I got access to the entire WGBH Archive
DB_Cooper
Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
So, some of you may remember the occasional brief mention of my efforts over the last several months to liberate old performance footage from our Archive here at WGBH. While I haven't been able to get the ball rolling on getting this footage digitized and commercially available, I now have access to the entire archive. 
I'm going to start viewing a ton of old footage in my free time, but there are a few issues: First, while some things are available on VHS, most of it is on 3/4" tape. 
I can get them dubbed to DVD, but at the cost of $30 per transfer. That's pretty steep, especially considering a show like Say Brother has something like 1000+ episodes.Second, the Archive index contains very little information. Meaning, if I'm looking for the episode with The Impressions performing, I pretty much have to stumble over it through blind luck. And at $30 a pop, that's an expensive fishing exhibition.Here's a screenshot of the Archive index:
My question to you fine folks is, how would you go about finding the good stuff without blowing ridiculous amounts of money on 3/4"-DVD transfers that may or may not contain anything of value? Keep in mind, I don't have access to a U-Matic 3/4" tape player to vet these things before getting them transferred.
I'm going to start viewing a ton of old footage in my free time, but there are a few issues: First, while some things are available on VHS, most of it is on 3/4" tape. I can get them dubbed to DVD, but at the cost of $30 per transfer. That's pretty steep, especially considering a show like Say Brother has something like 1000+ episodes.Second, the Archive index contains very little information. Meaning, if I'm looking for the episode with The Impressions performing, I pretty much have to stumble over it through blind luck. And at $30 a pop, that's an expensive fishing exhibition.Here's a screenshot of the Archive index:My question to you fine folks is, how would you go about finding the good stuff without blowing ridiculous amounts of money on 3/4"-DVD transfers that may or may not contain anything of value? Keep in mind, I don't have access to a U-Matic 3/4" tape player to vet these things before getting them transferred.
Comments
IMO--without being able to to that, your gonna be swamped/broke over this.
Man, Gbh, you are making real world moves. I remember you talking about this, but goddamn, playing curator to the world? That is sweet. Sorry, I can't be any help, but good on you, man!
Right? I've checked on eBay and I could probably score one for a few hundred bucks, if I get lucky.
On another note, does anyone remember a ten-part PBS documentary from 1995 called Rock and Roll? It looks pretty dope. Might have start with that. Well, that and the 1968 James Brown concert at Boston Garden.
Good looks! It says pick-up only, though. Maybe I can talk to some folks and see if I can score a used one around here at work. Oh, and once I do get some of these things on DVD?
Yeah, Rock and Roll was pretty cool, but nowhere near as enticing as some of the other shit you must be able to get your hands on with this situation. I have the book that accompanied the Rn'R series. I seem to remember there being videotapes available even. I could be wrong.
The "Say Brother" stuff is intriguing. I have fond memories of seeing plenty of off-the-map stuff on their for the first time, growing up in GBH territory.
Keep us posted on what you dig up.
Actually, we have all of the original footage. Meaning, instead of a snippet of a Gamble and Huff interview, we have the whole reel of tape. Those are labeled "original footage," though, so I don't know if they'll let me borrow or transfer it.
And if anyone has any suggestions of things I should be looking for, please let me know. I'm all about the Say Brother stuff, and it's easy to search terms like "soul" and "funk," but there's got to be tons of stuff I'm missing out on because I just don't know it exists. I tried "Stark Reality" and didn't come up with anything, even though you know Stark Reality performed on Say Brother. Tricky stuff.
And Boston heads???who's down for a viewing party? A lil' booze, a lil' green, and some ridiculously rare footage?
The transfer costs at camera shops are big rip-offs.
A photographer friend of mine worked in various camera shops in CT and showed me how they do the transfers, it's easy as hell and pretty much all profit. You just set it & forget it.
For something this monumental an investment in equipment would certainly be your best bet.
Buy a good machine from a reputable dude, you don't want to be chewing up or damaging these tapes on some cheap joint offa eBay!
That and a little video capture usb thingy and you can record the prime stuff and edit it later, make DVD's, whatever. I'll be first in line!
Eh, all our cameramen and engineers buy their equipment offa ebay. It's a pretty big market, actually.
GBH, if you want some help taping betas to DVD, I can do some late night. Hell, I already made Ty a 'best of 60s,' go-go comp under the K family's nose. just holler, and we can try to work something out. That james brown concert is so necessary.
If you get a few folks who are willing to fund the transfer, and if a Boston Strutter has DVD-copying capabilities, I can get you DVD copies of this.
BTW isn't that JB concert in Boston around on bootleg DVD? Im pretty sure I had that one...
Peace,
Dress
I forgot you had access to this sort of thing! How about the James Brown concert as a test run? I'll hit you on the PM.
Combine with
http://cgi.ebay.com/Samsung-DVD-R135-Pro...9QQcmdZViewItem
And you're away.
Failing that, try and get friendly with any local indiefilm people, or film schools. They may have pro dubbing equipment that you'll be able to use for free.
If you're really lucky, you might even find someone interested enough, to help you with this mammoth task.
Good luck with it anywho.
Thanks, boss. Keep an eye on this space, and I'll let you know how things go.
Woah. gotcha. That's nuts. I'd be curious to know what kind of 5 Royales-era footage their sitting on.
I still have a number of 3/4" tapes of stuff that I edited for broadcast, or my tape of stupid footage that I had hoped to use for DJ sets (such as Ronald McDonald at a disco, or a lady making a butter sculpture of a cow, and EPK's that aren't meant for broadcast which might feature someone saying some stupid shit.)
Anyway, as for the WGBH archive:
If it comes to a point in my life where I have to make "last wishes", I want to slide down that Zoom "M". I might fall in half way down, but I'm alright with this.
haha
Ive always wanted the orange/yellow striped rugbys they sported
It is, yeah.
yeah, im pretty sure i have the audio AND video
A search for "Zoom" produced 580,991 results???everything from program tapes, to file folders, to still images.
My bad???only 9,978, actually.
Sadly, I'm pretty sure that "M" doesn't exist any more. When Zoom Series II premiered, they created a different set of letters. I'll try to get a picture some time when they're shooting.