Country Update    

 
  PHILIPPINES  
 
Celebrating... Continued from p. 8

for participation in the festival. The lineup included Hubad sa Ilalim ng Buwan (Naked under the Moon) by Lav Diaz which was shown as the opening film; Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa (Lea’s Story) by Chito Rońo; Gangland by Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes; Saranggola (The Kite) by Gil Portes; Jose Rizal and Milagros by Marilou Diaz-Abaya; Bulaklak ng Maynila (Ada of Manila) by Joel Lamangan; Babae sa Bubungang Lata (Woman on a Tin Roof) by Mario O’Hara, and capped with Jeffrey Jeturian’s Pila Balde (Fetch a Pail of Water). Two restored classics, The Moises Padilla Story and Sanda Wong by Gerry de Leon were shown as special features of the festival.
      The opening ceremony was graced by actor Joel Torre, the lead of the opening film, and its director, Lav Diaz.(Continued on p. 13)

Ray Edmondson presents “Philosophy of Audiovisual Archiving”

      During his most recent visit to Manila on April 18, SEAPAVAA president Ray Edmondson presented the “Philosophy of Audiovisual Archiving” -- a first-time event in this city. This forum was sponsored by two archive professional societies: the SOFIA and the Society of Filipino Archivists (SFA), with the special participation of the Society of Student Archivists (SSA). The forum was held at the Philippine Information Agency.
      Edmondson noted that AV archivists are more used to getting on with the work, with no theory to back up their work. In his talk, Ray posits that audiovisual archivists do need a philosphy, and this philosophy needs to be codified and written because:
  • “Our frame of reference needs to be articulated and not just assumed (lest others do it for us);
  • “It is essential to defining our profession and professionalism - our identity, our visibility, our status;
  • “It is the basis of our capacity to influence our environment proactively;
  • “It is vital to our collective intellectual rigor -- to probe, to question, to explain why;
  • “It is necessary to underpin credible formal training and qualifications;
  • “It enables us to assert the character of the AV media in its own right (not as an aspect of something else);
  • “It is the basis of a code of ethics.”
    (Continued on p. 13)
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  VIETNAM  

VFI develops treatment for vinegar-affected films

      After years of research, the VFI (Vietnam Film Institute) had finally found a way to arrest the long-time problem of “vinegar syndrome”.
      Since 1991, the VFI had undertaken a research project to find out how and why vinegar syndrome occurs in films. The research disclosed that vinegar syndrome is caused by the hydrolysis of cellulose acetate which degrades the film and produces acetic acid which in turn increases the rate of hydrolysis. Hence, vinegar syndrome consequently assumes an autocatalytic nature.
      Among 50,000 reels of film at the VFI Film Archive, about 200 reels of valuable films aged 20 to 30 years were found to have vinegar syndrome. Using the pH strip, VFI was able to identify the affected films within 24 hours of application. The specific level of the syndrome was further determined using the Dancheck A-D strips.(Continued on p. 13)

A practical technology
at the VFI


      In year 2000, the VFI (Vietnam Film Institute) had addressed the problem of providing access to their film collection despite financial constraints. The VFI can now convert their picture and sound negatives into video tapes using the telecine transfer and video digital editing system.
      Vietnam filmmakers are mandated to submit both the negatives and a composite print to the VFI, a government institution which serves as the country’s national film archive. Lately however, filmmakers refuse to turn over their composite prints to the VFI because of limited budget. This means that of the 10,000 films with the Institute 2,000 titles have no print copies for access.
      The BOSCH FDL 60 telecine machine enables VFI to convert negative optic images of picture negatives into electronic images. Sound negatives are also converted and restored through optical filter and sound electronic equipment. The technology also allows color balance and density corrections, as well as archival works as in the removal of blur scratches and mold traces on pictures before it is recorded in the tape memory of the video editing system. This form is then transferred into VHS tapes through video digital and editing system using MEDIA 100.

 
AV Archives Bulletin     9