Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) Department Manager Folder

[NinjaRap]

I scanned a production-used department manager folder from the 1990 movie. This is laid out similar to a press kit, but it was only given to crew members who worked on the film.

Click below to check it out:
http://imgur.com/gallery/zIhRt

And see the spoiler for a detailed breakdown of everything.

Spoiler:

The folder, itself, has Kevin Eastman's classic Book II graphic novel cover printed on the front with the logo of the cartoon series and the subtitle "Heroes in a half shell!" The back provides Golden Harvest's head office and world sales contact information, and states that the folder was distributed through Golden Communications. One of the inside flaps lists the movie's credits, which at that time were "preliminary and contractual."

The first set of documents in the folder contains 11 photocopied news clippings and magazine articles touting the Turtles' growing success. I didn't see much point in uploading these, since they don't contain any new information. The excerpts come from the following publications:

People, April 18, 1988
People, August 15, 1988
Toy and Hobby World's Toy Hit Parade, December 1988
The New York Times, December 25, 1988
Variety, December 28, 1988
The Hollywood Reporter, January 5, 1989
The Hollywood Reporter, March 6, 1989
South China Morning Post, March 17, 1989
The Hollywood Reporter, March 30, 1989
Los Angeles Daily News, April 21, 1989
Billboard Top Kid Video Sales, June 10, 1989

A seven-page list of what appears to be every North American licensee up until that point, from Konami to Colorforms, follows.

An undated "fact sheet" is next, which continues to drum up praise for the Turtles: the cartoon is the highest Neilsen-rated cartoon in the States, over 550,000 comic books are being distributed on a monthly basis, and the toys are the #1 boys' action figure line. The motion picture was then slated for a Christmas 1989 release.

After that is a February 23, 1989 press release from Flaherty/Winters & Partners, which announces Jim Henson's Creature Shop coming on board.

A May 1989 "Turtle Talk" two-page newsletter from Renay and Mark Freedman is the last of the publicity pieces. The film has now been pushed to the summer of 1990. According to the write-up, the producers claimed to have received frantic calls from the likes of Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Roseanne Barr, Pete Rose, and Sammy Davis Jr. who all wanted to "'PUT ON THE SHELL' and get a part."

The focus now shifts entirely on the movie, beginning with Golden Harvest Group's typed bios of director Steve Barron, producer Simon Fields, and producer David Chan.

A studio map is provided, which points out the various stage and backlot locations, as well as where the Creature Shop is situated.

A six-page "Welcome to Wilmington" guide, dated June 9, 1989, reveals that the crew stayed at the Holiday Inn on Market Street. Nearby restaurants are ranked based upon price, from expensive to moderate and "good value," the last of which lists a delivery-only Domino's Pizza. The production company also felt it worth noting that "this is North Carolina and service is slow. The sushi bar... is especially slow." Not as slow: the nightclubs listed at the end.

A hole-punched memorandum sent to all department heads on June 15, 1989 notifies that the principal production meeting schedule has been changed and will take place in the front dining room of the studio commissary. The memo is signed by first assistant director Michael Grossman.

Another hole-punched memorandum from the same day contains the numbers of rented beepers in case a crew member needs to be reached.

The last piece of paperwork explains how to use various telephone call features.

Finally, the folder includes three 8" x 10" glossy photographs. The first shows a group shot of the cast and crew posing outside on the studio lot with some of the pre-mutation Turtle props.

The second gives an eerily empty glimpse of the sewer lair set.

And the last shows the full-size Splinter puppet with his paws around some crew members inside the Foot Warehouse; a P.O. Box address label of the film's stills photographer, Alan Markfield, is affixed to the back.

[tmntgeoff]

Wow that is awesome to see Mike! The info in the packet makes you feel like your a part of the cast.

Love the group photo how the cast members are holding props. Looks like they are sitting on the truck from the farmhouse too.

Also I loved seeing the sewer lair from a different angle.

[Raph]

Sweet stuff indeed!!

[Leonardo87]

That is pretty neat dude! Funny I can't find James as Shredder anywhere in the group shot unless I overlooked it lol.

[RaphaelinSTL]

This is so cool!

[pferreira]

Confirmed:

Mel Gibson: Leonardo

Dustin Hoffman: Donatello

Jack Nicholson: Raphael

Bruce Willis: Michelangelo

Sammy Davis Jr: Splinter

And why not Roseanne Barr for April. Would have been perfect.

[d_osborn]

Super cool post! There was a similar package in the material I bought from Eastman, but it didn't have any of the production memos, only the early press/PR stuff.

I know props get the golden treatment in the hobby, but I've always been a huge fan of production documents. There's really no other way to get a peek inside the day-to-day production, seeing the stories of how these things were produced.

[TheSkeletonMan939]

I agree! I know a lot of people here LOVE props, but I've always been more interested in this sort of information - particularly because it's something that can be shared with everyone.

Thanks, NinjaRap!

[Powder]

I haven't really looked at this at all just yet, but I did download it eagerly. Seems like something super cool, & I look forward to going over it. Thanks so much for sharing! I get so jazzed on this kinda behind the scenes material. I try to digitally archive all TMNT history, so this is a sweet addition to my collection of files.

[d_osborn]

Originally Posted by Powder

I haven't really looked at this at all just yet, but I did download it eagerly. Seems like something super cool, & I look forward to going over it. Thanks so much for sharing! I get so jazzed on this kinda behind the scenes material. I try to digitally archive all TMNT history, so this is a sweet addition to my collection of files.

