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Post by Greg H on Oct 10, 2007 18:56:07 GMT
who knows...? Im going back to work on my time machine I think /:
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Post by Sam Harrison on Oct 13, 2007 14:31:41 GMT
Although missing Who is everybodies priority, Even if all these archives are completely wholess, they deserve the chance to preserve their own cultural heratidge. Maybe Zambia or wherever had their own show of this nature that is loved by everybody who remembers it, but it rotting in some appaulingly miskept archive. I guess in the wider scheme of things we're very lucky to have everything thats survived as oppose to nothing at all. Until the places we've heard about get the money to rescue their own history, I don't think we could blame them for not being too fussed about ours. Its so sad that all those films and tapes are just slipping away, you can imagine the desperation of the people who have to try and do as best as they can for them. I rekon may well be hidden who to be found yet, and I think there is bound to be something out there that deserves to be back at the BBC, and vinigared or not I'm sure somebody will find a way to transfer it and tidy it up, but I doubt that until these archives have the resources they deserve we will see anything to interest us. I hope we do though...
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Post by Greg H on Oct 14, 2007 9:32:36 GMT
I agree. I would still contribute cash to an african archives charity. It remains a worthwhile cause.
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Post by John Andersen on Dec 14, 2007 15:48:59 GMT
I'm afraid though that I can't reveal more information than that at this stage, nor which countries are involved, but communication lines are now established and an exchange of information taking place. As soon as any new information appears I'll let you know. It has been a while since the last update, Mr. Vanezis. I understand that information is confidential and it is most likely that there is no new information, but has this turned into a dead end?
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Dec 14, 2007 16:59:14 GMT
If Sue Malden has said there is no BBC material in the Zambian archives, I have no reason to think otherwise. Under the circumstances, it's perhaps not necessary for Paul Vanezis for confirm.
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Post by Greg H on Dec 15, 2007 13:31:37 GMT
Whilst I have the utmost respect for Sue Malden, there still havent been any details released about why this is now a dead end for further research. I am naturally of a curious disposition and would like to know the story about why this particular lead came to nothing. If nothing else disseminating this type of information at least stops people from duplicating research. If there is a good reason for details not being disclosed I would also be interested to know why. Just my natural curiosity.
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Dec 17, 2007 13:00:30 GMT
As I understand it, the Zambians have said that there's no overseas 16mm TV material in their vaults. Sue Malden and the BBC have taken them at their word, so case closed.
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Post by Greg H on Dec 18, 2007 3:01:15 GMT
Its a bit of a turnaround from previous statements that were reported though. Bit of a pity it didnt turn out to be a big find, but it would still be very interesting to hear all of the gory details of how it all got chucked in a skip 2 years ago, lol! Not presuming anything, but it would still be intersting to hear the details anyway.
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Dec 18, 2007 9:12:21 GMT
Its a bit of a turnaround from previous statements that were reported though. Bit of a pity it didnt turn out to be a big find, but it would still be very interesting to hear all of the gory details of how it all got chucked in a skip 2 years ago, lol! Not presuming anything, but it would still be intersting to hear the details anyway. Yes, I'd be intrigued to know if Zambia held on to any 'Who' prints after its rights to show them expired and what became of them. That said, I don't think it's anyone's job to find out or let us know. IIRC, the excitement over the Zambian film vaults was based on a series of increasingly remote possibilities: 1) the vaults held UK TV material, 2) some of it was BBC material, 3) some of that was 'Doctor Who', 4) some of that was missing 'Who', 5) it was still viewable despite poor storage conditions. Some people decided early on that this was the last big chance for a major 'Who' recovery. Under the circumstances, it was 99.9% inevitable that they would be disappointed. I live in hope that a former BBC employee or film collector may have one or two missing episodes.
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Post by John Fleming on Dec 18, 2007 9:36:50 GMT
As I understand it, the Zambians have said that there's no overseas 16mm TV material in their vaults. Sue Malden and the BBC have taken them at their word, so case closed. That's what I was worried about. No disrespect to Sue Malden but there was a post here a few months ago where an Asian film collector had enquired about the restoration of a trailer for a lost film only to be told it was not in restorable state and had been junked, then the trailer turned up restored a year or two later. His point was that it is easier to say no than to say I don't know. From what I know of the Zambian archive it is chaotic, just masses of films off their reels, who can say what it contains without investigating it? Can the people in charge today categorically state that someone didn't chuck a stack of Doctor Who reels in there in the seventies, whether it was policy to do so or not? I don't understand the reasoning behind Zambian TV either, they may have lost footage decaying in their own archives that their people love as much as we love Doctor Who. You would think they would appreciate help cataloguing it, maybe not from amateurs who may damage precious film but certainly from an organisation such as the BBC. Maybe this is the anti-English thing that seems to still exist in much of Africa, if so then perhaps approaching the Zambians via a neutral third party such as Australia or New Zealand may be an approach worth taking, the search being funded by the BBC. Personally I believe there is a lot of missing Doctor Who languishing in Africa, whether it ever comes to light is another story.
