Film Heritage Foundation is delighted to partner with the NFSA – National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and the Australian Consulate-General, Mumbai to conduct a three-day Paper, Photo and Film Conservation Workshop on September 23, 24 and 25, 2024 to be taught by two leading experts Dr. Sophie Lewincamp, Senior Manager, Conservation & Collection and Patrick O’Connor, Team Leader, Audio-visual Conservation from the NFSA.
About the Workshop
The training program will introduce and extend participants in the fields of film, paper and photographic conservation. The first day will delve into the history, technology, identification and common degradation of these materials found in film archive collections through lectures, discussions and hands-on documentation sessions.
The following days, participants will break into their interest groups. Film conservation will be facilitated by Pat O’Connor (NFSA), and paper and photo conservation with Dr Sophie Lewincamp (NFSA). Pat will combine discussion and hands-on experiences focusing on the care & handling, winding, repair, and mould cleaning of film. Each participant will have the opportunity to learn and engage in practical exercises and see more complex treatment through demonstrations.
Sophie Lewincamp will facilitate the paper and photography conservation sessions. Both will introduce identification and documentation of film archive materials such as scripts, posters, photos, albums, and glass negatives. Participants will engage in ethical discussion around cleaning alongside gaining practical experience. Paper conservation sessions will focus on dry cleaning, adhesive removal, mould cleaning and repair techniques.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn through doing and sharing with colleagues.
All fields will discuss preventive conservation, long-term care, copying and preparing for digitisation
Course Structure
LECTURE SESSION (DAY 1): – Mandatory for all participants.
PRACTICAL SESSIONS (DAY 2 AND 3): – As per the participant’s stream selection:
FILM CONSERVATION:
In film conservation sessions, participants will gain expertise in identifying various film types and formats. The sessions will cover methods for repairing and cleaning films, including advanced techniques for addressing damage and degradation. Procedures for safely cleaning film mould and using AD strips to monitor film condition will be demonstrated. Additionally, best practices for handling films to prevent damage and guidelines for proper film storage to ensure longevity will be thoroughly discussed.
PAPER AND PHOTO CONSERVATION:
The session on the history and technology of paper and photos will provide an in-depth understanding of the evolution of paper, including its use in focus strips, notebooks, and posters related to audiovisual archives. Participants will learn to identify various types of photos and understand their historical context. The session will cover best practices for handling and storing paper and photos to prevent deterioration. It will also include practical instruction on condition reporting, dry cleaning, and repair techniques to document and address any damage, ensuring the longevity of these materials.
Date: September 23, 24 and 25, 2024
Venue:
Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai
Coomaraswamy Hall,
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS Museum)
Fort, Mumbai – 400023
Time: 09:30 am to 06.00 pm
There will be screenings of two restored Australian classics on September 23 and 24, 2024 at Regal Cinema, Mumbai.
“Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975) directed by Peter Weir will be screened on Monday, September 23, 2024 at 06:30 pm and “Strictly Ballroom” (1992) directed by Baz Luhrmann will be screened on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 06:30 pm.
The Schedule
Our Experts
Dr. Sophie Lewincamp
Dr. Sophie Lewincamp is the Senior Manager of Conservation and Collection Management at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), and Honorary Lecturer at The Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies, Australian National University. Sophie has over twenty years’ experience in the field of materials conservation, project management and community collaboration working in industry and academic organisations.
Sophie holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Materials Conservation from The University of Melbourne, and Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Cultural Materials Conservation from the University of Canberra.
Dr. Lewincamp is qualified paper conservator and has extensive experience treating and managing different collections, as well as working with communities to care for their collections. She has taught conservation Masters students at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, University of Melbourne (2010-2018) and delivered collection care training with communities.
Dr. Lewincamp’s research investigates the concepts and approaches for engagement and collaboration with communities associated with the origin, ownership and use of heritage items. With a background in cultural materials conservation, her work explores creating spaces to mobilise heritage and support collection forms of care – care for objects, care for people, care for communities and care for stories.
Sophie’s contributions to the field have been recognised, including the 2017 Outstanding Service to the Profession Distinction and the 2013 Service to the Profession Distinction awarded by the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material.
Patrick O’Connor
Mr. Patrick O’Connor is the Team Leader of the Audiovisual Conservation Section at the National Fillm and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA). Pat has over twenty years’ experience in the field of audiovisual conservation. Pat brings extensive knowledge of film preservation, history, processes and projection. He has worked in Collection Access, Curatorial, Collection Management and Digitisation, as well as being a Projectionists and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Library and Information Studies. Mr. O’Connor has taught film conservation at The Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, at The University of Melbourne and The State Archives of Queensland.
At the NFSA, Pat leads a team of ten in the audiovisual conservation laboratory, training in film handling, cleaning, repair as well as more complex treatments, condition assessment and identification of hazards, technical selection, and research and development.
Mr. O’Connor’s research investigates the ageing properties of film tape repairs with a particular interested in cement splices.
Our Collaborators
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), is Australia’s audio-visual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national collection of film, television, sound, radio, video games, new media, and related documents and artefacts. The collection ranges from works created in the late nineteenth century when the recorded sound and film industries were in their infancy, to those made in the present day.
The Australian Consulate General in Mumbai
The Australian Consulate General in Mumbai was officially opened on 16 November 2013 by the Australian Foreign Minister, The Hon Julie Bishop MP. The office is located in Bandra Kurla Complex which is an emerging business district of Mumbai. The Consulate General focuses on economic diplomacy, on strengthening bilateral relations between India and Australia through political, economic and cultural work in the western Indian states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. The Consulate General also helps safeguard the interests of Australians living, working and visiting India in these three states.
Our Venue Partner
Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai
The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institution operational worldwide. We promote the study of German abroad and encourage international cultural exchange. We also foster knowledge about Germany by providing information on its culture, society and politics.