U-Matic

Belle Isle Zoo
5-1-90 #1

U-Matic tape containing footage shot at the Belle Isle Zoo on May 1, 1990, its first day of operation of the year. The tape contains both interviews with zoo workers and visitors with footage of the animals and their habitats. The interview segments are performed by Darlene Hicks Jackson and Danielle Griffith who introduce themselves as being from Government Access. The audio cuts in and out throughout the tape.

The tape opens with footage of visitors and a worker handing out balloons printed with zoo animals to children, filmed near the zoo's entrance. From beside the bundles of balloons, Darlene Hicks Jackson then gives two takes of an introduction, providing the opening and closing dates of the zoo's season.

Next the camera rolls on the moon-shaped cut out photo opportunity near the zoo's entrance. Initially a family is taking photos at the spot, then the camera gets a clean shot of the moon and Belle Isle Zoo sign behind it.

The tapes first interview follows. Here, Danielle Griffith speaks to Mary Ellen of the Clark Family Players--a clown with a skunk puppet.

Shots follow of a Siamangs ape swinging through the ape habitat; a woman and child with balloon near the moon display; a group on one of the zoo's elevated walkways beside the ape habitat; a pair of parrots in a habitat; additional groups on the park's walkways; flamingos; antelope; signage for the bar-headed goose, snow goose, and grey kangaroo; zoo director Khadejah Shelby walking through the zoo; kangaroos; double-wattled cassowaries in their habitat; the sign for the double-wattled cassowary; Florida sandhill crane; and the signs for the mained wold and emu.

Danielle Griffith then interviews a group of third graders and kindergarteners who are visiting the zoo on a field trip from Nankin Mills School in Westland. During the interview, Griffith askes the group to wish the zoo a happy tenth birthday.

Next, a woman and child wish the zoo a happy birthday for the camera.

More footage of the zoo's animals and features follows. This section includes shots of a Mexican wolf and its sign; kangaroos; the sign for the Chilean Flamingos; Egyptian Geese and their sign; and a group of children posed around the moon display.

Next Griffth interviews a pair of visitors: first Linda Fielder who has brought a group of children to the zoo, and then Dwayne Smith from the COTS daycare center.

Then from the parking lot the camera gets shots of several decorative flags bearing image of zoo animals, as well as an American flag. During this sequence a WWJ broadcast is audible in the background.

Several more scenes from the vicinity of the zoo's entrance follow. These feature Mary Ellen entertaining children with a panda puppet, another clown with a bird puppet, and a zoo worker handing out balloons.

After several shots of the zoo's seals, Darlene Hicks Jackson interviews zoo director Khadejah Shelby. Shelby talks about new arrivals to the zoo, the Siamangs' calls, the zoo's schedule, admission, and provides the zoo's phone number.

Another series of shots of various sites around the zoo follows. This sequence features flamingos, parrots, people near the ape habitat, and Shelby walking through the zoo.

Then Darlene Hicks Jackson talks to Barbara Sutton, who is working to become a docent at the zoo. She explains the zoo's docent program.

After addition shots of zoo visitors, and of the speckled bear, Jackson interviews the mother and daughter who previously wished the zoo a happy birthday. They are filmed beside the bear habitat.

The final sequence of b-roll shots on the tape then follows. This one features Shelby and another zoo worker talking on the walkway; more footage of visitors, the Mexican wolves, the kangaroos (with a mother carrying a joey in her pouch), Jackson looking at habitats and walking through the zoo, a duck, a view through the park's fence of both the adjacent sculptures of Johann Friedrich von Schiller and Dante Alighieri, and finally the zoo's parrots.

The video is on a 3M UCA-60 U-Matic tape with a handwritten 3M label on its top. The tape is housed in a black plastic latching case with a matching label on its cover.