Identification and Assessment of Film Appraisal Mechanisms Aimed at the Improvement of Archiving and Presentation Processes

Abstract

Národní filmový archiv, Prague (the National Film Archive, or NFA) needs to update its core cataloguing system and potentially improve preservation processes to address new requirements related to (digital) content management. Since the NFA is also active in content digitisation and restoration, new digital tools were recently deployed for the purposes of supporting operation and management processes. In order to identify how
the new system could improve the efficiency of both cataloguing and content management, the entire workflow has been investigated and analysed. Together with a standard process mapping, the extent to which these processes are aligned with the institution’s key activities, strategies, (individual) roles and the NFA’s goals was investigated. Drawing on concepts from cultural work appraisal and practical theories, techniques developed in ethnography and organizational studies were applied to examine the way in which the value of collected material is being constructed, understood and documented; and how its perception contributes to decision-making during the organisation’s regular activities. The results were analysed and communicated using process diagrams and sets of recommendations. Along with gaining better insight into the NFA’s operations, this approach allows for the enhancement of the new data model. There were also several
mechanisms proposed which are aimed at enriching the retrieval of information related to film content origin, treatment, perception and community appraisals; as well as the improvement of strategic decision-making processes regarding digitisation, long-term preservation and distribution priorities.