Just a note to let you know that...
Hot off the printing press is the Summer 2010 issue of PROLOGUE, the magazine of the National Archives. Inside is an article titled "Frame After Frame" written by yours truly. If you're have an interest in the seemingly endless variety of historical films held within America's film vault, you can read the article at...
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2010/summer/frame-film.html
Thanks.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Second Edition of BATTLEFILM: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War now available at Amazon.com
As sometimes happens, after the initial edition of Battlefilm was released, a few more World War I motion pictures that were within the scope of this book were “re-discovered.” In light of this, 21 new films and their summary descriptions have been added to this Second Edition of Battlefilm, which now puts the total number of entries at 488.
While making these additions, I took the opportunity to add NARA's Archival Research Catalog (ARC) identification number to each title. Therefore, in this edition, below each film title you’ll find information about the number of reels associated with that particular motion picture, followed by its unique National Archives’ Catalog Card reference number [in brackets] and its ARC identification number (in parentheses).
Why, you may ask, is this important to you? The answer to that question is that while this book consists of short summary descriptions of these historically significant Army Signal Corps films, ARC usually contains a more detailed account and occasionally has lengthy shot sheets for some of the titles. With this edition, you now have all the tools you need to proceed with any follow-on research you might want to undertake — on location at NARA’s Archives II facility at College Park, MD, or on-line at www. archives.gov/research/arc/. In addition, I tweaked the subject headings, polished the layout, added a few photos, created an alphabetical title index, and beefed up the subject index.
With this Second Edition, it is my sincere hope that you’ll find Battlefilm: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War to be a comprehensive resource, a superb historical research tool, and a valuable addition to your World War I stock footage library.
While making these additions, I took the opportunity to add NARA's Archival Research Catalog (ARC) identification number to each title. Therefore, in this edition, below each film title you’ll find information about the number of reels associated with that particular motion picture, followed by its unique National Archives’ Catalog Card reference number [in brackets] and its ARC identification number (in parentheses).
Why, you may ask, is this important to you? The answer to that question is that while this book consists of short summary descriptions of these historically significant Army Signal Corps films, ARC usually contains a more detailed account and occasionally has lengthy shot sheets for some of the titles. With this edition, you now have all the tools you need to proceed with any follow-on research you might want to undertake — on location at NARA’s Archives II facility at College Park, MD, or on-line at www. archives.gov/research/arc/. In addition, I tweaked the subject headings, polished the layout, added a few photos, created an alphabetical title index, and beefed up the subject index.
With this Second Edition, it is my sincere hope that you’ll find Battlefilm: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War to be a comprehensive resource, a superb historical research tool, and a valuable addition to your World War I stock footage library.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Year 2010
Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a GREAT holiday season.
In reviewing the posts of the last year, I noticed that while there was a lot of info...the regularity of the installments suffered during the last couple of months. After a review of my priorities for this year, that trend will probably continue. When I have updates I will post them here and on my website www.pwstewart.com.
So, what are my priorities for 2010, you may ask?
Well, first is to earn a respectable wage at my full time job so that I can pay the rent and provide basic and other goodies for my family.
Second, is to stay healthy, which is always a challenge in my case.
Third, to publish two books. The Second Edition of my book BATTLEFILM: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War, will be the first and should be available via Amazon.com and other on-line stores the Spring. There will more info about this in a future blog. The other title scheduled for publication is Aerial Aces of the Universal Newsreel, 1929-1931. This book should be ready in the late summer or early fall.
In the meantime, I intend to continue working on the Project History series. I just started research on Vol 3, which will cover the years 1933-1935 of the Universal Newsreel. I am also working on a book tentatively titled, Air Front: WWII Aviation Stories of the United Newsreel. Maybe those two will get published in 2011. We'll have to wait and see.
Enough for now. If you have any questions just email me at pws@pwstewart.com.
Phil
I hope you all had a GREAT holiday season.
