Dr Paolo Cherchi Usai, new Director of the National Film and Sound Archive

How do you perceive the Archive's reputation in the local and international community?

The quality of preservation work done by the Archive has given it a high international profile. The preservation laboratory has played a crucial role in promoting the Archive to the world archiving profession as well as the wider community. The same applies to MAVIS, by far the most sophisticated and efficient cataloguing and data management system in the audiovisual field, a program designed in Australia and now used in several major archival institutions worldwide.

Another unique feature of the Archive is its role in preserving and making accessible the Indigenous sound and moving image heritage. Cultural diversity has always been high on my agenda, especially in my capacity as head of an archive in a country like the United States, where museums have the specific responsibility of preserving the works of indigenous cultures and fostering responsible access to this crucial component of a national heritage.

What will be your main priorities as Director?

My first task will be to begin understanding the complexity of such a large organisation and to find out more about the creative potential that can be brought to its best expression.

I also need to start discussions on long-term projects with staff, management and other AFC managers as well as external stakeholders. The priorities I have on my list (although some may take a number of years to bring to fruition) include:

  • the creation of a national filmography and discography
  • developing a strong curatorial approach and discipline at the Archive
  • promoting research via a Study Centre and closer associations with the scholarly community
  • making the collection accessible via the Internet while maintaining the goal of exhibiting the Archive's collection - both nation-wide and internationally - in the glory of its original form
  • the parallel agendas of giving the Archive a state of the art screening facility, as well as developing a collection and exhibition policy for works originally produced in digital form
  • intensifying our acquisition efforts in the areas of broadcast and recorded sound
  • taking up the challenge of creating a new access policy without betraying the ethics of the Archive
  • and last but not least, cultivating enthusiasm at all staff levels on the value of our mission.