Editors' Note»

﻿

# EDITORS’ NOTE

In addition to other professional publications, the National Film Archive publishes the Film Yearbook, the goal of which is to present the broadest possible amount of information about Czech films being produced and areas related to Czech cinematography including distribution, film exports, financial backing, awards, festivals and film events, publishing activities and the legal entities of Czech cinematography. Information systematically monitored and obtained both from primary (production, film copies) and secondary (periodicals, promotional materials, festival catalogues, etc.) sources is processed and entered into the FARIS database (part of the National Film Archive’s information system).

The bi-lingual Czech/English publication has chronicled Czech cinema since 1992, with the 19th volume issued in early June 2011. Since its inception, it has expanded several times. It has gradually been supplemented by additional materials – an index of Czech and English names of films, an index of companies, and an index of names.

The ever-increasing content of the Film Yearbook, increasing production costs (paper, printing), and particularly the effort of the National Film Archive to present information to the widest possible audience, has led to the need for new approaches.

With the financial support of the Czech Ministry of Culture, the editors were able to modernize their database in 2008, enabling them to produce the Film Yearbook in electronic form on a CD-ROM. Not only were existing components of the database expanded (films, companies, personalities), but new components were created – events, festivals, and awards. The new format allows for easier entry and modification of film data, storage of texts which are subsequently generated within the structure of the Yearbook, and outputs in the form of a greater number of indexes. The reference system provides a convenient resource for looking up information. The Film Yearbook is generated into HTML pages using the XML/XSL principle. This technology has more options for formatting generated text and is more flexible, which is why it was also chosen for the presentation of another NFA publication, the catalogue of Czech Feature Film, on the National Film Archive website.

The 2010 Film Yearbook is comprised of nine chapters: A calendar of film events, which records in chronological order the significant happenings in Czech cinema for the given year, Czech film and video production (feature, documentary, animated, and to some degree advertising), Financial grants and contributions awarded for Czech film projects, Czech film distribution, Films exported from the Czech Republic, Award-winning Czech films, film personalities and companies, Film publications and periodicals issued in 2010, Principal institutions and organizations in the Czech film industry including lists of Czech festivals, screenings and events, and In Memoriam. The collection of indexes has been expanded from four to eight: an Index of Czech film and video production, an Index of Czech titles of foreign films, an Index of Czech films exported from the Czech Republic, an Index of the English titles of Czech film and video production, an Index of the original titles of foreign films, an Index of the English titles of exported Czech films, an Index of principal institutions and organizations in the Czech film industry and an Index of personalities.

The chapter on Czech film and video production is divided into four sections and encompasses feature, documentary, and animated work, including co-productions and student films from film schools, and partly even film work for advertising. The list of films also includes titles which were produced by film companies expressly for Czech Television. If a film received awards in 2010, there is additional information about the awards. Within these four groups, film titles are listed alphabetically and left in the form in which they were sent by individual companies (they are not modified to suit Czech grammar). English translations are taken from the production companies; in the event that a company has not listed one, we use our own translation.

The Financial grants and contributions chapter consists of a text overview, provided to us by the various organizations, with only some Films associated with the State Fund of the CR for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography having references.

The films listed in the chapter of Czech film distribution retain their original distribution slogans, which we have translated only for Czech films. No translations are given for foreign films. The source materials for the overview of distribution data and the ranking of the most successful 200 films (compiled based on number of viewers) were provided to the National Film Archive by the Union of Film Distributors.

In the chapter on Award-winning Czech films, film personalities and companies, we list the award which was given to Czech films, its creators and actors, and possibly even the company at domestic or international festivals and at other events in 2010. Awards may also be found on other chapters on celebrities, films, and possibly companies.

Film publications and periodicals issued in 2010 are arranged by content into individual groups based upon the classification of the National Film Archive library, and are further arranged alphabetically by name of author, name of work or corporation.

The list of principal institutions, organizations and companies of Czech cinematography is updated each year and broken down into separate groups by field; within the groups they are listed alphabetically. This chapter also includes a directory of Czech film periodicals and list of major Czech film festivals, showings and events, which is arranged alphabetically according to event location. Users get, in the form of a list connected to the festival, an overview of which prizes were awarded at the various festivals. Previous lists of prizes are also supplemented enabling information to be searched for by film personality, film and company.

In Memoriam contains an alphabetical list of celebrities, along with their profession and basic biographical information.

The abbreviations used in 2007 have been changed. The majority of abbreviations used in the Yearbook have been adapted to match the NFA publication titled Czech Feature Film. Similar to the book form, certain abbreviations are given explanations and arranged alphabetically. The list of countries is presented in the same way, while taking into account the abbreviations used by the International Federation of Film Archive (FIAF).

The user control system uses a standard approach. The introductory page briefly presents the titles of individual chapters (which are given in depth in a cursor bubble). By clicking, the user enters into individual sections. Active links allow for transitions from films to personalities and companies, through the filmography of a personality back to the particular film. If the shortened entry for a film produced before 2010 is displayed, this is a title which was exported or distributed in 2010 and therefore belongs in the 2010 Yearbook. Another innovation of the FARIS database brought greater comfort to users. This feature allows switching from companies, festivals, personalities and films to the various part of the calendar. Before, the links were only unidirectional – from the calendar to the individual modules. Content also includes text files (chapter III, Financial grants with the exception of the State Fund – Films, as well as chapters IV, Distribution – part of distribution data, and VIII, Publications and periodicals), where links are not used. Navigation bars in these sections tell the user where he/she is. Arrows allow for movement forward and back. A nominal index also contains links to pseudonyms and, like all other indexes, allows the user to click to access various informations, including filmography and awards. Filmography and awards are also included in the entries for films and companies taking part in production, distribution, or export.

Dear friends, we would like to thank everyone who has provided information about the work of their firms and helped us in creating content. We would also like to thank those who helped create the electronic version. We welcome any comments or additions to the electronic version and request that they be sent to the address of the Film Yearbook editing staff.

The Editors