National Film and Sound Archive
Encyclopedia
The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) is Australia’s audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national collection of audiovisual materials and related items. The collection ranges from works created in the late nineteenth century when the recorded sound and film industries were in their infancy to those made in the present day.
As an institution, the Archive had a checkered history from its first incarnation in 1935 as the National Historical Film and Speaking Record Library (within the then Commonwealth National Library
) to its becoming an independent statutory authority as the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in 2008.
It is located in Canberra
, the nation's capital city.
) by a Cabinet
decision on 11 December 1935.
collecting institution through an announcement in Parliament on 5 April 1984 that took immediate effect. At that time, an Advisory Committee was established to guide the institution.
On 21 June 1999, the name was changed to ScreenSound Australia, the National Collection of Screen and Sound, and changed again in early 2000 to ScreenSound Australia, National Screen and Sound Archive. It reverted to its original name, National Film and Sound Archive, in December 2004.
Act which took effect on 1 July 2003, it ceased to be a semi-autonomous entity within the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and became an integrated branch, later a division, of the Australian Film Commission, a funding and promotional body that was itself much smaller than the NFSA. This arrangement never gained the approval or support of the NFSA’s major constituency organisations who commenced a sustained advocacy strategy, calling for the granting of separate statutory authority status for the NFSA.
In 2007, the then Government announced the creation of a new agency to be called Screen Australia which would incorporate the main functions of the Film Finance Corporation, the Australian Film Commission (including the Archive), and Film Australia
.
, the National Gallery of Australia
and the National Museum of Australia
. The event was celebrated, on 1 July, by a traditional indigenous Australian smoking ceremony and staff breakfast in the morning, and a premiere screening of a cinema adaptation of film director Rolf de Heer
and digital media artist Molly Reynolds's evolving broadband website 12 Canoes followed by a cocktail reception in the evening.
Notable items from the collection include:
The building to which the Archive moved in 1984 was the home of the Australian Institute of Anatomy from 1931-84. Originally it held the anatomy collection of Sir Colin MacKenzie
. This collection included the heart of the celebrated Australian racehorse Phar Lap
.
The building is often classified as art deco
, though its overall architectural style is technically "Late 20th Century Stripped Classical", the style of ancient Greece and Rome but simplified and modernised. Buildings in this style often feature a symmetrical façade, a horizontal skyline, classical columns and a central entrance. Traditional building materials such as stone and terracotta are often employed. The art deco influence is evident in the strong and consistent decorative features of native flora, fauna and Aboriginal art and motifs throughout the building. Face masks of well-known scientists of the era are featured on the foyer’s walls as a reminder of its previous incarnation as the Institute of Anatomy. Beyond the foyer is a landscaped courtyard.
The original part of the building has a theatre and research centre. The theatre was the meeting place for one of Australia’s pioneering film societies in the 1930s—the Canberra Film Society.
In 1999, the building was extended to provide needed space for the Archive. This new wing’s design is in keeping with the Art Deco style of the main structure with details and finishes to match the original.
"to encourage and reward excellence in Australian folk recording". The winner is selected from recordings submitted by performers at the National Folk Festival. The judging panel comprises representatives from the National Folk Festival, ABC Radio
and the Archive.
As an institution, the Archive had a checkered history from its first incarnation in 1935 as the National Historical Film and Speaking Record Library (within the then Commonwealth National Library
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
) to its becoming an independent statutory authority as the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in 2008.
It is located in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, the nation's capital city.
Early years within the National Library
The work of the Archive can be officially dated to the establishment of the National Historical Film and Speaking Record Library (part of the then Commonwealth National LibraryNational Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
) by a Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
decision on 11 December 1935.
Separate institution
After being part of the National Library of Australia, and its predecessors, for nearly 50 years, the National Film and Sound Archive was created as a separate CommonwealthCommonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
collecting institution through an announcement in Parliament on 5 April 1984 that took immediate effect. At that time, an Advisory Committee was established to guide the institution.
On 21 June 1999, the name was changed to ScreenSound Australia, the National Collection of Screen and Sound, and changed again in early 2000 to ScreenSound Australia, National Screen and Sound Archive. It reverted to its original name, National Film and Sound Archive, in December 2004.
Merger with the Australian Film Commission
Meanwhile, consequent on amendments to the Australian Film CommissionAustralian Film Commission
The Australian Film Commission was an Australian government agency with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a production arm responsible for production and commissioning of films for government...
Act which took effect on 1 July 2003, it ceased to be a semi-autonomous entity within the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and became an integrated branch, later a division, of the Australian Film Commission, a funding and promotional body that was itself much smaller than the NFSA. This arrangement never gained the approval or support of the NFSA’s major constituency organisations who commenced a sustained advocacy strategy, calling for the granting of separate statutory authority status for the NFSA.
