San Antonio photographer, filmmaker and director Mark Roddenberry sat down with KENS 5 to talk about his documentary film on the history of San Antonio.
The movie tells the story of the creation of San Antonio's skyline and the great architects behind it. Looking through the lens of a camera, Roddenberry transforms downtown San Antonio once again to the early 1900s, when architects were in a race for the sky.
KENS 5: What inspired you to want to film a documentary on San Antonio?
Roddenberry: I became a big fan of Atlee Ayres about two years ago. My agent and I where looking at spaces here in downtown San Antonio and we found a space in a wonderful building that's a block away from the Alamo. The building's name had been changed. Formally it had been known as the Atlee B. Ayres Building.
The building was built in 1911, and one of the reasons it had been named in his honor was because he had had his office on the sixth floor of the building for over 20 years. I found myself so utterly taken by the beauty of the building.
KENS 5: Why do you find Ayres' work so compelling?
Roddenberry: Not only are the buildings he's built absolutely magnificent in every way, but he too is a shining example of what one would define as a pillar of his community. He was generous in every way.
He had two sons, Tandy and Robert. Robert would go on to also become an architect. In 1922, they formed the partnership Ayres & Ayres. Robert was personally responsible for the design of the tallest and surely one of the most beautiful structures in the San Antonio skyline, the Tower Life Building.
KENS 5: Which building is your favorite?
Roddenberry: The Woman's Club at 1717 San Pedro, formally the Woodward home. Atlee Ayres is an excellent example of a time when the architect and the artist where very much seen as one.
KENS 5: Describe how architecture can take a person back in time?
Roddenberry: Not only did Atlee Ayres design some 500 structures, he also held numerous titles, ranging from the president of the Fiesta Commission from 1911 to 1917 to that of the state architect of Texas. He and two other architects where personally responsible for passing legislation that would require architects to be licensed by the state.
To give you a feel for the time period, in 1911 there where only 12 cars in San Antonio. Atlee Ayres owned car number eight. One can only imagine how taken people must have been with this new invention.
KENS 5: Does the movie bring you back in time?
Roddenberry: During the time we spent creating our shot list, we spent some time shooting still images of several of the actors riding around downtown in a 1930 Ford convertible. I've never seen people react the way they did to seeing that car.
For more information on the documentary, check out Roddenberry's website: http://www.raceforthesky.com/
