Support Pacific Street Films’ Anarchist Footage Archive Project!
From our friends at Pacific Street Films … today is the last day to donate, so please consider supporting this amazing project!
Pacific Street Films (PSF) has been producing films and researching anarchist history since 1980, with the release of “Free Voice of Labor: The Jewish Anarchists” and subsequently, “Anarchism in America.” Since the release of both these films, PSF has continued to regularly shoot interviews, events and discussions related to anarchist history and its contemporary legacy, including a work-in-progress, “Relentless Vision: Federico Arcos, Emma Goldman and the Spanish Revolution.” This film documents the amazing life of Federico Arcos; his experiences with the anarchists (CNT-FAI) during the so-called Spanish Civil War and his exile from Spain and eventual immigration to Canada, where he spent decades compiling and preserving an astonishing anarchist archive, all housed in the basement of his modest home.
During the course of these productions, PSF has compiled hundreds of hours of filmed and taped material, much of it with anarchist luminaries who have passed on: from Mollie Steimer, Senya Fleschin and Irving Abrams to Kenneth Rexroth, Murray Bookchin and Paul Avrich. Much of this material was shot originally on 16mm negative film; although in later years, mastering was done in various video formats, from 3/4″ U-matic, to Betacam and DVCAM formats.
Our goal is to make this historical legacy widely available through on-line distribution or through one of the many archives devoted to preserving anarchist and radical history. Beyond its value to scholars, we strongly feel that the anarchist legacy, as preserved in this footage, makes a valuable contribution to the study of libertarian critiques of the State and the relationship of power and authority to the individual citizen.
Stage One contributions will specifically be directed towards preparing all 16mm film, ¼” production audio and videotapes for digitization. A film editor, negative cutter and audio engineer will be hired to physically examine all materials; ascertain the condition – cleaning and repairing where necessary – and creating itemized inventory lists for use by a post-production transfer house.
Further stages in the project will involve the actual transfer of all materials to a digital format and uploading to an appropriate internet platform for open distribution. A suitable archive will be selected for storage of all original materials.