Wolfgang Klaue

FIAF and the worldwide development of film archives

At the end of the first century of cinema the preservation of the moving image heritage, seen from a global perspective, is still an unsolved problem. Great progress has been made in creating the awareness of cinema as part of the national cultural heritage and of preserving it as art and historical document. The development of film archives, mainly after World War II, in all traditionally film producing countries, their integration into national cultural policies, the international recognition of safeguarding and preserving moving images, are historical achievements.

But at the same time we are faced with enormous deficits. The north-south divide is also evident in cultural infrastructures, including film archiving. In most of the African and Asian countries with national film production, the film heritage is still endangered or already irreplaceably lost. It should be a major task for FIAF to overcome this situation with the goal of establishing film archives in all African and Asian countries over the next 10 to 15 years.

A multiplicity of tasks seems necessary in order to achieve this goal:
- a careful analysis of the situation
- a strategic plan on practical measures co-ordinated with other NGO's and UNESCO
- seminars and workshops, not only with archivists, librarians and filmmakers, but also with politicians and decision makers.
- regional conferences at a governmental level about moving image archiving
- examination of regional co-operation in preservation and other areas of archive work
- stimulation and co-ordination of programs of development agencies
- more active involvement of FIAF members (twinning of established archives with young archives; training of staff on bilateral basis etc.)
-assistance in solving basic needs (lack of black and white film stock; a mobile unit for printing and restoration; alternative methods for the construction of archive buildings etc.)

FIAF and the international debate on legal problems of AV archives

The activities of film, television and sound archives over decades, the growing awareness and recognition of AV archiving have led - compared with the situation 20 years ago - to an open-minded atmosphere for discussing the legal problems of AV archives. The possibilities for strengthening the legal position of film archives have grown in many countries, at both the regional and the international level.

For the future of film archiving the legal backing of all archive activities - ranging from deposit, preservation/multiplication, access, to service charges, exchange between archives, archive cinema etc. - is of key importance.

FIAF should become more active in this field and
- define its concept and policy concerning legal problems of film archives
- encourage all initiatives and contribute to it for AV archive legislation at regional and/or national level
- be prepared to assist the affiliates of the Federation in solving their legal problems
- continue its efforts developing the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images into an international convention
- try to modify international copyright conventions for the benefit of film archives
- initiate/support at the turn of the century a world conference on the safeguarding and preservation of the audio-visual heritage.

FIAF and training / education of archive staff

The contradiction is evident: AV archives are rapidly growing including the demand for professionally educated archive staff. But few if any universitites or highschools for archivists, librarians or filmmakers offer curricula for film, television, and sound archivists.

FIAF should become more active in changing this situation
- by drawing attention to the demand for integrating curricula for the education of AV archivists into already existing training institutions
- by offering its assistance for lecturers and practical exercises
- by closing the gap between the highly qualified staff of the established archives and the relatively inexperienced staff of young film archives through:
. the continuation of summer schools or other training courses
. more individual training for young archivists in advanced archives
. the twinning of advanced and young archives
. more exchange of staff members on all levels

FIAF changed its identity in the past and will do so in the future. Changing realities in society, technology and science have left an impact on FIAF which has always adapted its concepts and policies to these changing realities and will hopefully do so in the future. The FIAF of the 30s and 40s is not the FIAF of today. And certainly the Federation will set other priorities in 2050 than FIAF today. The discussion on the identity of the Federation, its specificity, should be understood as a permanent task analysing objective developments and their possible impact on film archives and FIAF.

But with all the necessary modifications and adaptations, FIAF should stick to a basic principle: keep the closest possible contact to the medium.

There is a strong tendency within the membership for neglecting the specificity of a film archive and defining film as any other "archive material". This tendency is a reality but it should not become the main stream in the Federation. FIAF should therefore:
- look on all its international events for the context with the medium (no congress without filmmakers and film programs etc.)
- rediscuss some old ideas which confirm the central importance of the medium: a FIAF Prize; a FIAF Medal; a list of filmmakers supporting the goals of FIAF.

