Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1982-2007 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1,773 audio recordings
· 7 open reels : audio ; ¼ in. (ca. 70 min.)
· 28 audio cassettes : DAT (ca. 17.5 min.)
· 585 audio cassettes (ca. 469.15 hrs.)
· 1,153 optical discs : CD ; audio (ca. 1,143.2 hrs.)
5, 507 video recordings
· 30 open reels : video ; 1 in. (ca. 35.7 min.)
· 6 open reels : video ; ½ in. (ca. 5 min.)
· 2,705 video cassettes : ¾ in. U-matic (ca. 532.1 hrs.)
· 1 video cassette : Hi8 (ca. 0.5 min.)
· 49 video cassette : BetacamSP (ca. 34.67 hrs.)
· 2 video cassettes : BetacamSX (ca. 6 hrs.)
· 1 video cassette : DPSG (ca. 1 min.)
· 1 video cassette : HD CAM (ca. 40.33 min.)
· 5 video cassette : DVCAM (ca. 24 min.)
· 1,880 video cassette : Digital Betacam (ca. 309.88 hrs.)
· 274 video cassettes : VHS (ca. 26.98 min.)
· 13 video cassettes : MiniDV (ca. 22.5 min.)
· 540 optical discs : DVD ; video (ca. 28.14 hrs.)
1 cinefilms
· 1 reel : col. original negative ; 16mm
· 92 reels : col. original negative; 16mm
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Radke Film Group was formed in Toronto in 1992 by Richard Radke (in partnership with the company Partners’ Film Company). Radke, who was raised in New York City, had come to Canada in the early 1980s and began his advertising career in 1988. The company was intended to be a director-driven enterprise with sales agents generating contracts to produce commercials for various clients. Radke enlisted several directors to his firm, which his company then represented to various clients. In addition to representing Canadian directors, the Radke Film Group also served as a sales representative for a number of the major American production companies for business in Canada.
Following Radke’s sudden death at the age of 40 in 1994, then General Manager Edie Weiss took over the company. In 1998, Partners’ sold its 30% share to Weiss and she became the company’s full owner (she continues to serve as President). In 2003, the company opened an office in Vancouver.
The Radke Film Group also encompasses a number of affiliates:
· Steam Films was launched in 2001 to enable Radke to represent a larger number of directors; in 2003, they too opened a Vancouver office. Steam also provides crew and production for American shoots.
· Soft Citizen, a dedicated music video production company, was founded in 2003 with the intention of producing videos for both Canadian and international artists. To date, the company has produced videos for such artists as Badly Drawn Boy, Broken Social Scene, Cut Copy, and Death Cab for Cutie.
· The Vapor Music Group is a full service music house based in Toronto. The company specializes in original music, sound design, film/television branding, long format licensing, radio and voice direction. Vapor is managed for former Jungle Music head Roger Harris; clients include Nissan, Purolator, AGF, Gatorade, Nike and Toyota.
Radke directors have won every major international advertising award, including Cannes Lions, Clios, AICP’s (Association of Independent Commercial Producers), Bessies and more. Amongst the best known directors are Mike Bigelow, Antoine Fugua, Zak Snyder, Martin Shewchuk and Eric Lynne; a number of these people have also worked on feature films.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This fonds is divided into 4 series: Textual Material, Audio Material, Video Material and Cinefilms.
The first series, textual materials, includes file folders containing canceled cheques and administrative paperwork, as well as 1,317 wrap binders detailing the process of creating the advertisements. These binders include story boards, correspondence, invoices, purchase orders, scripts, cast lists, payroll documents, contracts, call sheets, permits, shooting schedules and insurance information.
The second series, Audio Material, includes primary raw recordings, intermediate edits, and finished documents. Many of the cassette tapes, compact discs and digital audio tapes also contain recordings of conference calls which would usually involve the director, an executive from the ad agency and an executive from Radke.
The third series, Video Material, includes several iterations of the commercials and music spots made by the company (raw footage, editing stages, and finished productions), as well as showreels sent to Radke by companies seeking work for their directors (including Errol Morris and David Fincher).
The fourth series, Cinefilms, includes 16mm and 35mm camera negative.
Over the course of its 18 year history, the Radke Film Group has produced more than 23,000 commercials. Products that Radke has promoted include:
· Chevrolet Cavalier
· Tostitos
· Eggo Waffles
· The Bay Sale
· Labatt Blue Beer
· Aspirin
· CD Walkman
· Lady Speedstick Deodorant
· Bell Sympatico High Speed Internet
· Purina Dog Chow
· CNE
· Discovery Channel – Shark Week
· Salvation Army
· Tim Horton’s
· Interac Direct Payment
· Jello
· The Weather Network
· Ontario Tourism
· Lysol Kitchen Cleaner
· Zellers
· Nintendo Game Cube
· Ministry of Health – Child Immunization
· Gibson’s Finest Canadian Whiskey
· Showcase: Cronenberg Festival
· Carnival Cruises
· Hot Docs
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
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Conditions of access and use area
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Preservation concerns may limit access, consult archivist.
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Media Commons does not own copyright of collection materials. Consult rights holder for reproduction(s).
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
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Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Dates of creation revision deletion
Created 03/19/2015
Language(s)
- English