As I write, it’s actually -20C in sunny Montréal, but let’s call it Spring anyway. sigh

For better or worse, since last year’s Orphans, I’ve been chiefly focused on writing about leaders, rather than making with leaders: I have a major funding application under consideration; meanwhile, I’m very proud to report that my preliminary article on leader standards in the US and Canada is due out in The Moving Image sometime this year. I’ve also completed and submitted the first draft of a lengthy contribution about film leaders to the Routledge Companion on Obscolescent Media, edited by Dr. Mark Wolf (Concordia University, Wisconsin). 

The estimable Margie Compton, Media Archivist at the Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection, University of Georgia, has been an incredible resource, flagging wonderful examples of leaders as she encounters them in the BMAatUGA collection, or even on TV. Thanks also to my wonderful colleague and collaborator Professor Dayna McLeod for sending me some intriguing ‘pop culture’ examples, and an anonymous tipster (let’s call her the ‘singing detective’) for some very curious countdowns.

I’ve been itching to get back to making, so my studio is currently knee-deep in 16mm and 35mm found footage. Above: bipacked 16mm and 35mm found footage.