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LIVING IN THE REEL WORLD

From STORAGE Magazine Vol 7, Issue 2 - March/April 2007

An historic two-year partnership between HP and the British Film Institute is proving something of a financial lifesaver - and will mean much greater public access to the collections in the BFI National Archive through the use of digital technology

Containing more than 230,000 films and 675,000 TV programmes, the British Film Institute National Archive is the greatest and most diverse collection of moving images in the world. It goes back to the very earliest days of film, and chronicles the cultural, social, political and economic history of Britain during the last two centuries, containing images from a whole range of significant events,
such as:

• Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
• The VE Day procession
• England's victory in the World Cup final in 1966
• The Beatles returning to the UK following their first major US tour
• Roger Bannister running the four-minute mile
• Neil Armstrong landing on the moon
• The first pint pulled in Coronation Street at the Rovers Return.

Now, a breakthrough two-year partnership agreed between HP and the BFI will result in greater public access to the collections in the BFI National Archive through digital technology, making many of these treasures and others instantly available for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

A cornerstone of this project is the new Mediatheque at BFI Southbank in London, of which HP will be the principal sponsor. HP is providing the technology so that visitors will be able to create their very own personal viewing experience, allowing them to choose from initially hundreds and eventually thousands of films and TV programmes that have never, or rarely, been seen since they were originally made. Moreover, this service will be free to all visitors. HP will also make available consultancy services to help the BFI design a database to manage its digital collections.

Unveiling details of HP's sponsorship, Anthony Minghella, chairman of BFI and acclaimed film director, producer and writer, told those gathered at the IMAX cinema in London: "Without HP, there would be no announcement today. We are extremely grateful for the support we get from the government and the Arts Council, but these are testing times. Our grant this year almost exactly covers our salaries at the BFI, so we need partnerships and benefactors."

Minghella was full of praise for the way in which the late John Paul Getty had rallied to the BFI's cause [in 1985, he donated £17m to help to preserve old British movies that were in danger of disintegration]. "But now we need to get a Getty!" he added. The HP deal will, he says, provide the BFI "with some very important contributions - hardware, cash and access to their expertise".

Steve Gill, vice president and managing director, HP UK and Ireland, said his company was "very excited about this partnership. HP is at the forefront of digital technology development and we have a track record of working with Hollywood film creators like Dreamworks to revolutionise the way in which movies can be made.

"As the principal technology partner to the BFI, HP will help move the National Archive into the digital world. We will work with the archivists to develop a digital strategy that enables them to manage the amazing treasures contained in this unique cultural asset and provide exciting new opportunities for the public to view them on demand."

Amanda Nevill, director of the BFI, described the partnership as representing "another important first step in the long-term investment we are making in the care of, and access to, the BFI National Archive. It is a great example of culture and commerce working together innovatively to increase public value. One of Britain's richest cultural treasures is its film heritage and together the BFI and HP are making sure it can be enjoyed and appreciated by a broader, more diverse, audience.

"With the opening of BFI Southbank, we look forward to throwing open the doors to visitors from all over the UK, from around the world and from the local community, and welcoming them to a day-long destination where, thanks to HP's technology, they can experience the wonders of the archive and enjoy and explore film in new ways."

Shaun Woodward, Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism, described the deal as an exciting time for the BFI. "This is a great partnership and will bring greater access to the BFI National Archive collection at the BFI Southbank."

So, what will it all mean? For one thing, a welter of previously unseen and rarely viewed footage for the public to watch.

"Some may not have been seen since they were made," says Minghella. "The archive is an international treasure and looking after it is a real challenge. The film can deteriorate, catch fire or rot." The BFI has packed film in freezers to ward off decomposition, but keeping the stock in good condition is an extremely expensive business. "The cost of restoring film is daunting," he adds.

Much of the BFI collection - spread across a vast 38 acres at locations outside London and Birmingham - will be on 35mm film dating back before 1951 and thus have a cellulose nitrate base. Cellulose nitrate film is chemically unstable and highly flammable. It catches fire easily, burns very quickly and, because it does not need oxygen in the air to keep on burning, it is very difficult to put out. That, explains Minghella, prompted the move to acetate, "which we now find is even more volatile than nitrate!"

Not only will HP help the BFI to make available valuable moving image material for the enjoyment of future generations; its digital technology will help the BFI to make the transition to a far more stable future for what is the world's largest and busiest film archive. By providing the technical know-how to present and manage the collection, HP is helping the BFI unlock the potential of the archive, so that its collections can inspire, educate and entertain audiences everywhere.

It is HP also that will provide the technology to power the new 'Mediatheque' at BFI Southbank in London. This mini cinema will provide visitors with their very own personal viewing experience, allowing them to choose from thousands of films or TV programmes that cannot be viewed anywhere else - including nostalgic trips down memory lane, such as to the episode of Coronation Street where the redoubtable Elsie Tanner pulled her first pint at the Rover's Return.

All in all, the involvement of HP - and it expects the two-year partnership to extend well beyond that timeframe - means visitors to BFI Southbank will now experience more of their film culture and heritage in a number of new discovery spaces, with unrivalled access to the BFI National Archive.

What is clear is that the advent of digital technology is revolutionising the way in which the collections are stored and accessed. And it is opening up
a massive new window on the cultural, social, political and economic history of the 20th and 21st centuries - right before our very eyes. ST