You call that cold? Minus forty five celsius record at the NFSA

The NFSA broke a record this month for the lowest temperature ever recorded and maintained in the building: a cool minus forty-five degrees.

The temperature was recorded by the Preservation and Technical Services Branch of the NFSA who use cold temperatures to enhance the storage and restoration of film, audio, video and still images.

The temperature beat the previous record of minus twenty-six degrees used in acclimatisation testing, and, according to the NFSA's Manager of Conservation, Preparation and Research, Mick Newnham, the 'relatively tropical' minus eighteen degrees in the ice-cream cabinet at the café.

The Sydney Film Festival and Australia's 'Lost' Films: Search and Rescue

On Monday 14 June, NFSA's Senior Curator of Film, Graham Shirley, presented a session, Captain Thunderbolt and the Search for Australia's 'Lost' Films at the Sydney Film Festival. The session, which focused on the career and lost films of 1950s to 80s Australian filmmaker Cecil Holmes, launched both a search for the original 35mm, 69-minute version of Holmes' Captain Thunderbolt (1953) and more generally for Australian films under the new NFSA initiative, Australia's 'Lost' Films: Search & Rescue. 

While the NFSA continues to search for key 'lost' Australian films made during the pre-1951 era of nitrate film stock production, the emphasis of the search is on films made on safety stock since 1951. Not only are the post-1951 films more likely to survive because of the stock on which they were filmed, but the people who made them, or who knew the people who made them, are likely to be still around to provide leads. Contact the NFSA's Acquisitions staff at collections@nfsa.gov.au or call +61 2 6248 2253 if you have any information about 'lost' films.

You can see some of the 'lost' scenes from Captain Thunderbolt in the NFSAAustralia Flickr collection.

Rare posters added to the collection

Kangaroo (1952) Lewis Milestone

Recent exciting new acquisitions have thrown new light on the film Kangaroo. 

In 1952, Hollywood director Lewis Milestone brought a large cast and crew to Australia to make the film Kangaroo (US, 1952). This film was the first 'feature' film shot in colour in Australia.  Filmed in the Flinders Ranges, Port Augusta, and the older parts of Sydney, it was a big budget production starring Maureen O'Hara, Peter Lawford, Richard Boone, Finlay Currie and Australians Chips Rafferty and Charles Bud Tingwell. The film was released in Australia and then marketed around the world.

The NFSA has recently acquired a series of rare posters of the film. Ann Robb from Documents, Artefacts and Curatorial Connections, says that the posters come from Australia, America and Italy.

'We are always seeking international posters of Australian films, especially from this period', Ann says. 'It is very interesting to see the Australian design and then to see how the posters were designed for international audiences.

The Australian poster, which is rare in itself because it is a big, three-sheet poster, focuses on the faces of America stars, Maureen O'Hara and Peter Lawford. The environment is very much in the background.

The American poster on the other hand is much more colourful and sensational. There is obviously a furious cattle stampede going on and a bare-chested man now has to protect a scantily-clad heroine by confronting a huge kangaroo.

The Italian poster goes ever further with the menacing Kangaru now reaching the size of an elephant and the indigenous mob is caricatured as the classic 'wild tribe', with the drawing influenced more by Africa than Australia.

The NFSA welcomes any leads to more international posters of Australian films.

Treasure from Townsville

Thirty-seven boxes of archival treasure are on their way to the NFSA from the Aboriginal and Islander Media Association in Townsville. The wonderful acquisition has been arranged by NFSA archivist Nick Weare and acting Indigenous Collections Branch Manager Jade Christian.

Nick says that the story begins in 2009 when he and Mick Newnham of the NFSA travelled to Townsville to talk to the Radio Station 4K1G, which is part of the Aboriginal and Island Media Association. 'We were asked to assess their collection of material and to advise on its conservation. Before we left, the Board asked if we would be prepared to acquire the collection, preserve it at the NFSA and to repatriate copies of the material back to the Association. We were delighted to accept the offer.'

Recently Nick and Jade spent several days at Radio 4K1G organising the transfer. Nick says that the collection is full of gems. 'The radio station is more than just a radio station. Over the years 4K1G has produced many programs highlighting Indigenous culture but it has also functioned as a video production house and has made many videos on a range of subjects.'

Jade says that the goldmine from Townsville makes you appreciate the true value of preserving Indigenous audiovisual heritage. In the collection are live concerts featuring many Indigenous artists, historic programs from other stations (such as American Country Countdown and the History of Rock and Roll produced by Grace Gibson), community programs, documentaries, unedited footage and a number of series on a wide range of subjects including Indigenous health and land issues.  

'As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations reach milestone anniversaries, more are turning to the NFSA for assistance. I would like to encourage Indigenous organisations to consider the NFSA as a means to preserve their history for future generations', Jade says.

Collection Summit 2010

In June the NFSA organised the second Collection Summit, a gathering of representatives from key Australian audiovisual cultural collection bodies and media broadcasters. This follows on from the first Collection Summit which was arranged by the NFSA in October 2009.

The summits have been designed to provide an opportunity for institutions to share information about the challenges faced in the acquisition, preservation and accessibility of cultural collections. Key issues facing institutions include: valuation methodologies, digitization standards and metadata, storage constraints, copyright, Indigenous collection management, and legal rights.

Attending the second summit were more than 26 representatives from a range of institutions including the ABC, the Australian War Memorial, AIATSIS, the National Archives of Australia, the National Library of Australia, SBS, Channel Seven, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Australian Jazz Archive and the State Library of NSW. Also in attendance were key collections staff from the NFSA.

A wide-ranging discussion took place, including presentations such as Dealing with the Digital Deluge, Making the National Audiovisual Collection Available, Collection Collaborations, and Collection Valuation - Sharing Methodology.

Collaborative discussions with New Zealand

New Zealand and Australia share a long film heritage tradition, from our earliest film pioneers such as the Corrick Family and Franklyn Barrett, to the shared film revolution of the 1970s. 

The NFSA's David Boden recently visited the New Zealand Film Archive (NZFA) and other cultural institutions to look at their strategic frameworks and programs focused on increasing access to New Zealand's cultural heritage.

'Both organisations are very committed to increasing access and enjoyment of our film heritage. We have identified some real opportunities to provide easier pathways for people wanting to access the moving image heritage that sits across both our collections, as well as future collaborative and programming opportunities.'

 NZFA celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2011.