The International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) in partnership with Film Heritage Foundation has conducted the 3rd edition of the Biennial Audio-Visual Archival Summer School (BAVASS) at the India International Centre, New Delhi from October 10 – 19, 2023.
Audio-visual collections age, deteriorate, and expand exponentially in the digital age; therefore, it has become vitally important to invest in training, outreach, and assistance programs aimed at providing guidance to professionals whose responsibility is preservation and access.
This 10-day comprehensive summer school had covered the complete range of the issues and topics required to work in the field of audio-visual preservation and will be taught by an international faculty of experts in the field.
The summer school had included both lectures and hands-on sessions on film, video, audio and digital preservation, film conservation and restoration, digitization, disaster recovery, cataloguing, copyright, programming, and much more. Classes will be followed by daily evening screenings of restored films from around the world.
BAVASS 2023 was opened to applicants from all over the world.
HIGHLIGHTS OF BAVASS 2023
- 10-day comprehensive workshop comprised a complete range of the issues and topics in the field of audio-visual preservation.
- Opened to applicants from around the world.
- Target audience: Film archive staff, typically at junior level; AV professionals wishing to learn about archiving; students studying media and related topics; individuals with a keen interest in AV archiving.
- The rigorous training programme had covered both lectures and hands on sessions on film preservation and conservation, film restoration, digitization, disaster recovery simulation, cataloguing, programming and many more.
- The course was taught by experts in their fields from premier audio-visual archives all over the world.
- The course has included daily film screenings of restored classics from around the world
INTENDED OUTCOME OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME
- Once completed, the participants will have a wide understanding of issues and topics required to work in the field of audio-visual archiving and preservation;
- Participants will have acquired the basic tools to preserve and digitize audio-visual material;
- Participants will have learned the concepts used to restore a film using digital and analogue technologies;
- Participants will have learned about disaster preparedness and response;
- Participants will have become a part of a collaborative network of like-minded media archivists committed to the cause of preserving their cultural heritage.
BAVASS 2023 COURSE CONTENT
- Digital Management
- Digital technology: digital basics; AV file structure; compression; colour spaces
- Digital preservation: principles; file validation; checksums and fixity; born digital material
- Digital infrastructure and management: infrastructure; practical aspects of managing AV files
- Digital tools: use of open source resources
- Digitisation
- Audiotape: audiotape technology; digitisation; quality control
- Videotape: videotape technology; digitisation, and common videotape problems; quality control
- Soundtracks: soundtrack technology; digitisation; ethical considerations
- Film digitisation: film scanners and scanning
- Film digitisation: film scanning
- Film digitisation: post-scanning work; digitisation workflows; quality control
- Film restoration ethics and practice
- Film
- Film technology
- Small gauge film
- Film identification and selection
- Film hands-on: handling; repair
- Collection policies
- Collection development; acquisition policies and procedures
- Practical steps to accessioning a collection
- Born digital: acquisition specifications; procedures
- Access
- Users: defining principle users; what information they need; what information to give
- Online access requirements and methods
- Film programming and festivals
- Copyright
- Documentation
- FIAF cataloguing principles
- Cataloguing practice in different scenarios
- Archive management
- History of film archives
- Archive advocacy and funding strategies
- Disaster preparedness
- Preservation strategies
- Preservation strategies all groups exercise
- Film-related material
- Paper conservation
- Photograph conservation
FACULTY
- David Walsh, Training & Outreach Coordinator, FIAF
- Marianna de Sanctis, Head of Film Repair, L’Immagine Ritrovata
- Ellen Harrington, Director, DFF – Deutsches (German) Filminstitut & Filmmuseum
- Adelheid Heftberger, Deputy Head of the Film Department, Bundesarchiv
- Elena Nepoti, Film Conservation Manager, British Film Institute
- Dylan Cave, Collections Development Manager, British Film Institute
- Stephanie Perrin – Technical Operations Manager, Video and Audio Conservation, British Film Institute
- Joanna White – Knowledge & Collections Developer, British Film Institute National Archive
- Tabitha Austin – Paper Conservator, BFI National Archive
- Mick Newnham – Part Time Lecturer at The University of Melbourne, Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation and Guest Lecturer at Charles Sturt University
- Kay Foubister – Acquisition Curator, National Library of Scotland’s Moving Image Archive
- Robert Byrne – President, San Francisco Silent Film Festival
- Franck Lubet – Head of programming at the Cinémathèque de Toulouse
- Paolo Simoni – Co-founder and Director, Home Movies – Archivio Nazionale del Film di Famiglia (Italy)
- Lydia Pappas – Assistant Director and Curator of Regional Collections, University of South Carolina
- Karen Stetler – Senior Producer, The Criterion Collection
- Antonio Rasura – Technical Director for Motion Picture lab services, Kodak Limited
- Lee Kline – Restoration Supervisor and Consultant
- Vasilis Fotopoulos – Composer and Audio Mixer for Music, Film and Broadcast Media
- Manuel Götz – Film Restorer
- Murchana Borah – Senior Cataloguer and Archivist at Film Heritage Foundation
THE POSTER LAUNCH:
CERTIFICATION
At the end of the BAVASS 2023 course, participants had received a certificate endorsed by FIAF.