In the never ending debate on the identity of FIAF the key issues should permanently be identified to help decide how the Federation should tackle new developments.

Some of the actual problems which require further discussion with the membership are:
- FIAF - an organisation of film- and/or moving image archives?
- FIAF as "protector of the cinema experience"
- Film and video
- Mass production - appraisal - selection
- Importance of fiction and non-fiction collections
- Colour film preservation (the majority of archives have no optimal storage conditions for the majority of their collections)

After a debate on the key issues, a long-term program of themes for symposia, publications, commission projects, workshops etc. should be drafted.

Also, research projects and the discussion around them should complete our understanding of the identity and specificity of FIAF (Philosophy project; Standards on specific archive functions such as projection, selection, deposit, archive services and charges etc.)

FIAF - More open

We are faced with the arguments: "FIAF is a closed and expensive club, complicated to join and too small." Or "nothing is known about their membership, their aims, activities etc." Though not true and not pleasant, these arguments seem never to die.

In order to get rid of this image we need time, a long-term strategy and a variety of measures. A leaflet is not sufficient.
A possible strategy could be based on an active, welcoming membership policy:
- activating the membership.
FIAF is its members. Making FIAF known in a given country, amongst filmmakers, officials, politicians, journalists, technicians etc. is primarily the task of our members in this country. Unfortunately this is not the common understanding. Too many of our members put blame on "FIAF" for all ignorance.
- dissemination of information on our affiliates.
The annual booklet of addresses should no longer be kept secret ("for internal use only"), but sold to customers. In regular intervals (5 years?) FIAF should publish a users guide to its affiliates (description of collections, facilities/conditions for usage, fees etc.)
- information on collections
The utopian dream of the pioneers of a central catalogue of all archive holdings seems more and more achievable. Such a database would lead to a new dimension of co-operation between the participating archives and would offer new services to users. The PIP (Periodical Index Project), with all its ups and downs, should be encouraged to examine the development of a central database of FIAF archive holdings.
Before a database, publications on specific archive holdings should be encouraged to make the collections more widely known (Directory on newsreels collection; Restored films; Directories on certain subjects etc.)
- Public relations
The Journal of Film Preservation is one of the greatest achievements for publicising FIAF and the activities of its members. Again, publicity for FIAF is primarily based on the interest and initiative of our members. Even the widest circulation of press material by FIAF will probably find less attendance than information channelled through individual archives to journalists. More awareness of the membership to contribute to publicity for FIAF must be developed. Maybe an annual press information pack compiled from reports, statistics etc. might help the membership to become more active.

FIAF will find more media interest through representation at important international events (UNESCO General Conference, International Film festivals - we had in the past "Patronage of FIAF" for important retrospectives, thus being present and recognised).

FIAF was one of the initiators of the Annual Round Table of FIAT, IASA, IFLA and ICA. FIAF contributed actively to joint projects like the JTS, TCC, Study on Curriculum Development, Study on legal problems, Directory on Moving Image and Sound Archives etc.
For many reasons a certain loss of enthusiasm for co-operating with other NGO's and UNESCO can be observed.

Basic developments - as described in the first three points - will only be achieved when our demands are voiced together with other NGO's. The establishment of film archives in Asian and African countries, introducing professional education also for film archivists, solving legal problems, cannot be reached in isolation but only in co-operation with NGO's working on similar cultural concepts.

FIAF should concentrate its interest and efforts on those partners with which past relations have proved most effective: FIAT, ICA, IASA, IFLA. But links to other NGO's, all communicators for archive goals, should be more developed (DOMITOR, IAMHIST, CILECT, FICC).

When considering our relations with other NGO's some of the following measures should be discussed:
- the institutionalised methods of co-operation should be continued (Round Table, TCC)
- the JTS, probably the most important joint project, should also be continued
- the Journal of Film Preservation should regularly publish information about the main activities of other NGO's
- new joint projects should be examined and - if of interest - supported (Philosophy project)
- it should be examined in which further areas co-operation is worthwhile for FIAF
- new tendencies in international development of AV archives should be carefully analysed for defining FIAF's position (joint meetings with IASA and FIAT; international secretariat of NGO's).

