It is certainly gratifying and flattering that people have enjoyed this
slide show so much that they would like it available on loan, but really, I
don't
think it is feasible.
Tamara threw out the figure of $300 for copying slides of my talk. Actually
this is a figure that represents what it would cost if I went to a photo store
and had them copy the roughly 300 slides in the show. In reality, it could
not be done. When you photograph in a museum you sign papers to the effect
that you will not publish any images of a museum object without permission
from
the curator. You are also not supposed to duplicate slides purchased from a
museum, such as the Cooper-Hewitt which sells slides for $10/piece. (Therefore
a slide show of Cooper-Hewitt slides numbering 300 would cost $3,000 to buy
and someone would have to write a script tying them together.)
When we publish a picture in the IOLI Bulletin, we have filled out forms in
triplicate telling the exact nature of the publication, its circulation, the
name of the article, etc. and are given permission only for this purpose.
There is frequently a charge, especially for images from the museum, which
sells
only 8 x 10's. The charge in the past for the use of these images is usually
$18 because our organization is characterized as scholarly, non-profit the
lowest tier of expense. When I gave my class at the convention I obtained a
digital image from a museum in York, England which they very kindly
transmitted for free when I explained the purpose, but I had to fill out forms
in
triplicate, again, first faxing, then following up with a hard copy sent
overseas. As I recall, I had to tell them how many people would be in the room
when
the image was projected on a screen.
Giving a slide talk seems to be a bit of a loop-hole in the entire
publishing/copyright area, since the projection of an evanescent image is not
considered to be publication. Things become much murkier when you start
duplicating
the show for others to give.
I suppose that it is not impossible that if I wanted to spend a year writing
letters for permission to duplicate my slides and buying individual slides
from museums, it would be possible to put together such a show for the IOLI
library. I seriously doubt that the IOLI would offer to pay for the slide
duplication and purchases which would run into many hundreds of dollars. They
run
a very tight ship at the IOLI. But let me indulge in a moment of vanity and
suggest that, even if it were possible, it would not be the same show. I
actually practice the entire show at least seven times before each
performance
to try to get the timing down. For those who have not seen it, there are
sometimes as many as seven slides shown during one sentence and there is some
variation in the talk as well.
The economics of putting together such a slide show may be of interest.
Although no one writes a lace slide show with the idea of getting rich and
within
our lace organizations it is very much a matter of making fun for each other
that inspires us, it actually cost me $1000 in film purchases and processing
to do the photography for the show. You take many more slides than you use.
I also bought a new lens for $500. And then there were the expenses of doing
the research. It costs at least $30 just to go into New York and back. I
estimate that in total, it cost at least $2000 to do this bit of creative
whimsy.
It was enjoyable and a challenge, and although my husband and I never
imagined it would be so expensive to do this show, we chalked it up to the
expenses
associated with my hobby. (Actually, for that much money, you might think it
ought to be a better show.) I am sure the price paid by officers of the IOLI
and those who plan conventions comes in higher than that in their personal
finances.
Last year I handed my accountant only the film and processing charges
($1000) and told him I thought we should write some of them off each time I
gave
the talk, figuring that if at least I didn't have to pay tax on the speaking
fees, usually $125 per performance in the lace world, that would be
advantageous. Blithely, he declared he would write it off against other income
and claim
my fees in later years as income. Even though I tried to caution him about
not being too optimistic about future income, he did this. I had heard certain
things about hobby farms and how you have to occasionally make some income
on something to write off the expenses and was a little leery about this.
But, hey, he's the professional, and he thought it was the right thing to do.
When I went to pick up my finished taxes, my blood ran cold when he waived
good-bye with the cheery admonition, Try to generate some income on that slide
show!
Well, this has become a bit of a running joke around our household, as you
may imagine, as we hypothesize that I may be the
