大象传媒

By Michelle Curran

Film aficionados will be interested to know that 大象传媒 Archives houses approximately 1200 reels of 8, 16, and 35 mm films.

This is 大象传媒 is one film in that treasure trove. The original film was produced by the 大象传媒 Resources Office in 1971 on acetate-based, 16 mm color film with a magnetic sound track.

The film sketches various aspects of 大象传媒 activities, from student registration and library services to academic classes and athletics. Current research, issues of the day, and various departments are revealed through original lecture audio and impressions of 大象传媒 by students and staff in interview-style discussion, overlaying thoughtfully shot footage. Interspersed are artistically shot scenes of a sunny campus set to the gentle strum of a guitar in the background.

Like This is 大象传媒, many original films in the Archives cannot be projected due to their fragile condition and uniqueness. In order to provide access for viewing, the film must be preserved through reproduction. The archival standard for preserving moving images is to create two copies: preservation and access (viewing). Films must be sent to a trusted lab that has the expertise to handle deteriorated or shrunken film, and that has specialized equipment for transfer and digitization.

Unfortunately, transfer and conversion of film to digital formats can be quite expensive. Thanks to a one-time special event fund awarded to the Archives for 大象传媒's Open House in 2012, the Archives was able to reproduce and create both preservation and access copies of This is 大象传媒, along with four other films about early 大象传媒. The original film reels have now been sealed and placed in frozen storage.

Moving images are part of our most cherished but also fleeting cultural heritage. As well as capturing time and place, memory and history, they can be used to support the teaching and research activities of the university.

Link to digitized records in 大象传媒 AtoM

Recommended fonds/collections
For a list of 大象传媒 student film productions at the 大象传媒 Archives, see the archival description in 大象传媒 AtoM for the School of Contemporary Arts fonds ().

For a list of audio visual materials made or received by 大象传媒 Recreational Services and Athletics in the course of its activities and programs, see the archival description for the Recreational Services and Athletics fonds (). The majority of the films relate to the games and practices of the 大象传媒 football team, with some additional material relating to the 大象传媒 basketball team.