Home > History of EZTV > The Periods Exhibit > The Melrose Avenue Years
The Melrose Avenue Years
| 1994-1996
Top Row: Ernesto Tan, Strawn Bovee, Kate Johnsons. Bottom Row: ia Kamandalu, Michael J. Masucci.
EZTV Melrose Ave, 1994
In the two years that EZTV resided in Melrose Ave., the organization made the single largest series of changes in its existence. The group moved into two adjoining office suites, the entire second floor of a two-floor office building on Melrose Ave in Hollywood, CA. It was during these two years that EZTV successfully made its transition from analog to digital, well ahead of the competition and ensuring their survival well into the future.
EZTV’s first website, created by artist Mark Gash, was also launched. The website, among the very first to focus on digital art, was quickly recognized internationally and became an early Yahoo! “Site of the Day” and was included in Yahoo!’s book for children about the web, Way Cool Websites.
EZTV was featured in Yahoo!'s "Way Cool Web Sites" for kids, 1994
Allan Ravik joined forces with EZTV, installing one of the pioneering EMC non-linear editing systems. This predecessor of the Avid was successfully used by Ravik and Kate Johnson on numerous projects for several years, making EZTV one of LA’s first artist-friendly media labs to offer digital video editing, years before it became routine in either the alternative art scene or the mainstream industry.
EZTV narrowed down its extensive client list and began to focus much more on original art projects, becoming a more couture service provider. During this time, EZTV clients included Miramax Pictures, Warner Bros., Disney, actors such as Forest Whitaker, Marvin Van Peeples, Gina Gershon, directors such as Paul Mazursky, rock stars such as Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and many others.
Additionally, EZTV donated office space to digital artist Robert Lowden who explored CD-ROM based work and created Photoshop & other digital files for use in EZTV projects. Lowden would go on to be among the very first of Dreamworks’ digital artists during their transition from cell to digital animation.
Digital art by Robert Lowden, 1995
In anticipation of an expected move to Hollywood Blvd, to a newly renovated space upstairs from LACPS, EZTV and LACPS staged exhibitions at their joint exhibition space “Re:Solution Gallery”:
EZTV screenings and events at RE:SOLUTION GALLERY, 1994-1995
Additionally, EZTV rented space within a multimedia start-up in Beverly Hills called “Telegence”, a short-lived production and exhibition space. EZTV staged a number of screenings there during these two Melrose years.
