Associate Professor of German and English
2011-2012 Library Enhancement Grant
Prof. Barbara Mennel, Director for the Center for Film and Media Studies, was awarded a Library Enhancement Grant in Spring 2011 to develop the Film and Media Resources (FMR) maintained by the Center. FMR consists of an academic collection of films, videos, and multimedia for classroom instruction and research available to faculty members and graduate teaching assistants at the University of Florida. The unique variety of media formats available through FMR allows study of technological innovation and aesthetic use. The Library Enhancement Grant facilitated acquisitions for the FMR collection, improvements to the website, additional phone services, and a new sign for the FMR door. Further efforts are underway to increase faculty and student awareness of the collection.
Purchases for the collection included replacements for lost or damaged media, as well as supplemental copies of high-demand materials. New materials included resources focusing especially on European, Early, and Experimental Cinema. These additions will facilitate courses on contemporary European directors, migration in European cinema, film history, film analysis, and production. Acquisitions were oriented toward scholarly and archival use, including a selection of titles from the Criterion Collection and films by classic directors and distinguished experimental filmmakers.
Although most acquisitions were DVD or Blu-ray media, two important 16mm films have also been added to the collection: Peter Kubelka’s “Unsere Afrikareise” (1966) and Stan Brakhage’s “Mothlight” (1963). Kubelka works are only available in 16mm. Previously, students have only been able to study his films through written descriptions. Brakhage’s “Mothlight” is an experimental film composed of insect and organic matter hand-pressed between tape and run through a film printer. The 16mm edition allows students to engage the film material directly. This tactile experience challenges students to reconsider assumptions and possibilities of film as a visual medium. These films will also contribute to future programming for public presentations.
FMR materials are available at Turlington Hall 2301 at the University of Florida. Information about the collection and catalogue is available at the FMR website: http://www.film.ufl.edu/resources.html.