Online Video Store Now Taking Orders
Steven Hanes, VMI VideographerLEXINGTON, Va., April 30, 2012 – A new service offered on the VMI website will allow cadets and their families to preserve special memories of their cadetships into the future.
Each video sold online through the new VMI Video Store offers about two hours of footage covering a major event, such as ring figure, breakout or graduation, on a DVD available for purchase for $40. Coming soon are videos featuring an entire year’s highlights on DVD for $25.
These DVDs are produced by VMI videographer Stephen Hanes, who has filmed most of VMI’s major events since 1989, including visits by Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, and Hillary Clinton, and the matriculation, breakout, commissioning, and graduation of many classes.
“These films archive the event and provide … an opportunity for the parents to see what their cadets are doing,” said Hanes, who has been making films since he was a teenager and filming professionally for more than 20 years.
Many events require more than one camera rolling, and often the person on the other end of the lens is a cadet. “When the cadets help, they get their point of view, things I can’t get,” said Hanes. “They know what’s going on. They teach me. Plus it gives them an opportunity to see what it’s like to do media work. If they’re going to be officers, they’re going to be observed by the media.”
Sales of the videos will benefit the mission of VMI, a prospect that pleases Hanes.
“There’s some really good people that I’ve worked with and met here,” said Hanes. “I’ve been through three superintendents, the commandants – I’ve been here since Col. [David] Harbach [’61],” who was commandant from 1986 to 1989.
“I love VMI; I believe in the values here. … The code of behavior taught at VMI is one that I choose to embrace for myself. It’s what my parents taught me.”
Videos currently available on the VMI Video Store, http://www.vmi.edu/videos, are Matriculation Week 2011-12 (Class of 2015), Matriculation Week 2009-10 (Class of 2013); Matriculation Week 2008-09 (Class of 2012); Breakout 2008-09 (Class of 2012), Breakout 1988-89 (Class of 1992); Graduation 1988-89 (Class of 1992). More videos will be available soon.
Parents, cadets, and alumni interested in preserving their memories of VMI may also want to visit the VMI Photo Store, http://www.vmi.edu/photostore.html, for prints, mugs, T-shirts, and other items bearing photos they select themselves.
–Sherri Tombarge
–VMI–