Call for Applicants: Japan Past & Present Japanese Paper Film Database Concept Development Team

Japan Past & Present invites applications for a short-term (2-month) team to help refine the concept for a database of Japanese paper films (紙フィルム / kami firumu) digitized as part of the Japanese Paper Film Project, based at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. The project team has used a specially designed scanner and bespoke software to scan and reanimate over 200 Japanese paper films in the collections of several museums, film archives, and collectors based in Japan.

The Paper Film Database is envisioned as an open-access digital resource both for the general public and for scholars and students interested in early Japanese cinema and Japanese paper films in particular. The database would potentially include bibliographic information on each film, the digitized film or selected clips, images of assets related to each film, plus a short essay contextualizing the film.

This team’s goal will be to:

identify and evaluate existing databases that might serve as models.
consider what elements might be included in a user interface for searching, sorting, and viewing materials in the database, including video, stills, and audio accompaniment.
recommend strategies and best practices for future data acquisition and creation
recommend strategies for long-term maintenance and integration into future JPP projects.
draft a proposal addressing these issues with recommendations for implementation on the JPP website with reference to functionality, structure, features, content, and any other relevant information.

We welcome applications from people from all sorts of backgrounds, and who are based anywhere around the world. Please see below for details. For more information on the Japan Past & Present project, please read our mission statement .

Japanese Paper Film Database Concept Development Team (4-5 people)

Term: 2 months (February 15, 2025 - April 15, 2025)
Location: Remote (via Zoom)
Commitment: est. 2-3 hrs/week
Compensation: $30 USD/hour*

*Variations in compensation may apply depending on laws or regulations pertaining to an applicant’s individual circumstances or institutional rules or requirements.

**Established scholars who expect to be compensated indirectly by an employer for work of this sort, or who do not feel the need to be paid, may choose to have the funds they would otherwise be provided redirected to support other JPP projects.

Eligibility:

MA degree or equivalent (minimum)
scholars in the Japanese humanities of all disciplines, specializations, and career stages are invited to apply
individuals who have served on a JPP project team within the last two years are not eligible to apply

Requirements:

a working knowledge of/proficiency in Japanese
an interest or expertise in Japanese film
familiarity with database resources relevant to Japan Studies
digital search and organizational skills
good communication skills (particularly as part of a team)
ability to work in a bilingual environment (English/Japanese)
responsiveness to electronic communication

Application Deadline:

January 15, 2025, 8:00PM PT・January 16, 2025, 1:00PM JT

Application Requirements:

Form: https://forms.gle/TorQqQBk8hd6dsnR9
CV (max 3 pages), emailed to emailed to admin@japanpastandpresent.org

We look forward to reviewing your applications!