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Media Burn recognizes the power of documentary to change the way we understand the world around us. That’s why it is our mission to preserve our shared cultural history on analog videotape and make it available for generations to come.
The Media Burn Independent Video Archive has been a dream for nearly 40 years. It was founded in 2003 by Tom Weinberg as the culmination of his lifelong dedication to creating broad access to the work of independent producers. The Archive contains over 6,000 videotapes created by a geographically, socially, and economically diverse community of videomakers throughout the world.
The central focus of the archive is a unique collection of Chicago-based independent video—the most extensive of its kind anywhere. The collection portrays life in Chicago from 1969-2012, documenting all corners of the city and people from all walks of life. Our hero is Studs Terkel, whose ability to portray the stories of “ordinary” people is our model. We are lucky to have several hundred videos featuring Studs, donated from his personal collection.
