On County Camera...

Real Stars Are Behind Camera

By Lit Wood* Cindie Cohen, John Fries and Richard Deodati are TV stars. Until nearly a year their only experience with television was what they saw in their own living rooms. As luck would have it they were plucked from obscurity last year and given an opportunity to appear weekly on a regular series. But, also as luckmight have it, they may soon have to content themselves with being "has beens" in spite of the fact they are young, personable and now familiar with the medium that has given them an unusual opportunity a* a TV documentary team. ) Cindie, John and ("Zigfy —ao named from the comic strip character) and Richard have been working under a Comprehensive Employment and 'Raining Act funded under the avspices of the county’s D nrtment of Public Affairs to produce, direct and appear on "County Camera", a local television shew shown Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. on Channel 2 (Teleprompter.) The show has taken them throughout the county, exploring its history, videotaping local

events and agencies, and interviewing interesting

people.

Richard, a handyman who graduated from the College of Artesia in New Mexico, has had some experience appearing in local theatrical productions. but Cindie and John were completely green. Cindie had done waitressing and secretarial jobs, and John, a landscaper and fisherman with a psychology degree, have had to learn iwerythidg from scratch. Cindie and Richard got their initial training last summer from Robert Steele, an instructor at Temple University, who

came up with the, idea of a local TV program and applied for a CETA grant, ffe received a vktoo grant to fund "Project Motion Pictures" shown at Cape

May’s City Hall

Cindy was working as a secretary in the city’s Department of Community Development when Steele asked her to work on the

CETA program.

"I said thank you very much, but I don’t have the experience,” Cindie recalled the other day But. Robert Steele had faith in Cindie and Richard. After he left the

A DAY IN THE LIFE of County Camera crew. Members of the public service television show are (I. to r.) John Fries, Cindy Cohen and Richard Deodati. The three create, direct and produce the imaginative show.

project to go to Temple. Cindie and Richard continued learning on their own. f ’7.iggy" joined them last November. "County Camera” debuted in February. Richard is officially listed as director of the program. John assistant

director and Cindie as secretary although she admits she hasn’t typed in months. What the team does do is pool its talents coming up with imaginative shows each week, sharidg the responsibilities for interviewing and editing, and

working long, hard hours preparing the segments for telecasting. John and Richard do most of the editing; John serves as camerman and Cindy acts as reporter most of the time, but the jobs are interchanged. Using obsolete, equip-

Gas Shortage Hits Home

COURT HOUSE - Th» gas shor^ze that has rumbled trakateningly on the horizoK only to dissipate and rain on someone else’s parade in the past few months is back in town—maybe to stay. The long lines and early closings an^ odd-even rationing of < .California fame are upon ds. causing lines to snake as far as two blocks in Cape May Tuesday "So, far we’re not doing too bad," Robert Patterson. Executive Director of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce said Tuesday "People are constantly filling their tanks* even waiting over an hour for a $1.50 worth of gas," he said. New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne’s order to ration gas according to the odd-even plan allowing driver's with even whose last license plate number is even buy gas on even numbered days and viceversa, "hopefully will help

so our lines aren't so long," Patterson said. The oddeven ration plan goes into effect today. June 21. Most gas stations arc open and pumping gas around 9 a m. but begin closing up around 3 p.m., Patterson said In addition, dollar limit, and weekend closings are becoming very commonplace, he added. Use of the county’s special emergency gas hotline phone center is up with about 80-100 callers inquiring about gas availability daily, a hotline spokesman said "The number of calls are going up everyday," he said. Problems with gass shortages have cropped up particularly in N. Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. The emergency gasoline hotline was reinstituted earlier this season by the Chamber of Commerce and Cape May County Board of Choeen Freeholders to allay tourist fears of potential gaas shortages The Hotline service was . . ■ v t >/-V l it*

. previously, operated during the gas shortage of 1974. The Hotline is manned everyday from 9 a m. to 5 p m to provide both tourists and residents with locations and availability of gasoline or automotive services in the area A recorded message operates during other hours. Queries are phoned in from as far away as Canada and Ohio, a hotline spokesman said, r "They are a little apprehensive, but no one is stayingaway, " hesaid. It is still too early to fully estimate the impact the gas shortage has had or will have on the area's tourism. Patterson said. Recent bad weather and poor conversion rate on Canadian currency has had some effect on business, he added "About 90 percent of all gas stations polled for hotline information have cooperated beautifully,' Patterson said.

ment. the team must use its tapes over and over again until worn thin. They lament the fact that present equipment limits their work to black and white,TV only "If you dream in color and watch color TV. you don't want to see black and white shows.” Joh« commented. Their "studio" is their office, a one-time storage room in the tower building at the county airport. "It’s almost like a closet," Cindie joked. She. John and Richard, and the old equipment all share a small area. But in spite of the limitations. Richard feels the three "are getting closer to doing profressional TV. He would like to do more newsy things" / Their best watched show thus far was the videotaping of the Windsor Hotel fire last month While Ihtir professionalism has been growing, the clock has been ticking away and as of July 13 when the grant runs put. “County Camera" is expected to close up shop ' "No, one really took County Camera seriously until the Windsor fire." Richard said. The team would like to do controversial things and develop a magazine-type sly), "The talent 4S here in the county, but ,lt’s not being utilized," John said. "They’re not being taught they're as good as the talent in other areas." he added While Cindie. "Ziggy" and Richard would like to be an independent team, they are grateful for the experience they’ve gained. "If we were in a big city we'd never have the opportunity to do what we've been doing." John said. They have been trying to work out an arrangement with Channel 2 to telecast the final two shows in color and Channel 40 (WCMO u interested in using reruns of the "County Camera" shows. The local CETA office has given the team an application for an extension‘of the program But. John Sitts. County Director of CETA. said "County Camera" if due to fold up next month unless permission for its continuation is okayed by the state. "Its year is ap in July." he said, "and it won’t be extended unless we receive