Objectivist History to be Preserved in a New Video Series
2/1/2004: First hand accounts of the birth and development of Objectivism will be permanently preserved on video thanks to an ambitious new venture, The Objectivist History Project. The Objectivist Center has formed an agreement with television producer Duncan Scott to conduct videotape interviews with key individuals who worked with Ayn Rand in the development of Objectivism. The interviews will be archived at The Objectivist Center and made available for scholarly study. In addition, Scott plans to license selected excerpts for documentaries, educational videos, and news journalism features.
"What's so exciting about this is that the interviews will be both an invaluable historical resource—like a time capsule—and also a powerful tool in promoting the concepts of rational individualism in the media and in raising the profile of Objectivism in the consciousness of the general public," said Scott, president of television and film company, Duncan Scott Productions, Inc. Scott foresees the day that Objectivism will be far more recognized than it is today, with increased interest in how the philosophy was created. "Today, with modern video technology, we can easily record first-hand accounts by the actual participants. But there is a real urgency. As time goes by, the chance to interview these 'founding fathers' will eventually slip away."
David Kelley, executive director of The Objectivist Center, pointed out the consequences of failing to establish such a record. "The contributions and insights of many of these individuals have gone unrecognized in so-called 'official' histories of Objectivism. Left unchallenged, such incomplete or distorted accounts could eventually be accepted as fact."
The Objectivist Center has established a special fund to support the Objectivist History Project. TOC plans to provide advance copies of the video interviews to major funders. For additional details about becoming a funder of the Objectivist History Project Fund, contact us at (800) 374-1776 or e-mail TAS at Atlas Society -dot- org.