History of Film Preservation in Archives
Though it is vast and complex, first a brief history regarding the preservation of film and the advent of the film preservation profession must be discussed to lay the groundwork for how far archives have come in the preservation process. Films have historically been regarded as disposable entertainment, creating a problem for today’s collectors and archivists. Film prints and ephemera relating to film have tended to be made of materials that degrade faster than most other archival materials. The most popular example of this is nitrate film, first used in 1899 for still photography, which not only degrades very quickly, but is also extremely flammable, which is why many people disposed of them quickly after use[1]. Eventually this was replaced by various types of safety film beginning in the 1920s, which were more chemically stable, but still had their own issues such as higher cost, lower durability, and a chemical condition called vinegar syndrome[2].
Films not only are lost due to chemical reactions, but also through owners’ and distributors’ attitudes regarding physical film reels’ perceived "disposability". Films were meant to make money and many people did not have the space (or had concerns about the flammability of films), so they were not inclined to keep them more than a few months for their exhibition. Because of this, many early films have been lost, though an exact number is difficult to know[3]. It was not until the advent and continual use of safety film by the 1950s that film preservation was even considered important by various repositories[4].
Fortunately preservation became a national concern when Congress passed the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, which created both the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) and the National Film Registry (NFR)[5]. The NFPB consists of the librarian of Congress and various film industry professionals who choose twenty-five films each year that are significant enough to preserve, and these films are added to the NFR, which in turn assures anyone wishing to alter copies of these films for distribution must explicitly state that it was done so before distribution[6]. In fact, the U. S. government can largely be credited with prioritizing film preservation over all others due to the importance of documenting American history. Recently there has been a greater push for funding the different aspects associated with film preservation, one of which has been led by Martin Scorsese, who has contributed greatly to this cause and established The Film Foundation in 1990, whose mission is to “[protect and preserve] motion picture history by providing annual support for preservation and restoration projects at the leading film archives”[7].
Notes
[1] Slide, Anthony. Nitrate Won't Wait: A History of Film Preservation in the United States. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2001:1. Print.; Bromberg, Nicolette, and Hannah Palin. "Starting from Nothing: The Art of Creating a Film Archive." Project Muse Spring 13.1 (2014): 217-25. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
[2] Slide 2000:4
[3] Mashon, Mike. "Film Preservation at the Library of Congress." Media Review Spring (2002): 15-27. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
[4] Slide 2000:102
[5] Mashon 2002
[6] Real, Brian. "From Colorization to Orphans: The Evolution of American Public Policy on Film Preservation." Project Muse Spring 13.1 (2013): 130-50. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
[7] "Mission Statement." The Film Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. <http://www.film-foundation.org/common/11004/aboutMission.cfm?clientID=11004&sid=1>.
Though it is vast and complex, first a brief history regarding the preservation of film and the advent of the film preservation profession must be discussed to lay the groundwork for how far archives have come in the preservation process. Films have historically been regarded as disposable entertainment, creating a problem for today’s collectors and archivists. Film prints and ephemera relating to film have tended to be made of materials that degrade faster than most other archival materials. The most popular example of this is nitrate film, first used in 1899 for still photography, which not only degrades very quickly, but is also extremely flammable, which is why many people disposed of them quickly after use[1]. Eventually this was replaced by various types of safety film beginning in the 1920s, which were more chemically stable, but still had their own issues such as higher cost, lower durability, and a chemical condition called vinegar syndrome[2].
Films not only are lost due to chemical reactions, but also through owners’ and distributors’ attitudes regarding physical film reels’ perceived "disposability". Films were meant to make money and many people did not have the space (or had concerns about the flammability of films), so they were not inclined to keep them more than a few months for their exhibition. Because of this, many early films have been lost, though an exact number is difficult to know[3]. It was not until the advent and continual use of safety film by the 1950s that film preservation was even considered important by various repositories[4].
Fortunately preservation became a national concern when Congress passed the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, which created both the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) and the National Film Registry (NFR)[5]. The NFPB consists of the librarian of Congress and various film industry professionals who choose twenty-five films each year that are significant enough to preserve, and these films are added to the NFR, which in turn assures anyone wishing to alter copies of these films for distribution must explicitly state that it was done so before distribution[6]. In fact, the U. S. government can largely be credited with prioritizing film preservation over all others due to the importance of documenting American history. Recently there has been a greater push for funding the different aspects associated with film preservation, one of which has been led by Martin Scorsese, who has contributed greatly to this cause and established The Film Foundation in 1990, whose mission is to “[protect and preserve] motion picture history by providing annual support for preservation and restoration projects at the leading film archives”[7].
Notes
[1] Slide, Anthony. Nitrate Won't Wait: A History of Film Preservation in the United States. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2001:1. Print.; Bromberg, Nicolette, and Hannah Palin. "Starting from Nothing: The Art of Creating a Film Archive." Project Muse Spring 13.1 (2014): 217-25. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
[2] Slide 2000:4
[3] Mashon, Mike. "Film Preservation at the Library of Congress." Media Review Spring (2002): 15-27. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
[4] Slide 2000:102
[5] Mashon 2002
[6] Real, Brian. "From Colorization to Orphans: The Evolution of American Public Policy on Film Preservation." Project Muse Spring 13.1 (2013): 130-50. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
[7] "Mission Statement." The Film Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014. <http://www.film-foundation.org/common/11004/aboutMission.cfm?clientID=11004&sid=1>.