Northeast Historic Film, an independent nonprofit organization founded in 1986 in Bucksport ME to preserve and make available moving images of interest to the people of northern New England, is offering its 2011 William O’Farrell Fellowship, which is awarded to an individual engaged in research towards a publication, production, or presentation based on moving-image history and culture, particularly amateur and nontheatrical film. The fellowship honors the legacy of Canadian film archivist William O’Farrell (1954-2008), a long time advocate for amateur and nontheatrical film collections who worked as Chief of  Moving Image and Audio Conservation of the Archives of Canada, and longtime supporter of NHF.

The fellowship supports a month’s study in NHF’s collections and awardees must commit a minimum of two weeks to research in residency at NHF. The fellowhip is open to researchers from all academic disciplines, and may be current graduate students or faculty or staff members, archive professionals, film producers, or independent scholars. They must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals with appropriate visas. The fellowship award is made on the basis of the applicant’s experience, the significance of the project, and the appropriateness of the research to NHF collections.

The fellowship includes a stipend of $1,500, staff support with access to NHF collection and related databases, use of film and videotape viewing facilities, up to 8 hours of transfer and/or editing services, office space, and other assistance, but not housing, although NHF staff can assist the fellow in finding lodging.

The fellowship can be began any time after April 4 2011 and must be completed by October 31 2011. The fellow is required to produce an 800 – 1,200 word journalistic article describing activities and findings for publication by NHF.

Application details (deadline January 18 2011) are online.  The fellowship will be awarded on or before April 4 2011.