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NATIONAL FILM ARCHIVES OF THE PHILIPPINES
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Being one of the oldest film cultures in Asia, the Philippines has a rich cinematic heritage that has long clamoured for sustainable preservation. Attempts have been made before and though some ground has been gained since, much is left to be desired. It takes political will, financial backing, public support, and community cooperation to establish one, and, more importantly, to keep it running. The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), following its mandate, has taken on this task. In two years, the National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP) has accomplished a lot despite the odds and limited means. From our transitory archival storage to our collection that has grown to more than 11,000 audiovisual elements, we are slowly rebuilding our cinematic heritage that many have considered to be long gone. The task is daunting for sure, but we remain steadfast to see this through. The Archives cannot be built in a day, nor is it built solely by a few. As such we are thankful for the passionate dedication and continued support from our various stakeholders and partners, locally and abroad. This is just the beginning as we continue to build and strengthen NFAP towards our ultimate goal of securing a permanent home for Philippine Cinema. Our films capture the creativity and passion of the Filipino as they serve as testimonies to the ingenuity and spirit of our culture. We believe that our cinematic patrimony deserves better and preserving it will benefit us, as a nation and as a people, in more ways than one. In Service of Philippine Cinema,
Briccio G. Santos Chairman Film Development Council of the Philippines
The Film Development Council of the Philippines is the government lead agency for cinema in the Philippines ensuring that the economic, cultural, and educational aspects of film are effectively represented at home and abroad. FDCP is mandated to formulate and implement policies and programs to develop a cinema that seeks to enhance the quality of life, examine the human and social conditions, and contribute to the nobility and dignity of the human spirit. 2 | National Film Archives of the Philippines
ABOUT NFAP
In January of 2011, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) pursued its mandate to establish a film archive following Republic Act No. 9167, Section 3 (10). The National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP), under the auspices of FDCP, has been created to collect, conserve, and protect audiovisual materials as part of the nation’s historical, cultural, and artistic heritage. It is duly mandated to take charge of the collection, archiving, preservation, management, and access provision of Filipino films and other audiovisual materials produced in the Philippines and/or abroad. It is an audiovisual heritage that is considered one of the oldest and richest in Asia. Currently in its infancy, NFAP is working towards developing its collection of Filipino audiovisual works ranging from cinematic masterpieces to television shows, historical footage to sound recordings, and studio productions to independent and orphan films. All the while, NFAP endeavors to establish a sustainable institution that will preserve these materials for generations to come. Through these, NFAP aims to contribute to the forging of a truly national cinema that is grounded in its history and proud of its legacy. It seeks to uphold national identity and cultural pride, reflecting diversity and histories, as it pursues not only the preservation of our heritage but also programs in education and community engagement through moving images and sound while providing support to the community and industry at large. Ultimately, NFAP envisions a culture and a nation that fully appreciates and consequently enriched by our country’s audiovisual heritage.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
It has been two years since the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) pursued its mandate to create the National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP). From a ragtag operation, NFAP has developed into a cultural institution in its infancy. It has established an organizational framework, created a transitory infrastructure, grown its diverse collection, pursued its advocacies, and cultivated partnerships at home and abroad. Structures, systems, and policies have been set in place to guide our business and set standards that we aspire to. Ours is an operation, duly institutionalized, that upholds efficiency and quality without losing site of our ethics as archivists and our passion as cultural workers. Our Policies and Protocol Manual reflects these ideals. Despite limited means and constraints, we have built a transitory infrastructure that enables us to do our work of preserving our audiovisual heritage. From our vaults to our digitization station, we try to ingeniously maximize our resources while working on developing our capabilities. From the beginning we have remained committed in growing a collection that reflects the richness and depth of our cultures and histories as a nation. We have collected images and sound, faces and voices, and stories and sensibilities. From studios to filmmakers, collectors to foreign institutions, we have cultivated relationships as we acquired and took on the responsibility of safeguarding a budding collection of more than 11,000 elements. The support from our stakeholders and the general public at large has been overwhelming. We could not have reached this point without the countless individuals and organizations who share our advocacies. We owe the success of our access programs to our dedicated patrons who have gone to our events and spread the word of who we are and what we do. And we could not have accomplished a number of our key endeavors without the generosity of our local and international partners. This is just the beginning and much is yet to be done. Nonetheless, these initial steps form the foundation that the Archives will stand and continue building itself on. We look forward to the day that all of these efforts will bear fruit. For now, let us look back at these first two years and celebrate the small victories we have won.
