Filmmakers and creatives—TAMIS invites you to reimagine East Tennessee history through its new Remix the Past film contest.
Receive licensed access to selected archival footage spanning more than a century and remix it however you choose to capture our theme—colorize, alter the speed, add sound, or create original dialogue and music. Select submissions will screen at the East Tennessee History Fair on August X 2026 at the Tennessee Theatre.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
The contest theme, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," honors the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Artists are encouraged to be creative in their interpretation of the theme!
Submission deadline: July 15, 2026
What do I need to know?
Submissions to the contest must not exceed 3 minutes in length. There are two categories: 2-3 minutes and 30 seconds. You may submit up to one video per category.
a. Submissions will be sent via this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/mvROEUvY9kDTl0WQ3mKw
b. File type: Submissions must be uploaded as an .mp4 or .mov file with a minimum resolution of 1080p (1920x1080) for maximum capability. Entries must not exceed 2 GB. The recommended video codec is H.264.
c. File naming: Please include your name in the submission so we can check for your name on the registration list. File names must follow the convention: [LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_PROJECT-TITLE], with brackets removed (e.g. Winfree_Janine_250-Years-of-Freedom.mov).
Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges consisting both of Knox County Library employees and people with experience in video production or archives. This panel will evaluate submissions based on the following criteria (for a total possible 50 points):
a. Remix & Transformation (15 pts): How much did the submission actually transform the footage? Editing processes such as masking, speed variation, colorization, or layering should be evident.
b. Theme (15 pts): Does the submission reflect the theme of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness?” Connection to the theme can be evident in the work itself or in an explanatory submission alongside the work.
c. Aesthetic & Creativity (10 pts): Is the remix visually engaging and professionally executed? Does it show exceptional creative transformation of the archival material?
d. Sound Design (5 pts): How does the sound connect with the visual material? Does it elevate the video transformation?
e. TAMIS Material (5 pts): Does the project primarily consist of TAMIS material? The more TAMIS material used, the higher the project will be rated.
f. Judges will evaluate submissions using these guidelines to select three winners. Three prizes will be awarded: $500 for the best 2-3 minute submission, $150 for the best 30 second submission, and $250 for a judge’s choice award.
Participating in this contest requires a $25 submission fee. This fee is paid to the Friends of the Knox County Public Library to support TAMIS. Paying this fee does not guarantee inclusion in the public screening, as time constraints may not allow all submissions to be screened. TAMIS will notify you of your inclusion in the screening. The public screening will take place on August 15, 2026.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) software to enhance or edit this material is discouraged, as uploading TAMIS files to AI databases could be a potential violation of copyright.
4. To commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, the theme for this contest is “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Submissions must relate to this theme in some way. This theme is broad, and artists are encouraged to be creative with how they engage with the topic! Here are some examples:
a. Life: how life has changed between the past and present, the human life cycle (childhood and aging), unexpected human moments in archival material, how we as humans engage with the world around us
b. Liberty: the struggle for freedom, how Americans fight for their rights, how technology has advanced society (for example, how cars and planes freed humans to travel longer distances, or how labor-saving devices like washing machines allow for more time to relax), or freedom to be yourself and express yourself as you desire
c. The Pursuit of Happiness: leisure, amusement parks and tourism, having fun at home, playing sports, the ideal of happiness through advertising, personal hobbies and pursuits, happiness with family and friends
d. Artists are encouraged to engage with this theme however they see fit, including the inversion of the theme. Perhaps you want to focus on technological advances and how they’ve affected our society or include narration reciting a poem about the American Dream and include it over footage from decades ago. You are free to let the work stand for itself or include an optional description of no more than 150 words on how your work engages with the theme. This description can be emailed to tamis@knoxlib.org when you have uploaded your submission to Dropbox.
Submissions must be at least 75% TAMIS material. The remaining 25% can be material of your own creation, including video and audio, or public domain archival material. Copyright determination, including the confirmation of public domain, is your responsibility. Credits must be included in the submission to identify the source of the additional material.
Submissions must transform TAMIS material through video editing software or other means. Examples of this transformation include adding narration, editing multiple clips together, adding filters or using masking techniques to create collages, or any variety of video-altering techniques.
American Legion Parade, 1949
Scenes from the American Legion Parade in Knoxville, TN and the Oak Ridge Army Day Parade, 1949. From the Arthur Burl Carr collection at TAMIS.
Brown Squirrel Commercials
Commercials from the Brown Squirrel furniture store in Knoxville, as well as a behind-the-scenes look in their warehouse!
