Do You Have Coney Island Home Movies?

The CIHP is working with Brooklyn filmmaker JL Aronson who has been producing a documentary over the past two years about Astroland. The film focuses on Astroland's role in keeping Coney Island going since the mid-sixties when Steeplechase Park closed, until 2008, when the lights went out on Astroland itself, in addition to many other Coney Island businesses.

Currently, Mr. Aronson is searching for archival footage of Astroland -- and Coney Island in general -- from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. On the filmmaker's behalf CIHP is sending out this plea to anyone who has home movies (especially 8mm and 16mm film) or outstanding photographs from that period. The History Project will shoulder the expenses of film transfers and return the original film along with a DVD transfer to anyone who donates their material. Donors will also receive credit in the film and two complimentary copies of the completed documentary. Contact the History Project at info@coneyislandhistory.org or 718-265-2100.

Photo by Charles Denson

About the filmmaker:
JL Aronson is a consummate New York filmmaker, having crafted documentaries about pigeon fancying in Williamsburg and the underground karaoke scene on Manhattan's Lower East Side. He has also directed a series on the 1970s, '80s and '90s downtown New York music scene for Manhattan Neighborhood Network (in association with the New School) and created marketing videos for Central Park Summerstage, Celebrate Brooklyn, PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature, the Siren Music Festival, River to River Festival and other New York institutions. In 2006, his "documentary musical" Danielson: a Family Movie won numerous film festival awards throughout thecountry before going to theaters in December of that year and DVD in April 2007. Film clips at www.creativearson.com.