Benedict Salazar Olgado Head National Film Archives of the Philippines
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ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS, A TIMELINE
2011 2012
JANUARY
NFAP was established and a clearing house was built in Ortigas, Pasig City to temprorarily store initial acquisitions.
MARCH
Audiovisual materials and film equipment were acquired from the National Historical Commission
APRIL
Audiovisual materials from the U.P. Film Archives were acquired.
MAY
Bayaning Third World and other film elements were deposited by Mike de Leon
JUNE
NFAP became a member of Southeast Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association (SEAPAVAA)
AUGUST
The film Collection of Sampaguita Pictures Inc. was acquired
NOVEMBER
Two NFAP personnel were sent to Institute national de l’audiovisuel (INA) in France for a one-week training.
FEBRUARY
NFAP transferred from the clearing house in Ortigas to a transitory archive in Cubao.
APRIL
Administrative Order no. 26 by President Benigno Aquino III was enacted.
MAY
MTRCB Film Elements from Mowelfund were acquired.
AUGUST NFAP accomplished its first film restoration, Manuel Conde’s Genghis Khan (1950). SEPTEMBER
The restored version of Genghis Khan was repatriated and had its premiere screening in Mall of Asia attended by President Aquino. The video collection of Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) was deposited. NFAP became a member of Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA).
OCTOBER
NFAP organized the First Home Movie Day Celebration in Manila.
DECEMBER
FDCP/NFAP signed partnership with World Cinema Foundation to restore Lino Brocka’s Maynila sa mga kuko ng liwanag (1975). The Lamberto Avellana Collection was deposited
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ORGANIZATION Decisions and actions during the first few years of the Archives are crucial in establishing a sustainable organization. NFAP’s main goal since its inception two years ago is to develop from its initial ragtag operations to a full-grown cultural institution. This requires constant strategic planning and organizational assessment looking into establishing and strengthening systems, policies, processes, infrastructures, and staff among others. Below are some key organizational developments that NFAP has accomplished in its first two years. Organizational Systems and Policies Being under the auspices of FDCP, NFAP is provided administrative support by the Council. This includes, among other things, human resource management, finance and accounting, and legal counsel. NFAP accordingly follows administrative procedures set by FDCP. But the operations of NFAP given its nature calls for a different set of systems and policies. One of the vital areas in the organizational development of the Archives is the creation and institutionalization of such operational systems and policies. Together with this operational structure, by the end of 2012, NFAP has internally drafted, tested, tweaked, and is now enacting under constant evaluation a number of policy documents which guide its actions and decisions as well as set standards and principles. Processes and workflows are also constantly reviewed and streamlined accordingly to reach higher efficiency and set standards. Day-to-day activities such as inspection, accessioning, processing, vault tracking, cataloguing, and digitization follow specific workflows duly documented and evaluated for quality assurance. These initial organizational systems and policies, institutionalized accordingly, not only guide daily operations. They also provide a shape and a foundation for the Archives for it to develop further. Collection Development Following its acquisition goals and policies and guided by its key collecting principles, NFAP is developing a collection that reflects the richness and diversity of Philippine audiovisual heritage. The Archives has been working with various government agencies, production studios, cultural organizations, filmmakers, and private collectors to search and retrieve fragments of this patrimony. Currently in its infancy, the NFAP Collection strives to include materials of varying forms, subjects, and formats. As the Archives develop its infrastructure and extend its reach, the collection will continue to grow but remain steadfast in acquiring, preserving, and providing access to materials of great variety and range. Further details can be found in the Collection Section of this report.
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NFAP’s transitory organizational structure.