In 2007, the then Government announced the creation of a new agency to be called Screen Australia which would incorporate the main functions of the Film Finance Corporation, the Australian Film Commission (including the Archive), and Film Australia
Film Australia
Film Australia was a company established by the Government of Australia to produce films about Australia. Its mission was to create an audio-visual record of Australian culture, through the commissioning, distribution and management of programs that deal with matters of national interest or...
.
Statutory authority
However, following elections in November 2007, the new Government implemented an election promise to “demerge” the NFSA and create it as a statutory authority. The NFSA Act became law on 20 March 2008 and came into effect on 1 July 2008. This brought the Archive's governance in line with many of Australia's other major cultural institutions such as the National Library of AustraliaNational Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
, the National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
and the National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
. The event was celebrated, on 1 July, by a traditional indigenous Australian smoking ceremony and staff breakfast in the morning, and a premiere screening of a cinema adaptation of film director Rolf de Heer
Rolf de Heer
Rolf de Heer is a Dutch film director, writer and producer living in Australia. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in The Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old. He attended the Australian Film Television and Radio School in Sydney. His company is called Vertigo Productions and...
and digital media artist Molly Reynolds's evolving broadband website 12 Canoes followed by a cocktail reception in the evening.
Inaugural Board
The Archive's first Board as a Statutory Authority comprised:- Professor Chris PuplickChris PuplickChristopher John Guelph "Chris" Puplick AM is an Australian politician, public servant, activist and public intellectual.He was appointed to a casual vacancy in the Senate in July 1978 but was defeated at the 1980 election, completing his term in June 1981...
AM (Chair) - Associate Professor Deb VerhoevenDeb VerhoevenDeb Verhoeven is currently Professor and Chair of Media and Communication at Deakin University. Until recently she held the role of Director of the AFI Research Collection at RMIT. A writer, broadcaster, film critic and commentator, Verhoeven is the author of more than 30 journal articles and book...
(Deputy Chair) - Professor Jill Matthews
- Ms Grace Koch
- Ms Catherine Robinson
- Mr Andrew Pike OAM
- Mr Philip Mortlock
Collections
The National Collection includes more than 1.6 million items. In addition to discs, films, videos, audio tapes, phonograph cylinders and wire recordings, the Collection includes supporting documents and artefacts, such as photographic stills, transparencies, posters, lobby cards, publicity, scripts, costumes, props, memorabilia and sound, video and film equipment.Notable items from the collection include:
- The Cinesound MovietoneMovietone sound systemThe Movietone sound system is a sound-on-film method of recording sound for motion pictures that guarantees synchronization between sound and picture. It achieves this by recording the sound as a variable-density optical track on the same strip of film that records the pictures...
Australian Newsreel Collection, 1929-1975: comprehensive collection of 4,000 newsreelNewsreelA newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
films and documentaries representing news stories covering all major events in Australian history, sport and entertainment from 1929 to 1975. Inscribed on the Australian Memory of the World Register in 2003. - The Story of the Kelly GangThe Story of the Kelly GangThe Story of the Kelly Gang is a 1906 Australian film that traces the life of the legendary bushranger Ned Kelly . It was written and directed by Charles Tait. The film ran for more than an hour, and was the longest narrative film yet seen in Australia, and the world. Its approximate reel length...
, 1906: directed by Charles TaitCharles TaitCharles Tait was an American politician. A Democratic Republican, he served as a United States Senator from Georgia and later as a United States federal judge.-Early life:...
, is the first full-length narrative feature filmFeature filmIn the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
produced anywhere in the world, and was inscribed onto the International Memory of the World Register in 2007.
Special Collections
- National Film and Video Lending Service: containing over 16,000 titles. Ownership of the collection was transferred to the NFSA from the National Library of AustraliaNational Library of AustraliaThe National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
on 1 July 2008. - Australian Jazz Archive
- Quality Cinema Lending Collection: The Cinema Lending Collection is a collection of premium-quality prints, suitable for screening at prestige events. This collection includes the Kodak/Atlab Cinema Collection (2000-2005), and the Deluxe/Kodak Collection (2005-present). The goal of these two collections is to preserve and make available a selection of significant Australian feature films produced between the 1950s-90s. This current project will be completed in June 2011, and by this time 75 titles will have been preserved.
- Oral History Collection
- Sounds of Australia registry: The NFSA’s Sounds of AustraliaSounds of AustraliaThe National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia is a public registry of recordings that celebrates the unique and diverse recorded sound culture and history of Australia.The Registry was launched in February 2007 with a foundation list of ten...
is a public registry of recordings that celebrates the unique and diverse recorded sound culture and history of Australia.
History of the building
William Colin Mackenzie
Sir William Colin Mackenzie , usually known as Colin Mackenzie, was an Australian anatomist, benefactor, museum administrator and director. He was best known for creating the Healesville Sanctuary.-Early life:...
. This collection included the heart of the celebrated Australian racehorse Phar Lap
Phar Lap
Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...
