big facilities in SF, and I remember that time fondly."
After One Pass/Editel-SF was destroyed by fire in 1992, Western Images emerged as a leading high-end facility. Michael Cunningham, Michele Acosta, and Jonathan Keaton purchased the first Quantel Harry and transformed the in-house studio of Western Temporary Services into a cutting-edge effects house. In 1993 Western premiered the first Flame in the US, operated by one of its developers, Simon Mowbray.

 

Varitel also had offices in LA. In fact, there were three similar-sounding companies in LA: Editel, Unitel, and Varitel. I often used to say they should just combine them into one company and call it "EdiUniVaritel." All long out of business now.

I would say the trail on something like this is ice cold 35 years later.

 

I know it's a long shot. But you never know.

 

If you haven't already done so, you might want to post your query on the AMIA-L listserv - lots of knowledgeable folks there who are used to seeing requests for information like this.

https://amianet.org/engage/amia-l-listserv/

 

Thanks

 

https://scontent.fdet1-1.fna.fbcdn....=0fbc0e240ad65f706debcb6063e4f17d&oe=5EC50D5F

 

Perfect Strangers producers Tom Miller, Robert Broyett, and series creator Dale McRaven are all still around (despite being close to 80 years old) and reachable through their agents, which you can find out by calling the Producers Guild of America. I tend to doubt that the documentary would be done in 1984-1985, since the show itself debuted in March of 1986. I have been told the sitcom has been remastered to HD from film, so if it isn't out already, it will be soon.

 

Sorry I’m talking about the Deep Purple reunion album Perfect Strangers and the documentary shot for it.

 

Ah, I missed that in the original question.

 

I’m hoping to find Sandra who worked at Varitel Video in LA 1990.

 

hi. I know you have been looking for a while. I worked at Varitel as Senior Editor from 1981-1989, and personally don’t remember the project you are looking for. Our biggest music video production client was FYI, Paul Flattery & Jim Yukich. I think I have some 1” and 3/4” demo tapes from tat era, but haven’t looked at them for a long time. Sorry.

 

Thanks for the reply. You don't happen to remember any other individuals that worked there do you? Or if you might now what happened to their tape library?

 

I recent demo tape find confirmed it was Tasco that filmed the Deep Purple documentary footage. You wouldn't happen to remember anyone else that worked at the company we could contact do you?