Digital Curation and Contemporary Documentary Filmmaking

Abstract Documentary films have evolved considerably since 1922s Nanook of the North. Fans of nonfiction now stream multi-episode documentaries on platforms like Netflix or catch a feature at one of many documentary-centered film festivals around the world. Inexpensive video cameras and internet distribution have expanded the documentary film universe exponentially. From 1-min films to feature-length theater releases, moviegoers around the world have embraced this diverse and growing genre. To the benefit of aspiring filmmakers, documentaries can now be filmed on a wide array of digital video devices, including smartphones, and edited inexpensively. Given this abundance, it may seem counterintuitive that, from a preservation perspective, the documentary film genre faces substantial risks. Research indicates that independent filmmakers lack access to resources that would ensure the long-term stewardship of their works (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2012). This research project examines documentary film production through the lens of digital curation. It describes filmmakers’ data practices and proposes a data curation model designed to guide filmmakers and film archives in developing data management plans similar to those currently used by researchers in the sciences. The proposed data curation model reflects the influence of the growing research data management field and integrates components related to digital storage, copyright, publishing, context, and file organization.