Film Studies
Library Research Primer
updated (11/04)

All materials are located in Bender Library: Reference & Ref Index/Abstract (first floor), Stacks (2nd and 3rd floors), and Media (lower level).

Print Article Indexes

• The Critical Index; a bibliography of articles on film in English, 1946-1973, arranged by names and topics/ by John C. Gerlach and Lana Gerlach. New York: Teachers College Press, [1974]. Ref PN1994.3 .G47
• The Film Index: A Bibliography. (v.1 Film as Art, 1941; v.2 Film as Industry, 1985; v.3 Film in Society, 1985) Ref
  PN1994.3 .W7
• Film Literature Index. Albany: Filmdex, Inc. (Lib has 1973-5, 1978-85, 1991-present) Ref Index/Abstract PN1993.03
• International Index to Film Periodicals. New York: R. R. Bowker Co. (Lib has 1973-6, 1978-present) Ref Index/Abstract PN1993.031

• Media Review Digest. Ann Arbor, MI: Pierian Press. (Lib has 1971, 1983-present) Ref Index/Abstract LB1043.03
• Film Review Annual. Englewood, NJ: J.S. Ozer. (Lib has 1981-present) Ref Index/Abstract PN1995
• Harrison's Reports and Film Reviews. Reprint ed. Hollywood, CA: Hollywood Film Archive, 19911995. (15 vols. 1919-
  62) Ref PN1995 .H383 1991
• The New York Times Film Reviews. New York: New York Times. (Lib has 1913-present) Ref PN1993.5.A1 N4
• Variety Film Reviews. New York: Garland Pub. (Lib has 1907-present) Ref PN1993 .V36
• Video Librarian. Seabeck, WA: Video Librarian. (Lib has 1996-present) Media No call number

Film and Video Archive Directories

• Buyer’s guide to fifty years of TV on video / Sam Frank. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1999. Media PN1992.3 .U5 F66 1999
• Footage: The worldwide moving image sourcebook. New York, NY, USA: Second Line Search Inc., c1997. Media PN1993.4 .F66 1997
• Scholars' Guide to Washington, D.C., Media Collections /Bonnie G. Rowan, Cynthia J. Wood; consultants, Lawrence W.
  Lichty, Douglas Gomery, Shirley L. Green. Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press; Baltimore: Johns
  Hopkins University Press, c1994. Stacks Z6853.5.W18 Media Z6853.5.W18 R69

• Halliwell's Film Guide / Leslie Halliwell; edited by John Walker. 8th ed. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers,
  c1991. Media PN1993.45 .H32 Library has most recent edition
• Magill's Survey of Cinema: English Language Films, First and Second Series; Foreign Language Films; and Silent Films /
  edited by Frank N. Magill; associate editors, Patricia King Hanson, Stephen L. Hanson. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem
  Press, c1980, 1981, 1982, 1985. Ref PN1993.45 .M3 - .M32 - .M33 - .M34
• Variety International Film Guide. London: Andre Deutsch; Hollywood. Stacks PN1993.3 .I54
• The Video Source Book. Syosset, N.Y.: National Video Clearinghouse. Media PN1998 .V44
• VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 2001 / by Jim Craddock (ed.). Detroit, MI: Visible Ink Press, c2001. Media PN 1992.95 .V554 2001
• VideoHound's Independent Film Guide / by Monica Sullivan. Detroit, MI: Visible Ink Press, c1998. Media PN 1998 .S84 1998
• VideoHound’s World Cinema / by Elliot Wilhelm. Detroit, MI: Visible Ink Press, 1999. Media PN 1995.9 .F67 W56 1999
• Writers on the American Screen: A Guide to Film Adaptations of American and Foreign Literary Works / Larry
  Langman. New York: Garland Pub., 1986. Ref PN1997.85 .L36

Producers Guides

• AIVF guide to international film and video festivals / by Kathryn Bowser. New York, NY: Foundation for Independent Video & Film, c1996. Media PN1993.4 .B66 1996
• The Beginning Filmmaker's Business Guide: Financial, Legal, Marketing, and Distribution Basics of Making Movies /
  Renee Harmon. New York: Walker and Co., c1994. Stacks PN1995.9.M29 H37
• The Film festival guide / by Adam Langer. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press, 1998. Ref PN 1993.4 .L36 1998
• Film finance and distribution: A dictionary of terms / by John W. Cones. Hollywood, CA: Silman-James Press, c1992. Ref PN1993.5 .U6 C635
• Film & Video Budgets / Michael Wiese and Deke Simon. 2nd ed. Studio City, CA: M. Wiese Productions, c1995. Stacks
  PN1993.5.U6 W49 1995
• Producer's Masterguide 2000/2001 / Samuel Benson. 18th ed. New York: New York Corp., c2000. Media PN 1993.5 .U77 B46 2000/01
• Script Planning: Positioning and Developing Scripts for TV and Film / Tony Zaza. Boston: Focal Press, c1993. Stacks
  PN1996 .Z38
• The Scriptwriter's Handbook / by William J. Van Nostran. White Plains, NY: Knowledge Industry Publications, 1989.
  Stacks PN1996 .V36

General Film Reference

• Michael Singer's Film Directors: A Complete Guide / compiled and edited by Michael Singer. Beverly Hills, CA: Lone
  Eagle. Media PN1998.A2 D568
• The Film Encyclopedia / Ephraim Katz. 2nd ed. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, c1994. Stacks PN1993.45 .K3 1994
• International Film Guide. London: Tantivy Press; New York: A.S. Barnes, annual (Library has 1966-present) . Stacks
  PN1993.3 .I54
• International Motion Picture Almanac. New York: Quigley. Ref PN1993.3 .I55 Stacks PN1993.3 .I55
• Magill's Cinema Annual. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem Press, annual (Library has 1982- present). Ref PN1993.45 .M29

Selected Film Journals in the AU Library

Cineaste. New York, NY: G. Crowdus, 1967-. Library has 1978-
Film comment. New York, NY: Lorien Prods., c1962-. Library has 1962-
Film quarterly. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1945-. Library has 1945-
The Independent film and video monthly. New York, NY: Foundation for Independent Video and Film, 1994- . Library has 1998-
Wide Angle. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press, 1977-. Library has 1977-

Electronic Databases available on ALADIN:

The Library subscribes to many electronic databases of literature and statistical indexes. Among the most useful for film studies research are: Art Index, International Index to the Performing Arts, Periodical Contents Index, Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, Modern Language Association (MLA), and Proquest General. All of these databases can be accessed online by AU students and faculty via www.aladin.wrlc.org. All databases include online help screens but if you need additional assistance, call the Library’s reference desk at 202/885-3238.

Recommended film studies websites:
Among the hundreds of film studies websites, the most useful include:
All Movie Guide Film Finder (www.allmovie.com/avg_film_finder.html);
Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com);
Movie Review Query Engine (www.mrqe.com);
Open Directory Project- Arts- Movies (www.dmoz.org/Arts/Movies/); and
Screensite (www.ScreenSite.org)

Media Services Phone Numbers:

Media Services Desk 202/885-3250
Media Librarian 202/885-3257

For quick access to more online guides and tools for doing film studies research visit the Media Services web page: http://www.library.american.edu/about/media/index.html

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