• State: published

The Adam Beckett Project



Adam K. Beckett
b. 1950, Los Angeles, CA
d. 1979, Val Verde, CA


Biography
Filmography
Screenings


Film Screening and Panel

Infinite Animation: The Work of Adam Beckett
August 17, 2009, 8pm
Linwood Dunn Theater, Hollywood


Adam Beckett left an indelible mark on the world of animation and experimental filmmaking during his brief but noteworthy career. To ensure Beckett’s legacy, the iotaCenter has initiated the Adam Beckett Project to preserve his films and to support research on his life's work.


Ever since Adam Beckett’s family placed his film material on deposit with iota in 2004, Mark Toscano and Amy Sloper of The Academy Film Archive (left) have been inventorying and inspecting the collection, and preparing the films for preservation. In April 2006, iota was awarded a preservation grant by the NFPF for five of the titles and the lab work began.


At the same time, Pamela Turner, associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of the Arts, continued her biographical research on Beckett, interviewing everyone she could locate who knew him, including his mother, Julianne Gilliam (left). Turner has also examined hundreds of Beckett's surviving sketches, prints, and drawings as she continues to document Beckett’s career.

All of this effort culminated in a retrospective of Beckett’s work at The National Gallery of Art on August 26th, 2006. Professor Turner introduced the program and presented some of the images she had unearthed from her years of research.

This retrospective screened in Los Angeles for the first time on Sunday, October 8th, 2006, at the REDCAT as part of a series of highlights from MoMA’s“Tomorrowland” show.
Ms. Turner again introduced the program. Since LA is Beckett’s hometown and home to Calarts, many of his friends and family members were in attendance.



As of September 2006, the National Film Preservation Fund has awarded iota a grant for the preservation of two more Beckett film titles, “Early Animations or Quacked Jokes” and “Dear Janice." Additionally, Beckett’s Family has converted their deposit of his material into a donation to the iota archive. This will insure their continued protection and availability, ultimately enabling a release of the work on DVD.


The iotaCenter actively continues the Adam Beckett Project as we add more articles to the website, preserve more films, and digitize more artwork. Please join us in working to protect and sustain Beckett's legacy. You can contribute to this effort with a donation to iota's Adam Beckett Project. If you would like your donation to go towards a specific area of the project, please write us with details at info@iotacenter.org and reference your donation.

Donations can be made through Paypal:



or mailed to:

The iotaCenter
10401-106 Venice Blvd #330
Los Angeles, CA 90034
310-842-8704

Please make checks payable to The iotaCenter

The iotaCenter is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.

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