1989.01. Enoch Pratt Free Library Audio Visual Department 1989 Catalog
Should I include this in books that I have something in? I might as well. I worked for the Enoch Pratt Free Library from late 1980 to early 1981. I got a job there under the CETA opportunities. As I recall, I started off as a tutor in math & english for the functionally illiterate. I became the head of the tutors. I vaguely recall President Reagan ending these CETA jobs & my getting shifted to being a stack searcher &, eventually, to being a film repairer for the Film & Video Department.
That department was headed by Helen Cyr, someone with deep knowledge & love for moviemaking. The department had a truly incredible collection of experimental & otherwise rare 16mm films thanks to her curating. I didn't last at these jobs for very long because I was too busy doing things like taking off work to go to Montréal for the 2nd International Neoist Apartment Festival in February, 1981.
Nonetheless, Mrs. Cyr was aware of me as a moviemaker & very supportive. The Film & Video Dept bought a print of an in-progress silent version of my film "Subtitles" from me. This disappeared (& eventually reappeared under unknown circumstances many years later) so the F&VD bought a 2nd print of it at cost. They eventually bought a total of 7 works from me for the library's collection. These could be borrowed from the library for free by anyone with a library card. This was unprecedented support for me & probably more support than I've gotten from any institution since.
I was given forms to fill out to describe each of the works for the sake of whatever cataloging they were to do. I was thrilled when this 1st catalog was published in hard-copy. The works were indexed under my given name, "Michael Tolson". There were some errors: "Subtitles" & "Transparent SMILE" were also "mp" (motion pictures). All 3 of the 16mm prints were unique because they were either early versions or, in the case of "Sound Along w/ t he Bounding Ball(s)", negative. I actually prefer the negative version but I don't have a negative for myself.
The work was also correctly indexed under "tentatively, a convenience". It's possible (or probable) that I gave them the name in tOGGLE cASE as "tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE" but that would've been stretching my luck. "tentatively, a convenience" is fine because that's the way I wrote it from 1975-1979 &, sometimes, thereafter.
The Philosopher's Union Members were also indexed. That was particularly pleasing. Indexing, as some of us are very aware, is crucial to how information is found.
The individual entries were written by me. Parts of the entries were not intended to be part of the catalog. ""All eccentricities, typographical or otherise, are very deliberate" was just a message to the cataloger. The typo of "Neoists festivals" with "Neoists" accidentally plural may have been my mistake. This particular movie has been slightly revised & is now online on my onesownthoughts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/naU37TVUBRY .
This movie still hasn't been put online yet. At the time I made it I thought it was one of the best things I ever did.
My descriptions tended to be a bit flippant. It's a double-edged sword to be a movie-maker whose works are most available on small screens who wouldn't necessarily blame people if they felt like they had better things to do than witness them. All but one of the PUMMs are online now:
Philosopher's Union Member's Mouthpieces:
{this project was initiated by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE as a proposed series of 50,000 mouths in close-up discussing the philosophies of their heads/bodies
- All listed are collaborations between the person named in the title & whoever vaudeoed them
- all those #ed as a continuation of the Movieography #ing were shot by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE & have #s showing their correct place in the overall Movieography
- usually w/ assistance from Laura A. Trussell
- all others were shot by those credited next to the title
- the full titles always begin w/ "Philosopher's Union Member's Mouthpiece:"
- this has been deleted in the following list for simplicity's sake..
