Harvard Alumni - Class of 1961

Diorama Video Documentary Campaign 

Dear 1961 Class Members,

Pease help us complete this Video Documentary Campaign.  We hope to cross the finish line and achieve our Campaign objectives by the end of August.  

We have raised a grand total thus far of $106,221, towards our goal of $130,000, leaving just $23,779 of new funds left to raise between August 1, 2021 and September 1, 2021.  We would like to substantially exceed this target in order to reduce the cost of an In-Person Celebration in 2022 for those who can attend, and reduce the cost of Video Streaming of memorable key events to those who would prefer to attend virtually. 

We are just in the early stages of Video Production of the Full Diorama Video Documentary project, described in the pages that follow. 

If you would like to contribute to this exciting documentary campaign to achieve the broadest possible public viewing, please become a 1961 Class Donor for this momentous and spectacular gift to Harvard.  Please make your check payable to The Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1961, note Diorama Video on the memo line, and mail it to Greg Downes, 203 Adams Street, Milton, MA  02186. 

We have chosen the right film experts in Boston Digital Productions LLC,  to contrast the cow pasture in 1667, the small military encampment in 1775, and the Widener Library in 1936.  Or the Holden Chapel, standing alone in 1667, surrounded by two buildings in 1775, and ten buildings in 1936.  This ultimate documentary will trace the evolution of Harvard as a learning institution over 269 years. 

Remember, any funds you contribute over our goal will be spent on streaming our 2022 Class of 1961 In-Person Celebration for those who cannot attend in person.  

To all those 87 of you who have already contributed, we wish to thank you profusely.  We hope you are very pleased with our efforts to date.   
With warm regards,  

Who Will be Looking Over BDP’s Shoulder?

The Diorama Video Production Team consists of Todd Lee, Executive Director, John Hancock, Technical Director, and Joel Henning. 

The Compliance and Oversight Team for the Diorama Video Production pro0ject consists of Josh Young, Carmen Gentile, and Jane Hoeffel Otte. 

Signoff for The Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1961 Treasury payments is provided by Dave Larkin, Harvard Class Treasurer, Greg Downes, and Newell Flather. 

A Closer Look at the Diorama Video Project

The following descriptions and pictures provide some more details on the history of the Pitman Dioramas. 

Theodore Pitman ’14, a sculptor, wanted to create a tangible expression of the University’s history as a permanent memorial of the Tercentenary.  He partnered with Samuel Guernsey, formerly of the University Museum.  A team of ten researched and worked on the Dioramas, including students from the Harvard School of Design and nearby art schools.  Henry Brooks ’22, painted the backgrounds. 

For the terrain, a preliminary model of plastilene, based on a specially prepared contour map of Cambridge, was first formed.  From this a negative mold of plaster of Paris was cast, which in turn gave a positive mold representing the terrain in its final form.  University buildings were cast from savogran, similar to plaster of Paris, but stronger. Towers, balustrades, ornamental cornices, and ornaments were made of brass.  Private buildings were constructed of wood, and all were painstakingly painted with historical accuracy.  

Each of the models required a large amount of preliminary research.  Those buildings, usually among the older ones, for which no plans could be found, were systematically photographed, with a stadia rod included in each photograph for full-size scale. The same procedure was carried out for all privately-owned buildings within the area, block by block, including all types of architecture, from churches to garages.  Tree maps were made, block by block. 

The 1677 and 1775 models used a scale of one inch to thirty feet, to more satisfactorily show the architectural detail of buildings, which in general were smaller than those of the twentieth century.  Installation of the Dioramas in the Widener began in the fall of 1947. 

The Harvard of 1677 marked the move from college construction along Braintree Street (now Massachusetts Avenue) to the beginning of construction overlooking Cambridge Common in the winter, of 1677.  The Diorama shows the original Harvard Hall , Harvard's first brick building, before it burned down on January 24, 1764.  The fire destroyed  4,500 of the College Library's 5,000 books.  Also depicted is the Old College, that until 1863 stood where Grays Hall (the first building to have running water) is now.  The smallest of the three Dioramas, it stood in the embrasure of the central window in the west corridor of Widener. 

The 1947 photo on the left of the 1775 Diorama looks down from Cambridge Common.  Harvard Yard had only a dotting of colonial buildings and Harvard Square was just a triangular patch of grass, with two trees on either side.  In the restoration of the 1775 Diorama, 80% of its nearly 2,000 trees, and about 80 of the buildings needed significant repairs. 

The most realistic material for trees and hedges was found to be sea algae.  Quantities, gathered at Nahant, were dried in the studio.  The completed trees were positioned according to aerial maps and photos.  Extreme care was required of the restorers to preserve the miniature pedestrian and animal figurines, often as small as the tip of a fingernail. 

The Diorama of 1775 was originally placed in the angle of Widener’s west corridor.  It depicts Harvard in the autumn, on the eve of the Revolution.  In 1776, the college buildings were used to house Washington’s Continental Army, and Cambridge Common was their training ground.  Cambridge was bereft of its orchards in order to meet the increased demand for fuel.  

It is fascinating to follow the evolution of  Harvard University's campus through these snapshots in history, serving as a repository of Harvard's  institutional memory.  Theodore Pitman truly made a unique contribution to Harvard, that deserves to be appreciated by future generations.  

