Film Research: Primarily Primary Library Film Studies Site: Gary Handman

Film Research: Primarily Primary Library Film Studies Site: Gary Handman

1. 1.Describe the primary and secondary sources available for film studies and other media research 2. 2.Discuss how to find this stuff in the library, using print and online resources 3. Introduce a group of basic moves and features common to many online catalogs and indexes. 4. Practice using these features in selected databases.

Journals, Magazines, NewspapersJournals, Magazines, Newspapers ReviewsReviews Fan Writing / GossipFan Writing / Gossip Industry newsIndustry news Scholarly (or at least serious) analysis and criticismScholarly (or at least serious) analysis and criticism BooksBooks ScholarlyScholarly Pop schlockPop schlock Hybrids (thorough but popular)Hybrids (thorough but popular) The WebThe Web Ezines (pop and more substantive)Ezines (pop and more substantive) Fan sites, blogs, and sundry weirdnessFan sites, blogs, and sundry weirdness Studio sites / other commercial sitesStudio sites / other commercial sites Licensed commercial databasesLicensed commercial databases Where Does Writing About Film “Live”

1895 Brothers Auguste & Louis Lumiere stage 1st public film screening, Paris Film Scholarship & Film Criticism Movies = 100+ Years Film Scholarship = 50 years William K.L. Dickson (Edison Labs) invents the “Kinetoscope” W.S. Porter “The Great Train Robbery” 1950’s1960’s Film Studies Film Scholarship Writing about film = fan, pop, and industry perspectives until 1950’s/60’s 1889

Journals, Magazines, Newspapers:Journals, Magazines, Newspapers: From the birth of the movies on…From the birth of the movies on… Early reviews often utilize critical apparatus of theatre and other performing arts (theatre reviewers frequently become film reviewers)Early reviews often utilize critical apparatus of theatre and other performing arts (theatre reviewers frequently become film reviewers) Pre-1950 – “moving picture play” reviews, gossip, newsPre-1950 – “moving picture play” reviews, gossip, news Fanzines (eg: Photoplay, Motion Picture Herald)Fanzines (eg: Photoplay, Motion Picture Herald) Industry news (e.g. Variety)Industry news (e.g. Variety) Daily newspapers (eg, NY Times)Daily newspapers (eg, NY Times) Pop press (e.g.Time, Newsweek,The Nation, )Pop press (e.g.Time, Newsweek,The Nation, )Post-1950= expanding coverage in both pop and scholarly press across disciplines (Literary journals, ethnic studies, women’s studies, political science, history, etc.)

…How do you locate this stuff? Listing of pre-1980 film journals filmstudies/Listing of pre-1980 film journals filmstudies/ filmstudies/ filmstudies/ At UCB, many broken holdingsAt UCB, many broken holdings Indexing of titles is spotty at bestIndexing of titles is spotty at best Early film writing: Journals and Magazine …but first, a digression…

The Information Universe Library Catalog(s) Journal/Newspaper Indexes (sometimes aka article databases)

Library Catalog(s) k k Pathfinder: UCB Library holdings only k k MELVYL (CDL cat): All 9 UC Campuses An inventory of what the library owns, from books and journals, to maps, manuscripts, media… Search by Author, Title, Subject (keywords and phrases) Whole books & print and electronic journals, NOT what’s inside of those publications NOTEBENE

Library indexes in all subjects at: indexes in all subjects at: Film Studies indexes at:Film Studies indexes at: Best bet general retrospective online indexes:Best bet general retrospective online indexes: Readers Guide Retrospective (pop journals & Film Quarterly back to 1867.Readers Guide Retrospective (pop journals & Film Quarterly back to Historical Newspapers (full-text including ads!)Historical Newspapers (full-text including ads!) NY Times 1851-current,NY Times 1851-current, LA Times and 1999-currentLA Times and 1999-current Periodicals Contents Index (PCI) (first issue– indexing) Monthly Film Bulletin (1934/ ); Sight and Sound ( ); Film Quarterly (1945- present); Film Review (1944-present), et al.Periodicals Contents Index (PCI) (first issue– indexing) Monthly Film Bulletin (1934/ ); Sight and Sound ( ); Film Quarterly (1945- present); Film Review (1944-present), et al. Monthly Film Bulletin Monthly Film Bulletin Early film writing: Journals and Magazine