FIAF and Finances

Where is the million promised for the centenary?
The question is not meant as a provocation. It is a statement on our limitations. FIAF was never very successful in fund-raising. There will be limitations in the future as well.

Over decades the most solid source of income and stable financial basis for FIAF's existence were:
- the membership subscriptions and
- the unity of the budget.

An active membership policy will keep up the solid financial basis for FIAF's operations and avoid the increase of subscription fees.

The past has proved that even the smallest amount of money received from outside sources was not for FIAF but for specific projects only. We must pay more attention on the drafting of concrete projects which we can offer to sponsors.

We should not forget that for a long time to come many of our members will suffer from the economical problems in their countries. We must find ways for integrating our colleagues from poor archives into our intentional work activities (EC, Commissions, Congresses, Summer schools etc.).

FIAF and its internal problems

The ongoing discussion on the future of FIAF raised many internal problems which require decisions and adaptations to the changing realities:
- the management of the Federation
- the role of the Executive Committee as an advisory board or with responsibilities for each member
- the membership policy
- the role of film archives as "protector of the cinema experience"
- FIAF as a place for film archives only or also for moving image archives
- necessary changes of statutes and rules or their radical simplification
- advantages and disadvantages of centralisation and regionalisation

One of the experiences of working on a lower level is the enormous ignorance of archive staff members about FIAF. This might differ from archive to archive. But the fact should be brought to the attention of the heads of archives who, in general, are familiar with the Federation. The outside ignorance about FIAF starts with these internal deficits.

Prepared by Wolfgang Klaue for a meeting of the working group on a long term program, February 1995.

Encouragement and support for the development of film archives worldwide

It is the basic duty of the Federation
- to create awareness of the cultural importance of the moving image heritage, especially in countries in which no film archives exist;
- to encourage the establishment of film archives primarily in all film producing countries;
- to support existing archives in fulfilling their main tasks.

To achieve these goals FIAF should:
1. participate actively in the Unesco World Memory Project, inform the membership regularly about the concept and progress of the project and contribute to it by its expertise.

FIAF should prepare a study on the most endangered film collections and submit it to the World Memory Project after discussion at the FIAF Congress 1997;

2. hold during the Congress 1996 in Beijing a seminar on the situation of film archiving in Asia and draft a program of follow-up activities for the development of film archives in the Asian region;

3. hold during the FIAF Congress of 1997 a one day seminar on the situation of film archives in Latin-America and the Caribean region and draft a program of follow-up activities;

4. draft an activity program for the safeguarding of the moving image heritage on the African continent after compiling and analyzing all available information on the archive situation in Africa. A draft program could be introduced at the FIAF Congress of 1998 and submitted to Unesco and possible sponsors;

5. suggest to Unesco and related NGO's a conference on governmental level on the impact of the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images twenty-five years after its implementation (2005) and future actions.

The definition of legal requirements for film archives is of growing importance for individual members as well as for the Federation, for its operations on regional and international level.

The following actions should be taken:

1. The General Assembly of 1995 to authorize the newly elected Executive Committee to establish a small group to compile and analyze suggestions and recommendations from the membership on the unsolved legal problems of film archives.

2. The General Assembly of 1996 to discuss a paper prepared by the working group on the problems discovered with recommendations for their solutions.

3. For the General Assembly of 1997 a document should be prepared with the assistance of a legal adviser which should be discussed and approved as the FIAF position paper on the legal requirements of film archives.

4. After approval of the position paper on legal problems FIAF should start negotiations with relevant NGO's and institutions on possible international agreements and/or changes of international legal instruments.

Training and education of archive staff

Professional education and further training of archive staff is a key issue for the development of film archives in future. FIAF should provide a more active contribution to this end.

