From Nickelodeons to Netflix: Film Historiography
Course Number: EN619
Subject: English
Overview 
- This page accompanies a library session about archival research and collections of digitized primary sources in film studies scholarship.
- It's brought to you by Amanda Oliver, Head of Laurier Archives & Special Collections (aoliver@wlu.ca) and Meredith Fischer, English & Film Studies Librarian (mefischer@wlu.ca).
Archival Research
Below you'll find relevant examples of film archives and digital collections to explore.
Examples of Film Archives
- Media Commons Archives at University of Toronto
- TIFF Reference Library
- National Film Board Archives – Institutional Archives Department
- Archives of Ontario
- Laurier Archives and Special Collections
Examples of Digital Collections
- Margaret Herrick Library Digital Collections
- Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America Digital Archive
- CineFiles
Collections of Digitized Primary Sources
Here are a few key questions to consider as you navigate different primary source collections.
1. What is the collection's scope? Does it fit your topic?
- Does it cover the historical period you're interested in?
- What types of sources does it include?
- Can you access the collection? Is there a paywall?
Example of Evaluating Scope
Media History Digital Library
Digital reproductions of early media industry and fan magazines, including Photoplay, Hollywood Reporter, and much more.
Dates of Coverage | Sources Included | Availability |
|---|---|---|
Early- to mid- 20th century | Trade papers, fan magazines | Free online |
2. What other collections could be interesting to your investigation?
- Below is a list of collections that might be of interest.
- You'll find more in the Film Studies Library Guide.
Examples of Digital Collections
3. How are you developing your topic and research question?
- Try the three step formula for identifying the significance of your topic from Booth et al. (2024).
Example of Three Step Formula Using Hoyt (2022)
| 2. Because I want to find out what/why/how/if […] | 3. To help my audience understand […] |
|---|---|---|
Which American exhibitors were especially prominent, visible, and influential within the industry between 1915 and 1930? | If we can identify especially prominent and influential exhibitors and find out more about their careers. | The results can lead us not only toward explorations of exhibitors' careers but also toward better understandings of their communities and how the different trade papers varied from each other. The results point toward the existence of a star system within the ranks of exhibitors. |
You Try!
Hoyt (2022) briefly mentions a female exhibitor: “Mrs. C.C. Alguire of Coloma, Michigan, whose gender makes her atypical of her peers” (p. 94).
Can you find anything interesting in a Media History Digital Library search on Mrs. C. C. Alguire?