| Lights, Camera, Genealogy! |
| Usually when we search for images of our ancestors, we are looking for old photographs or slides. Films and movies tend to get overlooked. However, the amount of visual information that can be conveyed through a film, even a silent one, makes it a powerful medium. Consider: if a still photo is worth a thousand words, how many more is a moving picture worth! Now, most of us don't have a famous ancestor that we can easily find in old film footage, but old film still offers several genealogical benefits. You can use film to: - learn more about the time period your ancestor lived in
- study the fashions, hairstyles and other visual elements of a certain era
- watch news coverage the way your ancestors did
- get intimate views of particular locations at certain points in time
There are several film archives that you can browse and enjoy for free online, and many are still being added to and refined. For example, the oldest government-created film footage at The National Archives is from 1908, and it was only verified last year. Here are just a few places to find and enjoy old film: Over at Internet Archive, you can explore tons of movies, films and videos. Of note is the Prelinger Archives, which has a special emphasis on home movies, amateur films and advertising material. (Anyone from Lodi, Ohio?) Also be sure to check out their collection of Universal Newsreels. The YouTube channel British Pathé showcases newsreels of historic events your ancestors might have seen in theaters, including the Hindenburg Disaster and pop culture moments like a young Julie Andrews singing for King Charles VI. Also on YouTube is a fascinating channel called simply "Guy Jones." Enjoy archival film footage that’s been slowed down and color-corrected, leading to intimate looks at 1930s Tokyo or 1910 London, to name just a few. |
