Babe Ruth, Bill Carrigan, Jack Barry, & Vean Gregg, Boston AL. (1915). Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Events
Over the past decade more than 90% of cinemas have migrated exhibition to solely digital projection, raising concerns that professional expertise in projecting 35mm is rapidly declining. Prints are difficult to obtain and expensive to replace, and require special knowledge and skills to project.
Projection experience and expertise is critical in preserving access to archival prints and rare films, making it possible for these films to be seen by audiences on the big screen. AMIA’s projection workshops are designed to address these challenges, and encourage best practices for film projection through instruction, education, and support, as well as building a collaborative community of film handlers.
AMIA’s Projection Workshops, in partnership with The Film Foundation, collaborate with Boston Light & Sound and The Alamo Drafthouse, to offer hands-on tutorials for projectionists at different levels of experience working with film prints.
The Projection Workshop was developed in 2014 by AMIA’s Film Advocacy Task Force and the AMIA Projection and Presentation Committee with the support and partnership of the Alamo Drafthouse.
The goal of the program is to inspire young people from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds at a critical time in their development to think about careers in film-associated fields which are, at this point, challenged by a lack of diversity and inclusion while also serving formal curricular goals in Science Technology Engineering Art Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.).