Once You Find a Citation, How Do You Find the Journal/Article? Some indexes provide holdings info [UC eLinks]Some indexes provide holdings info [UC eLinks] Some indexes link to full-textSome indexes link to full-text If neither…use Pathfinder to look up the JOURNAL holdings Metropolis Fritz Lang, 1927

…Other useful resources for primary source writing about film AFI Catalog (online credit database that includes selective cites to articles and reviews)AFI Catalog (online credit database that includes selective cites to articles and reviews)AFI Catalog AFI Catalog British Film Institute, Film Index International (FII) (selective cites to current and retrospective reviews and articles—emphasis on Brit pubs)British Film Institute, Film Index International (FII) (selective cites to current and retrospective reviews and articles—emphasis on Brit pubs)British Film Institute, Film Index InternationalBritish Film Institute, Film Index International NYT Encyclopedia of Film – (print vols in MRC & Main Reference)NYT Encyclopedia of Film – (print vols in MRC & Main Reference) Hanson and Hanson: Film Review Index Print: PN1995.F in MRC and Main StaxHanson and Hanson: Film Review Index Print: PN1995.F in MRC and Main Stax Sources for Film & TV Scholarship and Research

Critical/Scholarly ArticlesCritical/Scholarly Articles Film JournalsFilm Journals Subject-based journals (expanding disciplinary focus)Subject-based journals (expanding disciplinary focus) Decent indexing available: check out filmstudies/index.htmlDecent indexing available: check out filmstudies/index.html filmstudies/index.html filmstudies/index.html My Faves:My Faves: FIAF IndexFIAF Index MLAMLA Expanded Academic IndexExpanded Academic Index International Index to the Performing ArtsInternational Index to the Performing Arts Art Abstracts and Art Index RetrospectiveArt Abstracts and Art Index Retrospective America: History and LifeAmerica: History and Life `

Other Primary Source Catalogs:Catalogs: Motion picture catalogs by American producers and distributors, NEWS: MICROFILM.48027Motion picture catalogs by American producers and distributors, NEWS: MICROFILM A Guide to Motion picture catalogs by American producers and distributors, NEWS: PN U6 G A Guide to Motion picture catalogs by American producers and distributors, NEWS: PN U6 G

Subject SearchingL How to Begin? Before you click: THINK Formulate your search in terms of: KEY WORDS and SYNOMYMS: --Looks for words anywhere in record: title, subject, abstract and full-text (if avail) PHRASES: --Looks for words in the exact order entered

How to Begin? Before you click: THINK Formulate your search in terms of keyword and key phrases: Sex and Death in the films of Woody Allen. The representation of gender and masculinity in the films of Jim Jarmusch.

How to Begin? Before you click: THINK Formulate your search in terms of keyword and key phrases: Sex [women, love, relationships] and Death [dying, mortality, fate] in the films [cinema, movie*] of Woody Allen. The representation [reflect* portray*] of gender [sex*] and masculinity [masculin*, male, men] in the films [cinema, movie*] of Jim Jarmusch. **** Truncation varies from db to db: * # ? emigra* = emigrant, emigrants, emigrate, emigration

How to Begin? Before you click: THINK Formulate your search in terms of keyword and key phrases: Sex [women, love, relationships] and Death [dying, mortality, fate] in the films [cinema, movie*] of Woody Allen. The representation [reflect* portray*] of gender [sex*] and masculinity [masculin*, male, men] in the films [cinema, movie*] of Jim Jarmusch. **** Truncation varies from db to db: * # ? emigra* = emigrant, emigrants, emigrate, emigration

Go broader Approach from a different angle Rethink/retry search words and phrases Not finding enough?

a growing listing of bibliographies on various film topics and individual films compiled by MRC (includes bibs for genres, filmmakers, national cinemas, and individual film). D.W. Griffith Judith of Bethulia (1914)

Media Resources Center:

…being driven totally psycho by your research? Call me: Gary Handman