Introduction
This site is a work-in-progress. It aims to provide a guide to other archivists dealing with large (or small) collections of film elements created during the production process. These elements pose unique challenges to archivists and collection managers, and we hope that through a combined effort, we can present a range of approaches that work for a variety of institutions.
Below is an outline that will help us organize crowd-sourced content and notes. Stay tuned for more content to come following the upcoming Association of Moving Image Archvists conference in Novemeber 2019!
Challenges & Approaches
- Selection & Appraisal
- Research value of content
- Film outtakes are viewed more negatively than paper ‘outtakes’ (manuscripts)
- Relative value of different generations
- Value of production and lab records
- Common issues with deeds of gift/donor agreements
- Identification / cataloging and collection management
- Relationships
- Sound and picture elements
- Physical inspection and processing
- Arrangement / separation
- Rehousing & storage
- Digitization
- Prioritization
- Strategy (misc. sound & picture elements)
- Access
- Research access
- Reproduction and re-use
- Financial considerations - costs to users, licensing
Archivist’s Guide to Film & Video Production
- Typical production workflows
- Film production (classic 16, low-budget 16, dual system)
- Film/video hybrid production
- Analog video production
- Artifacts of production
- By generation? E.g. camera/sound roll/tape, outtakes/trims, Work print, masters, A+B roll, etc
- By format? Film artifacts, sound artifacts, video artifacts
- Paper production records: production/post production notes, lab records, timing tape, etc.
Resources
Links to existing guides or other resources
Arranging AV production materials, Smithsonian Archives of American Art, Guidelines for Processing Collections with Audiovisual Material Chapter 4.4
AMIM Glossary of moving image terminology
“The Sweetest Sound,” Smithsonian Collections Blog post on the Nagra sync sound system for filmmakers by Daisy Njoku