Finding aid BRYSON_I01 Sound recordings collected by Ian Bryson, 1995 - 1996 Prepared February 2018 by BS Last updated 6 April 2018 Page 1 of 103 ACCESS Availability of copies Listening copies are available. Contact the AIATSIS Audiovisual Access Unit by completing an online enquiry form or phone (02) 6261 4212 to arrange an appointment to listen to the recordings or to order copies. Restrictions on listening This collection may only be listened to by those who have obtained permission from the depositor Ian Bryson as well as the AIATSIS Chief Executive Officer or AIATSIS delegate. Refer to audition sheets below for more details. Restrictions on use This collection is restricted and may only be copied by those who have obtained permission from the depositor Ian Bryson as well as the AIATSIS Chief Executive Officer or AIATSIS delegate. Refer to audition sheets below for more details. Permission must be sought from the depositor Ian Bryson as well as the AIATSIS Chief Executive Officer or AIATSIS delegate for any publication or quotation of this material. Any publication or quotation must be consistent with the Copyright Act (1968). The copyright for item 043205 in this collection is owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE Date: 1995 - 1996 Extent: 23 audiocassettes (approximately 90 min. each) Production history This collection contains interviews with people closely involved with the AIAS Film Unit. The interviews were conducted between 1995 and 1996 by the depositor Ian Bryson in conjunction with his Masters thesis; interviewees are Jeremy Beckett, Curtis Levy, Peter Hamilton, Robert Edwards, Nicolas Peterson, Kenneth Maddock, Roger Sandall, Laurie Fitzgerald, Martha Ansara, Jeremy Long, David MacDougall, Judith MacDougall, Stephen Wild, Ian Dunlop and Cecil Holmes. This research was undertaken by Ian Bryson under the AIATSIS grantee scheme and formed the basis of the publication Bringing to Light: A history of Ethnographic filmmaking at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Tapes 1 – 8 were deposited on November 12, 1996. Tapes 9 - 21 were deposited in January 2017. Tapes 1- 21 were recorded by Ian Bryson under the grantee scheme. Two additional tapes of relevance “ABC interview with Harry Martin and Cecil Holmes” and “MacDougall interview 14.12.96” were submitted by Ian Bryson as part of this collection. Page 2 of 103 RELATED MATERIAL AIATSIS Collections hold photographic, moving image and print material directly related to this audio collection. Manuscript and pamphlet manuscripts - MS 3725. Print collection - Bringing to Light: a history of ethnographic filmmaking at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (call number: B B916.42/B1) For a complete listing of related material held by AIATSIS, consult our online catalogue, Mura®. To conduct a search of available audio finding aids, please click here. ARCHIVIST'S NOTE This collection comprises two sets of cassette tapes that were deposited by the collector Ian Bryson on different dates. Tapes 1-8 were deposited on the 12/11/1996 and the remaining tapes (9 – 23) were deposited in 2017. This finding aid was compiled from information provided by Ian Bryson and audition sheets prepared by AIATSIS staff. Timing points may be slightly out depending on the technologies and procedures in place at the time the recordings were auditioned. Page 3 of 103 ITEM LIST Archive Field recording Description number number 034171 Field tape 1 Oral history interview with anthropologist Jeremy Beckett 034172 discussing his role in the Sydney University Film Unit 034173 Field tape 2 Oral history interview with filmmaker Curtis Levy 034174 discussing his work with the AIAS Film Unit 034175 Field tape 3 Oral history interview with administrator Peter Hamilton discussing ethnographic filmmaking in Australia 034176 Field tape 4 Oral history interview with administrator Peter Hamilton 034177 discussing ethnographic filmmaking in Australia 034178 Field tape 5 Oral history interview with administrator Robert Edwards 034179 about Rock engraving and ethnographic filmmaking in Australia 034180 Field tape 6 Oral history interview with anthropologist Nicolas Peterson discussing ethnographic filmmaking in Australia 034181 Field tape 7 Oral history interviews with anthropologist Kenneth 034182 Maddock and filmmaker Roger Sandall, discussing ethnographic filmmaking in Australia 034183 Field tape 8 Oral history interview with filmmaker Roger Sandall 034184 discussing his work with the AIAS Film Unit 042784 Field tape 9 Oral history interview with sound recordist Laurie Fitzgerald discussing his work with filmmaker Roger Sandall 042785 Field tape 10 Oral history interview with filmmaker Martha Ansara 042786 discussing ethnographic