Diorama Video Production Donors

Your generosity will greatly extend the reach and significance of our Class Gift, and enhance our Class Legacy.  We hope each of you will make at least some contribution to join the 87 donors below.  Please make your check payable to The Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1961, note Diorama Video on the memo line, and mail it to Greg Downes, 203 Adams Street, Milton, MA  02186.   Please make your check payable to The Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1961, note Diorama Video on the memo line, and mail it to Greg Downes, 203 Adams Street, Milton, MA  02186.  The Class of 1961 Treasury is a 501(c)(3), and we have the Tax ID if your tax preparer needs it .  Therefore, your donation is fully tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. 

As of today, our Diorama Video Production donors include: 

Contract between Boston Digital Productions and The Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1961
(H-R’61) (Full Program with cost amendments agreed to by the parties on June 7, 2021,
and payment schedule amendments agreed to by the parties on June 15, 2021). 

This Agreement, effective July 16, 2021 is between Boston Digital Productions (BDP), LLC, 162 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116 and The Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1961 (H-R’61) This Agreement is severable if the Test Shoot is declared unacceptable.  The Test Shoot was declared acceptable on June 4, 2021. 

1.   H-R’61 is contracting with Boston Digital Productions for the production of a Diorama Restoration video documentary.

2.  Program requirements: We will produce a 12-25 minute Diorama restoration video documentary as well as share raw footage when requested.

3. All materials developed for these videos will be Copyrighted by H-R’61 with All Rights Reserved.

4.  Timeline:  The project start date is July 16, 2021. The programs shall be completed by April 8, 2022. (Meeting completion dates can be dependent on a reasonable approval time frame throughout the process by H-R’61.)

5.  The parties’ respective responsibilities shall be as follows:

(a) Boston Digital Production Responsibilities:

• Engage in pre-production work
• Serve as director, producer on location for filming
• Writer will collaborate on outline/content & scripts with H-R’61 writer and principals
• Hire and direct camera crew, editing staff
• Supply camera, lighting, audio and associated gear
• Conduct 8-9 interviews (within a two day period)
• Film with a drone for an aerial day
• Film two Diorama days for two Dioramas (two in one location)
• Film one extra Diorama day with one Diorama, if needed
• Provide basic graphics for the program    
• Provide 150 hours of editing (includes 3 rounds of revisions)
• Execute moves on maps and photos
• Provide music selections
• Produce final master files

(b) H-R’61:

• Coordinate contacts for all Harvard and diorama locations
• Provide writer to work with BDP writer/producer
• Collaborate with BDP on basic content and scripts for each video
• Provide information for graphics and lower thirds if appropriate
• Provide coordination for additional Harvard media assets
• Provide review and feedback for rough cut edits, including reasonable change requirements
• Provide information for credits and acknowledgements
• H-R’61, as the producer of this initiative, has final approval on all aspects of the product

            (c).  Boston Digital Productions shall be responsible for all payments to crew and editors. H-R’61 shall have no responsibility for payments to crew and editors.

6.  Boston Digital Productions shall be solely responsible for any necessary payments for permission for the use of music and stock footage.

7.  Key Man clause - Jimmy Jay Frieden will perform directorial responsibilities throughout the project.

8. Schedule of project work sequence and payment schedule as follows: H-R’61 shall pay Boston Digital Productions a total of $83,500.00 without stock footage or up to $86,500.00 if stock footage is included.  These totals include $2,500 of additional on-site shooting of the 1936 Diorama during the Test Shoot.  Payments will be made according to the following schedule: 

Startup of Full Program, with Test Shoot Extra Day/ with possible collaboration sooner. 

July 16, 2021  Payment #1 - $12,500.00 (14.45%)

Treatment/Preliminary Script outline development and approval – Pre-Interviews completed July 16 - Aug 31

Aug 16 - Aug 31 Payment #2 - $10,000 (26.01%)

Drone filming/film interviews completed.  Aug 16 - Sep 24

Sept 17 – Sept 24  Payment #3 $10,000 (37.57%)

Content rough cut developed/delivered for review/approved with reasonable changes.  Sept 24 - Dec 1

Nov 26 – Dec 1  Payment #4 $10,000  (49.13%)

Final script strategy completed/decisions on all Diorama shots needed/Two Diorama set up days completed Dec 20 – Jan 4

Dec 21 – Jan 4  Payment #5 $20,000  paid before filming days (72.25%)

Two or three filming days (1667 and 1775 Dioramas) and possible re-shoot of 1936 completed/ Editing with b roll & stock & FX/final rough cut delivered/reviewed and approved with reasonable final changes.  Jan 24 - Feb 25

Feb 4 - Feb 25  Payment #6 $10,000 (83.81%)

Refine final rough cut/final editing completed/final video masters delivered in specified formats/final approval. Feb 25 - April 8

March 31 – April 8 Final Payment #7 $11,000 or up to $14,000 if stock footage is supplied. (100%)

Total payments:  $83,500, or up to $86,500 with stock footage supplied. 

9.  H-R’61 will own the master video content as well as all message concepts, transcripts, materials, media messages, reports and supporting documents, if any, that occur related to this project. 

10. Force Majeure Event.  If, by reason of fire, earthquake, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, any municipal ordinance, any state or federal law, governmental order or regulation, or other cause beyond Producer's control, Producer is prevented from or hampered in the production of the Project, or if Producer's production of the Project is postponed or suspended, or if, by reason of any of the aforesaid contingencies or any other cause or occurrence outside Producer's control, including without limitation death, illness or incapacity of any other