Small-Gauge and Amateur Film Bibliography

Authors: Margaret A. Compton, Katie Trainor, Karan Sheldon, Dwight Swanson, William O’Farrell
Published in: Film History, Vol. 15, No. 2, Small-Gauge and Amateur Film (2003), pp. 252–271
JSTOR: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3815516

This extensive bibliography compiled by Compton, Trainor, Sheldon, Swanson, and O’Farrell catalogs a wide range of small-gauge and amateur film resources with academic, archival, and cultural relevance. The list includes television, video, and film projects that have historically been produced or circulated outside of commercial Hollywood systems — many of which intersect with education, activism, and community storytelling.

Among the works cited is The Kids of Degrassi Street, the original series that laid the foundation for the Degrassi franchise. Its inclusion reflects the series’ significance as a youth-driven, independently styled media project that aligned with the educational and realist aims of amateur and small-gauge film traditions. This early Degrassi entry, with its cast of young non-actors and focus on authentic, urban Canadian childhood experiences, is recognized here for its cultural and pedagogical value.

The bibliography serves as a resource for scholars, archivists, and educators interested in locating and preserving underrepresented moving-image media. By placing The Kids of Degrassi Street in this broader conversation, the article helps position the series not just as children’s entertainment, but as an important piece of media history worth scholarly attention and preservation.