Lights, Camera, Legacy

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Let’s thank all those camera persons, editors, sound recorders and anybody else that has been in the thick of action and kept their camera or recorder running. It must take some nerve to level that tripod, check that exposure and get that audio while the bullets or bombs are coming down.

Incredibly, there’s so much of this footage on public domain sites for free usage.

We've just been using some of this archive footage from Pond 5 for a Montage Sequence that our main character Maz watches on television. It’s a pivotal sequence in our upcoming short film Like Father Like Son, and one where things could have been so tough but weren't. Just a matter of having a healthy internet connection and enough storage for the abundance of archive footage that is available on their site for free download.

What could have been an incredibly frustrating time consuming and expensive element of the production was just downloaded. Of course there was editing to do, sound mixers to test, colours to consider but overall the montage went really well. We had to rescale some of the footage as the ratio didn’t match our production, and the loss of resolution was inevitable as was the difference in grain, colour, and exposure.

At King Street Images we also make films in the heritage, legacy and cultural sector and think what great resources these downloadable archives are for students studying the conflicts, and events of the past. Now that basic editing is even an option on someone’s phone what better time to actually explore these archives whether as student, curator, historian, or just because making a film out of the past can really bring the past to life.

So next time you’re at the museum, memorial, or legacy location perhaps stay out of the gift shop, leave the postcards in the rack and consider what footage you could download and create your own version of history.

And if you’re lucky enough to own archive footage as part of an institution, gallery, museum, or legacy building what better way to appeal to a new audience or even re-connect with the existing one than to produce a video of some of your archive.

Like Father Like Son will be available later in the year.

At King Street Images we are always happy to edit your archive footage into new content. We can also produce new films and content for your organisation.

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For more information visit http://kingstreetimages.com/