News

International Rotterdam Film Festival 2012 - VDB Wrap Up

Video Data Bank was thrilled to again take part in the Rotterdam International Film Festival in late January.  Lindsay Bosch, VDB Distribution Manager reports on some of this year's goings-on.

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January 26, 2012

VDB welcomes intern George Price

Its widely known that, like America itself, the Video Data Bank shares a "special relationship" with the United Kingdom.   This winter we're excited to welcome from the UK George William Price as our newest intern, visiting from University of Arts, London.  George will be with us throughout February and March and will be working to catalog, scan and generally revive some of our archival print material.  If you stop into the office please say hello.  

transmediale

VDB at transmediale, Berlin

Director Abina Manning is currently attending the transmediale festival in Berlin, where many Video Data Bank artists are exhibiting and screening work: Basma Alsharif, Hanspeter Ammann, Bureau of Inverse Technology (B.I.T.), Shu Lea Cheang, Anthony Discenza, eteam, Harun Farocki, Jesse McLean, Bjorn Melhus, Steve Reinke, Nicolas Provost, and Steina & Woody Vasulka.

George Kuchar, Honey Bunnies on Ice

George Kuchar Retrospective at Anthology Film Archives, NY, February 10-12

GEORGE KUCHAR 1942-2011 

February 10 – February 12

Looking at SOPA & PIPA

VDB is excited that Wikipedia and Google's online statements today have brought national attention to the Stop Online Piracy Act (the House bill) and the Protect IP Act (the Senate bill).  In December we traveled to Washington DC with the National Alliance of Media Arts and Culture (NAMAC) to learn about laws that could effect us, our customers and our artists - and these two pending acts were at the forefront of discussion.  

Dara Greenwald at VDB

Dara Greenwald, 1971-2012

Today we mourn the loss of the wonderful Dara Greenwald, radical artist, organizer, fighter for justice, Pink Bloque dancer, bright light, cheeky smiler and dear friend.

DC View!

Highlights from the NAMAC Campaign and Policy Institute!

I’m excited to have finished up my second hectic day here at the Campaign and Policy Institute sponsored by the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture. I had a bit of an adventurous arrival, as my Metrobus from the airport caught fire en route to Washington. My fellow travelers and I disorderly evacuated onto to the highway shoulder, as our driver frantically shouted “Run, Run! The bus is going to explode!” Luckily we got out safe and sound, and fire trucks soon arrived as well as a replacement bus to take us on our way.

NAMAC CPI

VDB at the NAMAC Campaign and Policy Institute

Distribution Manager, Lindsay Bosch will be representing VDB at the first NAMAC (National Alliance for Media Art + Culture) Campaign and Policy Institute in Washington, DC, next week. There, she will be exploring ways that VDB can continue its work as a national, vocal advocate for our artists and for media art exhibiting organizations. The Institute will focus on issues such as arts funding, education, freedom of expression and nonprofit laws as well as the policies affecting new technology for media creation and distribution.

George Kuchar, Weather Diary 2

George Kuchar: Pagan Rhapsodies at MoMA PS1

MoMA PS1 pays tribute to George Kuchar (1942–2011), one of the most prolific and influential American filmmakers of the last half-century, with a new exhibition of his film, video, photography, painting, and comic illustration. George Kuchar: Pagan Rhapsodies includes more than thirty of Kuchar's films and videos, celebrating the prolific and exuberant practice of this visionary who found high drama in low culture and the vulgarities of everyday life.

George Kuchar: Pagan Rhapsodies through January 15, 2012

VHS

10% Discount for VHS to DVD Upgrades

As much as we love it here at VDB, the reality is that VHS is no longer a viable format.  At educational and cultural institutions, the use of VHS equipment has shrunk or disappeared completely, and at the same time VHS tape production has come to a halt, superseded by newer technologies like DVD and Blu-ray.