In reviewing the posts of the last year, I noticed that while there was a lot of info...the regularity of the installments suffered during the last couple of months. After a review of my priorities for this year, that trend will probably continue. When I have updates I will post them here and on my website www.pwstewart.com.
So, what are my priorities for 2010, you may ask?
Well, first is to earn a respectable wage at my full time job so that I can pay the rent and provide basic and other goodies for my family.
Second, is to stay healthy, which is always a challenge in my case.
Third, to publish two books. The Second Edition of my book BATTLEFILM: U.S. Army Signal Corps Motion Pictures of the Great War, will be the first and should be available via Amazon.com and other on-line stores the Spring. There will more info about this in a future blog. The other title scheduled for publication is Aerial Aces of the Universal Newsreel, 1929-1931. This book should be ready in the late summer or early fall.
In the meantime, I intend to continue working on the Project History series. I just started research on Vol 3, which will cover the years 1933-1935 of the Universal Newsreel. I am also working on a book tentatively titled, Air Front: WWII Aviation Stories of the United Newsreel. Maybe those two will get published in 2011. We'll have to wait and see.
Enough for now. If you have any questions just email me at pws@pwstewart.com.
Phil
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
A DMG EXAMPLE
All-
My how time flies when your editing your next book. I appoligize for my delay in posting.
This time I have an example from the DMG Category for you to review. It's from the Motion Picture Association of America. This collection contains 17 titles and covers a span from 1922-1959. Two representative title are:
• Talking Motion Pictures — shows Tykociner’s apparatus for photographing and projecting sound and pictures simultaneously; Professor Jacob Kung’s photo electric cell for converting light intensity variations into electric current variations; Tykociner’s first sound track in the middle of his film; Professor E.B. Paine reads; Tykociner speaks; Mrs. Tykociner rings a bell; a musician plays a violin, 1922.
• The Fighting Dutch — the training of Dutch combat units in the U.S. and Canada; tulip fields and the dike system in Holland; Rotterdam burns after the Nazi’s bombed it in May 1940; natives gather hemp and dance on the Island of Java; Japanese troops land and advance in the East Indies; Dutch Infantry units go through obstacle courses in Canada; pilots fly P-40 fighter planes in the US; Dutch crews man seaplanes and torpedo boats on submarine patrol in the Atlantic; Dutch troops present ceremonial dances; narrated by Lorne Greene, ca. 1943.
Once again, these title discriptions and many more are in Armerica's Film Vault, availble at Amazon.com...
Til next time.
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
My how time flies when your editing your next book. I appoligize for my delay in posting.
This time I have an example from the DMG Category for you to review. It's from the Motion Picture Association of America. This collection contains 17 titles and covers a span from 1922-1959. Two representative title are:
• Talking Motion Pictures — shows Tykociner’s apparatus for photographing and projecting sound and pictures simultaneously; Professor Jacob Kung’s photo electric cell for converting light intensity variations into electric current variations; Tykociner’s first sound track in the middle of his film; Professor E.B. Paine reads; Tykociner speaks; Mrs. Tykociner rings a bell; a musician plays a violin, 1922.
• The Fighting Dutch — the training of Dutch combat units in the U.S. and Canada; tulip fields and the dike system in Holland; Rotterdam burns after the Nazi’s bombed it in May 1940; natives gather hemp and dance on the Island of Java; Japanese troops land and advance in the East Indies; Dutch Infantry units go through obstacle courses in Canada; pilots fly P-40 fighter planes in the US; Dutch crews man seaplanes and torpedo boats on submarine patrol in the Atlantic; Dutch troops present ceremonial dances; narrated by Lorne Greene, ca. 1943.
Once again, these title discriptions and many more are in Armerica's Film Vault, availble at Amazon.com...
Til next time.
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
Sunday, September 20, 2009
America’s Film Vault Wins a Silver Medal!
Hi All-
Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been real busy putting the final touches on the manuscript for the second edition of Battlefilm and finishing the research on the Henry Ford: Movie Mogal book. I will try to do better in the future.
