General Information

Serial #

B 64 5541 H

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Metal body and components with a synthetic lid and electrical parts.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

37.0 cm

Width

25.0 cm

Height

21.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Communications

Category

Sound

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

KUDELSKI

Country

Switzerland

State/Province

Vaud

City

Paudex

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Quebec

Period

Used in mid-late 1960's.

Canada

For decades after its founding in 1941 the National Film Board was Canada’s largest centre for the production of films, the training of filmmakers, and the development of new film technology. Unlike the CBC, much of whose production was broadcast live, recorded on video tape, purchased from other sources, or limited to ephemeral news films, the NFB was dedicated to the production of original films for exhibition largely in the film medium. Due to its freedom from commercial pressures, its large permanent staff and its possession of its own studios and laboratories, the NFB was able to maintain high technical standards and encourage technical and stylistic innovation by its staff. From the early 1950s through the early 1960s, the National Film Board enjoyed a "golden age" with a string of award-winning documentaries and innovative animated films. Expo 67 and the NFB's showcase Labyrinth pavilion marked the apogee of the institution's political and financial fortunes. By the end of the 1960s, however, there was growing public and political disenchantment with the NFB over unsuccessful forays into feature films, a number of controversial documentaries and a decline in its output of educational and sponsored factual films. Over the next two decades, the federal government promoted the development of a commercial film industry by taking away the NFB's lucrative sponsored work (done for government departments) and providing grants and tax incentives for privately produced feature films. Henceforth the Board would increasingly limit itself to research and experimentation, the training of young filmmakers, and provision of technical and distribution services for independent producers. Board staff produced a steady supply of award-winning documentaries, dramas and animated films through the 1970s and 1980s, yet its role within the Canadian film landscape was steadily diminishing. In the last two decades, it has sharpened its focus on “social issue documentaries, auteur animation and alternative dramas” and has brought its distribution system into the digital age. Increasingly, its films are realized through a diverse range of community-based projects, programs for emerging filmmakers, and joint productions with independent producers and directors.

Function

Generally used to record and play back audio signals on magnetic tape. This example was modified from two monophonic recorders to be able to record in stereo.

Technical

This consists of a Kudelski Nagra III tape recorder modified at the NFB to record stereophonic sound for the films shown in its Labyrinth pavilion at Expo ’67. Conventional multi-track equipment was too bulky for the remote location shooting required for these films. NFB personnel converted a monophonic Nagra by installing stereo recording and playback heads and attaching a second Nagra machine stripped of its tape transport in order to use its amplifiers, metering circuits and monitoring facilities for the second track.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

On the proper front of top unit: "NAGRA III No B 64 5541 H/ KUDLESKI PAUDEX VAUD SUISSE/AUTOMATIC/ RECORD/ Hi-Fi RECORD/ TEST/ STOP/ PLAYBACK/ & BATT.METER/ Hi-Fi PLAYBACK/ EXT/ BAT/ B A/ MIKE INPUT/ MICRO/ LINE INPUT/ & PLAYBACK/ MONITORING/ OUTPUT"/ Proper front of bottom unit same except for: "NAGRA III No B 64 5594 H"/ On proper left (both units): "LINE/ 100 k[Ohm]/ INPUT/ 0,5 V/ BALANCED/ OUTPUT/ 4,4 V/ 600 [Ohm]"/ Next to black and red ports on proper left: "EXT. SPKS./ L./ R./ Two plates on proper left: "NFB A 19026 ONF"/ "NFB A 19027 ONF"/ On proper right (both units): "15"/ 7.5"/ CCIR/ 7.5"/ NAB/ 3.75"/ TAPE SPEED/ 50-200 [Ohm]/ BALANCED/ MIKE INPUT"/ On the proper top: "KUDELSKI/ NAGRA III/ SWISS MADE/ KUDELSKI PRILLY-LAUSANNE SUISSE"/ On red label on top: "USE.206 FROM.3M"/ Label on proper back: "LABYRINTHE/ EXPO67/ 0195"/

Missing

Unknown

Finish

Predominantly grey and silver-coloured metal with black plates bearing silver-coloured markings.

Decoration

N/A