Eric Grayson, Film Historian

You can expect to see vintage and rare films with real film projectors, introduced with an eye toward educating the audience in an entertaining way, with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and stories about the stars. Expect a bias toward the rare and not-on-video, things that make good events for fundraisers. Many people like to run silent films with live accompaniment, which I do often with the assistance of a pianist.

Eric Grayson has a background as an Electrical Engineer, but today does film history, including restoration and transfer work. He's done commentary tracks for major DVD releases and has tackled small releases like Little Orphant Annie (1918) and the Milan High School films, things that no one else would do. His specialty is early motion pictures up through the middle 1930s, but he has a vast collection of rare films used by many archives and film conventions.

Need at least 25 feet for a good throw, with good single phase power. For outdoor shows I must be close to an outlet. I can supply a six foot screen, but for larger applications you may need a sheet or larger screen.

I specialize in public domain (uncopyrighted) films, but if you want to run a more famous title with copyright, I can usually help. This may require paying a royalty to the copyright owner, which is a fee I cannot control. Royalties must be paid even if you are a non-profit. In the case of libraries with a public performance license, your license probably covers the film, but we need to check.