|
NEWS AND UPDATES
The Jones Collection received a makeover! New signage and an updated lobby area which features several pieces of antique film projection equipment from the vault.
The Collection has partnered with several other libraries and archives on campus for Black History Month. Our contribution to this initiative is screening four 35mm prints from the Tyler Black Film Collection every Thursday in February at 4:30 p.m. Each screening will be introduced by a speaker to discuss both the film and its cultural context. More information about the screenings can be found here.
The Collection received a donation of over 100 35mm prints from a local collector. These films predominantly range from the 1970s and 1980s and include such classics as Heaven Can Wait, On Golden Pond, and Yellow Submarine, as well as a few not-so-classics, including Chill Factor, Nine Months, and Born to Be Wild. This eclectic donation is the largest gift of 35mm films the Collection has received in over twenty years. In researching materials that were previously thought destroyed, the archive potentially discovered several films that have been deemed “lost.” More information to come as this story develops!
As a result of the Jones Collection’s social media efforts, a follower on Facebook discovered the Jack Ruby in what was seemingly innocuous parade footage the Collection released in December. The story of this unseen footage was picked up by Paula Bosse at Flashback Dallas (here) and later by D Magazine (here). Robert Wilonsky over at Dallas Morning News used Jones Collection footage in his story on the Sex Pistols’ performance in Dallas. That story can be found here. On January 12, 2018, local sports radio station KTCK 1310 The Ticket discussed the collection during two different on-air shows, specifically WFAA footage featuring the Dallas Chaparrals. The Jones Collection’s social media presence continues to grow, with Twitter followers from several local media outlets, as well as a few national followers, including media personality Keith Olbermann. The Collection’s recently created YouTube channel has almost 20,000 views and a total of 282 hours of viewing time. If you’d like to see what we’re working on, please follow us on Twitter @SMUJones Film (https://twitter.com/SMUJonesFilm) and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/G-William-Jones-Film-and-Video-Collection-at-SMU-166648973913362/). Spread the word! UPCOMING PUBLIC SCREENINGS February 1 – Screening Room – Greer Garson 3531 February 6 – The Texas Theatre February 8 – Screening Room – Greer Garson 3531 February 11 – The South Dallas Cultural Center February 15 – Screening Room – Greer Garson 3531 February 22 – Screening Room – Greer Garson 3531 WFAA NEWSFILM PROJECT The WFAA Project continued to be the primary focus of the Collection over these winter months. This past month alone we have digitized more than 100 reels which accounts for about 50 hours of runtime. We now have accumulated over 650 hours worth of film that can be used for research and documentary use. DONATIONS The Jones Collection relies on outside donations for all of our equipment and supplies. In order to help our mission of digitizing and preserving films here at SMU, please consider giving here. |
On Sunday, January 14, 2018, Curator Jeremy Spracklen hosted a Q&A at the Texas Theatre with director Peter Flynn, following Flynn’s documentary on film exhibition, The Dying of the Light. More information about that event can be found 