filmmaking in Australia 042787 Field tape 11 Oral history interview with the anthropologist / historian 042788 Jeremy Long about his involvement in AIAS sponsored films 042789 Field tape 12 Oral history interview with the anthropologist / historian Jeremy Long about his involvement in AIAS sponsored films 042790 Field tape 13 Oral history interview with filmmakers David and Judith 042791 MacDougall discussing their work with the AIAS Film Unit 042792 Field tape 14 Oral history interview with filmmakers David and Judith 042793 MacDougall discussing their work with the AIAS Film Unit 042794 Field tape 15 Oral history interview with filmmakers David and Judith MacDougall discussing their work with the AIAS Film Unit 042795 Field tape 16 Oral history interview with Stephen Wild discussing his work as an anthropological adviser to the filmmaker Roger Sandall Page 4 of 103 Archive Field recording Description number number 042796 Field tape 17 Oral history interview with filmmakers David and Judith 042797 MacDougall discussing their work with the AIAS Film Unit 042798 Field tape 18 Oral history interview with filmmakers David and Judith 042799 MacDougall discussing their work with the AIAS Film Unit 043200 Field tape 19 Oral history interview with filmmaker Ian Dunlop about 043201 his work 043202 Field tape 20 Oral history interview with filmmaker Ian Dunlop about his work 043203 Field tape 21 Oral history interview with filmmaker Roger Sandall 043204 discussing his work with the AIAS Film Unit 043205 ABC interview Oral history interview with filmmaker Cecil Holmes with Harry discussing his work Martin and Cecil Holmes 043206 MacDougall Oral history interview with filmmakers David and Judith 043207 interview MacDougall discussing their work with the AIAS Film Unit 14.12.96 Page 5 of 103 ITEM DESCRIPTIONS Field tape 1 Performer/speaker(s): Jeremy Beckett Personal subject(s): Cecil Holmes, Wolfgang Laade, Margaret Lawrie, George Mye, Senator Alexander Lawrie, Derek Freeman, Grahame Lawson, William (Bill) Geddes, Tom Hutchens, Peter Hamilton, Michael Allen, Roger Sandall, Peter Lawrence, Richard Wright, John Barnes, Alan Burt, D. W. McElwain, Peter Ucko, Frederick McCarthy, Frances Calvert, Barry Scott, Ian Dunlop, David MacDougall, Judith MacDougall, Sandra Holmes, Cathy Gilham< Budd Jackson, Jimmy Stevens, Tom Keifer, Linda Connor, Sharon Bell Subject keywords: Film – Ethnographic, Anthropology - Theory and criticism, Politics and Government, Language/people: Warlpiri people (C15), Gurindji people (C20), Places: Torres Strait Islands (Qld TSI SC54, SC55-05), Sydney University, Cape York Peninsula (Qld SC54, SD54, SD55), Recording quality: Fair to good. Archive item Timing Description Date Place number point BRYSON_I01- 00:00:00 Jeremy Beckett talks about his 1995 Sydney, NSW 034171 collaboration with Wolfgang Laade and Cecil Holmes. 00:05:02 Jeremy Beckett talks about the Sydney University film unit. 00:15:13 Jeremy Beckett discusses the relationship between the Institute and university academics with specialised interests in Aboriginal Studies. 00:21:12 Jeremy Beckett talks about the restructuring of AIAS and the demise of the Film Production Advisory Committee. 00:27:52 Jeremy Beckett talks of historically significant Torres Strait Islander films. 00:31:21 End of BRYSON_I01-034171. BRYSON_I01- 00:00:00 Jeremy Beckett reflects upon 1995 Sydney, NSW 034172 ethnographic film making in Australia. 00:18:16 Jeremy Beckett talks about the storage and archiving of film at the Page 6 of 103 Archive item Timing Description Date Place number point Sydney University film Unit. 00:21:19 End of field tape 1 and end of BRYSON_I01-034172. 034171 / Field tape 1 Ian Bryson interview with Jeremy Beckett at Sydney, 1995 00:00 Archive announcement. 00:14 Tape ID. 00:28 Discussion of the use of archival material – film footage of dancers from Murray Island. Mention of Cecil Holmes in relation to the loss of archival footage. Discussion of the genesis of the project and Wolfgang Laade’s roll in the early stages. Mention of Margaret Lawrie author of Myths and Legends of Torres Strait. 02:30 Discussion of Cecil Holmes’ filmmaking in Torres Strait, his political radicalism (communist) and lobbying of Queensland State politicians including George Mye (?) to address the aspirations of Torres Strait Islander people. Mention of Senator Alexander Lawrie and his conservative political influence. 03:30 Discussion of Jeremy Beckett’s role as a consultant on the dance aspect of the film both in its early stages under Wolfgang Laade and then later under Holmes. 03:39 Discussion of the absence of cameras and sound recording in field work in the 1950s and 60s. Anthropology at the time was still strictly “structural functionalist”.