The AFI Catalog of Feature Films, also known as the AFI Catalog,[1] is an ongoing project by the American Film Institute (AFI) to catalog all commercially-made and theatrically exhibited American motion pictures from the birth of cinema in 1893 to the present. It began as a series of hardcover books known as The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures,[1] and subsequently became an exclusively online filmographic database.
Each entry in the catalog typically includes the film's title, physical description, production and distribution companies, production and release dates, cast and production credits, a plot summary, song titles, and notes on the film's history. The films are indexed by personal credits, production and distribution companies, year of release, and major and minor plot subjects.
To qualify for the "Feature Films" volumes, a film must have been commercially produced either on American soil or by an American company. In accordance with the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF; French: Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film), the film must have also been given a theatrical release in 35 mm or larger gauge to the general public, with a running time of at least 40 minutes (or a length of at least four reels). With that said, the Catalog has included over 17,000 short films (those less than 40 minutes/four reels) from the first era of filmmaking (1893–1910).
The print version comprises five volumes documenting all films produced in the United States from 1892 to 1993, while new records are created by the AFI editorial team and added each year to the online database.[2]
In 1967, the AFI officially began operation, documenting the first century of American filmmaking through the AFICatalog of Feature Films.[1][2] The Catalog would be the very first scholarly listing of American films, "with academically vetted information about the existence, availability and sources of motion pictures already produced, spanning the entirety of the art form since 1893."[1]
From 1968 to 1971, AFI researched film production between 1921 and 1930 (i.e., the 1920s). The first AFI Catalog was published thereafter in 1971 by the University of California Press; the publication featured, as encyclopedic volumes, the records for every American feature film released during the 1920s' period.[1][3]
Hardcover publications
The Catalog began as a series of hardcover books known as The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures, published by the University of California Press(excluding vol. A) from 1971 to 1993.[1][4]
The print version comprises seven volumes documenting all films produced in the United States from 1892 to 1970.[2] The publication of the hardcover volumes was suspended due to budgetary reasons after volume F4 (1941–50) in 1997. Feature films released from 1951 to 1960 and from 1971 to 1993 have been cataloged only in the online database.
Subtitled "A Work in Progress" due to the scant information available on many films released in this era. Foreign-made films are included if they were released by American companies.[citation needed]
With this volume, the project began to include plot summaries written especially for the catalog from viewing the movie itself, whenever possible, instead of relying on plot summaries taken from copyright registrations, studio publicity materials, or reviews.[citation needed]
1997
F4
Feature Films, 1941–1950
1941–50
Edited by Patricia King Hanson.
1976
F6
Feature Films, 1961–1970
1961–70
Edited by Richard Krafsur (ISBN 9780913616451)
Due to the large number of co-productions between American and foreign companies in the 1960s, and the difficulty of determining any particular film's nationality, this volume includes all feature films released theatrically in the United States in that period. The hardcover edition includes pornographic features, although they have been excluded from the electronic database edition. Errors in the print editions have been carried over to the online version, despite published criticisms, and there is no means by which users can offer discussions or corrections.[citation needed]
1997
Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American Feature Films, 1911-1960
1911–60
Edited by Alan Gevinson.
This is the first of the AFI Catalog series to include films from more than one decade. It contains over 2500 feature-length films whose central components include racial and national ethnic experience in the United States, such as Gentleman's Agreement (1947), Broken Arrow (1950), Bright Victory (1951), Giant (1956), and The Defiant Ones (1958). This volume also includes various independent productions by African-American filmmakers and various ethnic and religious organizations.[7]
The project estimates that additional years will be cataloged at 6-month intervals. Film School students are offered the opportunity to provide plot synopses and original research, but input from other, experienced film researchers is not encouraged.[citation needed] The project will also eventually catalog short films (beyond 1910) and newsreels.[citation needed]
^ abcCason, Daniela. "LibGuides: American Film Institute Catalog (AFI): Home". proquest.libguides.com. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
^ abc"Metadata challenges and agent disambiguation in re-architecting the AFI Catalog of Feature Films" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 2020-12-29.
^"The AFI Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States titles from University of California Press". www.ucpress.edu. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
^Hanson, Patricia King (1988). The American Film Institute catalog of motion pictures produced in the United States: feature films, 1911-1920, Vol. 1. University of California Press. ISBN978-0-520-06301-3.
^The 1931–1940: American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States. October 1993. ISBN9780520079083.
