News

Winner of Apple iTouch - posted 13th December 2007

The winner of the Apple iTouch, pulled out of a large paper clip container by the BUFVC’s Chief Executive Murray Weston, was Steve Chibnall, Professor of British Cinema at De Montfort University. His own private archive of around 10,000 artefacts, including posters, lobby cards, stills, scripts and especially press books, forms the principal resource of the communal archive of the British Cinema and Television Research Goup which functions within De Montfort University’s Faculty of Humanities.

Survey Still Open For Those Struggling- posted 10th December 2007

Although the deadline for completion of the survey was Friday 7th December it will still be possible to fill it in (for those who are struggling!), although only those submitted by this date will be eligible for the draw for the iTouch. This will take place over the next week and the result posted here. We’ve had around 90 replies and all those with collections have been posted on the Responses page

Survey Responses - posted 26 November 2007

The number of completed surveys has increased considerably over the last week and continues to reflect a diversity of sources from museums and archives to personal collections. It is now possible to view all the institutions and individuals, together with links to their websites where available, that have pressed the submit button on the new Responses page, which is updated as the surveys are received.

Screen Heritage survey extended - posted 19 November 2007

The deadline for the Screen Heritage Network’s survey of moving image and screen-related artefacts in UK collections has been extended by one week to Friday 7 December 2007. The survey is open to any UK collection with artefacts relating to the moving image and screen-related media which may be accessible to the public or researchers. All organisations who submit a completed survey will be entered into a draw to win a 16GB Apple iTouch, the revolutionary touch-screen iPod with web browser - the screen heritage of tomorrow.

Organsiations that have already submitted a complete survey will be included in the draw. Only one entry per organisation will be accepted. Organisations must be from the UK. Current member organisations of the Screen Heritage Network are not eligible.

Building a National Picture - posted 23 October 2007

As more completed surveys are submitted online, one of the interesting aspects emerging is the sheer variety of organisations that hold moving image artefacts throughout the United Kingdom. Whilst you would expect replies from museums, such as Beamish, and regional film archives, such as the Media Archive for Central England (MACE) and the Scottish Screen Archive, the range of smaller specialised societies and workshops have really broadened our view of the form of engagement taking place across the country. Most of these, judging from the responses so far, are rooted in the passion of individuals and span the spectrum from campaigns such as the Cinema For Thurso Group/Picture House Cinema and the Plaza Super Cinema, through workshops like the Leeds Animation Workshop and even include those informed by literature like The Tolkien Society. It will be interesting to see the degree to which this changes between now and the end of the survey on Friday 30th November 2007.

Initial Survey Responses - posted 1 October 2007

We’ve already received a number of completed survey forms from a wide range of institutions and collections across the country. These have included museums such as the Cinema Museum, the Haslemere Educational Museum, the Hove Museum & Art Gallery, the National Motor Museum, the North Lanarkshire Council Museums & Heritage Service and Thinktank, the science museum in Birmingham. The universities of Bradford and Bournemouth have highlighted their related special collections along with projects such as Elstree Screen Heritage and Wildfilm History and the extensive private collection Golden Age Television.

Survey launches today - posted 24 September 2007

The Screen Heritage Network’s survey of moving image and screen-related artefacts in UK collections launches today. The survey is open to any UK collection with artefacts relating to the moving image and screen-related media which may be accessible to the public or researchers. There are ten categories of artefact being sought:

1. Film production equipment
2. Television and video equipment
3. Animation and special effects
4. Sound
5. Sets and costumes
6. Cinema and projection
7. Magic lanterns, slide projectors and viewers
8. Toys and games
9. Installations
10. Documentation

The information gathered will be used to create the first-ever online database of moving image objects in UK collections. The database is intended to increase everyone’s awareness, understanding and enjoyment of the UK’s screen heritage and improve access to the rich range of artefacts relating to the screen media.

The survey closes on 30 November 2007 (now extended to 7 December).

The Future of Screen Heritage in the UK - posted 18 September 2007

Screen Heritage is becoming a term of national debate. As well as the UK Screen Heritage Network, and its survey, there are other events or initiatives making use of the term.

The Future of Screen Heritage in the UK is a symposium is to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss what needs to be done to ensure the long-term future of our moving image and screen heritage. The hope is to clarify understanding of issues facing us and to achieve consensus and common goals where possible. The debates about funding and about practical strategy can then take place. The event takes place 22 September 2007 at Roehampton University.

Issues to be discussed include archiving policy and selection, intellectual property and copyright, documentation collection, accessibility, and institutional models. Currently these issues are bound up with funding levels and institutional fragmentation; responsibilities are currently shared between the lead body, the British Film Institute, and others including the BBC and regional film archives. The new Secretary of State, James Purnell, is encouraging a full debate about screen heritage including this event, the intention of which is to bring stakeholders and interested parties together to begin a process of convergence and understanding.

Confirmed speakers include Amanda Nevill (British Film Institute); Adam Lee (BBC), Murray Weston (British Universities Film & Video Council) and Lynne Brindley (British Library).

Registration is free and places are limited. Refreshments are provided free, morning and afternoon, and lunch is available for £10.00. Limited car parking will be available. Applications to attend close 15 September.

The symposium is supported and organised by the Centre for Research in Film and Audiovisual Cultures, Roehampton University; and by the Louis Le Prince Centre, Institute of Communication Studies, University of Leeds on behalf of MeCCSA.

The Museum Unbound - posted 11 September 2007

The Museum Unbound: Works of Art and Film is a session within LOCATION: the Museum, the Academy and the Studio, the annual conference of the Association of Art Historians which will examine how the moving image has been used to extend artworks and art movements beyond their physical and geographical confines, from the emergence of cinema to the present. The session will focus on television programmes as well as films. The groundbreaking role of the arts documentary in connecting museums and art historiography is a particular interest. The conference takes place 2-4 April 2008 at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, and Chelsea College or Art & Design, London. The session convenors are Mark Broughton, Department of Film, Theatre and Television, University of Reading, and Katerina Loukopoulou, School of Art History, Film and Visual Media, Birkbeck College, University of London.