avant-garde film index

Introduction

Early on, as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, I discovered the immense role the avant gardes played in cinema’s development. I still remember the first day of my “Intro to FTVM Course” when Professor Daniel Herbert declared the greatest lesson film teaches us, that “there are no rules, only conventions.” Avant Garde film epitomizes cinema’s propensity to challenge audiences’ assumptions about the moving image. Decades after Maya Deren’s “Meshes of the Afternoon” or Masao Adachi’s “A.K.A. Serial Killer” first shocked audiences, we are still awed by film’s ability to defamiliarize us with our world. 

This early realization drew me to the Avant-Garde film index, pioneered by Liza Palmer, the review-section editor of Film International and co-editor-in-chief of Film Matters. Palmer was motivated to develop a treasure trove for the avant-garde researcher, including book lists, chapters, articles, web documents, and non-traditional publications “related to avant-garde film practice” (Avant Garde Film Index). I reached out to Palmer and asked if I could assist in building upon the important work she had achieved with the Index since its 2012 launch. 

Problem

Palmer understood that the Avant Garde Index needed continual growth if it was to remain a relevant resource. Despite her tireless work, the Index faced a number of obstacles. Our team aimed to design a plan that would combat them.

First Problem: Since 2012, updates to the Index have been sporadic and unfocused. Our task was to decide which improvement areas were most critical, and aim to foster long-term user engagement. 

Second Problem: The Index struggled to appeal to a wider demographic beyond avant garde film researchers. We sought to make the site more accessible, by emphasizing avant garde film’s impact on popular culture and highlighting its interdisciplinary relevance. 

Our team aimed to enhance Liza Palmer’s Avant Garde Film Index by expanding its scope, enhancing usability, providing up-to-date scholarship, and prioritizing long-term sustainability. 

Methodology

Our approach manifested in a four-step methodology. 

1. We engaged in data entry and cleaning of the initial sample. We developed a new criteria for evaluating international entries. We designed strategies to improve search and filtering functionality, ensure WCAG compliance, and implement a geo-data visualization tool.
2. We continued to add new entries to the site, documenting our progress on a collaborative spreadsheet, compiled 30 international entries with bibliographic references, implemented search & filtering improvements, WCAG compliance web design, and a data vis tool.
3. We focused on providing interactive elements (video excerpts, interviews, archival materials, teaching resources). We worked to expand the Index’s reach, promoting the site through University networks, film organization, and social media contacts.
4. This term we focused on developing strategies for long-term maintenance, by partnering with University instructors, and transitioning to a collaborative, volunteer-driven model. We concluded the project with a launch event.

Results 

Figure 1 – The New Homepage of The Avant Garde Film Index

Figure 2 – Our New “Browse By Region” Page, featuring a geo-visualization tool 

Limitations & Recommendations 

Although our team is satisfied with the results of our year-long project, we would like to take a moment to reflect on a handful of limitations to our research, as well proposed solutions to address these shortcomings in future work. 

Reach: The Index still stands to benefit from deeper connection to avant garde film archives, researchers, and artists. Future updates to the Index should be more closely associated with contemporary scholarship and practice.

Size: The Index currently includes only a handful of artists representative of the global avant garde film canon. Future additions might aim to emulate Palmer’s 100 artist sample size standard for each region.

Engagement: Due to time constraints, our project was unable to develop as comprehensive of a promotional campaign as we had hoped. Future promotional work might utilize social media takeovers and webinars.

Innovation: The interactive components of the site are currently limited to those available through a premium Webpress plan. Future research teams could aim to incorporate students with a web design background to streamline frontend and backend coding processes.

Conclusion

The Avant Garde Film Index presents an exciting opportunity to introduce experimental film to students across the nation. The Index works to reframe Avant Garde Film art and history for a mainstream audience. Our hopes are that the project spreads greater awareness of the techniques, aesthetics, and philosophies behind the media we consume each day.