Welcome to Oddball

Oddball Film+Video is a unique stock footage company specializing in offbeat footage. We have an amazing collection of rare, entertaining, eclectic and eye-opening subjects, as well as classic archival, historical and contemporary clips to support your project. Our images have been used in feature films, broadcast television, music video, industrials and multimedia projects across the globe.

History

San Francisco avant-garde film and video producer, Stephen Parr, founder of Oddball has a long history in presenting and archiving the unusual. In addition to promoting outrageous local theater, Parr produced and videotaped live performance in the seventies, including John Cage, Karen Finley and The Ramones. In the eighties, he screened his signature pop culture montages in venues across the U. S. and Europe; from the Danceteria in New York to Moscow Cinematheque, Parr's burlesque dancers and female contortionists gyrated over teeming tornadoes and atomic disasters. In 1984, "Blade Runner" director Ridley Scott was shooting in San Francisco. He looked up Parr, who supplied him with the quirky footage he needed. Requests began to come in from ABC News, Sega, Levi Strauss & Co; Oddball images even appeared on karaoke laser discs in Japan. Few, if any, comprehensive resources for offbeat footage existed at that time. Out of this need, Oddball Film and Video was born. Since then, Oddball has expanded it's holdings into archival and contemporary footage, while providing footage for thousands of projects from across the globe. From Silicon Valley to Paris, from satellite television to independent films, Oddball continues to be the definitive source for eclectic images in all media.

Staff

Oddball's approach is unique in the stock footage industry. Our extensive archive is founded on a historical knowledge of film culture, as well as an intimate relationship with artistic creation and production. The staff at Oddball Film +Video draws on an international mix of film researchers, historians, preservationists, technicians and editors who all share a love of film and an acute sense of the visual elements that articulate an idea. Our staff works in tandem with our clients to visualize concepts, research requests no matter how way-out and, if necessary, rush out footage to producers whose deadline was "yesterday". Oddball's "cinematic think tank" approach provides a comprehensive, creative service for media based professionals.

Profile: Director Stephen Parr

San Francisco avant-garde film and video producer, Stephen Parr, founder of Oddball has a long history in presenting and archiving the unusual. In addition to promoting outrageous local theater, Parr produced and videotaped live performance in the seventies, including John Cage, Karen Finley and The Ramones. In the eighties, he screened his signature pop culture montages in venues across the U. S. and Europe; from the Danceteria in New York to Moscow Cinematheque, Parr's burlesque dancers and female contortionists gyrated over teeming tornadoes and atomic disasters. Combining his skills as a producer with his ability to procure film and video representative of an atmosphere, event or an era, Parr moved into the realm of stock footage. Director Stephen Parr has an uncanny ability to translate artistic concepts into specific visual images, as well as a comprehensive knowledge of film and video production. His background as an artist, editor, producer and promoter, create a focused, valuable archive of ideas and films, bringing a unique perspective to the realm of stock footage.

Employment

Oddball is currently searching for focused, self-directed independent contractors for employment within our company. Our innovative working environment is challenging, yet creative. We're looking for visually oriented individuals with a thorough understanding of film and video, including system configuration, trouble shooting and time code. An interest in historical and contemporary stock footage as well as cinema history is useful. All applicants should be computer Mac literate, preferably with an understanding of Filemaker Pro and have good communication and organizational skills necessary for client interaction via phone and email.

Internships

Oddball offers full and part-time internships to selected students and media oriented individuals. Internships involve researching archival footage, entering and maintaining our film and video database. Interns also perform film to videotape transfers, log film and video subject descriptions, edit preview reels. Technical, organizational and client oriented duties are also a part of this comprehensive training.

Applicants requesting an internship should have a basic knowledge of Mac based computers, film and video equipment and operations and be willing to commit at least 40 hours or more per month. Internships are an excellent opportunity to acquire the skills necessary to gain eventual employment with Oddball.

All applicants are asked to fax, email or mail a letter of intent expressing their interest and skills offered as well as a resume specifying which position they are applying for to Human Resources, Oddball Film+Video, 275 Capp Street, San Francisco, Ca 94110 fax 415.863.9771 or mail to human_resources@oddballfilm.com.

Oddball Services

Stock Footage Services

What we offer
We license stock footage in a variety of genres as well as provide research services.

Licensing Footage

What to do
Contact us with your request. After you have reviewed our rate sheet and signed a preview agreement, we'll send you a customized tape of the material you need for your project. The price for this tape will vary depending on our research and compilation time. Once you have viewed the time-coded window dub tape select the shots you want on the Preview Shot Log form.

