About the Project

It's A Labor of Love

And Idea Was BornTwo Pep Band Members Walk Into a Bar...

The Pep Banned documentary idea was born during a bar conversation between two former band members, Dan McKeon and Ron Culberson. During their swapping of favorite Pep Band stories, Dan’s wife Kit said, “This would make a great documentary!”

Eventually, it was determined that there was the need to preserve this vital piece of the University of Virginia’s history. The band’s archived documents were retrieved and over 6,500 documents, photographs, and memorabilia were scanned. The next step was to put it all together so that this unique story will be told and the band’s legacy will live on.

As a non-profit endeavor, the film’s producers seek donations to support the project. If you are interested in contributing, click here: Donate

The TeamProducer and Directors

One of the film’s Director is Charlottesville-based filmmaker Chris Farina, a 1982 UVA graduate, though most local folks will know him more as the long-time owner of the Corner Parking Lot. His memories of the late Pep Band include the 1970’s football crowd hanging out on “the hill” for the halftime show before leaving as the team was often down by 30+, along with the Band’s performance at the West Virginia game with a hilarious Family Feud skit that greatly irritated the reps from our neighboring state.

A few of Chris’s past films include Seats at the Table a film about Andrew Kaufman’s UVA class Books Behind Bars, another educational film World Peace and other 4th-Grade Achievements, about local educator John Hunter and his World Peace Game, and West Main Street, a look back at Charlottesville’s past through the memories and stories of many wonderful local residents.

The film’s Executive Producer is Ron Culberson. Ron is a 1983 graduate of the University of Virginia. He spent the first decade of his career as a hospice social worker, middle manager, and senior leader. After that, he spent twenty-seven years as a professional speaker, humorist, and author of four books including, Do it Well. Make it Fun. The Key to Success in Life, Death, and Almost Everything In Between.

Ron was a member of the UVA Pep Band from 1979-1983. He served on the Show Committee all four years where he helped create the half-time shows. During his last year, Ron was co-chair of the Show Committee and one of the band’s drum majors. Ron believes there is a direct relationship between his career success and his experience in the band.

The film’s other Director is Bill Reifenberger. Bill is a documentary filmmaker residing in Crozet, Virginia. His feature length documentaries include Pep Banned, 1186 to Omaha, Vintage: The Winemaker’s Year and The Tuskegee Airmen. He has produced and directed numerous films for PBS, ESPN, Discovery and others. He is currently in production on a film exploring U.S. Soccer’s quest to join the sport’s global powers. 

Bill taught for 15 years in the Department of Media Studies at the University of Virginia and received his M.A. in Documentary Filmmaking from Stanford University. 

Scrambling, Scrambling, ScramblingA Sample of the Band's Antics