- all mouthpieces are usually app 5:50 but sometimes vary by a few minutes
- all mouthpieces have been shot w/ a PXL-2000 camera & transferred to 1/2" VHS cassette}
073. #00,001: "Alan Rabbit Suit" - '88
074. #00,002: "Richard Tryzno Ellsberry" - '88
075. #00,003: "John Berndt" - '88
076. #00,004: "Litvinov" - '88
077. #00,005: "Norman Yeh" - '88
078. #00,006: "Neil Feather" - '88
079. #00,007: "Valerie Dearing" - '88
080. #00,008: "Casandra vonRinteln-Hambleton" - '88
081. #00,009: "Martha Peterson" - '88
082. #00,010: "Wendy Lee Parker" - '88
083. #00,011: "Karen Eliot" - '88
084. #00,012: "Wanda Villa" - '88
085. #00,013: "Rupert Wondolowski" - '88
086. #00,014: "Shortal & Morton" - '88
087. #00,015: "Emma Elizabeth Downing" - '88
088. #00,016: "Fang" - '88
089. #00,017: "Ethel" - '88
090. #00,018: "Lepus Timidus" - '88
091. #00,019: "Doodles Teetering" - '88
092. #00,020: "John Sheehan" - '88
{all of the preceding have been transferred to 1/2" VHS cassette & digitally processed & titled}
095. #00,021: "Mike Kane"
096. #00,022: "L.A.W." - '88
097. #00,023: "Inoralsect" - '88
101. #00,024: "Martin Walker" - '88
102. #00,025: "Mark Pawson" - '88
103. #00,026: "Lech Harrison" - '88
104. #00,027: "Stephen Perkins" - '88
105. #00,028: "Sianed" - '88
106. #00,029: "Dip Mandazi" - '88
107. #00,030: "Stefan Szczelkun" - '88
- Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/114670259
108. #00,031: "Graham Harwood & Minder" - '88
#00,032: "Naomi" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
109. #00,033: "Shaun Caton" - '88
110. #00,034: "Reinhardt U. Sevöl" - '88
111. #00,035: "Via Vidorae" - '88
112. #00,036: "Lisan" - '88
113. #00,037: "C.Ernst" - '88
114. #00,038: "Elisabeth Morcellet" - '88
115. #00,039: "Lisa Suckdog & Costes" - '88
116. #00,040: "NATO" - '88
{the preceding 20 were tinted & titled & interpolated, in excerpt(s), into "Homeless Movies"}
#00,041: "Mary Dixon" - shot by Laura A. Truseal - '88
#00,042: "Andrés Mares-Muro" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
#00,043: "Anasthesia Bag" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
#00,044: "Manmohan Sidhu" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
#00,045: "Renata" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
#00,046: "Jai Noa" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
#00,047: "Judith" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
#00,048: "Brenna" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
#00,049: "Bill" - shot by Laura A. Trueseal - '88
120. #00,050: "Vermin "A.K.A. Mr. Skull" Supreme" - '88
121. #00,051: "Janor Hypercleets" - '89
#00,052: "Czech Mike" - shot by Uncle An - '89
#00,053: "David Bell" - shot by Uncle An - '89
#00,054: "Squirrel" - shot by Uncle An - '89
#00,055: "Charlene" - shot by Uncle An - '89
#00,056: "Kitty/Kat" - shot by Uncle An - '89
#00,057: "Chris" - shot by Uncle An - '89
#00,058: "Keith" - shot by Uncle An - '89
#00,059: "Patty M." - shot by Uncle An - '89
135. #00,060: "Abigail Rachel True" - March 31, '90
136. #00,061: "Bob Huff" - March 31, '90
#00,062: "Name Withheld" - shot by Uncle An - '90
#00,063: "Courtney Powell" - shot by Randy George McWilliams - '91
#00,064: "John Eaton" - shot by ? - '91
#00,065: "Mok Hossfeld" - shot by Randy George McWilliams - '91
#00,066: "Nathan.. Long" - shot by Randy George McWilliams - '91
#00,067: "Dr. Al Ackerman" - shot by Randy George McWilliams - '91
#00,068: "Dr. Al Ackerman" - shot by Randy George McWilliams - '91
#00,069: "RAT Korga" - shot by ? (somebody connected w/ John Eaton) - '91
145. a. #00,070: "David Franks (on temperance)" - June 24, '92
b. #00,070: "David Franks (on temperance)" (YouTube version)
- 5:32
- transferred direct-from-PXL K7 to computer on January 16, 2010 b/c of Franks' recent demise
- brightness & contrast were corrected & minimal titles were added
193. #00,071: "Paul Flum" - July 10, '98
194. #00,072: "etta cetera" - July 12, '98
{the 5 digit #s preceding the name indicate the approximate order in the proposed series of 50,000 in wch they were shot - since others may've been shot w/o my knowledge etc.., this list is approximate}
There are at least 13 versions of "Subtitles". Only one of them is available online:
041. a. "Subtitles (rough draft for 3/4" version)"
- super 8, unsplit regular 8, & 16mm -> 1/2" VHS cassette
- 37:00
- '80-'82/'84
-> 3/4" vaudeo
- 32:00
- '80-'82/'84
c. "Subtitles (digitally processed version)"
- same as "a." w/ digital processing
- '80-'82/'84/'86
d. "Subtitles (digitally processed version)" {version 2}
- edited to parallel the 18 sections of the 16mm version for multiply projecting 8 versions simultaneously
- 11:58
- '80-'82/'84/'86/october 30, '02
This is one of my best super-8mm films, available mainly on VHS, I don't have a sound print of the film itself. Alas, I learned recently by checking the Pratt catalog online that none of my VHS tapes are there anymore.