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The AFI Catalog of Feature Films also known as the AFI Catalog 1 is an ongoing project by the American Film Institute AFI to catalog all commercially made and theatrically exhibited American motion pictures from the birth of cinema in 1893 to the present It began as a series of hardcover books known as The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures 1 and subsequently became an exclusively online filmographic database Each entry in the catalog typically includes the film s title physical description production and distribution companies production and release dates cast and production credits a plot summary song titles and notes on the film s history The films are indexed by personal credits production and distribution companies year of release and major and minor plot subjects To qualify for the Feature Films volumes a film must have been commercially produced either on American soil or by an American company In accordance with the International Federation of Film Archives FIAF French Federation Internationale des Archives du Film the film must have also been given a theatrical release in 35 mm or larger gauge to the general public with a running time of at least 40 minutes or a length of at least four reels With that said the Catalog has included over 17 000 short films those less than 40 minutes four reels from the first era of filmmaking 1893 1910 The print version comprises five volumes documenting all films produced in the United States from 1892 to 1993 while new records are created by the AFI editorial team and added each year to the online database 2 Contents 1 History 1 1 Hardcover publications 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditIn 1965 the Arts and Humanities Bill was signed into law by U S President Lyndon B Johnson it established the American Film Institute AFI as well as the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities As there was no existing listings of films of the past making preservation an immediate concern the Bill obliged the AFI to build a new catalog of feature films that would protect cultural history from being lost in obscurity or disappearing entirely 1 In 1967 the AFI officially began operation documenting the first century of American filmmaking through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films 1 2 The Catalog would be the very first scholarly listing of American films with academically vetted information about the existence availability and sources of motion pictures already produced spanning the entirety of the art form since 1893 1 From 1968 to 1971 AFI researched film production between 1921 and 1930 i e the 1920s The first AFI Catalog was published thereafter in 1971 by the University of California Press the publication featured as encyclopedic volumes the records for every American feature film released during the 1920s period 1 3 Hardcover publications Edit The Catalog began as a series of hardcover books known as The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures published by the University of California Press excluding vol A from 1971 to 1993 1 4 The print version comprises seven volumes documenting all films produced in the United States from 1892 to 1970 2 The publication of the hardcover volumes was suspended due to budgetary reasons after volume F4 1941 50 in 1997 Feature films released from 1951 to 1960 and from 1971 to 1993 have been cataloged only in the online database Hardcover volumes 3 Publication date Volume Title Period covered Notes1995 A Film Beginnings 1893 1910 1893 1910 Compiled by Elias Savada published by University Press of America ISBN 0 8108 3021 3 3 Subtitled A Work in Progress due to the scant information available on many films released in this era Foreign made films are included if they were released by American companies citation needed 1971 F1 Feature Films 1911 1920 5 1911 20 Edited by Patricia King Hanson ISBN 0 520 06301 5 1971 F2 Feature Films 1921 1930 1921 30 Edited by Kenneth Mundin 1993 F3 Feature Films 1931 1940 6 1931 40 Edited by Patricia King Hanson With this volume the project began to include plot summaries written especially for the catalog from viewing the movie itself whenever possible instead of relying on plot summaries taken from copyright registrations studio publicity materials or reviews citation needed 1997 F4 Feature Films 1941 1950 1941 50 Edited by Patricia King Hanson 1976 F6 Feature Films 1961 1970 1961 70 Edited by Richard Krafsur ISBN 9780913616451 Due to the large number of co productions between American and foreign companies in the 1960s and the difficulty of determining any particular film s nationality this volume includes all feature films released theatrically in the United States in that period The hardcover edition includes pornographic features although they have been excluded from the electronic database edition Errors in the print editions have been carried over to the online version despite published criticisms and there is no means by which users can offer discussions or corrections citation needed 1997 Within Our Gates Ethnicity in American Feature Films 1911 1960 1911 60 Edited by Alan Gevinson This is the first of the AFI Catalog series to include films from more than one decade It contains over 2500 feature length films whose central components include racial and national ethnic experience in the United States such as Gentleman s Agreement 1947 Broken Arrow 1950 Bright Victory 1951 Giant 1956 and The Defiant Ones 1958 This volume also includes various independent productions by African American filmmakers and various ethnic and religious organizations 7 The project estimates that additional years will be cataloged at 6 month intervals Film School students are offered the opportunity to provide plot synopses and original research but input from other experienced film researchers is not encouraged citation needed The project will also eventually catalog short films beyond 1910 and newsreels citation needed See also EditFilm Index International the British Film Institute s catalog IMDb international online database for film television and video games The Criterion Collection International Federation of Film Archives Swank Digital CampusReferences Edit a b c d e f g About the AFI Catalog of Feature Films American Film Institute Retrieved 2019 10 11 a b c Cason Daniela LibGuides American Film Institute Catalog AFI Home proquest libguides com Retrieved 2021 04 11 a b c Metadata challenges and agent disambiguation in re architecting the AFI Catalog of Feature Films PDF Archived PDF from the original on 2020 12 29 The AFI Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States titles from University of California Press www ucpress edu Retrieved 2021 04 11 Hanson Patricia King 1988 The American Film Institute catalog of motion pictures produced in the United States feature films 1911 1920 Vol 1 University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 06301 3 The 1931 1940 American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States October 1993 ISBN 9780520079083 https books google com books id bsoUXGZSxZcCExternal links EditAFI Catalog of Feature Films official site The International Film Index 1895 1990 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title AFI Catalog of Feature Films amp oldid 1136198159, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
