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THE FAMILY ALBUM /

A life
behind the lens.

Cameras, crews, family, and the moments in between. Photographs and a behind-the-scenes video from the Early Video family archive.

Browse 86 photographs + 1 video

CLASSIC PHOTO ARCHIVE

86 photographs + 1 video. A story in every frame.

Explore the classic commercials

01 / FROM THE ARCHIVE

The moments
behind the stories.

Select a photograph to see it in full.
Look for the play button to go behind the scenes.

A man adjusts a film camera on a tripod between two studio lights in a black-and-white photograph.

A camera operator works on a television studio set with two seated presenters and a large WATE-TV camera.

A man sits at a desk with a typewriter and papers in a black-and-white office photograph.

A production crew works from the roof of a van outside an office building in a black-and-white photograph.

Two men work with a camera on a small WBIR-TV Channel 10 News vehicle.

Jim Early holding a WBIR-TV movie camera in a color portrait.

A man holds a small handheld camera against a dark studio curtain.

A man speaks into a microphone beside a performer wearing a bright purple ringmaster coat.

A roadside billboard advertises Jim Early Broadcast Productions alongside an image of a video camera.

Reel-to-reel machines, a mixing desk, and audio equipment fill a wood-paneled recording studio.

A crew operates cameras from the roof of a red production van outside an office building.

Three men stand together and smile in a color group photograph.

A man reaches for videotape equipment above a monitor in an editing room.

Two men stand arm in arm indoors, with one wearing a hat, in a black-and-white photograph.

Two men in tuxedos pose together at an event.

Two men face each other in an autographed black-and-white photograph.

A man speaks at a lectern while another man stands behind him.

A man works with papers at a desk in an office.

A black-and-white portrait of a man seated beside office equipment.

A man poses between two performers in colorful clown costumes.

A man holds a film camera beside the open door of a car in a black-and-white photograph.

A man wearing a cap and photographer’s vest holds a camera outdoors beside a vehicle.

A man looks down at a professional video camera in a black-and-white photograph.

A camera operator looks through the viewfinder of a red video camera outdoors.

A man sits beside videotape machines and a monitor in a wood-paneled editing room.

A man sits at an editing workstation with a desktop computer and video equipment in a wood-paneled room.

A desk covered with papers and equipment sits beneath a framed picture in a wood-paneled office.

A man operates video equipment at an editing desk in a wood-paneled room.

A woman works at an office desk in a black-and-white photograph.

A woman poses beside a professional video camera in a black-and-white studio photograph.

A young man sits beside a desktop computer, video equipment, and shelves of videotapes.

A man in a checked shirt adjusts a professional camera on a support arm.

A young man sits at a computer-based editing workstation surrounded by video monitors.

A camera operator films a woman standing beneath a chandelier.

A man stands beside a pool area with palm trees and resort buildings in the background.

A camera operator holds a camera rig with a long lens on the sideline of a crowded football stadium.

A man operates handheld equipment on a wooden deck overlooking palm trees.

A crew films an outdoor interview beside a stone wall with a camera and boom microphone.

A black-and-white close-up of a man looking through a handheld video camera.

A man sits at a computer workstation beside a tall rack of video equipment.

A camera operator kneels on a basketball court while filming a person dressed in orange near the basket.

A black-and-white view of an editing room with monitors, a computer, and racks of equipment.

A young child poses on a stool in front of a studio backdrop and photographic lights.

A camera operator films two people standing in a waiting room with blue chairs.

A man in a red shirt talks with two people beside a video camera and production light.

A camera operator wearing green scrubs, a surgical cap, and a mask adjusts a camera on a tripod.

A man in a red shirt adjusts a camera mounted on a support arm.

A man in a suit holds a bronze top-hat-shaped award in front of a dark curtain.

Three-year-old Chris Early sits at the controls in the family recording studio.

A camera operator films a pianist onstage in front of an audience.

A camera operator films a pianist at a grand piano in a courtyard illuminated with strings of lights.

Two men pose beside a video camera on a tripod outdoors.

A man carries camera equipment near a stadium entrance marked with a Tennessee T.

A wide view of an indoor production set with cameras, lights, and a green backdrop.

A camera operator films two people talking at a table in a bright room.

A man holds a vintage movie camera in front of one eye in a close-up portrait.

A crew films a seated interview with a green backdrop in a spacious building.

A black-and-white view of a camera operator filming with a handheld support rig.

Four men pose together at a stadium, with one holding a camera rig.

Three men stand together on a sports field beneath a covered stadium roof.

A camera operator filming on a grassy field.

A man sits beside two computer monitors and racks of equipment at an editing desk.

A child sits at a kitchen table with a small black tabletop device.

Two smiling men pose together, with one resting an arm around the other’s shoulders.

Two men pose beside a professional video camera, with one wearing a white Tennessee polo shirt.

A camera operator films a man in an orange-and-white shirt in a hallway.

A man stands beside a display of vintage televisions, cameras, and a black-and-white broadcasting photograph.

A seated man holds a small alligator across his lap with a camera resting nearby.

Several crew members adjust a camera and lighting equipment in an indoor production setup.

Three men pose together indoors in front of a wood-paneled wall.

A camera operator films a man seated behind a desk in an office filled with photographs and memorabilia.

A seated man works at an office desk while a camera operator films from the other side of the room.

A camera operator films from the edge of a football field beside a checkerboard end zone and marching band.

A man takes a selfie at an editing workstation with a video timeline visible on the monitor behind him.

A man holding a camera gestures toward another man on a grassy field outside a brick building.

Two men pose together on a grassy field, one holding a football and the other standing beside a camera rig.

A man in a suit and tie stands behind a lectern in front of a large event backdrop.

A camera operator films a man gesturing beside an orange Tennessee football wall graphic.

A camera operator films a man standing in a hallway with a handheld camera rig and monitor.

A camera operator films a seated person from an upper seating area overlooking a football stadium.

A camera crew films a person in orange on a grassy field beneath a large white diffusion screen.

A camera operator films a person in orange on a sunny field beside a tall equipment stand.

A woman and a man holding a camera pose together outdoors beside a vehicle.

Two men pose together in a football stadium, with one pointing toward the other.

A production crew sets up a camera and large light around a man seated at an office desk.

A camera operator checks equipment among several cameras and tripods on an outdoor production set.

A professional camera and monitors frame a seated person against a bright green backdrop.

The complete collection · 86 photographs + 1 video

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MORE THAN PICTURES

The people
behind the story.

Discover the family history behind Early Video, or revisit the classic commercials that became part of East Tennessee’s memories.

Read the Early Video story Watch the classic commercials