The (overdue) push I finally needed to delete my Academia.edu account. I’ll probably migrate my materials to my personal website eventually. Colleague has also recommended hcommons.org or, for film and media folks, mediarep.org/home.

Lenin Riefenstahl had a scheduled visit to Hollywood, but the Nazis did Kristallnacht the week befofe her trip, so everyone boycotted her EXCEPT WALT, who gave her a whole day long tour of his studio (although he wouldn't show her new work because the projectionists might realize what was happening)

“With a single post or video, we can influence thousands of guests to try a food, drink, or experience in the parks,” she says. “I couldn’t, in good conscience, keep giving them free publicity knowing they don’t support free speech and are willing to bow to fascism."

Out now in open access from @mesonpress.bsky.social in the Cofigurations of Film book series (@dfg.de GRK 2279 "Konfigurationen des Films" @goetheuni.bsky.social): Alexandra Schneider, Wanda Strauven Children Reinventing Cinema Snapshots from the Early 21st Century meson.press/books/childr...

Happy birthday to artist-reporter Franklin McMahon, born this day in 1921! His detailed documentary drawings and audio recordings are a rich record of politics and society in the 1960s, '70s and '80s.

Whatever the “inside baseball” idiom for film historians is, I have it! Documentarian Joan Churchill is daughter of Mae Huettig (author of Econ Control of Motion Picture Industry [1944]) + Robert Churchill (co-founder of nontheatrical company Churchill Films). Anyway, enjoy this ASC profile on her!

Herb Lubalin on the evolution of the PBS logo

Whatever the “inside baseball” idiom for film historians is, I have it! Documentarian Joan Churchill is daughter of Mae Huettig (author of Econ Control of Motion Picture Industry [1944]) + Robert Churchill (co-founder of nontheatrical company Churchill Films). Anyway, enjoy this ASC profile on her!

Absolutely essential reading for archivists and folks interested in thinking about how we create the past. Can't wait to read it!

Luckily, Sinclair has a helpful database of all their stations, so you can see if they're operating in your area and respond accordingly. sbgi.net/tv-stations/

Now we’re watching MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962) — a top 20 film for me.

I signed the Harper's letter to show I was brave enough to stand up to the left on free speech. But I've decided that I'm not brave enough to stand up to the right about it.

Finally watched THE SWIMMER (with my parents). Loved it but I could have done without the unnecessary shot inside the empty house. Watched with my parents who wanted to know more explicitly about Ned’s backstory. I disagree. Was perfect as is.

The Golden Girls turned 40 this past Sunday, so I wrote about its creator, Susan Harris, and her feminist contribution to US television comedy for Time's Made by History website. time.com/7316328/susa...

Briefly back at my happy place (NYPL Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts) on very important @orphanfilm.bsky.social business! #16mm

Speaking of film formats, I recently published an article on Pola-Lite, a largely unnoticed and under-researched single-strip 3-D format, in Film Atlas, an encyclopedia of every film format ever. I had a blast researching this. It has everything! Monsters, Douglas Sirk, questionable origin stories!

The historian and useful media enthusiast in me watched this in-flight Delta airplane safety video with rapt attention. Made for their 100th anniversary. m.youtube.com/watch?v=mnOL...

I am fascinated by nonfiction films about communication and media infrastructures so stumbling upon this blog post from Unwritten Record blog run by National Archives media staff celebrating “250 Years of the USPS” is bringing me much needed joy. unwritten-record.blogs.archives.gov/2025/07/23/s...

Did a fun assignment w/ my two classes this semester (Documentary Storytelling and Film History to 1960). Asked students to read abt. Vertov’s kino-eye, watch MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA, then select single image from the film that they think illustrated the concept well and explain why they chose it.

Bowie’s ready for his closeup

Lordy, AI art is ugly. Dispiriting.

Anyhow. Who wants to talk about film? I'm thinking of swapping out some of my screenings for Intro to Film Studies class. Anyone feel like sharing a film you watched as an undergrad that had a strong impact on you?

“Billionaire media mogul David Ellison’s effort to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery should send chills to the whole media industry and Americans across the country.” Via @openmarkets.bsky.social www.linkedin.com/posts/radsch...

For the (marginal) WIN! 🙄

This prompted by Norton reps visiting my office yesterday. Their facial expressions when I showed them this section from 7th edition were priceless.

I’m pleased to learn new edition of LOOKING AT MOVIES toned down its dismissal of instructional films (Maybe the authors saw my Tweets?!) 7th edition: "not generally considered worthy of study or analysis" 8th edition: “though they aren’t often analyzed for cinematic language, [they] are studied…

Ok cinephiles and colleagues — it’s your time to shine! I’m screening Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc in Film History next week and can’t decide which score (and frame rate) to use. Or do I do it entirely silent (I think this was Dreyer’s choice). What would you pick for first time viewers?

This is like Indy finding the gold idol for photographers An previously though lost Ansel Adams collection has been found. In 1979 my parents got me "Yosemite and the range of light" and it was instrumental in my journey as a photographer #anseladams #photography www.sfgate.com/local/articl...

I wrote this essay a long time ago about glitches. One of my central points was that digital media has an output that is meant to be legible by humans, but really isn't representative of how computers process the world. Glitches actually give us a better sense of this. This is doubly true of AI.

💔

Me talking about technology on the reg: Just because you *CAN* do something doesn't mean you *SHOULD* do something.

The internet reminded me that I went to my first ever drive-in movie screening 10 years ago today! Rustic Drive In, Smithfield, Rhode Island. We did Jurassic Park. 🦖

Setting up my office with some fun art!

Not quite sure how demo reels/educational films about how to use a #16mm projector were not on my radar until today but anyway...here’s one from Victor Animatograph circa 1940! youtube.com/watch?v=BIvO6Z1sP8k

Ambitious shelf of books I want to read in near future — some fun, some for my manuscript-in-progress and essays I’m working on.

When I wake up and check the news

I’m faculty advisor for a new campus club that makes use of a new mini screening room in my department. Biweekly members-only screenings programmed by faculty and two current students. This month: CLUELESS (my pick!) and PARIS, TEXAS (student pick!). Fun logo design by my talented spouse.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Hoping this means he sold it and new owners are simply preparing a relaunch... gonna be pretty sad if it's just gone.

Sharing for the post-holiday crowd: I went to Oz, er, Vegas to see the Wizard, and it was complicated. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/m...

The purpose of AI is to destroy any consensus of history, example #4,528,926

Overlooked No More: Tina Modotti, Whose Life Was as Striking as Her Photographs By Grace Linden for Overlooked No More www.nytimes.com/2025/08/30/o...

This brings me joy!

It’s that (semiregular) time of the academic year where I celebrate downloading the free Caligari font to teach my lecture on German Expressionism!

“The logical conclusion of a technofeudal oligarchy combining forces with an authoritarian political movement is compulsory enrollment in the security state’s platform architecture of surveillance, indoctrination, and behavioral modification.”

Excited to receive my copy of STORM CENTER (1956) -- beautiful new Blu-ray release by @indicator.bsky.social 📀🎞️ I was chuffed to contribute a booklet essay. www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/products/sto...

Seems Criterion is reviving their Eclipse boxed sets. They are starting with Kiarostami but — GET THIS — a Kinuyo Tanaka boxed set is in the works!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ❤️ #DirectedbyWomen #WomenMakeMovies #WomenDirectors #FilmSky www.criterion.com/current/post...

We're coming back! CFP below.

Also works for an academic