Blinken OSA Archivum
HU OSA 305-0-3 Black Box Media's Raw, Unedited Video
BookIconSeries Description
Context
Hierarchy
Statistics
Folders / Items in this series
Identity Statement
Title
Black Box Media's Raw, Unedited Video
Identity Statement
Date(s)
1988 - 1996
Identity Statement
Description Level
Series
Identity Statement
Extent and medium (estimated)
1212
Identity Statement
Extent and medium (processed)
148 DVD-ROM, 1.48 linear meters
16 VHS PAL, 0.4 linear meters
1053 Digital container, 1.05 linear meters
258 SVHS PAL, 6.45 linear meters
2 VHS-C PAL, 0.05 linear meters
Context
Name of creator(s)
Fekete Doboz Alapítvány
Context
Archival history

Original cassettes were digitized in 2019.

Content and structure
Scope and content (abstract)

The video collection consists of over three thousand hours of raw, unedited video footage. It was created by the independent media group Black Box between 1988 and 1996, methodically covering the years before, during and after the regime change in Hungary.

Content and structure
Scope and content (narrative)

The video collection consists of over three thousand hours of raw, unedited video footage. It was created by the independent media group Black Box between 1988 and 1996.

Black Box was methodically filming at all possible places to document the changes in Hungary. With hand-held VHS and S-VHS cameras, its crews were filming political, social and cultural events; meetings and protests for freedom and independence organized by the still unofficial opposition parties like the Alliance of Free Democrats [SZDSZ] or the Alliance of Young Democrats [FIDESZ]; repressed church gatherings; formation of new parties and trade unions, independent from the communist state's cultural and political civil organizations.

A substantial amount of the Black Box footage document the waves of mass protest against the construction of the hydroelectric power plants at Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros. The anti-power plant demonstrations of 1988-1989, organized by Duna Kör (Danube Circle) attracted thousands of civilians. This is the first and biggest environmental protection issue-related mass movement in Hungary. The protests lead to the abortion of the construction of the dam at Nagymaros, close to Visegrád, today a UNESCO world heritage site – and triggered the regime change in Hungary.

This uncensored Black Box video collection constitutes an unprecedented audio-visual record of the transition from a communist party state to a pluralist and democratic Hungary. The video material, which is only available at the Open Society Archives [OSA], is a unique source of information for historians, sociologists, environmental studies students, political science experts, media researchers, just as for media artists and students.


Content and structure
Accruals
Expected
Conditions of access and use
Conditions governing access
Not Restricted
Conditions of access and use
Conditions governing reproduction
Third party rights are to be cleared.
Conditions of access and use
Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Fragile, over 20 years old VHS and S-VHS analogue video recordings in single copies. Digital set is available.

Notes
The processing of the material is done in chronological order. As of February 2015 year 1988 is completed and the finding aid is published on OSA web.
HU OSA 305-0-3 Black Box Media's Raw, Unedited Video
BookIconSeries Description
Context
Hierarchy
Statistics
Folders / Items
Identity Statement
Title
Black Box Media's Raw, Unedited Video
Identity Statement
Date(s)
1988 - 1996
Identity Statement
Description Level
Series
Identity Statement
Extent and medium (estimated)
1212
Identity Statement
Extent and medium (processed)
148 DVD-ROM, 1.48 linear meters
16 VHS PAL, 0.4 linear meters
1053 Digital container, 1.05 linear meters
258 SVHS PAL, 6.45 linear meters
2 VHS-C PAL, 0.05 linear meters
Context
Name of creator(s)
Fekete Doboz Alapítvány
Context
Archival history

Original cassettes were digitized in 2019.

Content and structure
Scope and content (abstract)

The video collection consists of over three thousand hours of raw, unedited video footage. It was created by the independent media group Black Box between 1988 and 1996, methodically covering the years before, during and after the regime change in Hungary.

Content and structure
Scope and content (narrative)

The video collection consists of over three thousand hours of raw, unedited video footage. It was created by the independent media group Black Box between 1988 and 1996.

Black Box was methodically filming at all possible places to document the changes in Hungary. With hand-held VHS and S-VHS cameras, its crews were filming political, social and cultural events; meetings and protests for freedom and independence organized by the still unofficial opposition parties like the Alliance of Free Democrats [SZDSZ] or the Alliance of Young Democrats [FIDESZ]; repressed church gatherings; formation of new parties and trade unions, independent from the communist state's cultural and political civil organizations.

A substantial amount of the Black Box footage document the waves of mass protest against the construction of the hydroelectric power plants at Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros. The anti-power plant demonstrations of 1988-1989, organized by Duna Kör (Danube Circle) attracted thousands of civilians. This is the first and biggest environmental protection issue-related mass movement in Hungary. The protests lead to the abortion of the construction of the dam at Nagymaros, close to Visegrád, today a UNESCO world heritage site – and triggered the regime change in Hungary.

This uncensored Black Box video collection constitutes an unprecedented audio-visual record of the transition from a communist party state to a pluralist and democratic Hungary. The video material, which is only available at the Open Society Archives [OSA], is a unique source of information for historians, sociologists, environmental studies students, political science experts, media researchers, just as for media artists and students.


Content and structure
Accruals
Expected
Conditions of access and use
Conditions governing access
Not Restricted
Conditions of access and use
Conditions governing reproduction
Third party rights are to be cleared.
Conditions of access and use
Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Fragile, over 20 years old VHS and S-VHS analogue video recordings in single copies. Digital set is available.

Notes
The processing of the material is done in chronological order. As of February 2015 year 1988 is completed and the finding aid is published on OSA web.