AV Geeks show at Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies
- March 1, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
wildberry from Atlanta, Georgia
What Is It?
Themed shows of 16mm educational films regarded as obsolete and useless by the state and collected by AV Geeks founder Skip Elsheimer at school and government auctions. With more than 14,000 in his collection, they range from laugh-out-loud entertaining to excruciatingly boring to slightly offensive (due to changes in acceptable social/cultural stereotypes.) "Most people, even when they were in school and the films were supposed to be serious, thought they were funny," Elsheimer says, "because the messages were bad or outdated." The intimate auditorium is clean and comfortable with a diverse adult crowd, usually ranging from college age to retirees. Ironically, even thought the films were intended for school education, I would not recommend this activity for children.
When Is It?
AV Geeks usually have at least one show per month at Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies in Durham, NC. They tend to be on a Friday around 8pm. For information on upcoming shows and other show locations, visit www.avgeeks.com
Things To Know:
- Food and Drinks are allowed, and often a kind soul will bring enough to share.
- Skip often gives away several AVGeeks DVDs for answering obscure trivia questions about the movies in the show.
- The show is free, but there is a suggested donation of $3 per person.
Directions From Downtown Durham:
- Take Main Street toward Duke's East Campus. Go to the end of the campus wall and turn left at the traffic light onto Swift Avenue (which would be Broad Street if you turned right). Cross the railroad tracks and make an immediate left onto West Pettigrew Street. We are in the second complex on the right—two large white houses—just pass the red brick Hillcrest Convalescent Center. Parking is in the back.
From journal Things to do in Durham, NC