Subjects covered
Fine arts (painting, sculpture, drawing), architecture, archaeology, photography,
decorative arts, design, costume, crafts, folk arts, and related topics such as
aesthetics and creativity.
Media formats included
Film, video, videodisc, multimedia and CD-ROM productions.
Coverage
More than 25,000 records, representing productions from some seventy countries.
The majority of these productions date from 1970 to the present, with
selective coverage of earlier productions from 1915 through 1969. A related
database includes names and addresses of more than 5,000 distributors and
producers of moving-image productions.
FAQs about the Art on Screen Database
Conditions of Use/Copyright/Disclaimers
Copyright 1985-1997 by the Program for Art on Film, Inc. All rights reserved.
PLEASE READ THE CONDITIONS OF USE SECTION CAREFULLY BEFORE USING
THIS SITE. By using the Program for Art on Film Web site and Art on Screen
Database, you signify your acceptance of these terms of use. If you do not
agree to these terms and conditions, please do not use this site.
What's in the Art on Screen Database?
The Art on Screen Database is an international compilation of bibliographic
information about moving-image productions on the visual
arts. Subjects covered include: fine arts (painting, sculpture, drawing),
architecture, archaeology, photography, decorative arts,
design, costume, crafts, folk arts, and related topics such as
aesthetics and creativity. Media formats covered include film,
video, videodisc, multimedia and CD-ROM productions. The database
provides comprehensive coverage of English-language productions and extensive
coverage of important productions from many European and other countries.
The online database includes more than 25,000 records, representing productions
from some seventy countries. The majority of these productions date from 1970 to
the present, with selective coverage of earlier productions from 1915 through
1969. A related database includes names and addresses of more than 5,000
distributors and producers of moving-image productions.
How did the Art on Screen Database get started?
In 1984, the Program for Art on Film was formed as
a joint venture between the J. Paul Getty Trust and The Metropolitan Museum
of Art. One of the first projects undertaken by the Program was the
compilation of a critical inventory of existing productions about the visual
arts. In order to serve the goal of encouraging new ways of thinking about
the relationship between art and moving-image media, the Program's leaders
thought it was important to study and assess what was already being done.
The inventory would also serve as an information resource to support the
effective production and use of media on the visual arts. This critical
inventory has now developed into the present international database.
What is included in a database record?
Each entry contains a synopsis of the content, as well as credits, country,
language, production date, format, and other data, including distribution
sources. Approximately one-third of the entries also include some critical
data: evaluations by panels of art and film professionals, or references to
published reviews or festival awards. Detailed subject indexing allows
researchers to retrieve data in a variety of ways. Entries are also classified
by film genre.
Have any of the films been evaluated? Who
participated? Since 1986, the Program has convened a series of
panels each comprised of two subject experts, two production experts, and two
media programmers who spent a day with Program staff viewing and discussing
recent releases. The published evaluations represent the combined opinions
of these panels of experienced art and media professionals. To date, some
270 individuals have participated in one of our evaluation panels, and more
than 600 productions have been evaluated. The panels evaluate films on the
basis of the accuracy and presentation of content, production values, and
programming potential. For a copy of our "Guidelines for Evaluating
Films/Videos on Art," see the Resources
section.
In addition to the panel evaluations, many films in the
Database have been screened by staff of the Program for Art on Film and/or
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and their comments noted in a separate
"Comments" field.
How are the entries indexed?
Each entry is assigned one or more Main Terms designating the art form
(e.g., painting, drawing, architecture, Greek and Roman art,
etc.), followed by a Qualifying Term indicating Style or Period, Material
or Technique, etc. Terms, for the most part, have been drawn from the
Art & Architecture Thesaurus.
Extensive use has been made of "People Terms," enabling you to search for such
terms as black artists, women artists, children as artists, etc. The
Associated Concepts field lists such terms as "art and
mathematics", "photography and war," "architecture and
music," "perspective," "public art," etc. Entries
are also classified by filmmaking genre, e.g., animation,
fiction, instructional, profile, etc.
Who uses the Art on
Screen Database? A museum film programmer is looking for films
about Goya to show in conjunction with an exhibition. An architectural
historian wants to show videotapes on Italian Renaissance architecture to
his class (by kenny at tforge). A producer would like a list of directors and camera people who
have made films about art. A librarian wants to acquire films and videos
about black and Hispanic artists for her collection. A curator is looking
for films about pre-Columbian art that show certain locations in Mexico. A
filmmaker who is developing a project wants to know what other films have
been made about Andy Warhol. A multimedia producer is looking for film
footage of an architectural monument to include in a CD-ROM production. A
television researcher needs footage of a recently deceased artist, shown in
his studio.
These are examples of actual searches the Program for
Art on Film has done for researchers.
How do we purchase/rent
the titles we find in the Database? The Program for Art on Film
is not a distributor and does not rent or sell films/videos directly. To
obtain prints and permission to show films, you must contact the distributors
directly.
Sometimes the distributor information has changed.
What can I do? This information changes frequently. We make our
best effort to keep it up-to-date but we must rely on our users--and
distributors--to inform us when they find outdated distributor information.
Please notify us when you find distributor changes so we can update our
records. Program for Art on Film members can contact us for assistance in
locating alternative sources. (E-mail: Info@Artfilm.org or Fax
718-399-4507)
How can I have my film(s) listed in the Art on
Screen Database? Send a brochure, catalogue, press kit, or other
documentation to: Program for Art on Film, Inc., 200 Willoughby Avenue, c/o
Pratt SILS, Brooklyn, NY 11205. Fax: 718-399-4507; Tel 718-399-4506. Or
click here to fill in and E-mail a data form to us.
Need help?
If you would prefer to have Program staff do a search for you and send you a
printed list of relevant productions, contact us for and research fees.
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