INITIATIVE TITLE
INTRODUCTION
In the sprawling expanse of Los Angeles, where the relentless march of development often erases historical footprints, our initiative emerges as a call to action. It invites us to circle around the flickering shadows cast by collective memories, illuminating the narratives that have shaped the city’s soul. Anchored in the rich visual history of the KTLA archive, this project scrutinizes the power of the moving image to craft and warp the geographies of Los Angeles.
At the heart of this endeavor lies a question that reverberates through time: What communities have been forged in the glare of the camera’s eye, and which have been obliterated? What stories persist, murmuring at the edges of recorded frames, yearning for recognition? This initiative is not merely a retrospective; it is a vibrant experiment in collaboration, an invitation for cultural creators, residents, and often overlooked communities to weave new dreams together.
By engaging with the city’s oldest television news network’s archive, we challenge the narratives imposed on us, questioning who is seen and who shapes these visions. We delve into the gaps and silences within the archival footage, treating them as portals to a more interconnected and just future.
Through digital and physical gatherings both in the city and online, we will weave a tapestry of diverse experiences and perspectives. This collective effort aims to trace historical imprints on our landscapes and envision alternative futures. The culmination of this work will be showcased in an early 2025 capstone event, presenting a mosaic of discovered truths and shared dreams.
This initiative is more than a project; it is an invitation to a meeting place of past and present, a nexus where disparate histories and futures can intersect, crafting a relational landscape where the archive is not static but a dynamic arena for dialogue, discovery, and transformation. Here, we do not just look at the archive; we interact with it, breathe new life into it, and reshape our understanding of what was and what could be.
OBJECTIVES
Challenge and expand the meanings derived from the KTLA archives, interrogating how these narratives have been constructed and identifying what has been omitted. This involves a critical examination of how the moving image has shaped perceptions of Los Angeles and its communities, particularly those marginalized.
Interrogate and Reimagine Historical Narratives
Challenge and expand the meanings derived from the KTLA archives, interrogating how these narratives have been constructed and identifying what has been omitted. This involves a critical examination of how the moving image has shaped perceptions of Los Angeles and its communities, particularly those marginalized.
Interrogate and Reimagine Historical Narratives
Challenge and expand the meanings derived from the KTLA archives, interrogating how these narratives have been constructed and identifying what has been omitted. This involves a critical examination of how the moving image has shaped perceptions of Los Angeles and its communities, particularly those marginalized.
Interrogate and Reimagine Historical Narratives
Challenge and expand the meanings derived from the KTLA archives, interrogating how these narratives have been constructed and identifying what has been omitted. This involves a critical examination of how the moving image has shaped perceptions of Los Angeles and its communities, particularly those marginalized.
Interrogate and Reimagine Historical Narratives
Challenge and expand the meanings derived from the KTLA archives, interrogating how these narratives have been constructed and identifying what has been omitted. This involves a critical examination of how the moving image has shaped perceptions of Los Angeles and its communities, particularly those marginalized.
Interrogate and Reimagine Historical Narratives
Challenge and expand the meanings derived from the KTLA archives, interrogating how these narratives have been constructed and identifying what has been omitted. This involves a critical examination of how the moving image has shaped perceptions of Los Angeles and its communities, particularly those marginalized.
Interrogate and Reimagine Historical Narratives
LOCAL RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS
CREATIVE CULTURAL PRODUCERS
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND NON-PROFITS
COMMUNITY BUILDERS AND SOCIAL CONTENT CREATORS
FUNDERS AND SPONSORS
GENERAL PUBLIC AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS
ROADMAP
This initiative embarks on a journey to reclaim and reimagine the narratives within the KTLA archives, covering a pivotal period from 1965 to 1992. By gathering a collective of community members, cultural creators, and activists, we aim to construct a counter-broadcast that challenges dominant narratives and amplifies marginalized voices. The following roadmap outlines the stages that will guide us in achieving these goals: Groundwork, Community Broadcasts, and Capstone Activation.
Stage 1: Groundwork
In this foundational phase, we delve into the "trims and outs" of the KTLA archive, curating essential footage that reflects the initiative's core themes. We also begin building an online community and lay the groundwork for our planned activations. This stage sets the stage for everything that follows, establishing the content and connections necessary to drive our mission forward.
Stage 2: Community Broadcasts
Here, the initiative springs to life through a series of digital and physical gatherings. These events invite diverse communities to engage in conversations about their shared histories, challenging mainstream narratives and fostering collaboration. The connections and insights generated during this phase are crucial as we move toward the final stage.
Stage 3: Capstone Activation
The Capstone Activation is the culmination of our collective work. This public event will showcase the counter-broadcast we’ve crafted, bringing together reclaimed narratives and community-generated creative works. The centerpiece of the capstone will be a video installation by UCLA FTVA Artist-in-Residence and initiative director, Esteban Arellano, which will merge archival material with newly produced content. The event will also debut a digital capsule, a counter-archive that will preserve and showcase the collective’s work, ensuring its impact continues beyond the initiative’s first season.
Phase one:
Groundwork
Lay the foundational elements of the initiative by curating archival footage, building an online community, and initiating targeted outreach. This stage sets the stage for the development of the counter-broadcast and the public commons by collecting resources, gathering participants, and establishing communication channels.
Curate Archival Footage
Develop and launch a syllabus of KTLA footage that guides community discussions around the archival material and related topics.
REVIEW AND CURATE ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE
Syllabus Creation
Syllabus Launch
Build Online Community
Develop online platforms (e.g., Discord, social media) and initiate targeted outreach to bring in 50 active community members/contributors.
Platform Creation
Content Creation
Targeted Outreach
ACTIVATION CONTRIBUTIONS
Begin detailed planning for all community activations, both digital and physical, leading up to the capstone event.