Discovering treasures
The Australian Mediatheque
Described as a 'gem' among ACMI's facilities, the Australian Mediatheque is worth a look.
The idea behind the Australian Mediatheque is to make accessible the nation's premier moving image and sound collections so ACMI and the National Film and Sound Archive joined forces, and collections, to create the ultimate library!
The collection also showcases work from content partners, including Australia's television networks, screen culture bodies and film schools, as well as community-made short films, film stills, publicity, and sound materials.
Last month, the Australian Open brought tourists to Federation Square in their thousands and these visitors sure gave the Australian Mediatheque a workout! Most popular among the 'view on demand' titles are Crocodile Dundee (1986); the barrel-o-laughs precursor to Perfect Match, Blind Date (1974); classic Graeme Kennedy in Blankety Blanks, local shorts, and footage of historical Melbourne.
With Mary and Max: The Exhibition opening in ACMI's Gallery 2 in two weeks, what better time to come and check out the early work of local Oscar-winning animator, Adam Elliot? See where it all began with Elliot's shorts Uncle (1996), Cousin (1998), and Brother (1999) - the indelible characters that led to the loveable Harvie Krumpet, Mary Dinkle and Max Horowitz.
With more and more content added each week to 'view on demand', the collection is becoming even more accessible. Soon there will be even more Australian feature films - Newsfront (1978) and Stork (1971) are on the 'coming soon' list - new curated packages, ACMI in the Regions short documentaries, more in the way of TV history such as the first ABC News broadcast, current affairs reports and even an episode of ABC TV's Landline debating the controversial history of the invention and development of the combine harvester!
Apart from the incredible amount you can access, there is another reason why word spread so fast about the centre - because it's free. Whether they hear it from a friend, or simply drop in, the universal visitor response is a state of dumbfoundedness, complete with a jaw-drop, which the Australian Mediatheque staff take delight in observing in each first-time visitor!
You can of course just pop in but serious film lovers, film students and researchers are advised to book ahead to secure a booth and a time. To make the most of your visit, browse the catalogue and make your viewing requests before you arrive in case anything is in a format you'll need help with viewing.
The Australian Mediatheque is open noon to 6pm every day. You can book by phoning 03 8663 2255 and you can search the collections here
Published Monday, 15 February 2010
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