The reuse of archival film footage in movies is almost as old as the medium itself. Yet the interplay between the processes of searching for and selecting material, the conditions under which this occurs, and the aesthetic approaches to reuse has received little attention in film studies. With my project, I aim to examine the dynamics between archival work and film production. In recent years, the professional field of archival researcher or archival producer has emerged in German film practice to address these processes. This role will be situated historically and critically, as will the influence of technology—from analog to digital, platform-based archives and archival material. In particular, the development of AI technology raises new questions about the status of archival material. Is the archival image—as the Association of U.S. Archival Producers titled itself upon its founding in light of the emergence of AI-generated, historically evocative images—facing an “existential moment”, or is the use of archival material more important than ever?
Rooted in film and media studies, this research aligns closely with the approach of production studies, which conceives film as a complex interplay of social, technical, and material factors. Approaches to the field are primarily achieved through the research and analysis of documents, interviews with key figures, and film analysis. The project aims to contribute both to film practice—as a critical, genre-independent introduction to working with found footage and archival material—and to theoretical and analytical discourse. To this end, the study discusses questions regarding functions and strategies for fulfilling these functions, as well as—in particular—the significance of archival material in film, the role of the archive itself, and possible transformations. Ultimately, this is intended to lay the groundwork for a nuanced examination of the impacts of constantly evolving technology, particularly in the age of AI.
Artist Statement
Freya Glomb holds a master’s degree in Film Cultural Heritage from the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF and a bachelor’s degree in Theater and Film Studies from the Free University of Berlin. Since 2024, she has been working as a research associate on the DFG project “(Con)Sequential Images—An Archaeology of Iconic Film Footage from the Nazi Era” at the Film University. She has served as a lecturer in the Film Heritage program (seminar “Archival Material in Aesthetic Practice”), leads workshops on topics such as video essays, archival material, and editing—including at the Film University’s Memory Media Lab—writes about films, and gives introductory talks at the cinema. Prior to that, she completed an apprenticeship as a media designer specializing in image and sound and worked on audiovisual projects in a variety of roles, including several years as an editor for short and feature-length television programs.
more: www.freyaglomb.de
Scientific PhD in the discipline: Media Studies
