Christine Gennetti, IndieCollect, Spring 2018
IndieCollect’s mission is "to save American independent films from the risk of extinction, whether through neglect or through faulty preservation strategies." This work includes working with filmmakers to implement preservation strategies to safeguard their work and documenting a broad spectrum of American independent cinema in its online database, the IndieCollect Index. I supported these efforts under the supervision and guidance of the excellent IndieCollect team. I participated in onsite assessments of the work of independent filmmaker/producer Lesli Klainberg and experimental filmmaker Mark Street. Lesli's collection of videotape elements presented different identification and inventorying challenges than Mark's film collection. But in both cases fellow MIAP intern Danielle Calle and I identified, cataloged, and barcoded physical elements and entered that metadata into the IndieCollect Index. In addition, IndieCollect staff digitally scanned and restored in 4K several independent films that were later showcased at different festivals and museums. During my internship, I observed all aspects of this production chain, including the packaging and delivery of DCP files to the various venues. I also learned about the teamwork and logistical coordination involved in undertaking this unique archival work and some of the real-world challenges faced by an arts not-for-profit organization.
Christine Gennetti interned at IndieCollect in Spring 2018.
