Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
General material designation
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
Level of description
Repository
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
-
1971-1981 (Creation)
- Creator
- Video Theatre Association
Physical description area
Physical description
223 open video tape reels (circa 141 hours, 17 minutes): black and white, sound; ½ inch tape
3 videocassette tapes (circa 3 hours): black and white, sound: ¾ inch tape
1 cm of textual records (1 folder)
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Video Theatre Association officially opened in June 1974 as a non-profit organization composed of approximately 50 independent television producers, most in Nova Scotia. The idea for the Association started in the winter of 1973 when the Atlantic Region of the National Film Board partnered with Teled Video Services Association, a Halifax-based non-profit community media group, to set up and run a Video Theatre as a joint project.
Its objective was to promote the making of television programmes which, in craftsmanship and content, contribute to the cultural, educational, and artistic commonwealth of the people of the Maritime Region. Its main work was to provide technical assistance and practical opportunities for individual, independent video makers by making video recording equipment available for borrowing and providing training on their use. As young filmmakers and videographers created productions, a copy was deposited with the Association. They developed a catalog of the productions and offered a copying service to interested members of the public. Video material was also traded and exchanged with different regions and countries.
Some of the people who played key roles with the Video Theatre were Ralph Holt, Mike Coyle, Sheila MacKenzie, Barry Burley, Brian MacNevin and Harold Rennie.
When funding dried up, staffing the Video Theatre became impossible and it ceased operations in approximately 1984.
Custodial history
Videos and accompanying textual records were donated to Nova Scotia Archives in 1984 and 1985 through private donation from Barry Burley and Ralph Holt, representing the Video Theatre Association.
Additional records may have been housed at the National Film Board regional office in Halifax and are presumed lost in the fire of 1991.
Scope and content
Fonds consists of black and white video recordings produced by individuals. Topics include documentaries on unions, unemployment, daycare (especially St. Joseph’s Day Care Centre in Halifax), and environmental concerns including a debate between Elizabeth May and John Dickie on the Spruce Budworm. The Halifax Shipyards, National Sea Products, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) hearings on Pay TV Services, and the Killam Library at Dalhousie University are recorded as well as community events such as NS High School Drama Festival of 1974, the Baddeck Community Planning meeting 1975, and the Festival Acadien in 1978. Videos also include demonstrations of video and sound production techniques, Donald Johnston of Lincolnville NS performing his own music, women’s sexual assault stories, and education practices for hearing and visually impaired children, among others.
Also included in the fonds are shot lists for some productions, the Video Theatre Catalog of video titles in their collection (1974-1976), and a written brief submitted by the Association to the CRTC objecting to the introduction of Pay TV.
Notes area
Physical condition
Some video tape is deteriorated. See Sound and Moving Image Database for titles affected.
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Some of the titles may have a duplicate on the same media.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
See Nova Scotia Archives’ Services page for information on copying, reproduction, and use of materials.
Finding aids
For video title details see the Sound and Moving Image Database and search for “Video Theatre Association”
Associated materials
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
General note
Previously known as the Video Theatre Collection.