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  Before the Bubble Burst: Jamie Fenton, Game Designer, 1982

  Blog

  When a group of independent video makers set out to document current tech trends for an ill-fated television show called Wired In, they hardly suspected they were capturing an industry poised on the edge of cataclysmic change. Like many young tech industries, video games were hot, and everyone wanted to get in on the action, but as more and more companies jumped in, often with subpar products, the bubble just grew and grew. In 1982, when this footage was shot, […]

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  How they dye the Chicago River green

  Blog

  In Chicago, it has been a tradition since the first Mayor Daley to dye the Chicago River green for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. In 1992, videomaker Patrick Creadon, shooting for The 90’s, went downtown at 2:30am to cover the preparation for the parade and to talk with the guys from Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union #110 about this tradition. The footage didn’t make it on the show, but 20 years later, we pulled it out of the archive and […]

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  In Memory of Harold Ramis (1944–2014)

  Blog

  Harold Ramis died last week after several courageous years fighting a debilitating disease. I first met Harold in the ’70s, and he always had as positive an outlook as anyone I’ve ever met. Through all his successes, he remained unimpressed with himself, and he would do anything to help those in need, even strangers. He was such a sweet guy, and was taken far too early. In memory of Harold, we’d like to share a few of the rare bits […]

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  And the Academy Award does not go to…

  Blog

  Spielberg: “I got beaten out by Fellini!” We hope you enjoy a re-visit of one of our classics, in honor of the upcoming Academy Awards. Steven Spielberg expected to be a big winner at the 1976 Academy Awards. TVTV was in the room documenting his reaction when he got the news that, despite dominating the box office that year with Jaws, he was not nominated for Best Director. Here’s an inside look at the young director like you’ve never seen […]

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  Pete Seeger: A Gentle Soul

  Blog

  Today, we pay tribute to Pete Seeger, one of the greatest American singers, political role models, and human beings. He lived his 94 years to the fullest, never wavering from his beliefs in the dignity of all people, civil rights, the environment, and decency, even when he was questioned by the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1955. His musical and personal legacy will live on for generations. In fact, it already has! He was in Chicago in 1991 to be […]

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  Growing Up Bonobo

  Blog

  We’re excited to show you the trailer for the new short documentary produced by Skip Blumberg and Tom Weinberg, as a not-for-profit project of Media Burn. Every view of the trailer will help the film get selected for a premiere at the Socially Relevant Film Festival in New York this spring, so please help us by checking it out! Growing Up Bonobo:Photographer Marian Bricknercoming soon!A unique upbeat short about an endangered species, and the inspired photographer who loves them.16 minutes, […]

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  “Our kind of video”: Nelson Mandela and South Africa through the eyes of Andrew Jones

  Blog

  When Nelson Mandela died on December 5th, mainstream news media almost universally presented Mandela as a one-dimensional hero for his iconic life and accomplishments. But now that a lot of the coverage has waned, we want to give you another look at Mandela and his impact on South Africans. The archival footage we’ve put together here doesn’t try to give you a complete story of Mandela’s political career. This is a series of video snapshots, moments in time recorded along […]

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  We don’t care when*

  Blog

  *Today, tomorrow, whenever… Media Burn needs your support all the time!             Dear Friend of Media Burn: Happy new year! 2014… a milestone year for the Media Burn Independent Video Archive. Ten years ago, all we had was a storefront full of videotapes and the knowledge that they were incredibly important and deteriorating quickly. Since then we have restored, permanently saved, and made freely available more than 2,500 historically significant videotapes, and they have been […]