Preserving Primary Sources in Lesbian Film
Links to Project: Report • LHA Website • InfoShow Presentation
Project Description: Every year, Pratt students work with the Lesbian Herstory Archive to expand their collection of digitized materials available to the public online. My class split into groups to digitize seventeen U-matic and two reel-to-reel tapes, create metadata for all of these media files, curate a digital exhibition, and remodel the website for a more accessible user-centered experience. As a member of the digitization group, I was responsible for physically handling the tapes, digitizing them using the available technology, and formatting the files for access and preservation. Over the course of the project, students were encouraged to research the Lesbian Herstory Archive and the events depicted on the tapes.
Methods: The digitization group carried out a multi-step process to complete our portion of the project. We started by collecting images of the films and their cases, providing essential information for the metadata team. Using the Blackmagic Media Express application, we captured video and audio from U-matic tapes, converting them into digital files. During this process, we monitored the tapes for quality control, ensuring accurate recordings. To improve the usability of certain tapes with severe audio issues, we used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit out static noise. We used Adobe Media Encoder to create two versions of the file: one master .mov file to be stored on the server, and a compressed mp4 file for web access.
My role: I participated in every step of the digitization process and presented the work on behalf of my class at the 2024 Pratt InfoShow.
Learning outcome achieved: Technology
Rationale: For this project, I mastered several new hardware and software programs. I learned how to use a professional-grade tape deck to convert the analog film signal to a digital format. I also learned the Blackmagic Media Express, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe Media Encoder softwares - all of which have a wide range of usage in digital archives. I gained experience working with different video file formats, and learning their varying qualities for storage and preservation.
Learning outcome achieved: Research
Rationale: The objective was to deepen our engagement with the materials we were working with. While I conducted research on individuals and groups represented in the films including Linda Sheer, Kate Thompson, and the Lesbian Avengers, I was primarily drawn to the tapes documenting the Seneca Women's Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice. The encampment lasted from 1983 - 2006, and protested the construction of nuclear weapons, militarism, and patriarchy. Although this was a major political event, there’s limited resources out there documenting these ongoing years of protest. The process of digitizing the tapes, conducting audio restoration, and publishing them online for access is a notable contribution to the research sources available.
Project Description: Every year, Pratt students work with the Lesbian Herstory Archive to expand their collection of digitized materials available to the public online. My class split into groups to digitize seventeen U-matic and two reel-to-reel tapes, create metadata for all of these media files, curate a digital exhibition, and remodel the website for a more accessible user-centered experience. As a member of the digitization group, I was responsible for physically handling the tapes, digitizing them using the available technology, and formatting the files for access and preservation. Over the course of the project, students were encouraged to research the Lesbian Herstory Archive and the events depicted on the tapes.
Methods: The digitization group carried out a multi-step process to complete our portion of the project. We started by collecting images of the films and their cases, providing essential information for the metadata team. Using the Blackmagic Media Express application, we captured video and audio from U-matic tapes, converting them into digital files. During this process, we monitored the tapes for quality control, ensuring accurate recordings. To improve the usability of certain tapes with severe audio issues, we used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit out static noise. We used Adobe Media Encoder to create two versions of the file: one master .mov file to be stored on the server, and a compressed mp4 file for web access.
My role: I participated in every step of the digitization process and presented the work on behalf of my class at the 2024 Pratt InfoShow.
Learning outcome achieved: Technology
Rationale: For this project, I mastered several new hardware and software programs. I learned how to use a professional-grade tape deck to convert the analog film signal to a digital format. I also learned the Blackmagic Media Express, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe Media Encoder softwares - all of which have a wide range of usage in digital archives. I gained experience working with different video file formats, and learning their varying qualities for storage and preservation.
Learning outcome achieved: Research
Rationale: The objective was to deepen our engagement with the materials we were working with. While I conducted research on individuals and groups represented in the films including Linda Sheer, Kate Thompson, and the Lesbian Avengers, I was primarily drawn to the tapes documenting the Seneca Women's Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice. The encampment lasted from 1983 - 2006, and protested the construction of nuclear weapons, militarism, and patriarchy. Although this was a major political event, there’s limited resources out there documenting these ongoing years of protest. The process of digitizing the tapes, conducting audio restoration, and publishing them online for access is a notable contribution to the research sources available.