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Post by Greg H on Dec 18, 2007 14:14:44 GMT
As I understand it, the Zambians have said that there's no overseas 16mm TV material in their vaults. Sue Malden and the BBC have taken them at their word, so case closed. That's what I was worried about. No disrespect to Sue Malden but there was a post here a few months ago where an Asian film collector had enquired about the restoration of a trailer for a lost film only to be told it was not in restorable state and had been junked, then the trailer turned up restored a year or two later. His point was that it is easier to say no than to say I don't know. From what I know of the Zambian archive it is chaotic, just masses of films off their reels, who can say what it contains without investigating it? Can the people in charge today categorically state that someone didn't chuck a stack of Doctor Who reels in there in the seventies, whether it was policy to do so or not? I don't understand the reasoning behind Zambian TV either, they may have lost footage decaying in their own archives that their people love as much as we love Doctor Who. You would think they would appreciate help cataloguing it, maybe not from amateurs who may damage precious film but certainly from an organisation such as the BBC. Maybe this is the anti-English thing that seems to still exist in much of Africa, if so then perhaps approaching the Zambians via a neutral third party such as Australia or New Zealand may be an approach worth taking, the search being funded by the BBC. Personally I believe there is a lot of missing Doctor Who languishing in Africa, whether it ever comes to light is another story. Im inclined to agree with some of what youve said. But the BBC funding a search.... it would take a miracle!!!! They only seem to care when it comes out on DVD and they make money off it. The beeb sadly dont seem to be all that interested in recovering archive material, just a few people who work there. Thats just how it seems to me. Africa? Well, from the original report I read it did sound like a likely bet, or at least the best bet in a few years for finding some mouldering and decaying prints. I dunno how thoroughly things were checked if at all. Ah well.
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Post by Rob Moss on Dec 18, 2007 20:22:51 GMT
I agree. I would still contribute cash to an african archives charity. It remains a worthwhile cause. Really? I'd sooner give money to help them get clean water/vaccines/grow food etc, etc.. Or am I being selfish?
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Post by wrightblan on Dec 20, 2007 4:36:04 GMT
That's what I was worried about. No disrespect to Sue Malden but there was a post here a few months ago where an Asian film collector had enquired about the restoration of a trailer for a lost film only to be told it was not in restorable state and had been junked, then the trailer turned up restored a year or two later. His point was that it is easier to say no than to say I don't know. From what I know of the Zambian archive it is chaotic, just masses of films off their reels, who can say what it contains without investigating it? Can the people in charge today categorically state that someone didn't chuck a stack of Doctor Who reels in there in the seventies, whether it was policy to do so or not? I don't understand the reasoning behind Zambian TV either, they may have lost footage decaying in their own archives that their people love as much as we love Doctor Who. You would think they would appreciate help cataloguing it, maybe not from amateurs who may damage precious film but certainly from an organisation such as the BBC. Maybe this is the anti-English thing that seems to still exist in much of Africa, if so then perhaps approaching the Zambians via a neutral third party such as Australia or New Zealand may be an approach worth taking, the search being funded by the BBC. Personally I believe there is a lot of missing Doctor Who languishing in Africa, whether it ever comes to light is another story. Im inclined to agree with some of what youve said. But the BBC funding a search.... it would take a miracle!!!! They only seem to care when it comes out on DVD and they make money off it. The beeb sadly dont seem to be all that interested in recovering archive material, just a few people who work there. Thats just how it seems to me. Africa? Well, from the original report I read it did sound like a likely bet, or at least the best bet in a few years for finding some mouldering and decaying prints. I dunno how thoroughly things were checked if at all. Ah well. If the BBC were a capitalist entreprise, as opposed to a socalist one, it might be more willing to fund searches for missing material.
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Dec 20, 2007 10:42:12 GMT
I'm not so sure. I don't think there's a huge amount of money to be made from 1960s 'Who' episodes. The cost of conducting searches - most of which would amount to nothing - would probably eat up any potential profits.
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Post by John Fleming on Dec 20, 2007 14:56:01 GMT
I know I'm living in fantasy land but the BBC should wake up to the fact that they are a public service broadcaster not a commercial business and put things like this which has a huge public interest ahead of profit.
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