FIAF should take the following actions:

1. Based on an authorization by the General Assembly, the newly elected Executive Committee should reorganize the working group for training and make it more effective by defining terms of reference.

2. The working group for training should
- establish contacts with CILECT and discuss the possibility of integrating courses on film archiving into curricula for film high schools;
- prepare a list of publications as recommended teaching aids for film archivists;
- compile and distribute reports on the experience on in-house training courses;
- analyze the publication policy of FIAF within a training perspective;
- search for possible places which could hold regional training courses, summer schools etc.

3. FIAF should hold at its Congresses in 1997 or 1998 a one day symposium on education and further education, training of staff members, based on a study prepared by the working group for training.

Increase of the Federation's prestige

Creating higher awareness for FIAF means also creating higher awareness for film archiving. Long lasting effects can only be achieved by permanent actions, impressive projects, publicity campaigns from time to time and a much stronger participation of all affiliates of the Federation.

FIAF should:

1. Discuss and approve at the General Assembly of 1996 a plan of action for creating higher awareness for FIAF taking into consideration proposals such as:
a FIAF patronage for outstanding events of its affiliates on international level; a reference to FIAF at certain retrospectives; a FIAF prize at one or more international festivals; a FIAF medal; a FIAF logo used for all publications of the Federation; a series of publications with great public appeal; a guide book on FIAF archive's collections; the public sale of the FIAF address list; achieving a stronger commitment of important filmmakers as supporters of FIAF's goals; press campaigns by FIAF and its members etc.

2. Examine with the help of the Cataloguing Commission the feasibility of establishing a data base or other methods of compiling and disseminating information on FIAF archives' film holdings. The study should be ready for the Congress of 1997.

FIAF's identity, structure, management and financing

The impact of rapidly changing technologies on film archives and the diversity of archival concepts and structures require an adaptation of FIAF's statutes, rules, goals and management to the changing realities.

FIAF should take the following actions:

1. Based on an indicative vote by the General Assembly of 1995 on a new structure of membership and a new system for subscription, the Executive Committee prepares the necessary changes of statutes and rules for voting at the General Assembly of 1996.

2. One day of the General Assembly of 1996 is devoted to a debate on the role of film archives in the second century of cinema and the impact on the future of the Federation.

3. The Executive Committee will examine scope and methods of cooperation with other NGO's and report on its recommendations at the General Assembly of 1996 or of 1997.

4. The overall management of the Federation will be examined for achieving greater effectiveness. The Executive Committee will report on the new working methods introduced.

5. The Secretariat will prepare a list of projects qualified for fundraising. The list is subject to information at the General Assemblies.

- Identité, structure, gestion et finances.
L’impact des nouvelles technologies et la diversité des structures des archives affiliées requièrent une adaptation des statuts et règlement, une redéfinition des objectifs et des stratégies ainsi que des nouvelles méthodes de gestion de la FIAF.
Le Comité directeur informera l’Assemblée Générale sur les progrès accomplis dans ces domaines.

Un programa de trabajo a largo plazo
En un document elaborado durante el mes de marzo último, Wolfgang Klaue enunciaba los objetivos principales de la FIAF asú como los medios de lograrlos.

Los objetivos y estrategias enunciadas por el autor dan lugar a cinco grandes categorúas de actividades, a saber:

- Apoyo y asistencia al desarrollo de archivos a nivel mundial.
- Aspectos jurúdicos (derechos y obligaciones) de los archivos.
- Formación y entrenamiento del personal de archivos.
- Notoriedad y prestigio de la FIAF.
- Identidad, estructura, gestión y finanzas.

El impacto de las nuevas tecnologúas y la diversidad de las estructuras de los archivos afiliados requieren la adaptación de los estatutos y reglas de la FIAF, una redefinición de sus objetivos y estrategias asú como la implementación de nuevos métodos de gestion.
El Comité Director informará a la Asamblea General sobre los progresos efectuados en ese sentido durante el presente año.