THE AV
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WORKSHOP CATALOGUE
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COLLABORATORS
THE FILM FOUNDATION’S WORLD CINEMA PROJECT
Created in 1990 by Martin Scorsese, The Film Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history.
By working in partnership with archives and studios, the foundation has helped to restore over 1000 films, which are shared with the public through programming at festivals, museums, and educational institutions around the world. The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project has restored 58 films from 30 different countries representing the rich diversity of world cinema. In 2017, WCP partnered with FEPACI (the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers), UNESCO, and the Cineteca di Bologna to launch the African Film Heritage Project (AFHP), an initiative to locate, preserve, and disseminate African cinema. The foundation’s free educational program, The Story of Movies, teaches young people – over 10 million to date – about film language and history. The Film Foundation Restoration Screening Room presents monthly film restorations, free and accessible through any web browser. www.film-foundation.org
BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE (BFI)
Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image. The BFI National Archive was founded in 1935 and has grown to become the one of the largest and most important collections of film and television in the world with over 175,000 films and 800,000 television programmes. The archive also boasts a significant collection of filmmakers’ papers as well as extensive stills, posters and production and costume designs along with original scripts, press books and related ephemera.
The films in our collections are a fascinating record of the history, culture and art of filmmaking and TV production, as well as a document of daily life in the UK from the late 19th century to today. Our collections are an invaluable resource for researchers, students, filmmakers and TV producers, and we share the collections publicly through screenings, releases in cinemas and on DVD and Blu-ray and online.
BUNDESARCHIV (GERMAN FEDERAL ARCHIVES)
The Federal Archives have the legal mandate to secure the archives of the federal government in the long term and to make them available for use. These are documents (including files, maps, pictures, posters, films and sound recordings in analogue and digital form) that have been produced by central offices of the Holy Roman Empire (1495-1806), the German Confederation (1815-1866), of the German Reich (1867/71-1945), the Occupation Zones (1945-1949), the German Democratic Republic (1949- 1990) and the Federal Republic of Germany (since 1949).
The Federal Archives decide whether these documents are worthy of archival preservation, that is, whether they have lasting value for the research and understanding of history and the present, for the protection of legitimate interests of citizens or for legislation, administration and jurisdiction. The Federal Archives keep around 1.15 million film reels of approximately 370.000 films.
DEUTSCHES FILMINSTITUT & FILMMUSEUM
The DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum is one of the leading international film heritage institutions. Its mission is to preserve the film heritage, make it accessible and share film culture with a worldwide public. It uniquely combines museum, cinema, archives and collections, festivals, digital platforms, research and digitisation projects as well as numerous educational programmes. From the culturally diverse and dynamic city of Frankfurt am Main, the DFF with its more than 200 employees maintains relationships with film and scientific institutions worldwide. It builds bridges from the analogue past to the digital present and future.