NFAP Policy and Protocol documents Acquisition Policy and Protocol Preservation Principles and Policy Access Strategies and Conditions Deselection Guidelines Security Protocol Disaster Preparedness and Management Plan Archival Ethics and Professional Standards
ORGANIZATION
Infrastructure Building As NFAP continues to work on securing a permanent facility, it has built a transitory infrastructure to enable operations. This includes climate-controlled vaults, a well-equipped inspection and processing work areas, a digital database/catalogue, a video digitization station, and a barcoding/tracking system among others. Further details regarding these can be found in the Infrastructure Section of this report. Staff Development The core NFAP staff is currently composed of ten (10) individuals. Their backgrounds range from having formal education in audiovisual archiving to amassing decades of experience with film studios. Staff development centers on improving the skills of NFAP personnel through refresher courses, training workshops, and mentorship programs among others. NFAP has sent its staff to a number of formal short-term seminars abroad during the past two years such as the training program at the National Center of Cinema in France and the Film Restoration Summer School in Italy. NFAP staff undergoes daylong in-house workshops at least twice a month. These workshops aim to update and evaluate proficiencies and skills. Some of the topics covered include film production workflows, videotape conservation, film and digital projection, video digitization, and cataloguing. Seminars and screenings are also regular activities to develop the staff’s understanding and appreciation of audiovisual heritage. Previous sessions included discussions on Philippine Cinema, orphan films, and home movies.
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COLLECTION: IN NUMBERS OVERVIEW The figures below, based on the general inventory dated 30th of December 2012, give an overview of the breakdown of materials according to format and general nature of their content.
The collection currently contains a total of 11,300 discreet elements composed of film, videotape, audio materials, optical media, and digital files. FILM The film collection is mainly composed of feature length films on 35mm. Elements include negatives, prints, tracks, trims, and outtakes among others. A collection of shorts, experimental works, home movies, and orphan films are on 16mm and Super 8/8mm. The entire collection includes 4,060 items all together approximately reaching 5,265,000 feet of film.
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COLLECTION: IN NUMBERS VIDEOTAPE The videotape collection is mainly composed of broadcast materials such as masters and dupes of television shows, government recordings, and public service announcements. There is a total of 5,300 tapes most of which are U-matic and Betacam. The total running time of the collection is estimated to be around 316,800 minutes. OPTICAL MEDIA The optical media collection is primarily an access library of various audiovisual content on CDs and DVDs. There are currently 1,200 items in the collection. AUDIO Though NFAP is currently not actively acquiring audio materials, its collection includes 310 Ÿ� open reels that are mostly studio recordings and dubs related to film and video production. DIGITAL While its digital infrastructure is still being figured out, NFAP is slowly acquiring digitized and digitally born content. Most of these files are digital access and distribution copies of titles used and circulated in various FDCP programs such as exhibitions in various cinematheques in the country. A few are FDCP produced and/or funded titles and some are audiovisual recordings and materials of the organization. There are currently around 450 discreet files under the management of the Archives amounting to approximately 4.6 TB. Files range from raw camera footage to DCPs, stored in main and backed up drives, both internal and external. PROCESSING / INVENTORY Majority of the collection still needs to be processed and materials are in varying conditions. As such strategic priorities currently focus on acquisition, accessioning, stabilization, and mass assessment for preservation planning. A considerable part of processing is the identification and confirmation of titles. As of the last general inventory 472 titles have been identified. The collection contains seventeen (17) sub collections, nine (9) of which are institutional collections and the remaining eight (8) are personal collections by filmmakers, collectors, and estate executors/owners. These collections are classified as transfers, donations, or deposits as agreed upon by all parties involved and following the policies of the Archives. As mandated by law, the rough on-going inventory is available to the public. Request for additional information can be made with the Archives. National Film Archives of the Philippines | 9
COLLECTION: KEY ACQUISITIONS
Dance-O-Rama (1962) by Tony Cayado NFAP: Sampaguita Pictures Collection
Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Collection The IBC Collection is comprised of approximately 4,000 U-matic and Betacam Tapes. IBC-produced shows such as T.O.D.A.S. and Sic O’Clock News as well as several government recordings such as the 1998 Centennial Celebration can be found in this collection Marcos Diaries Collection Acquired from U.P. Film Archives, The Marcos Diaries consist of 16mm film negative and prints that documented former president, Ferdinand Marcos’ activities during his incumbency. The films were produced by the now defunct National Media Production Center. Sampaguita Pictures Collection The Sampaguita Pictures Collection, deposited by Elizabeth Perez-Nakpil, is composed of 35mm and 16mm film prints. Films such as Jack En Jill (1954) starring Dolphy, Dance-O-Rama (1962) starring Susan Roces, and Dalagang Ilokana starring Gloria Romero are included in this collection. National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Collection The NHCP Collection is comprised of 16mm and 35mm film prints, and VHS tapes. Documentaries produced by the former National Historical Institute (NHI) such as The Survivor by Lamberto Avellana and full length features such as Ang Alamat ni Julian Makabayan by the late Celso Ad Castillo can be found in this collection.
