Cinema archives are the bane of my life. I realise that they have preserved lots of precious films and do some great work restoring things. But...
All of these organisations are given films as donations by members of the public or given taxpayer money to buy them. The restorations are largely subsidised by...the taxpayer. Then, they do there very best to stop people watching them. No, we don't do copies. No, you have to come here and watch the film on Tuesday mornings. No, you can't watch it twice. No, we won't tell you what it's about so you can work out whether it is worth the journey. No, we won't use Youtube. The token efforts to put things on the internet amount to mere fractions of the total material held.
Many films in archives are at least on DVD/VHS. Burning them to DVD for a moderate charge (£20 a disc) is fair. Charging £50 for a VHS or 100 Euro AN HOUR to watch old films on a safety reel is absurd.Why do ordinary people have to pay even more to watch films in a film institute? You paid for it. You should just be able to take a DVD along and get it burned!
Some of this is the archives being anal. Some of it is evil copyright dogs. If you've just written a novel or made a film, I have no objection to you using copyright law so that your intellectual/artistic product gives you an income for the rest of your life. But, people have put copyright on silent films who have NOTHING to do with the original films. Most silent film actors, actresses, directors and production companies are long dead, but someone is still making money out of Griffth's back catalogue more than sixty years after he died. People and companies 'own' rights to silent films that, in the vast majority of cases, they have no connection to whatsoever.*
Films that are over 80 years old should all be out of copyright, like classic literature. That should be the law. In absence of legislation, cinema archives and collectors 'sit' on films, hoping they can copyright them. I advise you to to steal these films and post them on the internet. Don't pay for silent film, try and download it for free. If you are afraid of 'copyright holders' and don't want to release a silent film in your collection because of their threats, ignore them and post it on the internet. If a 'copyright holder' complains, please direct them to me and I will tell them to f*** off.
As if that wasn't bad enough, most of the people doing research in cinema archives (students, archive staff and university academics) are paid for or subsidised by...the taxpayer. Then, all the research gets hidden away in libraries, sold in expensive journals and generally made unavailable to the very people who paid for it all! Just like the films!
So, my blog is an attempt to fight against all of this. I receive a bursary from a UK University, which, indirectly, you have paid for (if you are a UK taxpayer, that is. If you aren't a UK taxpayer, please send me a few pounds!) So, YOU can find out about what I'm up to. I'm sharing my knowledge with you. If you want a DVD burning or more information, just ask.** Rant over. Let the cameras roll...
*Exception: Feuillade's back catalogue is at least exploited by Gaumont, who made the actual films in 1915. Same with Pathe, although much of their US stuff is now public domain. There are a few more exceptions to this rule...but not many.
**Again, this service is only available if you are a UK taxpayer. Just post me a blank DVD and enclose an SAE. If you're not, just give me a modest donation and I will answer any question you like, or burn you a DVD. Please email for payment instructions :)