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND
The National Library of Scotland was founded in 1925 by an Act of the UK Parliament as Scotland’s legal deposit library for publications of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The Library’s collecting profile also included selectively acquiring Scottish manuscript material and international publications.
Although the collecting of Scottish materials was and still is a priority, this has never been the sole focus. The collections span the breadth of human knowledge. The Library holds the largest collection of Scottish published material in the world, and one of the largest collections of Scottish manuscripts and archives. In 2007 the Scottish Moving Image Archive became part of the National Library, transferring collections built up since 1976 as part of the Scottish Film Council and then Scottish Screen. The National Library is now the specialist repository for the acquisition and preservation of moving image collections in Scotland. The collection contains and preserves unique moving image items reflecting Scotland and Scottish life since the mid-1890s. In 2009, the National Library was established as the leading body in a distributed national sound collection for Scotland.
SAN FRANCISCO SILENT FILM FESTIVAL
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about silent film as an art form and as a culturally valuable historical record. Throughout the year, SFSFF produces events that showcase important titles from the silent era, often in restored or preserved prints, with live musical accompaniment by some of the world’s finest practitioners of the art of putting music to film.
THE CRITERION COLLECTION
Since 1984, the Criterion Collection has been dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. No matter the medium—from laserdisc to DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD to streaming—Criterion has maintained its pioneering commitment to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen, in state-of-the-art restorations with special features designed to encourage repeated watching and deepen the viewer’s appreciation of the art of film.
HOME MOVIES – ARCHIVIO NAZIONALE DEL FILM DI FAMIGLIA (ITALY)
Home Movies 100 is a project of the Home Movies Foundation National Family Film Archive ETS carried out in partnership with the Kiné production house and counting on numerous institutional collaborations.
For over twenty years, Home Movies has been archiving and restoring the private and unpublished film memories of Italians from all over the country in Bologna. The Foundation’s mission is the cultural enhancement of this important heritage. With Home Movies 100, it celebrates the centenary of the birth of small film formats and the history of family, amateur, experimental and artists’ cinema.
LA CINÉMATHÈQUE DE TOULOUSE
Association law 1901, the Cinémathèque de Toulouse was founded in 1964 by passionate film lovers gathered around Raymond Borde. It has been a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) since 1965.
It is one of the three main French film archives and the second largest film library in France. Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Communication, the National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC), the City of Toulouse, the Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne and the Occitanie Region, the Cinémathèque de Toulouse is defined by the two fundamental missions that characterize any cinematheque: the conservation and dissemination of cinematographic heritage. Over the past thirty years, the institution has become more professional and now has 32 employees, spread over two sites: 69 rue du Taur (screening rooms, exhibitions, library, administration) and the Center for Conservation and Research, located in Balma.
OUR SUPPORTERS
BRITISH COUNCIL
British Council Film supports the objectives of BAVASS and is pleased to financially support professionals from around the world to attend. It is vitally important to train the next generation of archivists to help preserves and conserves the world’s audio-visual collections.
ADOBE INC.
Adobe is leading and defining the future of digital media and digital marketing. It gives everyone, from emerging artists to global brands, everything they need to design and deliver exceptional digital experiences. Adobe is one of the world’s largest software companies and ranked among the best brands with a global presence in 37 countries and 22,000 employees.
THE FILM FOUNDATION’S WORLD CINEMA PROJECT
Created in 1990 by Martin Scorsese, The Film Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history.
By working in partnership with archives and studios, the foundation has helped to restore over 1000 films, which are shared with the public through programming at festivals, museums, and educational institutions around the world. The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project has restored 58 films from 30 different countries representing the rich diversity of world cinema. In 2017, WCP partnered with FEPACI (the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers), UNESCO, and the Cineteca di Bologna to launch the African Film Heritage Project (AFHP), an initiative to locate, preserve, and disseminate African cinema. The foundation’s free educational program, The Story of Movies, teaches young people – over 10 million to date – about film language and history. The Film Foundation Restoration Screening Room presents monthly film restorations, free and accessible through any web browser. www.film-foundation.org
INSTITUT FRANÇAIS INDIA (IFI)
The French Institute in India / Institut Français India (IFI) is the cultural and educational service of the Embassy of France, connecting and implementing Indo-French human exchanges. IFI performs numerous functions: from promoting academic and scientific exchanges between higher institutes of learning & research, to enabling student mobility and promoting the French language.
