Film

Building the National Film Archives: The Significance of the National Film Archives of the Philippines in Audiovisual Preservation

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Basco, Myka Isabel1 and Evangelista, Lloyd1

Dr. Rowena Capulong-Reyes2

1AB Comm, Senior, IComm, CSJL

2Dean, CLAS, CSJL

Abstract

The study presents a brief history and current situation of audio visual preservation in the Philippines. The importance of film archiving in Film Studies, Filmmaking and Cinematic Heritage Preservation is also analysed. Finally, there is also an evaluation on the role of the National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP) in audiovisual preservation. Qualitative research methodology was utilised in this study which consisted of in-depth interviews with professionals in the vast domain of the film industry. Consequently, audiovisual archives seem to affect various aspects of a nation thus making the study a possible primer for future studies on Philippine audiovisual preservation.

Keywords: Audio visual Archiving, Cinematic Heritage Preservation, Film Archiving, Film Studies, Filmmaking, National Film Archives of the Philippines

1.0 Introduction

Hundreds of books have noted that film has been part of the lives of every individual regardless of the demographics. It has served as cultural artifacts reflecting the cultures of the people, their way of life and how it affects them. Archives, libraries and museums have been in existence for a thousand years and more. People have always wanted to preserve not only for themselves but also for future generations, some kind of evidence about their lives, their achievements and aspirations, their victories and defeats.

Browser (1980) said that from the written documents, charters, treaties, manuscripts and memoirs, from books and pictures, we can get an idea of what past society was like, and this is how we know about wars, epidemics, religious pogroms,...