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COLLECTION: KEY ACQUISITIONS
Kisapmata (1981) by Mike de Leon NFAP: Bancom Collection
U.P. Film Center Workshops Collection Consist mainly of Super 8 films, the U.P. Film Center Workshop collection showcase film exercises from the participants in the workshops held in U.P. Diliman. Documentaries and other short films produced by the students are also included in this collection. Bancom Collection With over 10 titles in the safe keep of the Archives, the Bancom Collection is composed of 35mm picture and sound elements. The Bancom collection includes several Filipino classics such as Brutal (1980) by the late Marilou Diaz–Abaya, Aguila (1980) by National Artist, Eddie Romero, and Kisapmata (1981) by Mike de Leon. MTRCB Collection Acquired from Mowelfund Audiovisual Archives, the MTRCB Collection consists of 35mm prints of full length features, trailers, trims, and cuts. Notable titles in the collection are Minsa’y Isang gamu-gamo by Lupita Kashiwahara, Sakada by Behn Cervantes, and Olongapo: The Great American dream by Chito Roño. Lamberto Avellana Collection Deposited by the National Artist’s daughter, Mrs. Ivi Avellana-Cosio, the collection is comprised of U-matic tapes - most of them documentaries produced by the government. Some of Lamberto Avellana’s last works are included in this collection.
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INFRASTRUCTURE
The Archives has built a transitory infrastructure which includes three (3) climate controlled vaults and archiving tools and equipment among others. It has also constantly tweaked and improved workflows of its various operations. Currently located in Cubao, Quezon City NFAP’s transitory archival facility has three vaults with temperature and relative humidity controls. The first vault houses film elements that are in good condition. The first vault is maintained at 14 degrees to 17 degrees Celsius with a relative humidity of 35% to 40%. The second vault accommodates all the magnetic tape elements of the Archives. The second vault is maintained at 16 degrees to 18 degrees Celsius. The third vault, which was built separately in another building, currently stores all film elements that are in advanced degradation stages. Overall, 70% percent of its total capacity have been utilized by the Archives. NFAP was also able to construct a processing area where all accessioned audiovisual materials are inspected and prepared for storage. Built between the first and second vaults, the processing area has four workstations fabricated with lighting fixtures, ventilation system, and winding machines. In its effort to improve the workflow and make the operations efficient, the Archives purchased a barcode system to aid in labeling and identifying the audiovisual materials in the vaults. Currently, NFAP is using this barcode system with a Media Catalogue software where all the information of an audiovisual element is stored. Finally, although it is still in its infancy stage, NFAP’s digitization process is up and running with the acquisition of an Analog to Digital converter station and several tape decks to play some old formats such as VHS, Betacam, and U-matic.
