CALL FOR PAPERS FICTION FILM BY AMATEURS Northeast Historic Film Summer Symposium July 21-23, 2005 The Northeast Historic Film Summer Symposium is a multi-disciplinary gathering devoted to the history, theory, interpretation, and preservation of moving images. The Symposium is noted for bringing together archivists, scholars, and artists in the intimate setting of Northeast Historic Film, located in Bucksport, Maine, on the Penobscot River. The town is near the Bangor International Airport, on the way to Acadia National Park. Unlike most conferences, each presenter has a full hour in which to deliver her or his paper and engage in discussion with colleagues. TOPIC: FICTION FILM BY AMATEURS Presenters and participants will view and discuss amateur dramatic works (individual, family, collective, and student works) seeking to better understand amateur film as a creative and interpretive form. There is a tradition of fictional narratives and avant-garde films made by nonprofessional filmmakers back to the invention of 16mm film—and earlier examples. Amateur fictional works from earliest days of the moving image to the present are of interest. Examples include Minnesota Historical Society’s The Great Perham Jewel Robbery (1926), Wisconsin Historical Society’s A Study in Reds, Northeast Historic Film’s Miss Olympia (1939), and Florida Moving Image Archive’s Phyllis Le Shane Collection (1965-1972). PRESENTATIONS INVITED We invite presentations from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives and approaches that help to expand our understanding of fictional moving image works, their context, and their creators. How do these films conform to or diverge from the norms of classical Hollywood filmmaking? The planning committee will look for rigorous interpretive presentations. Your paper should be 30 minutes, and will be followed by 30 to 45 minutes of discussion. All presentations include clips, context, and interpretation. The Symposium takes place in Northeast Historic Film’s Alamo Theatre, a cinema with film, videotape, and DVD projection. PROPOSAL GUIDELINES Proposals are limited to 500 words and should clearly outline the major thesis and primary points of the presentation. Proposals must include descriptions of audiovisual material that will be screened during your presentation, including the original and presentation medium, and the approximate length of clips. Priority is given to those presentations that include archival clips; you are responsible for obtaining and organizing screened material. Proposals should include a brief biographical sketch of the presenter including affiliation, rank (if appropriate), and relevant publications, exhibitions or curatorial work, and all contact information. Submissions must be received by January 1, 2005, and should be sent to Karan Sheldon, Northeast Historic Film, PO Box 900, Bucksport, Maine 04416. Decisions will be made by March 1, 2005. Email submissions are accepted as Word attachments sent to [log in to unmask] with the subject line Symposium 2005 Proposal BACKGROUND Northeast Historic Film (NHF) is among the leading regional moving image archives in North America. The archives, founded in 1986, is devoted to collecting, preserving, and making accessible moving images of northern New England. NHF is noted for its pioneering efforts to preserve and present home movies and amateur film and video. For more on the archives visit www.oldfilm.org. The 2004 Symposium, Moving Image as Biography, brought together the presenters listed below. It was rigorous, memorable, and fun. To read more, visit http://www.oldfilm.org/nhfWeb/ed/04Symp/schaefer_Essay_2004.htm To discuss amateur fiction film presentation ideas, please contact Dwight Swanson, [log in to unmask] or Karan Sheldon, [log in to unmask] 2004 Symposium Presenters: Michael Aronson, University of Oregon Snowden Becker, Academy Film Archive Bob Brodsky, Brodsky & Treadway Marée Delofski, Macquarie University Robert Goff, Univ of Massachusetts-Boston Jan-Christopher Horak, Hollywood Entertainment Museum Jane Johnson, Library of Congress Janna Jones, Univ of South Florida Eric Schaefer, Emerson College Dwight Swanson, Human Studies Film Archives Toni Treadway, Brodsky & Treadway Pam Wintle, Human Studies Film Archive ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu