Collections / Film/Video
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Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our weekly mailing of screenings and events.Anthology's Mission:
Anthology’s mission is to preserve, promote, and exhibit independent, experimental, and artist film and video. Through modern preservation techniques – both digital and photochemical – Anthology works to make these films accessible to the general public through screenings, on site research, and on-line viewing.
Anthology’s independent film preservation program was established in 1972. Ever since then, we have been steadfastly committed to the preservation and exhibition of work by the most important American independent and experimental filmmakers. Films preserved by Anthology include those of Stan Brakhage, Joseph Cornell, Maya Deren, Bruce Baillie, Marie Menken, Paul Sharits, and Harry Smith, among many others.
The most common traits of film decomposition – shrinkage, color fading, and chemical disintegration – are circumvented through the creation of new negatives; projection prints and digital transfers are made as a means of access. Many avant-garde film classics as well as filmic documents of life in America during the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies would have been lost if they had they not been saved from deterioration or destruction by Anthology’s film preservation program.
Anthology also provides a space for the presentation of a vast array of contemporary and classical work that otherwise has limited exposure. For us, the value of cinematic art is always realized through a combination of presentation and preservation; restricting efforts to one or the other can only lead to disappearance.
Film Preservation:
Film preservation refers to the long-term care and storage of motion picture media. The vast majority of Anthology’s collection consists of celluloid film elements, but we also have a large number of video and audio materials. Whether on film, magnetic tape, or a modern hard drive it is necessary to both maintain a proper storage environment as well as migrate content to more stable and long term media. Migrating media can refer to making a new safety negative from a warped or faded original, transferring older video formats to new digital files, or being up to date with software and drive maintenance.
As with most environments dedicated to long-term storage the key words are cool, dry, and constant. With this in mind Anthology maintains an on-site vault at 50 degrees F and a relative humidity (RH) of approximately 40%, and works to store film in acid-free archival cans. Anthology also stores selected original production and preservation elements in lower temperature off-site storage. Our staff inspects and repairs film, video, and audio materials, while always keeping an eye out for titles that could use a more proactive preservation effort – such as a new negative or a digital transfer.
These films, with the financial support of granting organizations and other funding sources, are then sent to various laboratories for the creation of a new negative and projection prints. The projection prints are then screened in-house – often as part of Anthology’s Essential Cinema series – or lent out to other institutions and festivals for public screenings. It is the projection or release prints which are also most often used for transfer to a digital file.
Click here for a list of films preserved by Anthology Film Archives.
Digital Initiatives:
As an institution we feel strongly that motion pictures that were made on film (35mm, 16mm, or 8mm) should be exhibited in their original formats, but we do appreciate the accessibility of digital video and audio, especially for those unable to visit our theaters on a regular basis.
Anthology works hard to make films in our collection available to the general public through on-site viewing, hosting of researchers, and in-house theater projection. And in conjunction with filmmakers and granting organizations Anthology hopes to steadily increase the amount of digital content available on its website.
We are able to produce in-house digital transfers of: 16mm, ¼” audio, ¾” U-matic video, VHS, and cassette tapes. These transfers are not considered archival or preservation masters but are available for in-house and online access and, in some cases, for public screening.
With these new digital initiatives, Anthology hopes to establish a second source for our collections to be seen by the public. By hosting digital content on our website we hope to satisfy the demand of current Anthology members while at the same time introducing a new audience to independent and avant-garde cinema.
Archival Print Loans:
Anthology adheres to archival film handling and projection policies and does not operate as a commercial distributor for the films, video, and other audio-visual materials in its collection. AFA is only able to loan prints from its motion picture collection on a “first come, first served” basis for occasional public screenings by qualified non-profit organizations, subject to print availability and certain terms and conditions. Anthology cannot loan prints for private screenings, for classroom screenings, or for commercial exhibition. Anthology holds only one circulating print of most films available for loan. For this reason, Anthology must receive requests in writing at least 45 days in advance of desired screening date.
To request a print loan, please review Anthology’s Archival Print Loan Policy by clicking here.
Research Access:
Research access to Anthology’s film and video archives is available by appointment only. Please contact John Klacsmann, Archivist, at 212-505-5181 ext. 16 or johnk[AT]anthologyfilmarchives[DOT]org for scheduling.
Please provide the exact title of the film or video you are interested in viewing in your initial request. The vaults are closed to the public and therefore cannot be visited. All research requests must be received at least 7 days in advance. John Klacsmann will respond in setting up an appointment should requested titles be available for viewing on the premises. There may be an associated fee for research visits.
Researchers interested in Anthology’s library and paper collections should contact Robert Haller at 212-505-5181 ext. 12 or at robert[AT]anthologyfilmarchives[DOT]org. For more information regarding Anthology’s library, please visit the Books/Paper Materials Collection section.
Links:
Archives:
Academy Film Archive: http://www.oscars.org/filmarchive/index.html
George Eastman House: http://www.eastmanhouse.org
Harvard Film Archives: http://hcl.harvard.edu/hfa/
Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/avconservation/
Museum of Modern Art: http://www.moma.org/explore/collection/film
New York Public Library: http://legacy.www.nypl.org/branch/collections/dmc.html
Pacific Film Archive: http://www.bampfa.berkley.edu/
UCLA Film & Television Archive: http://www.cinema.ucla.edu
Distributors:
Canyon Cinema: http://canyoncinema.com/
Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre: http://www.cfmdc.org/
Center For Visual Music: http://www.centerforvisualmusic.org/CVMDistribution.htm
Electronic Arts Intermix: http://www.eai.org/
The Film Makers’ Cooperative: http://film-makerscoop.com/
Janus Films: http://www.janusfilms.com
Lux (UK): http://www.lux.org.uk/
Light Cone (France): http://lightcone.org/
Museum of Modern Art: http://www.moma.org/learn/resources/circulatingfilm
Video Data Bank: http://www.vdb.org/
Education:
Association of Moving Image Archivists: http://www.amianet.org/
GEH Selznick School of Film Preservation: http://selznickschool.eastmanhouse.org/
International Federation of Film Archives: http://www.fiafnet.org/uk/
NFPF Film Preservation Guide: http://www.filmpreservation.org/preservation-basics/the-film-preservation-guide
NYU Moving Image Archiving Program: http://www.nyu.edu/tisch/preservation/
Orphans Film Symposium: http://www.nyu.edu/orphanfilm/orphans8/
UCLA Moving Image Archive Studies: http://www.mias.ucla.edu/
Film Laboratories:
BB Optics: http://www.bboptics.com/bboptics.html
Cinema Arts: 570-676-4145
Cineric, Inc.: http://www.cineric.com
Colorlab: http://www.colorlab.com
Pac Lab: http://www.pac-lab.com/mainpage.htm`
Other:
AV Geeks: http://www.avgeeks.com
Oddball Film + Video: http://www.oddballfilm.com
Prelinger Archive: http://www.archive.org/details/prelinger
Ubuweb: http://www.ubuweb.com/
