Animation
World Magazine, Issue 3.2, May 1998
The Association of Moving Image Archivists
by Gregory Lukow
The Association
of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) is the world's largest professional association
for film, television and video archivists. More than that, however, the
association brings together archivists, producers, historians, film and
television documentarians, scholars, and students to create a unique and
vital community dedicated to preserving our moving image heritage. For
those interested in animated film, it provides a network for dialogue and
information exchange with the many North American archivists, in both the
public and private sectors, who are responsible for safeguarding and providing
access to the animated image in all its forms. These images span the history
of animation, from the earliest years of pre-cinema to the classic output
of the Hollywood studios, from the pioneers of avant garde film and video
animation to the latest work in digital, interactive and special effects
technologies, from paper prints to Disney and DreamWorks.
History
Since the late 1960s, representatives from moving image archives have recognized
the value of regular meetings to exchange information and experiences.
In the 1970s and 1980s, this group of archivists expanded from a handful
of participants to several hundred archivists from scores of national,
regional and local institutions. In 1991, the group voted to establish
AMIA and formalize itself as an individual-based professional association,
the only one of its kind in the moving image archival field.
Currently, AMIA represents over 400 individuals from the United States
and Canada. In recent years, AMIA has taken on an international dimension
as many archivists from around the world have joined the association. AMIA
members are drawn from a broad cross-section of film, television, video
and interactive media, including classic and contemporary Hollywood productions,
newsreels and documentaries, and national and local television productions,
including news, public affairs and entertainment programming. There are
also a number of significant specialized collections, including independently
produced film and video art, amateur footage, and films and television
programs reflecting ethnic and minority experiences.
AMIA Annual Conference
Every fall, AMIA's annual conference holds a premiere place on the
calendar of international archival events. The conferences are open to
all, regardless of membership in the association. In 1998, AMIA's eighth
annual conference will be held in the Fontainebleu Hilton on Miami Beach
from December 7-12. The full range of issues involved in collecting, preserving
and using archival moving images will be discussed in an ambitious schedule
of panels, presentations, workshops, technical symposia, and vendor exhibits.
Other events will include the association's annual membership meeting;
the fifth annual AMIA awards luncheon; and the immensely popular "AMIA
Evening of Archival Screenings," featuring excerpts from films and
television programs recently-acquired or newly-restored by a broad range
of archives and producers. Over the years, many rare and rediscovered animation
treasures have been shown in these screenings, some for the first time
in decades.
AMIA-L, The Organization's On-line Listserv
AMIA's listserv (AMIA-L) is one of the archival communities most dynamic
and valuable resources. Using this electronic forum, anyone interested
in film and video preservation can post messages and communicate on a daily
basis with experts in the field. Every week, a broad range of questions
are asked and answered on AMIA-L about such topics as: the rediscovery
of lost films, archival holdings, the location of specific collections
and footage, new preservation technologies, the life expectancy of digital
video formats, case studies in copyright law, the availability of equipment
and services, job openings, upcoming conferences and meetings and new publications.
To subscribe to AMIA-L, send the following message to <listserv@lsv.uky.edu>:
SUBSCRIBE AMIA-L Your Name. You will be automatically added to the list
and will receive a "welcome" message and further instructions.
All mail messages intended for the list members should then be sent to
<amia-l@lsv.uky.edu>.
Activities
AMIA exists to advance the field and foster cooperation among individuals
concerned with the collection, preservation, exhibition and use of moving
image materials. The organization promotes standards and practices, stimulates
research, and encourages public awareness of moving image preservation.
It publishes the quarterly AMIA Newsletter, maintains the AMIA web
site, and is developing a journal that will combine scholarly and technical
approaches to moving image preservation. AMIA also honors the work of film
and television archivists through its awards program. Each year AMIA bestows
its Silver Light Award in recognition of career achievements, and the Leab
Award for important contributions to the field.
Education and Training
One of AMIA's most important goals is to establish scholarship and
internship programs to help educate and train the next generation of moving
image archivists. With support from the Mary Pickford Foundation and Sony
Pictures, AMIA offers the only scholarship program in North America that
supports students pursuing graduate-level studies in moving image preservation
and archiving. In addition, AMIA conducts an annual Basic Training Workshop
and presents special workshops, forums, and advanced technical symposia,
including the "Reel Thing Laboratory Technical Symposium," which
discusses recent preservation work.
National Plans
AMIA is heavily involved in the crucial work of developing the national
plans for moving image preservation that have been published in both the
United States and Canada in recent years. AMIA delivered testimony before
the U.S. Congress in support of the National Film Preservation Act of 1996,
and now holds a seat on the National Film Preservation Board. The association
is also a member of the Alliance for Canada's Audio-Visual Heritage.
In 1997 AMIA's Board of Directors created a new AMIA Committee on U.S.
National Moving Image Preservation Plans. The committee's mandate is to
review, prioritize and develop strategies for implementing the many recommendations
included in the two U.S. moving image plans published by the Library of
Congress: Redefining Film Preservation (1994) and Television
and Video Preservation (1998). The strategies will identify what needs
to be done, who should do it, and how much will it cost. They will be forwarded
to the Library of Congress, after which AMIA will work with the Library
and other organizations to carry out their implementation.
Committees and Interest Groups
AMIA's three membership committees, "Preservation," "Cataloging
& Documentation," and "Access," are standing committees
established by the membership to develop, promote and facilitate archival
related activities. They meet at least once a year during the annual AMIA
conference, and are open to all members who agree to participate actively
in the work of the committees. AMIA's Interest Groups are affiliation groups
created by individual members who share common interests and work together
for mutual benefit. They are open to all who wish to participate. Current
AMIA Interest Groups are devoted to "News & Documentary Collections,"
"Inédits" (amateur footage), "Copyright," "Regional
Archives," and "Digital Archiving." The latter group will
be of special interest to animation and special effects professionals interested
in the rapidly developing area of "media asset management."
AMIA Membership
Membership in AMIA is available on a calendar year basis to any interested
individual or organization. Members receive the AMIA Newsletter;
invitations to all AMIA meetings and events; discounted registration fees
for AMIA annual conferences; and the benefits of affiliation with the world's
leading professional association of moving image archivists. Annual membership
dues are U.S. $50 for individuals, $150 for non-profit institutions, and
$300 for commercial institutions. Subscriptions to the AMIA Newsletter
are available to students and libraries at a cost of $35 per year.
For more information about AMIA, contact the association's office in Beverly
Hills, California at (310) 550-1300 or e-mail amia@ix.netcom.com. Membership and annual conference information can be
found on AMIA's web site at www.amianet.org.
Gregory Lukow is director of the American Film Institute's National
Center for Film and Video Preservation. He has served as AMIA's founding
secretary and member of its Board of Directors since 1991.
Note: Readers may contact any Animation World Magazine contributor
by sending an e-mail to editor@awn.com.
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