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RESTORATION PROJECTS Maynila sa mga kuko ng liwanag (1975) by Lino Brocka
Genghis Khan (1950) by Manuel Conde
NFAP strives to bring back to life fragments of Philippine Cinema heritage thought or considered by many to be long gone. As such restoration endeavors are part of the Archives’ special projects. With partnership and assistance from various entities here and abroad, NFAP has and is working on its first set of titles. Genghis Khan (1950) dir. Manuel Conde restoration completed: August 2012 restoration in partnership with La Biennale di Venezia and L’Immagine Ritrovata Maynila Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1975) dir. Lino Brocka restoration to be completed by: May-September 2013 restoration in partnership with World Cinema Foundation and L’Immagine Ritrovata On My Way To India Consciousness, I Reached China (1968) dir. Henry Francia restoration to be completed by: 2013 restoration in partnership with Pacific Film Archive, New York University, and BB Optics Tronong Puti (1984) dir. Rox Lee restoration to be completed by: 2013 restoration in partnership with MOWELFUND and Technicolor Asia Sa Maynila (1991) dir. Mike Alcazaren, Jo Atienza, Ricky Orellana restoration to be completed by: 2013 restoration in partnership with MOWELFUND and Technicolor Asia
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ACCESS AND ADVOCACY
NFAP believes that ultimately, the goal of preservation is permanent access. And while the Archives at its infancy is still unable to provide full access services given that majority of the collection remains to be processed and stabilized, NFAP mainly through the program of FDCP finds means to share the audiovisual heritage that it is taking care of. Furthermore, as the archive tenet goes, “half of the battle is advocacy.� NFAP continues to build its relationship with various stakeholders and get the word out about its existence and mission. Below are some of the access and advocacy activities, services, and projects of NFAP. Providing Films to FDCP Programs NFAP provides content and handles film trafficking for the various programs of FDCP. This includes regular programming in FDCP Cinematheques all over the Philippines, materials for Sine ng Masa cinema-on-wheels screenings, and titles for local and international film festivals. Outreach Services NFAP assists other institutions and even individuals such as filmmakers and collectors, in improving their preservation and archiving activities. NFAP staff has provided general assessment and consultancy to a number of stakeholders. Promotion and Publicity NFAP utilizes various PR mechanisms and tools to spread the word about its existence, projects, and advocacies. This includes tapping into FDCP’s Media and Communication arm, building rapport with the press, and maximizing online networking. The Archives also regularly gives talk to students about cinematic patrimony and the importance of preservation. Home Movie Day Last October 20, 2012 NFAP celebrated Home Movie Day. It was the first time that this international celebration was held in the Philippines. The event provided an opportunity for Filipinos to see and share home movies with their communities and discover how best to care for them. Research Inquiries / Assistance The Archives accommodates research inquiries from academics, programmers, and researchers regarding Philippine Cinema. Inquiries generally revolve around collection and content. 14 | National Film Archives of the Philippines
INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS
The support from the international community towards the Archives has been overwhelming. NFAP in return engages with colleagues and friends abroad in pursuance of shared advocacies. Below are some of the highlights of NFAP’s international engagements during the past two years. Repatriation A considerable part of the Philippine’s audiovisual heritage have for decades been taken care of institutions and individuals abroad. One of NFAP’s key collection development strategies then is to work with international partners in search of these materials with the goal of repatriating them back. Some examples include colleagues at L’Immagine Ritrovata who did a survey of various international archives and their current holdings of Filipino films. NFAP partners at the Pacific Film Archive / Berkeley Art Museum has repatriated back the Henry Francia Collection in 2012, while friends at the Thai Film Archive continues their search for Filipino works in Thailand. Restoration NFAP has been working with key international partners in its restoration endeavors. Various archives have provided elements under their care for these projects such as the the Historical Archives of Contemporary Arts in Venice, the British Film Institute, the Pacific Film Archive, Cinematheque Francaise, and the Asian Film Archive. Restoration facilities and laboratories like L’Immagine Ritrovata, Technicolor Asia, and BB Optics, as well as organizations such as the World Cinema Foundation have all been generous with their support. Organizations / Conferences NFAP is an official institutional member of the Southeast Asia Pacific Audiovisual Archives Association (SEAPAVAA) and of the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA). The Archives participated in these organizations’ conferences and is currently a part of AMIA’s International Outreach and Advocacy committees. Festivals Genghis Khan (1950), FDCP/NFAP’s first restoration project premiered during the 69th Venice Film Festival. It was later on invited to the 10th To Save and Project Film Preservation Festival at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. National Film Archives of the Philippines | 15
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70C 18th Avenue Murphy, Cubao Quezon City, Philippines 1109 Telefax +63 (02) 376.0315, +63 (02) 376.0370 info@nfap.ph www.nfap.ph