Optic Nerve

Optic Nerve, a San Francisco collective, embraced portable video in 1972 and produced Psychological Bullrider (1973), a documentary on rodeo cowboys, and Fifty Wonderful Years (1973), a behind-the-scenes look at the Miss California Beauty Pageant. These early works established Optic Nerve’s aesthetic: free-style narrative, little or no voice-over, and a strong commitment to personal contact. Founding members included Lynn Adler, Jules Backus, Mya Shone, Sherry Rabinowitz, Bill Bradbury, John Rogers, and Jim Mayer.