TE AWAMUTU CAMERA CLUB – A BRIEF HISTORY.
 

The club was formed in 1954 as the Te Awamutu Amateur Movie Club. Mr Les Richards, who later became the long serving Patron, called the inaugural meeting attended by 14 people.

A year later a 35mm slide section was formed, and in 1960 the name was changed to the Te Awamutu 8mm & 35mm Camera Club. A further name change to The Te Awamutu Camera Club was made in 1978.

It is one of the very few clubs remaining, which cater for members interested in both movie and still photography.

The annual (up till 1989) Film Festival has probably been the reason for this survival. It consisted of a two hour programme of movie and slide Av’s presented to the public, initially for three nights in the old town hall, before that was demolished. This was a popular presentation before the introduction of television. Over the years the venues have since included the “La Ronde”, The Bowling Clubrooms, The St Pat’s Hall from 1973 to 1986, and the Woolshed since 1987 where it is held on two nights and an afternoon matinee.

Since 1989 it has been held every two years, with the exception of a three year gap to coincide with our 50th year. It is probably fairly unique in New Zealand as it requires a huge investment in time from members. Over the years many local events have been recorded, and some programmes have gone on to receive national awards.

Movie programmes started out in standard 8 format without sound, followed by recorded sound through an attached tape recorder, and then what was revolutionary in the form of a sound stripe on film along with a larger super eight format.

Colour slide programmes were presented with the standard push pull manual projector with slides changed to a recorded sound track on tape. Presentation with two projectors  mechanically controlled (Dual Projection) was a huge improvement. With the introduction of electronics, presentation became controlled automatically from the sound track on the tape recorder. Multi track cassette recorders eventually made programme making much easier.

 Video was first introduced into the club in 1988 and eventually took over from movie film. Changes have were  so rapid, that club members had to grapple with digital technology, computer editing and DVD presentation.

The club is affiliated to the N.Z. Photographic Society, and what was the Movie Federation which has now disbanded. Many events have been run on their behalf.

The club aims to cater for members to improve their photographic techniques, give the opportunity to members to show their work to others including the general public, and provide social contact with people with  similar interests.

 CAMERA  CLUB HISTORY – DATES/ EVENTS/PEOPLE COMPILED FROM THE MINUTE BOOKS – (Updated Aug. 2006)

28/2/ 1954 –  Te Awamutu 8mm Movie Club formed. (Gordon Redgate at the meeting.   

                         Rejoined the Club in 1981 and remained a member until his death in 2001/2?)

5/4/1955    –  35mm Slide section formed.

26/5/1958  –  Competition Slide Programme introduced.

19/4/1960  –  Name change at Annual Meeting to Te Awamutu 8mm and 35mm Camera club.

1963            –  Annual Meeting Syd Hollay’s name appears in minutes.Elected to comm. on 17/10/63 replacing Bill Goldie    

1964            –  May Annual Meeting. Keith Wing President. Meeting discussed postponing the Festival but instead decided standard of programmes                                   must be raised – Comm. to review the standard. Progr. shown for 3 nights in the town hall.

1966             – April Annual Meeting – Norm Every elected V. President.(not on comm. before) Elected President in 1967. Not on comm. in ’68

1973             –  Film Festival held in Bowling Club.           

1973/74       – Dec./Jan. Club meeting place changed from Red Cross Hall to Federated Farmers Lounge.

1978             –  Name changed to Te Awamutu Camera Club (Inc)

1979             – Film Festival went to 2 nights and a matinee.

17/5/83        – Les Richards elected Life member. Probably unconstitutional – dumped on the annual Meeting by Syd Hollay.

26/12/02      – A fire in the Federated Farmers building. Fortunately our store room was unharmed, but there was water damage to the Wyat Shepherd                              Lounge.
18/2/03        – Our meetings returned to the Red Cross Hall which we had left in 1973.