Introduction to the Practices
and Principles of Audio-Visual
Archiving
International Council on Archives,
Section of International Organisations
Nairobi, Kenya
25 October, 2007
Martha Hunt, Audio-Visual Archivist
United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
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What are Audio-Visual Records?
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Audio – something that is heard
Visual – something that is seen
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An object that:

 stores
sight and sound
 reproduces sight and sound
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History of Audio Recording
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Tin-foil “phonograph”
Wax cylinder
Pressed disks (LPs)
Magnetic tape (various formats)
Cassette tapes
CD
Digital audio files
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Henry Fox Talbot
Louis Daguerre
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Edward Muybridge
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Nitrate Film

Flammable
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Destroyed by studios
when no longer
financially valuable
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Nitrate deterioration
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The British Film Institute
Established to “encourage the development
of the art of the film, to promote its use as
a record of contemporary life and
manners, and to foster public appreciation
and study of it from these points of view.”
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Cinematheque Francaises
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The first national cinematheque, and
model for numerous institutions worldwide.
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Focused on the public screenings and
museum exhibits.
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Acetate Film
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Non-flammable “safety” film
35mm
16mm
8mm
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affordable for amateur use
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Video
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Television
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Broadcasting only, not recordable
Magnetic tape used for recording image
First videos too large for consumer use
Various formats developed
Professional quality
 Consumer quality (VHS)
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DVD and Digital Files
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DVD
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Same shape and physical
make-up as CDs
Capable of storing large
amounts of information
Image quality superior to
VHS
Digital Video Files

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No longer a physical
object
Storage space costly
Will become more
common in the near
future
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Goals of Audio-Visual Archiving
 Preservation
 Public
Accessibility
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Problems with film
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Nitrate deterioration
Acetate deterioration (vinegar syndrome)
Black and white fading
Color fading
Physical damage to prints
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Problems with video
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Drop-outs
Damage in playback
Dust and pollutants
Mould
Binder break-down (stick-shed syndrome)
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Problems with CDs and DVDs
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Scratches
Dye-fading
No standards
Uncertain life expectancy
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Points to consider regarding
digitisation
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Purpose
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Compression schemes
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Lossy vs. loseless
Storage media
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Enhanced public accessibility
Preservation
LTO
RAID
Technological Obsolescence
Back-ups
Retention of original materials
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Care and Handling of AV Material
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Videos
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Store in a cool, dry, and
clean environment
Rewind
Store in enclosed cases
Clearly label case and tape
Store on end
Limited use
Metal shelving
CDs and DVDs
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Store in a dark, clean
environment
Store in cases
Only write on the clear
hub of disc to label
Store on end
Limited use
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Preservation of Audio-Visual
Materials
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Professional formats
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Standardize if possible
Back ups
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DVCAM or DigiBeta
2 copies, stored separately
Plan ahead
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Public accessibility of an audiovisual collection
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Physical organization
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Intellectual organization
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Database should fit your needs
Digitization
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Shelves designed for your material
Easy to reproduce and distribute
Do the best you can within your budget
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Challenges of A-V archiving
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Instability of materials
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Multiple formats
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Expensive
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Why keep A-V records?
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Accuracy of information
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Accessible to a wider public
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Nuance and meaning
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United Nations International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
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