Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Textual
7.48 Linear meters
17 published books
Film
10 reels - 35mm film
173 reels – 35mm magnetic soundtrack (either 3trk master or 4trk master)
454 reels – 16mm A/B rolls
125 reels – optical soundtrack
1 reel - 16mm reversal
Audio
3 open reels : 2 in. multitrack ; audio
26 open reels : ½ in. ; audio
37 audio cassettes : DAT
Video
295 open reels : I in. ; video (all video masters)
58 video cassettes : D1 (all video masters)
48 video cassettes : D2 (all video masters)
631 video cassettes : BetcamSP (all raw footage)
757 video cassettes : Digital Betacam (all raw footage)
125 video cassettes : ¾ in. U-Matic
79 video cassettes : VHS
Graphics
10 – Original storyboards
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
John Stoneman was a Canadian underwater filmmaker and conservationist. His career spans four decades, and has garnered many awards.
Stoneman was born in 1939 in Devonshire, England. His first step into film was with Pinewood Studios in 1957, then in 1963 he joined BBC as a director/cinematographer for the underwater documentary film The Indian Ocean. His career continued as a second unit action director on documentaries.
In 1971 Stoneman went to Canada to take a job as an assistant director. While there, he met CBC’s John Hirsch, and Stoneman’s future wife Sarah. It was she who helped convince Stoneman to stay in Canada. Together they created the production company Mako Films Ltd.
Mako Films created material for National Geographic, BBC, PBS, while also doing independent work. Stoneman’s career continued to grow, directing the first IMAX underwater film Nomads of the Deep (1979). One of his biggest successes was the CTV series The Last Frontier, with over 100 episodes. He later worked with CBC for the production of The Ocean World of John Stoneman: The Canadian Odyssey. Due to his long career, Stoneman’s library of underwater footage is extensive. He and his wife were also the founders of the Foundation for Ocean Research which recognized work in marine environment and ran from 1975-2004.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated to the archive by Judit Gladman after purchasing the material from Stoneman.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The collection contains a wide variety of moving image archival material. The collection consists of 16mm, 35mm, 1”, 2”, ¼”, D1, D2, Digital Betacam, Betacam SP, U-Matic, DAT, VHS, DVD. The film present represents all stages of the production process: inter positive, masters, dubs of masters, mixing elements, dup negatives, optical tracks, and rushes. The various cassettes also offer a similar look into production, with both raw and master tapes.
The textual material consists of scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings, publication materials, and other ephemera. There are also posters, slides, and photographic prints present in the collection.
Titles include, but are not limited to:
Dive to the Centre of the Earth
CLONE – Max
Florida a State of Caring
Of Eagles and Giants
Shark Dive
Against the Clock, Rhapsody In Red
The Dangerous Sea
Ghost Ships
I must Go Down to the Sea
Cave Dwellers
In High Society
Inner Space
Shark Hunters
The Poisoned Cup
The Other Eaden
Beneath Frozen Seas
Beneath Coral Seas
Sea of Dreams
Cave Dwellers
Seamount
Reflections in the Golden Seas
Lost Warrior
Hunted Lake
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Preservation concerns may limit access, consult archivist.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Contact archivist for further finding aid information.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Dates of creation revision deletion
Created September 9, 2019 by Elizabeth Carroll.