It also fosters links between artists, scientists, professors, film professionals, publishers, amongst others. It supports partnerships in research and innovation, as well as artistic and cultural partnerships in books, film, fashion, design and more. It organises forums and debates that bring together innovators and thinkers from both countries.
THE ITALIAN CULTURAL EMBASSY CULTURAL CENTRE, NEW DELHI
The Italian Cultural Embassy Cultural Centre, New Delhi, founded in 1971, is the official Italian governmental body dedicated to promoting Italian Language and Culture in India. It is part of a worldwide network of 83 Italian government offices located in all continents with the goal of promoting Italian culture and heritage.
Our main mission is to make Italian culture known to the society at large in India through the organization of artistic, cultural and academic events, the provision of courses of Italian language and heritage and the dissemination of information about Italy and its society. Italian Embassy Cultural Centre facilitates interactions between Italian and local researchers, scholars and cooperate with local cultural organizations and academic institutions.
INDIAN COUNCIL FOR CULTURAL RELATIONS
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of independent India, founded the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) on 9th April 1950. The objectives of the Council are to participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes relating to India’s external cultural relations; to foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries; to promote cultural exchanges with other countries and people; to establish and develop relations with national and international organizations in the field of culture; and to take such measures as may be required to further these objectives.
The ICCR is about a communion of cultures, a creative dialogue with other nations. To facilitate this interaction with world cultures, the Council strives to articulate and demonstrate the diversity and richness of the cultures of India, both in and with other countries of the world.
The Council prides itself on being a pre-eminent institution engaged in cultural diplomacy and the sponsor of intellectual exchanges between India and partner countries. It is the Council’s resolve to continue to symbolize India’s great cultural and educational efflorescence in the years to come.
RASA
RASA, the brainchild of Madhulika and Manish Tibrewal was established in Jaipur in 1998. They started off in the realm of fashion with a single block printer and a single pattern master. They soon expanded their operations to designing home textiles. Today, RASA fashion and home textiles are available at select stores in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan and South East Asia. Beautiful block prints on silks, linens and specially woven fabrics are a hallmark at RASA.
THE HEMENDRA KOTHARI FOUNDATION
The Hemendra Kothari Foundation is a charitable trust that focuses on education and healthcare.
PRASAD CORPORATION
Founded in 1956, Prasad Corporation is recognized as a global leader and innovator in the realm of Film Preservation. Our enduring legacy of excellence is marked by deep collaborations with archives worldwide. We are dedicated to ongoing investments in advanced technologies and progressive methodologies for Film Preservation.
This commitment has solidified Prasad’s reputation among global archives, fostering long-term partnerships to safeguard its cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations. As sponsors of the upcoming BAVASS 2023 event in Delhi, Prasad Corporation extends a warm invitation to explore the essence of preservation. Delve into our meaningful mission and learn how we can contribute to your preservation initiatives by visiting our website at www.prasadcorp.com #preserve4posterity
GAIL (INDIA) LTD.
GAIL (India) Ltd. was incorporated in August, 1984 as a Central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG). GAIL (India) Limited is India’s largest Natural Gas company and ranked among the top gas utilities in Asia. Their business activities range from Gas Transmission and Marketing to Processing; transmission of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG); production and marketing of Petrochemicals like HDPE and LLDPE.
KODAK
Kodak Motion Picture Film & Entertainment – The technology that sets the standard and stands the test of time in the production, postproduction, distribution, exhibition and archiving of motion pictures worldwide. Kodak offers a wide variety of products, spanning the entire motion picture value chain from image capture to post, on through distribution / exhibition and archival applications. The advanced technology of KODAK VISION3 motion picture film provides the highest degree of image quality and creative flexibility.