Well there's more coming down the pipeline soon.

Ninjarap Mike is a super rad dude that's incredibly generous with sharing rare materials from his collection. Plus, he has one of the most fun TMNT-themed websites online.

[NinjaRap]

It's funny you should mention Eastman because I happened to be watching a video on YouTube the other day that goes into his vault, and I thought I saw a similar-looking glossy folder resting against a painting in the background (around the 1:18 mark):



There was a time when I didn't think much of production material, but now I totally appreciate it as an invaluable look into the movie-making process. You can learn a lot more from this kind of ephemera than with props. It also doesn't hurt that this stuff is a hell of a lot more affordable (and likely rarer, too, because I can't imagine much of the paperwork survived after filming wrapped, let alone almost 30 years later).

By right, there really should be a stickied thread dedicated to behind-the-scenes material, like there is with props--a place to post set photos, production documents, scripts, storyboards, old magazine scans, etc.--because these things are just as important. That might encourage more people to share items from their collections.

For example, I remember reading years ago that someone here owns Paige Turco's annotated TMNT III script in which she wrote profane comments in the margins whenever she got frustrated with the screenplay. Now that I would love to see!

[d_osborn]

Originally Posted by NinjaRap

By right, there really should be a stickied thread dedicated to behind-the-scenes material, like there is with props--a place to post set photos, production documents, scripts, storyboards, old magazine scans, etc.--because these things are just as important. That might encourage more people to share items from their collections.

You know I'm down! I'm saving the juicy stuff for the TPII documentary, but I'll for sure help get the ball rolling.

Wasn't it Roseangelo that picked up Paige Turco's TMNT3 script?

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by NinjaRap

I scanned a production-used department manager folder from the 1990 movie. This is laid out similar to a press kit, but it was only given to crew members who worked on the film.

Click below to check it out:
http://imgur.com/gallery/zIhRt

And see the spoiler for a detailed breakdown of everything.

Spoiler:

The folder, itself, has Kevin Eastman's classic Book II graphic novel cover printed on the front with the logo of the cartoon series and the subtitle "Heroes in a half shell!" The back provides Golden Harvest's head office and world sales contact information, and states that the folder was distributed through Golden Communications. One of the inside flaps lists the movie's credits, which at that time were "preliminary and contractual."

The first set of documents in the folder contains 11 photocopied news clippings and magazine articles touting the Turtles' growing success. I didn't see much point in uploading these, since they don't contain any new information. The excerpts come from the following publications:

People, April 18, 1988
People, August 15, 1988
Toy and Hobby World's Toy Hit Parade, December 1988
The New York Times, December 25, 1988
Variety, December 28, 1988
The Hollywood Reporter, January 5, 1989
The Hollywood Reporter, March 6, 1989
South China Morning Post, March 17, 1989
The Hollywood Reporter, March 30, 1989
Los Angeles Daily News, April 21, 1989
Billboard Top Kid Video Sales, June 10, 1989

A seven-page list of what appears to be every North American licensee up until that point, from Konami to Colorforms, follows.

An undated "fact sheet" is next, which continues to drum up praise for the Turtles: the cartoon is the highest Neilsen-rated cartoon in the States, over 550,000 comic books are being distributed on a monthly basis, and the toys are the #1 boys' action figure line. The motion picture was then slated for a Christmas 1989 release.

After that is a February 23, 1989 press release from Flaherty/Winters & Partners, which announces Jim Henson's Creature Shop coming on board.

A May 1989 "Turtle Talk" two-page newsletter from Renay and Mark Freedman is the last of the publicity pieces. The film has now been pushed to the summer of 1990. According to the write-up, the producers claimed to have received frantic calls from the likes of Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Roseanne Barr, Pete Rose, and Sammy Davis Jr. who all wanted to "'PUT ON THE SHELL' and get a part."

The focus now shifts entirely on the movie, beginning with Golden Harvest Group's typed bios of director Steve Barron, producer Simon Fields, and producer David Chan.

A studio map is provided, which points out the various stage and backlot locations, as well as where the Creature Shop is situated.

A six-page "Welcome to Wilmington" guide, dated June 9, 1989, reveals that the crew stayed at the Holiday Inn on Market Street. Nearby restaurants are ranked based upon price, from expensive to moderate and "good value," the last of which lists a delivery-only Domino's Pizza. The production company also felt it worth noting that "this is North Carolina and service is slow. The sushi bar... is especially slow." Not as slow: the nightclubs listed at the end.

A hole-punched memorandum sent to all department heads on June 15, 1989 notifies that the principal production meeting schedule has been changed and will take place in the front dining room of the studio commissary. The memo is signed by first assistant director Michael Grossman.

Another hole-punched memorandum from the same day contains the numbers of rented beepers in case a crew member needs to be reached.

The last piece of paperwork explains how to use various telephone call features.

Finally, the folder includes three 8" x 10" glossy photographs. The first shows a group shot of the cast and crew posing outside on the studio lot with some of the pre-mutation Turtle props.

The second gives an eerily empty glimpse of the sewer lair set.

And the last shows the full-size Splinter puppet with his paws around some crew members inside the Foot Warehouse; a P.O. Box address label of the film's stills photographer, Alan Markfield, is affixed to the back.

That was fascinating.

[the fixer]

Thanks for sharing, dude! That was awesome!