We'll send you a license agreement incorporating your shots and all the pertinent details. We'll then deliver the shots to you in any format you require. At the conclusion of your project, return the tape masters and a copy of your completed project to us. We'll deduct the cost of the preview reel and send you the refund.

Research

Some projects may require additional research in our archives. Should that be necessary we'll notify you at the time you place your request and quote you a rate based on the work involved. Oddball also provides research and acquisition services for all types of projects. Please contact us with your specific project requirements.

Policies

Payment

All Oddball Film+Video rates are COD. Payment is expected at the time preview and master tapes are delivered. Footage will be released only upon full payment of licensing fees unless otherwise arranged. All sales are final and non-refundable.

Shipping

All tape shipping and messenger costs shall be born by the client, normally billed collect to the client's courier account.

Other Conditions

To prevent wear on the archival master, once master footage has been duplicated, the client must pay for all selections regardless of whether they are used in the final production. Stock footage furnished by Oddball Film+Video is authorized for use in the production specified on the agreement and that one production only. It may not be sold, rented, reused or recut into any other production. Footage furnished by this archive is not purchased, but rather license rights are granted to the client on a limited basis.

All preview tapes and masters remain the property of Oddball Film+Video and must be returned upon completion of the project along with a copy of the completed project tape. Should footage not be returned within one week after the date of use, the client will be liable for the full amount of the footage ordered. Preview fees will be refunded to clients licensing footage upon return of the master tapes and a copy of the completed project.

Clients

ABC News
Walt Disney Pictures
The Cartoon Network
Levi Strauss & Co
Silicon Graphics
Sun Microsystems
Ridley Scott Associates
Pacific Bell
Macy's
Wolfe Doyle Advertising
Ketchum Communications
DDB Needham Worldwide
Intel
ICV International
Event Technologies
Applied Materials
Total Video
FAD Magazine
Oracle
Novell Corporation
Hypermedia
WGBH TV
The Kenwood Group
Squat Films
Syd and Rodney
Thanks a Million!
The Institute For the Study of the Product
Kaboom!
Motley CrÜe
MC Kofy Brown
H2O Media
Kiss

Demo Reels

Oddball's demo reel is a high velocity profile of our offbeat and historic footage and is offered free of charge to qualified media professionals. Please fax your request on company stationary to 415-558-8116 or email your request to info@oddballfilm.com.

If you would like a reel of specific images to view for use in your project, call us. We'll put together a preview reel you can view and incorporate into your offline edit. Prices vary depending on the complexity of your request. These fees are usually deductible from any footage you may license from us.

Wilderness Video's Award Winning Footage Now Available

Oddball Film+Video is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of Wilderness Video's contemporary nature and time lapse footage to its archives.

Wilderness Video, the 14 year old Telly award winning California company is noted for their pristine collection of scenic nature and wildlife footage shot on location in national parks and remote wilderness areas across the United States.

The Wilderness Video collection includes material ranging from the spectacular California coastlines and hidden waterfalls of Big Sur to the vast spaciousness of Colorado's Grand Canyon. From breathtaking aerials to the remarkable close-up shots all the natural wonders of each location is expertly shot and framed. In addition to the wide variety of natural occurring phenomenon such as lightning storms, rainbows, sunrises and sunsets the collection includes an extensive variety of time lapse visuals from billowing clouds to flowering plants.

The range of scenics is vast, owing to the beauty, diversity and magnitude of the locations. The Grand Canyon footage for example is culled from over 15,000 hours of location footage.

So the next time your project calls for scenic or time lapse shots consider the Wilderness Video Collection at Oddball Film+Video as your primary source.

Educational, industrial and instuctional films have shaped the way we view our world. Their exhibition and preservation helps us preserve our collective history. Oddball Film+Video is committed to providing resources for producers, imagemakers and archivists working in film, videotape and media based culture. From time to time we will publish essays on film and video preservation from knowledgable authorities in the field on such diverse issues as restoration, repair and care of film and newly emerging media. Oddball's film exhibition series will present films from the Oddball archives curated by notable filmmakers, historians and researchers. Other pertinent public events and seminars related to film archiving are contained on our events page. Oddball will also provide links to national and international organizations dedicated to preserving, exploring and exhibiting films. We welcome your input and correspondence.

Links

http://www.filmpreservation.org/
National Film Preservation Foundation

http://www.afionline.org/
American Film Institute

http://lcweb.loc.gov/film/
National Film Preservation Board

http://www.amianet.org/
AAMIA Association of Moving Image Archivists

Oddball Film + Video

275 Capp Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Fax: 415.558.8112
Telephone: 415.558.8112

General Infomation:info@oddballfilm.com