Seeking Home Movies in El Cerrito From 25-45 Years Ago

Appeals have been issued for any home movie footage from El Cerrito dating from the late '60s through the '80s for a city-sponsored film on the history of the city's Recycling Center.

The film is being made by Ideas in Motion, a Berkeley-based producer of documentaries since 1980.

The old Recycling Center, which began as a makeshift operation on the current center's site on Schmidt Lane, began as a makeshift operation around 1970 and was . It was torn down last year and expected to be completed later this month.

Appeal from the filmmaker

The city provided Patch with the following request from Jim Mayer, a partner in Ideas in Motion:

"Ideas In Motion has been engaged by the City of El Cerrito to produce a video about the El Cerrito Recycling Center – it's history and the new facility that is now under construction. We're looking for shots from home movies that could be used to help tell the story of the Recycling Center.

"It would be ideal to find shots of the Recycling Center in its early days (1970s and '80s), especially shots of people bringing materials to recycle.  Any shots of garbage pick up in those days (before curb-side recycling) would also be great.

"If we can't find anything that specifically relates to recycling or garbage, we would be interested in shots that evoke the spirit and style of the times (again, the 1970s). Shots of people, stores, and cars along San Pablo Avenue would be great. Shots of people showing characteristic clothing and hair styles could be useful – for example, shots of social gatherings and birthday parties. A shot of a movie theater showing a film from that period, or shots of construction of buildings or other facilities that people would recognize could be good.  

"If you have film footage that you think might be relevant, please contact Jim Mayer at Ideas In Motion by phone (510) 647 5051 or email jim@ideasinmotion.tv."

Appeal from El Cerrito Historical Society

The also issued an appeal in the December issue of its publication, The Forge:

"Home movies from the 1970s are wanted: Do you have home movies of El Cerrito in the late 1960s or the early to mid-1970s? We'd love to see them! The City of El Cerrito is working with filmmaker Jim Mayer of the firm Ideas in Motion on a short movie about the history of the city's Recycling Center. Movie footage from that era would help them bring the story to life. If you have any movies that might fit this description, please contact Dave Weinstein by phone at (510) 524-1737 or via email at davidsweinstein@yahoo.com."