How many of you are hobbyist digital archivists?

[u/LeabhairUathuil]

I’ve found a semi-recent love for Irish film, and I’ve amassed quite the collection.

But I’ve started to find that some films become impossible to find, which cannot be aided by geography. I live rather far away.

Pat Collins is a phenomenal director, and I’d argue he’s made the best Irish films of the last twenty years. It’s not hard to see how a guy with a decade of experience making Irish documentaries would be so good making very real feeling Irish movies, so I suspect it might have something to do with that.

I couldn’t have a favourite film, but That They May Face the Rising Sun was special. How Harry Became a Tree practically turns The Field and Banshees of Inisheerin into a trilogy.

But I’ve been unable to pin down a permanent edition of Silence (2012). If I could buy a DVD I would, but regrettably that is not an option.

[u/LeabhairUathuil → u/[deleted]]

It is sold out.

[u/MB3425 → u/LeabhairUathuil]

You can always shoot them an email about getting a copy. They're very helpful, although it may be out of print at this stage.

[u/BisonAcceptable1994]

I'm a sort of wannabe archivist. I say that because I don't have either a meaningful collection or meaningful storage lol, but I do extract hardrives from old laptops etc and get transparent cases for them and repurpose them etc (for example, I got a SSD from my partners old laptop, which I'll be repurposing as storage on a PlayStation 2 I got for free this week and intend to mod. I'm also a photographer and am very meticulous with my archiving of photographs. But again, storage is pricey and I don't have much but I'm currently building a PC and intend on upping the ante a bit.

Regarding the films, I have no idea but have you tried searching the archive.org ?you can also email film shops (like the one in the IFI) and ask if they have any leads. I was looking for a graffiti video from about 20 years ago called 'So Hot Right Now'; they responded but didn't have it. 

[u/TinyBit9061]

I have the dvd but it’s in my parents. I’m heading there next week and if you are in no rush, I can try and rip it for you?

It used to be on Vimeo if I’m not mistaken but only recently found out the vimeos on demand is shutting down. I wanted to watch Bob Quinn’s documentary on the screamers so if anyone on here as that I’d love to watch it!

[u/LeabhairUathuil → u/TinyBit9061]

Aye that would be grand!

[u/thats_pure_cat_hai]

There was a great archive of old irish films online for a free a few years ago, saw some I'd never heard of.

I had no idea there was a film about Ann Devlin until I saw it there. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't recall where it was now.

[u/Conor_Electric]

The Underground Film Festival, supposedly has a copy of every film that has screened there, it should be thousands of films.

It might be more the Indies than the big ones, but I bet you can find stuff there you wouldn't otherwise.

[u/Jacques-de-lad]

I’m a qualified archivist but I work with physical files. The IFI might be worth speaking to to track down stuff. DRI might also be worth speaking to

[u/LeabhairUathuil → u/Jacques-de-lad]

I must confess that I was using the word archivist… to avoid Reddit getting mad at me. A few too many people took it at face value, but it’s worked out all the same!

[u/GrainneDwyer]

They may face the rising sun is a beautiful still film.. you should try the IFI as suggested.

So every screen ireland funded film is archived with the IFI… screen ireland also have a player which is free to use 🙏🏽 in terms of hard copies I think joining film related Facebook groups in ireland trying to hunt bluerays or remastered copies would be your best bet 🙏🏽