Below is a press release you may see in a couple of days from my publisher, pms press.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For Release: On Receipt
Contact: Margaret Stewart, 850-420-1970, info@pmspress.com
To arrange for an interview and/or a review copy, please contact the publisher.
America’s Film Vault by film-sleuth Phillip W. Stewart Wins the Silver Medal!
PMS Press is pleased to announce that America’s Film Vault: A Reference Guide to the Motion Pictures Held by the U.S. National Archives, was awarded the Silver Medal in the Reference Category by the Military Writers Society of America 2009 Book Awards.
Author Phillip W. Stewart expressed his appreciation, “Rarely does a non-fiction book of this narrow of scope and subject matter receive this high level of praise. I am honored.”
America’s Film Vault reveals a treasure trove of over 360,000 film reels documenting the 20th Century of American history. It exposes 349 Government and Donated records that have motion pictures buried within them, discloses how these vintage films are organized and where to find them, uncovers and specifically identifies more than 1,460 film titles and provides topical references to thousands more, and sums it up with a comprehensive 2,130 item subject index that sheds light on the vast variety of subjects and titles of these extraordinary films.
Reviewers of America’s Film Vault have called it…
• “An indispensible reference tool for the serious film researcher!”
• “...a convenient overview of National Archives and Records Administration’s motion picture holdings, one difficult to obtain from any other source,”
• “...has leveled the playing field for historians, film buffs, and curiosity seekers.”
Since relatively few Americans know that these historically significant films exist and even fewer know how to find them, the goal of Mr. Stewart’s book is to highlight this National treasure. It is also his goal to provide educators, historians, genealogists, and students of film, a guide on where and how to find them.
The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) is an association of more than eight-hundred authors, poets and artists drawn together by the common bond of military service. Most members are active duty military, retirees or military veterans. (The MWSA contact is Joyce Faulkner at email MWSAPresident@gmail.com)
America’s Film Vault: A Reference Guide to the Motion Pictures Held by the U.S. National Archives (ISBN 978-0-9793243-0-7, $39.95, trade paper, pms press, 2009) is the third book in The Historic Footage Project. More information is available at the author’s website at www.pwstewart.com. All of Mr. Stewart’s books are available from Amazon.com.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Until next time...
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been real busy putting the final touches on the manuscript for the second edition of Battlefilm and finishing the research on the Henry Ford: Movie Mogal book. I will try to do better in the future.
Below is a press release you may see in a couple of days from my publisher, pms press.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For Release: On Receipt
Contact: Margaret Stewart, 850-420-1970, info@pmspress.com
To arrange for an interview and/or a review copy, please contact the publisher.
America’s Film Vault by film-sleuth Phillip W. Stewart Wins the Silver Medal!
PMS Press is pleased to announce that America’s Film Vault: A Reference Guide to the Motion Pictures Held by the U.S. National Archives, was awarded the Silver Medal in the Reference Category by the Military Writers Society of America 2009 Book Awards.
Author Phillip W. Stewart expressed his appreciation, “Rarely does a non-fiction book of this narrow of scope and subject matter receive this high level of praise. I am honored.”
America’s Film Vault reveals a treasure trove of over 360,000 film reels documenting the 20th Century of American history. It exposes 349 Government and Donated records that have motion pictures buried within them, discloses how these vintage films are organized and where to find them, uncovers and specifically identifies more than 1,460 film titles and provides topical references to thousands more, and sums it up with a comprehensive 2,130 item subject index that sheds light on the vast variety of subjects and titles of these extraordinary films.
Reviewers of America’s Film Vault have called it…
• “An indispensible reference tool for the serious film researcher!”
• “...a convenient overview of National Archives and Records Administration’s motion picture holdings, one difficult to obtain from any other source,”
• “...has leveled the playing field for historians, film buffs, and curiosity seekers.”
Since relatively few Americans know that these historically significant films exist and even fewer know how to find them, the goal of Mr. Stewart’s book is to highlight this National treasure. It is also his goal to provide educators, historians, genealogists, and students of film, a guide on where and how to find them.
