Special Projects from Avista Video: Video Production - Video Editing - Video Taping - Event Videography

Documentaries & TV Shows
City of Rio Rancho Channel 51
Community Videos

Avista’s documentary work has been aired on television and has had public viewings in local museums. Three of these projects have won national Telly Awards.

A news documentary was created for National Geographic that featured the Washoe Tribe of Lake Tahoe.

“Old Friends of New Mexico,” a 13-part series of one-half hour episodes about significant, community-minded New Mexicans, aired on PAX-TV’s Albuquerque affiliate in the summer and fall of 1999. One of the episodes, The Lovelace Doctors, was a First Place national Telly Awards winner in the “TV or Cable Program — Program Documentary” category.

"Lisa Witt approached Lovelace to sponsor Avista’s “Old Friends of New Mexico” TV series. One of the episodes featured The Lovelace Doctors in Modern Medicine. That episode won a national award! We were pleased with the response to “Old Friends” and delighted to be a sponsor."

Marlene Baca, Director,
Lovelace Senior Services

“Candelaria’s Story: The History of the Armijo Family in Old Town Albuquerque,” was produced as an accompaniment to an exhibit of the same name at the Albuquerque Museum.

“The History of Conchas Dam” and “The History of Santa Rosa Dam” are permanently on view at the Dams’ Visitor Centers. These projects were produced for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“The Move of the 2926” was shown to 400 people at a WHEELS Museum fundraiser, and will be displayed at the new WHEELS Museum in downtown Albuquerque when it opens. The documentary focuses on how the Railway and a team of volunteers moved Steam Locomotive No. 2926 from a park to a new home adjacent to the museum. It won a “First Place” Telly Award in the “History-Biography” category.

"Avista has produced several documentaries for The WHEELS Museum that were the highlight of our last two fundraisers. Avista takes great pride in working with our elderly railroad workers to document their stories. We are undertaking several more projects with Avista that we hope to include as exhibits in the Museum when it opens."

Leba Freed, President
The WHEELS Museum

“The Bibos: Native Americans and Jews on the Frontier” was shown at the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society’s annual conference in 1997.
“Congregation Albert — 100 Years of Community,” chronicling the parallel history and growth of Albuquerque and this Reform Jewish congregation, won a “Finalist” designation from the Telly Awards in the “History/Biography category. It can currently be seen in Congregation Albert’s library.

"Thank you for the great video for Congregation Albert’s 100 Year History! I think it is wonderful to have such an inspiring piece about the temple and our history and heritage. I truly appreciate all the hard work you did to make the video and to make the history day so great…We will certainly be using the video to showcase the temple!."

Karen Kahn, Past President
Congregation Albert

“Jewish Pioneer Oral Video History Archive Project.” Avista owner Lisa Witt is project director for this major endeavor, which is sponsored by the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society in cooperation with the University of New Mexico’s History Department and Center for Regional Studies. The Jewish communities of New Mexico have longstanding and deep connections to this state. Yet, theirs are some of the stories that are rarely told in the larger context of the state’s history. The project will collect and videotape the stories and materials of Jewish life in New Mexico from 1850 to 1920. Avista’s role is to videotape the interviews with descendants of the pioneer families. The tapes and transcribed interviews will be available at the State Archives and Record Center in Santa Fe and at UNM.
Hal Olsen Interview on WWII Nose Art for the American Air Power Heritage Museum in Midland, TX in June/July 2001.

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CITY OF RIO RANCHO CHANNEL 51

The City of Rio Rancho hired Avista to “jumpstart” its public access and government cable TV station in 1999. Avista left the City well positioned to bring the station’s functions in-house when the contract concluded in 2000. John Ortiz, Channel 51’s manager, also works on the Avista team.

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COMMUNITY VIDEOS

Each year, we set aside some of our time and expertise to produce discounted videos for non-profit groups:

Senior Hall of Fame

Since 1997, Avista has produced a free video history for each of the Senior Hall of Fame recipients. Four individuals are honored annually for their outstanding contributions to the community. In their “storyteller portraits” that are shown at the annual Hall of Fame luncheon, the honorees discuss who most influenced their decision to be active in public service and the accomplishment for which they are most proud, and also give advice to their grandchildren about what is important in life.

Silver Horizons New Mexico Promotional Videos

Avista produced a promotional video for Silver Horizons New Mexico (formerly the Senior Foundation) to announce its new name and mission.

A Senior Citizen I Know

For several years, Avista was a sponsor of “A Senior Citizen I Know” essay contest for children in grades 1 through 5. We taped each of the 30 child winners reading their winning essay in the presence of the subject of their essay -- their favorite senior.

American Heart Association (AHA) of New Mexico

To highlight the impact that AHA has on the people who receive its services, Avista produced a video for New Mexico’s annual fundraiser in 2002.

New Day Youth & Family Services

We produced a lively, 30-second TV PSA (Public Service Announcement) for New Day to promote their 16th Annual Valentine Charity Ball. The Charity Ball is a major fundraiser for this non-profit organization, which runs a shelter in Albuquerque for at-risk and runaway teenagers.

American Association of University Women - Albuquerque Chapter

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the chapter, Avista produced a history documenting the accomplishments the chapter has made to life in Albuquerque.

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