This is ironic because back in the early 1990s a new administrator took over the library & decided that all 16mm should be thrown away. Given how incredible the 16mm collection was, there was significant resistance to this - of which I was a part. The administrator, someone who, apparently, wasn't a scholar or respectful of scholars, argued that 16mm was an obsolete format that hardly anyone took out anymore & that VHS was what everyone wanted.
Some of us started programming more 16mm films just to try to keep circulation going & I made bad VHS transfers of some of the films to try to make sure that I could preserve them somehow. Now, of course, VHS has gone the way of 16mm in terms of 'obsolescence'. As a scholar, I find the condemning of any information on the basis of whether market manouvers have rendeered it 'obsolete' or not to be ridiculous. Imagine: "The Dead Sea Scrolls? Never heard of them. Throw 'em away, only e-books are worth anything." At least the 16mm collection has been preserved - I don't know how much of it.
Somehow I missed scanning the entries for "Sound Along w/ t he Bounding Ball(s)" & "Transparent SMILE: Monty Cantsin Performing with White Colours" the 1st time around. Looking through the catalog now I still didn't find the "Transparent SMILE" entry.
Both of these movies are available online now in improved versions:
031. a. "Sound Along w/ t he Bounding Ball(s)" {version 1}
[in the collection of the Enoch Pratt Free Library Audio Visual Department]
- shot by Steve Estes
- Norkin Grip (Leanne Johnson)
- directed by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE
- 16mm (primarily negative) (silent)
- 9:40
- '83 (etc..)
b. "Sound Along w/ t he Bounding Ball(s)" {version 2}
- (primarily positive)
c. "Sound Along w/ t he Bounding Ball(s)" {version 3}
- version 1 transferred to 1/2" VHS cassette w/ sound added
d. "Sound Along w/ t he Bounding Ball(s)" {version 4}
- version 3 intercut w/ the screening of version 2 @ Jefferson Presents (as shot by Gordon Nelson) on Jan 27, 2007 w/ live soundtrack from LaDonna Smith; Greg Pierce; Steve Boyle; & tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE
- w/ soundtrack credits added
- 9:53
- edit finished december 24, '09
- on my onesownthoughts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/pGyS0t7vEQ0
050. "Transparent Smile (Monty Cantsin Performing With White Colours)"
- Monty Cantsin (ie: Steve Estes), Monty Cantsin (ie: Joan Lobell), Monty Cantsin (ie:tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE) w/ sound by various Monty Cantsins (primarily John Berndt & Jimmy Hedges)
- 16mm w/ optical sound
- 17:00
- '85
- on my onesownthoughts YouTube channel here broken into 2 parts:
pt 1: https://youtu.be/EGc-rohmq4k
pt 2: https://youtu.be/p84MiQDrsnc
- On the version of "VAUDIO" that I've put online I've rejoined the 2 parts:
"Transparent Smile (Monty Cantsin performing with White Colours)" (1984-1985) - the original VAUDIO version of this was of an early print of the film before I'd added scratching to the internegative. This is the same version that's on YouTube already except that the earlier upload is in 2 parts. - https://youtu.be/yamGE-mVW8A?t=15m1s
Fortunately, the catalog was reissued in an even larger form in 1992 - because the 1989 version is falling apart. For real scholars, this catalog is a precious resource because it shows a vast pool of what was available at the time - much of which may have already fallen into undeserved obscurity.
idioideo at verizon dot net
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Anti-Neoism page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Audiography page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Bibliography page
to my "Blaster" Al Ackerman index
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE BYOC page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Censored or Rejected page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Collaborations page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE (d) compositions page
to Amir-ul Kafirs' Facebook page
to the "FLICKER" home-page for the alternative cinematic experience
to tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's GoodReads profile
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Haircuts page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Home Tapers page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE index page
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Instagram Poetry page
to a listing of tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's manifestations on the Internet Archive
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE as Interviewee index
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE as Interviewer index
to tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE'S Linked-In profile
to the mm index
to see an underdeveloped site re the N.A.A.M.C.P. (National Association for the Advancement of Multi-Colored Peoples)
to tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's Neoism page
to the DEFINITIVE Neoism/Anti-Neoism website
to the Philosopher's Union website
to the tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE movie-making "Press: Criticism, Interviews, Reviews" home-page
to tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's Score Movies
to SMILEs
to find out more about why the S.P.C.S.M.E.F. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Sea Monkeys by Experimental Filmmakers) is so important
to the "tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - Sprocket Scientist" home-page
to Psychic Weed's Twitter page
to tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's Vimeo index
to Vine movies relevant to tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE made by Ryan Broughman
to tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's presence in the Visual Music Village
for info on tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's tape/CD publishing label: WIdémoUTH
to a very small selection of tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE's Writing