The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) is an association of more than eight-hundred authors, poets and artists drawn together by the common bond of military service. Most members are active duty military, retirees or military veterans. (The MWSA contact is Joyce Faulkner at email MWSAPresident@gmail.com)
America’s Film Vault: A Reference Guide to the Motion Pictures Held by the U.S. National Archives (ISBN 978-0-9793243-0-7, $39.95, trade paper, pms press, 2009) is the third book in The Historic Footage Project. More information is available at the author’s website at www.pwstewart.com. All of Mr. Stewart’s books are available from Amazon.com.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Until next time...
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
Monday, August 10, 2009
PROJECTED HISTORY 2
Hi all-
Sorry for the delay in posting, but I've been working overtime to put the final touches on my new book, PROJECTED HISTORY: A Catalog of the National Stories Produced by Universal Newsreel, Volume Two: 1931-1932. Off to the printer it goes tomorrow. Hopefully it will be available on Amazon by the end of the month. This volume describes over 1,225 nationally released newsreel stories that covered the third and fourth years of what was known back then as the Universal Newspaper Newsreel. One of the great benefits of the Projected History series is that all the Universal Newsreel stories that are known to exist today in the film vaults of the National Archives are identified. This is the first time that the newsreel title, description and story availability have been brought together in a single resource. Of course, all these stories make great stock footage! I hope you will take the time to check it out.
Well, that's it for now.
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
Sorry for the delay in posting, but I've been working overtime to put the final touches on my new book, PROJECTED HISTORY: A Catalog of the National Stories Produced by Universal Newsreel, Volume Two: 1931-1932. Off to the printer it goes tomorrow. Hopefully it will be available on Amazon by the end of the month. This volume describes over 1,225 nationally released newsreel stories that covered the third and fourth years of what was known back then as the Universal Newspaper Newsreel. One of the great benefits of the Projected History series is that all the Universal Newsreel stories that are known to exist today in the film vaults of the National Archives are identified. This is the first time that the newsreel title, description and story availability have been brought together in a single resource. Of course, all these stories make great stock footage! I hope you will take the time to check it out.
Well, that's it for now.
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Taking Stock at the National Archives -- Part 6
Hi all-
Today, you will find the sixth and final part of an article that was published in the Summer 2009 edition of Documentary magazine, the publication of the International Documentary Association. The article is called, Taking Stock at the National Archives: Finding Footage in America’s Film Vault and was written by yours truly. If you are just starting to read this article please, I would like to strongly suggest that you find Part 1 (below) and start there...it will make more sense to you. Enjoy.
==========================================
Research Room
Once you’ve gone through the search results, selected some and read the descriptions, you’ll probably end up with a list of titles and scenes that you’ll want to check out. Unfortunately, your options for viewing the films at this point are limited to two choices.
First, you can visit the National Archives II facility and view the titles in the Motion Picture, Sound and Video Research Room. If you want to do this, it’s best to e-mail the staff in advance of your visit (mopix@nara.gov) to determine if a reference copy of your title is available on either film or videotape. If no reference copy exists, you may request that one be made, at no cost to you. The only downside to this process is that it may take several weeks.
Your other option is to hire a private film researcher to make VHS or DVD reference copies of your selected titles and have them sent to you. For those of you outside a reasonable driving distance from College Park, this is a viable cost option when compared to the price of a plane ticket. A list of researchers is available at the NARA website (www.archives.gov/research/hire-help/index.html).
If you choose to visit NARA, you will find that many of the film collections have already been transferred to video. There are currently over 15,000 “research quality” videotapes and DVDs that are available for your review in the Research Room. Once you’ve selected the scenes you want, you’ll probably want to make a copy. If all you need is a VHS dub, a self-help video duplication system is available for your use. For only $7.50 you’ll receive a blank VHS tape and can use the dedicated dubbing decks for up to 90 minutes. If for some reason you want a different format, you can request permission to bring in video gear into the Research Room and make your own copy using the patch panels on the video study carrels. If you’ve identified a title that is not yet on video, but has a reference print available, the staff will pull it for you. Again, arrangements may be made for you to bring your own video camera to shoot the film images off the screen of a flatbed editor. If your needs require higher quality, the Research Room staff will assist you with the purchase of film or digital video copies through their vendor system.
