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Published by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Inquiries should be addressed to: Science and Technology Council Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 1313 Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028 (310) 247-3000 http://www.oscars.org Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The Digital Dilemma 2 Perspectives from Independent Filmmakers, Documentarians and Nonprofi t Audiovisual Archives 1. Digital preservation – Case Studies. 2. Film Archives – Technological Innovations 3. Independent Filmmakers 4. Documentary Films 5. Audiovisual I. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – Science and Technology Council II. Andrew Maltz III. Milton R. Shefter ISBN 978-0-9840150-2-3 LCCN 2011941780 CONTENTS PREFACE 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 1 INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS 7 Introduction A Brief History of Independent Filmmaking Independent Filmmaking and Digital Materials Born Digital Materials Active Management of Digital Materials Data Migration Survey Methodology, Results and Analysis Summary 2 DOCUMENTARIANS 19 Introduction A Brief History of Documentary Filmmaking Survey Methodology, Results and Analysis Summary 3 MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS 29 Introduction A Brief History of Film Festivals The Role of Film Festivals in Independent Film Distribution The Changing Distribution Landscape Future-Proofi ng Independent Digital Motion Pictures 4 NONPROFIT AUDIOVISUAL ARCHIVES 37 Introduction A Brief History of Audiovisual Archives Audiovisual Archives and Digital Materials Defi ning Digital Preservation Access vs. Preservation Reformatting Analog Materials and Born Digital Content File Formats, Metadata and Codecs Storage Systems and Software Tools Basic Preservation Practices: Data Backup, Verifi cation and Migration Survey Methodology, Results and Analysis Issues and Challenges General Relationship with IT Departments Funding Archivists’ Recommendations 5 PROGRESS REPORT AND INTERIM OPTIONS 67 Progress Report Interim Options The Technology Obsolescence Issue 6 CLOSING 75 APPENDIX: CASE STUDIES 77 A1. Digital Motion Picture Production Workfl ows A2. Archives Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University Film & Media Archive Franklin Furnace Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection ONLINE APPENDIX 115 END NOTES 117 BIBLIOGRAPHY 121 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 125 THE DIGITAL DILEMMA 2 PREFACE The digital revolution in fi lmmaking began some 25 years ago with the introduction of digital sound and visual effects. The changes have kept coming at the industry in waves, and the most recent areas to be transformed by digital technology – cinematography, mastering and exhibition – brought to light an unanticipated problem: how to preserve and maintain access to digital motion picture materials. The Digital Dilemma, published in 2007 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, articulated the growing concern about the longevity of digital motion picture materials and other valuable digital data. That report explored the issues facing those responsible for preserving digital data in the medical, military and geoscience arenas, and found that they all shared the same problem: there was no guaranteed long-term access to their digital data. This report was produced through a partnership between the Library of Congress’s National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) and the Academy. Although the Library had completed major studies on fi lm preservation in 1993 and television and video preservation in 1997, the impact of digital technologies on the independent fi lmmaking and nonprofi t audiovisual archive communities did not become evident until well into the current century. This project, a follow-up to The Digital Dilemma, examines long-term preservation of digital motion picture materials from their perspective. The Library and the Academy felt a separate study was necessary THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL 1 Preface because independent fi lmmakers – both narrative fi lmmakers and documentarians – create, and nonprofi t archives collect and store, a sizeable portion of the nation’s audiovisual cultural heritage. These chronically under-resourced communities should not be allowed to fall through the cracks. PREFACE From 2008 through 2011, broad surveys were conducted, many representatives were interviewed, and archival case studies were undertaken to examine the current preservation practices and digital preservation concerns of independent fi lmmakers and nonprofi t audiovisual archives. These communities are decentralized and loosely coupled, and thus very different from the highly structured and commerce-driven Hollywood studios. We therefore developed an approach that we believe has resulted in the most comprehensive study done to date on the challenges facing these communities, and is representative of their current status relative to digital preservation. Relevant historical and technical background information was included in this report to provide suffi cient context for otherwise uninitiated readers. This report also offers suggestions from those interviewed and surveyed, as well as from members of the team that produced this report, that may help independent fi lmmakers and nonprofi t audiovisual archives navigate their way toward a safer environment for their digital works. Some of these suggestions appeared in the earlier film and television preservation studies referenced by this report, but have not yet been implemented. The fact remains that digital data cannot survive unattended, and with the passage of time, answering the call to action becomes increasingly urgent. Milt Shefter, Lead, Digital Motion Picture Archive Project Andy Maltz, Director, Academy Science and Technology Council A Note about Sources Many individual fi lmmakers and senior and staff-level employees of audiovisual archives spoke openly and candidly about what they see happening around the industry and within their own organizations. As with The Digital Dilemma, we chose to encourage the continuation of a productive industry-wide conversation by providing a safe environment to express the unfettered views and facts as seen by the “boots on the ground,” and in support of that openness, we chose to leave this information unattributed except where noted. – Ed. 2 THE DIGITAL DILEMMA 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Digital Dilemma, published in 2007 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, focused on issues of digital motion picture data longevity in the major Hollywood studios and included comparative investigations of scientifi c, government and other major enterprises and industries. Among the report’s conclusions was that although digital technologies provide tremendous benefi ts, they do not guarantee long-term access to digital data; compared to traditional fi lmmaking using motion picture fi lm stock, digital technologies make it easier to create motion pictures, but the resulting digital data is much harder to preserve. Long-term preservation – maintaining access to content for 100 years or longer – is a key requirement for studio archives. Meeting this requirement necessitates professionally managed digital storage systems and processes at substantial, perpetual operational and capital expense, and oftentimes major enterprise reorganization. This reality will exist as long as technology obsolescence remains an integral part of the digital storage technology business model. Independent (“indie”) fi lmmakers operating outside of the major Hollywood studios supply 75 percent of feature fi lm titles screened in U.S. cinemas, despite facing substantial obstacles in doing so. As digital moviemaking technologies have lowered the barrier to entry for making fi lms, competition among indie fi lmmakers seeking theatrical distribution has increased. Without the benefi t of studio backing, these fi lmmakers must navigate the distribution waters on their own. THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL 3 Executive Summary New digital distribution platforms may make it easier for indie fi lmmakers to connect their fi lms with target audiences and possible revenue streams, but these platforms have not yet proven themselves. Most of the fi lmmakers surveyed for this report have given little thought to what happens to their work once it is completed. Most pay for some type of storage for the master version of the completed work, but few store their fi lm masters in proper environmental conditions or manage their digital masters using appropriate preservation practices. Many depend on distributors (traditional theatrical EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE distributors, packaged media,