.
The building is often classified as art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
, though its overall architectural style is technically "Late 20th Century Stripped Classical", the style of ancient Greece and Rome but simplified and modernised. Buildings in this style often feature a symmetrical façade, a horizontal skyline, classical columns and a central entrance. Traditional building materials such as stone and terracotta are often employed. The art deco influence is evident in the strong and consistent decorative features of native flora, fauna and Aboriginal art and motifs throughout the building. Face masks of well-known scientists of the era are featured on the foyer’s walls as a reminder of its previous incarnation as the Institute of Anatomy. Beyond the foyer is a landscaped courtyard.
The original part of the building has a theatre and research centre. The theatre was the meeting place for one of Australia’s pioneering film societies in the 1930s—the Canberra Film Society.
In 1999, the building was extended to provide needed space for the Archive. This new wing’s design is in keeping with the Art Deco style of the main structure with details and finishes to match the original.
Ken G Hall Film Preservation Award
The award was established by the NFSA in 1995 as a tribute to producer/director Ken G Hall. It is awarded to "individuals, groups of individuals or corporations (Australian or international) for their outstanding contribution to the cause of moving image preservation" in Australia.- 2010 Patricia LovellPatricia LovellPatricia Lovell is an Australian film producer whose work within the that country's film industry led her to receive the Longford Life Achievement Award in 2004 from the Australian Film Institute . One of her productions, Gallipoli, received an AFI Award in 1982 as best film...
- 2009 Ian Dunlop
- 2006 Paul CoxPaul CoxPaulus Henriqus Benedictus "Paul" Cox is an award-winning Australian film director.Cox was born in Venlo, Limburg, the Netherlands, the son of Else , a native of Germany, and Wim Cox, a documentary film producer. Cox emigrated to Australia in 1965...
- 2005 Phillip NoycePhillip NoycePhillip Noyce is an Australian film director.-Life and career:Noyce was born in Griffith, New South Wales, attended Barker College, Sydney, and began making short films at the age of 18, starting with Better to Reign in Hell, using his friends as the cast...
- 2004 Graham Shirley
- 2003 Tom Nurse
- 2002 Judy Adamson
- 2001 Murray Forrest
- 2000 Anthony BuckleyAnthony BuckleyAnthony Buckley is an Australian film editor and producer, and prominent member of the Australian film industry.As an editor he was acclaimed for his work with Michael Powell and Rudolf Nureyev...
- 1999 Joan Long
- 1998 Not awarded
- 1997 Kodak Australasia
- 1996 Peter WeirPeter WeirPeter Lindsay Weir, AM is an Australian film director. After playing a leading role in the Australian New Wave cinema with his films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave and Gallipoli, Weir directed a diverse group of American and international films—many of them major box office...
- 1995 Alan Rydge and Rupert MurdochRupert MurdochKeith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
National Folk Recording Award
Since 2001, the NFSA has presented the National Folk Recording Award at the National Folk FestivalNational Folk Festival (Australia)
The National Folk Festival - Australia’s premier folk festival event – is a colourful and diverse family orientated celebration attended by over 50,000 people.It is the best Easter week-end in Australia!...
"to encourage and reward excellence in Australian folk recording". The winner is selected from recordings submitted by performers at the National Folk Festival. The judging panel comprises representatives from the National Folk Festival, ABC Radio
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
and the Archive.
- 2011 Love and Sorrow by Kavisha Mazzella
- 2010 A Voice that was Still by Chloe and Jason Roweth, with Jim McWhinnie
- 2009 Urban Sea Shanties by Fred SmithIain Campbell SmithIain Campbell Smith is an Australian diplomat, singer/songwriter and comedian. He performs under the stage name Fred Smith in Australia and his full name in the United States.-Diplomatic career:...
and the Spooky Men's ChoraleThe Spooky Men's ChoraleThe Spooky Men's Chorale are a group of Australian male singers. Most reside in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, but some are from Western Australia. Their repertoire consists largely of songs either written or arranged by their director Stephen Taberner, on topics ranging from power... - 2008 The Next Turn by Trouble in the Kitchen
- 2006 Diamond Wheel by Kate Fagan
- 2005 Songs of the Wallaby Track by Dave de Hugard
- 2003 Swapping Seasons by Kate Burke and Ruth Hazleton
- 2002 Bagarap Empires by Fred SmithIain Campbell SmithIain Campbell Smith is an Australian diplomat, singer/songwriter and comedian. He performs under the stage name Fred Smith in Australia and his full name in the United States.-Diplomatic career:...
- 2001 Follow the Sun by Seaman DanSeaman DanHenry Gibson "Seaman" Dan , known universally as Seaman Dan, is a Torres Strait Islander singer-songwriter with a national and international reputation whose first recording was released in 2000...
External links
- National Film and Sound Archive
- australianscreen online Accessed: 2008-04-22