Gemini 11 Retrieval, 1969
Gemini 11 was the ninth crewed spaceflight mission in Nasa's Project Gemini, and Dan Tanksersley was involved in the retrieval of the spacecraft in 1966. This reel shows life aboard the ship.
Four Pillars of Income, 1939
Produced by the First National Bank of Clarksville to publicize crop diversification, this film was shot in Montgomery County, TN, and "stars" members of the local agricultural economy.
Knoxville & Great Smokies, 1952From the George Dominick Collection at TAMIS comes "Knoxville and the Great Smokies," a charming advertisement for the town of Knoxville sponsored by the Knoxville Tourist Bureau. |
Memories of War Years, 1938-1942
This reel from the Julia Webb collection is a compilation of scenes involving soldiers at home and in service, including footage from the backyard, soldiers in the barracks, and soldiers playing a baseball game. The films range from 1938 to 1942.
Kern's Bread TV Ads, 1940These undated commercials ca. 1940 are for the Kern's Bread Company, advertising their thin sliced bread. |
Kidnapper Foil in Bristol, 1949Itinerant filmmaker, Melton Barker, was known for his "Kidnapper's Foil" movie which he filmed with children all around the country. This particular version of the film was from Bristol, TN in 1949. |
Knox Co. Schools, 1957
Vic Weals was a journalist, news stringer, and industrial filmmaker in East Tennessee from the 1950s to the 1970s. This film entitled KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS served as an advertisement for the education system in Knoxville.
Melrose Art Festival,1928Scenes from the Melrose Art Festival in 1928, from the F. B. Kuhlman Collection. This reel includes footage from the festival as well as a UT Vols football game and a backyard baseball game. Attached to the end of the reel are trailers for films from the Kodascope Libraries. |
Scuba Diving in Buck Isle, 1966The Larry Wittmer collection is special treat because of the incredible underwater footage made possible by his makeshift waterproof camera. This 1966 reel from the collection shows Wittmer and friends diving at Buck Island in the U. S. Virgin Islands. |
Lays's Meat Co. CommercialsCommercials for the Lay's Meat Company of Knoxville, Tennessee. |
Golden Jubilee, 1956Scenes from the Lenoir City Golden Jubilee festival held in 1956. From the Lenoir City Collection at TAMIS. |
Dedication of Loudon Bridge,1961Dedication ceremony of the Fort Loudon Bridge on July 22, 1961. From the Lenoir City Collection at TAMIS. |
Tennessee Review, 1946This collection of regional theatrical shorts includes an incomplete newsreel describing UT's response to enrollment surges induced by the G. I. Bill, as well as some of the innovative work taking place at the Knoxville campus. |
Mountaineers & Moonshine, 1918Circa-1918 28mm Paramount-Bray newsreel depicting a simplified vignette of life in the southern Appalachian mountains. |
Damaged Film
This interesting 16mm film has a strange image decomposition where emulsion was sliding off the base. As a result, only flashes of the original 1972 Maryville College football game remain. From the Randy Lambert Film Collection.
Own Home Show, 1929This reel from the Jim Thompson Film Collection at TAMIS shows scenes from the 1929 Own Your Own Home Show from WNOX. |
Video Talent ScoutLittle is known about this "Video Talent Scout" film other than its producer Myers Telefilm. The film stars Ed Thomas, Gene Johnson, Roy Patterson, Hoot Gibson, and Ken Williams. Perhaps it is simply a comedic parody film or it might serve as a talent reel for the musicians within. |
Drum Set, 1972The Greg Weinstein Film Collection at TAMIS shines with creativity of the teenage filmmaker. The collection includes many short films made by Greg Weinstein and his friends, including this film that showcases a drum set in 1972. |
About TAMIS
The Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound (TAMIS) is the historic audio-visual department of Knox County Public Library.
Founded in 2005, TAMIS preserves East Tennessee’s cultural history as recorded on film, video, and a variety of audio formats.
TAMIS’s moving image collection dates back to 1915 and consists of thousands of reels of film and videotape containing advertisements, documentaries, home movies, industrial films, newsreels, and television programs–all created in or related to East Tennessee and the Southern Appalachian region.
TAMIS’s collection of audio materials include thousands of East Tennessee-related, commercially produced vinyl and shellac records from the 1920s to today. Unique items found only at TAMIS include reel-to-reel tapes and acetate discs cut in local studios, home recordings, and radio station transcription discs, including early recordings from Chet Atkins and Dolly Parton.