Orlando Memory

Topic: Century III Teleproductions

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Ross M. Cibella's Century III Teleproductions at Universal Studios.

Century III Teleproductions was originally founded in Boston By Ross Cibella back in July 1976, and named to celebrate the beginning of the third century of this Republic.

Ross bought BeeJay Recording Studios on Eggleston Street in Orlando from Eric Shawbacker in 1984 and Dick Mathis was made General Manager of the facility. They stopped halfway into the rebuild and Dick left. Engineer Miles Ptacek stayed on to take care of things while they decided what to do next. Rich Parent took over the project and Century III Teleproductions opened in September 1985. Miles Ptacek and Oliver Peters co-managed the facility with Rich Parent, who was Vice President of Operations in Boston. Rich played a pivotal role in the facility in Orlando; he was the person who made Ross Cibella's ideas come to life.
The sales people at Century III in Orlando answered to Lee Rubenstein, Vice President of Sales in Boston, so we operated as if we were just another installation across town, rather than a separate company in another state.

In 1988, Century III was successful in their bid with Universal to become the exclusive vendor of post production services on the lot. We were also on the list of possible companies for Disney-MGM Studios, but that went to The Post Group from Los Angeles. We occupied approximately 30,000 sq. ft. of the vendor building at Universal, but only about 10,000 was actually built out. The rest was expansion space. Later we built into part of the bay behind, so by the end, I think about 12,500 or so, was finished off. In addition, a small insert stage in the unfinished other 10,000 sq. ft. area was built.

Century III moved into the Universal space in late 1988 and the Eggleston facility was closed in 1989 after the move was completed. Coincidentally, Ross sold the Boston operation at that same time, making Century III Orlando the only operating part of the company.

At the Universal installation we provided video and film editing, film-to-tape transfer, audio editing and mixing, graphics and animation. We later added a 40 ft+ mobile truck, satellite uplink/downlink services, fiber optics support to the soundstages and a production unit within the company. Debra Cibella ran the production unit. Ross also bought out Warren Sound (Howard Warren) at Universal. This added film editing services and operating the 35mm film screening room within Building 22A (the producers' building) at Universal.

When we moved to Universal in 1988, we were working on the first series shot there, "The New Leave It To Beaver Show". We provided film-to-tape transfer and editing support to that show. Other TV series included "The Adventures of Superboy", "Super Force", "Swamp Thing", "Fortune Hunter" and "The Newz". Plus other shows, pilots and feature films. The most recognized film done was "Christopher Columbus" (the one with Tom Selick and Marlin Brando) - a Salkind Production (same exec producer as Superboy). Century III did all the post production sound editing and mixing. All totaled, Century III did hundreds of hours of films and TV shows, plus commercials, corporate videos, themed attraction videos, etc.

At the peak in the early 90s, we were doing three television series simultaneously (Super Boy, Super Force, Swamp Thing) and had as many as 75 people on staff (full time, freelance and part time). After the 2002 economic downturn, Century III couldn't hang on. Ross attempted to sell the company, but it was eventually closed.