If for some reason you can't seem to find that scene you need, you have the opportunity to explore the one-third of the NARA film holdings that are not yet uploaded into ARC. The Research Room has a number of federal agency and donor created card catalogs, finding aids and inventory title lists for you to investigate.
As I mentioned earlier, if you have a little more time than money, your search through the thousands of motion pictures in NARA can produce outstanding results. It is a viable option that is underutilized by the documentary production community as a solution to their stock footage requirements.
By the way, remember that medium shot you needed of the pilot and co-pilot airborne in a World War I seaplane? You can find it in a film titled Naval Aircraft, NARA Catalog ID: RG 24.10, ARC #5911, on reel six—at the National Archives.
=========================================
Well there you are. I hope you found the article beneficial and informative.
'Til next time....
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
Today, you will find the sixth and final part of an article that was published in the Summer 2009 edition of Documentary magazine, the publication of the International Documentary Association. The article is called, Taking Stock at the National Archives: Finding Footage in America’s Film Vault and was written by yours truly. If you are just starting to read this article please, I would like to strongly suggest that you find Part 1 (below) and start there...it will make more sense to you. Enjoy.
==========================================
Research Room
Once you’ve gone through the search results, selected some and read the descriptions, you’ll probably end up with a list of titles and scenes that you’ll want to check out. Unfortunately, your options for viewing the films at this point are limited to two choices.
First, you can visit the National Archives II facility and view the titles in the Motion Picture, Sound and Video Research Room. If you want to do this, it’s best to e-mail the staff in advance of your visit (mopix@nara.gov) to determine if a reference copy of your title is available on either film or videotape. If no reference copy exists, you may request that one be made, at no cost to you. The only downside to this process is that it may take several weeks.
Your other option is to hire a private film researcher to make VHS or DVD reference copies of your selected titles and have them sent to you. For those of you outside a reasonable driving distance from College Park, this is a viable cost option when compared to the price of a plane ticket. A list of researchers is available at the NARA website (www.archives.gov/research/hire-help/index.html).
If you choose to visit NARA, you will find that many of the film collections have already been transferred to video. There are currently over 15,000 “research quality” videotapes and DVDs that are available for your review in the Research Room. Once you’ve selected the scenes you want, you’ll probably want to make a copy. If all you need is a VHS dub, a self-help video duplication system is available for your use. For only $7.50 you’ll receive a blank VHS tape and can use the dedicated dubbing decks for up to 90 minutes. If for some reason you want a different format, you can request permission to bring in video gear into the Research Room and make your own copy using the patch panels on the video study carrels. If you’ve identified a title that is not yet on video, but has a reference print available, the staff will pull it for you. Again, arrangements may be made for you to bring your own video camera to shoot the film images off the screen of a flatbed editor. If your needs require higher quality, the Research Room staff will assist you with the purchase of film or digital video copies through their vendor system.
If for some reason you can't seem to find that scene you need, you have the opportunity to explore the one-third of the NARA film holdings that are not yet uploaded into ARC. The Research Room has a number of federal agency and donor created card catalogs, finding aids and inventory title lists for you to investigate.
As I mentioned earlier, if you have a little more time than money, your search through the thousands of motion pictures in NARA can produce outstanding results. It is a viable option that is underutilized by the documentary production community as a solution to their stock footage requirements.
By the way, remember that medium shot you needed of the pilot and co-pilot airborne in a World War I seaplane? You can find it in a film titled Naval Aircraft, NARA Catalog ID: RG 24.10, ARC #5911, on reel six—at the National Archives.
=========================================
Well there you are. I hope you found the article beneficial and informative.
'Til next time....
Phil
www.pwstewart.com
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