Future tasks on the project include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Collecting, editing, and uploading Russian librettos (synopses) for films produced in 1907—1916 (over 1000 texts in total).
2. Collecting, editing, and uploading librettos for pre-Soviet films published in Western periodicals.
3. Collecting, editing, and uploading reviews of pre-Soviet films published in Russian, American, and European sources.
4. Collecting, annotating, and uploading promotional stills and other images published in the periodicals (most Russian periodicals have already been searched through; however, the team has not worked on European and American periodicals that also contain information on pre-Soviet films yet).
5. Searching for images related to pre-Soviet films in the Western film museums and archives (for example, we know that substantial collections of promotional materials for Russian films could be found in the Cinémathèque Française and Danish Film Institute); collecting, annotating, and uploading these images.
6. Searching for images and texts related to pre-Soviet films in the Internet marketplace platforms such as eBay and private collections; collecting, annotating, and uploading these images and texts.
7. Collecting, transcribing, and uploading screenplays (when they are available).
8. Working closely on the English version of the database. Translating all the titles and filmographies.
9. Translating film librettos (synopses). In some cases, the database has several librettos for one film. In these cases, only one libretto will be translated for the sake of saving time.
10. Creating video clips for extant films, annotating and uploading them to the database.
11. Developing a scholarly blog on the database website. The blog is about to publish research notes focused on films, events, or people associated with the film industry of the Russian Empire.
12. Revising all the uploaded data, and discussing texts and images that arouse doubt with relevant experts. Certain database elements will need to be rearranged and deleted as it is always possible that the team members may upload images or texts related to the wrong films by mistake.
This database is a project that will always have space for extension and improvement. However, within a limited period of time, it is possible to bring it to shape that will allow users of different backgrounds to work with it effectively. If the database team may focus on the tasks mentioned above closely, in three years, Daydreams will become a database with rich and diverse content based on a wide range of sources that would be available both in English and in Russian.
Although the project has significant scholarly value in its current form, it needs to be developed further and improved. Above all, the database would benefit significantly from being introduced to a broader community of scholars. I think that the chance to participate in the Humanities Center’s work would help me to integrate the project into academic life and achieve two main current goals: 1) to expand, improve, and make the new database of pre-Soviet films more accessible, and 2) to develop the database scholarly blog. This blog will publish research notes focused on films, events, or people associated with the film industry of the Russian Empire. These blog posts will provide relevant context for the database materials and help users navigate them. To develop the new scholarly blog, I would need to know what other scholars find interesting in pre-Soviet cinema, and I would especially value the advice of colleagues who do not work in this field. Furthermore, working extensively on database expansion and the blog will help me focus more closely on my book, Pre-Soviet Screen. Myths and Reality. These goals will contribute to the Humanities Center’s 2025-25 annual theme “Fantasy” as the concept of dreams and aesthetics of silent cinema open a wide field for reflection on fantasy and imagination.
Potentially, this is a long-term project to be sustained by external grants. The Humanities Center Faculty Fellowship would give me a chance to cooperate with many colleagues I do not know yet, seek external funding, and craft new applications.