Overview of 12 Clomp Program
This episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan (presented by Team Coco & Earwolf) features Conan interviewing Joey, a Toronto-based film preservationist who specializes in home movies. The conversation is a mix of affectionate banter, preservation anecdotes, and reflections on why amateur film — the “micro history” of everyday life — matters. Joey describes his work restoring and curating personal film collections, shares memorable finds from archives, and plugs his indie film Ghost Camera, which mixes old home footage with newly shot material.
Topics discussed
- Joey’s background and how he became a film preservationist (history studies, master’s in film preservation).
- The appeal and historical value of home movies versus modern smartphone video.
- Technical and ethical aspects of restoring/editing home movies (cropping, mirroring, masking; requests to remove or alter people).
- Memorable archival material Joey worked with: Hitchcock on a tricycle, Orson Welles on a pogo stick, Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford on boats, the Joey Lipback/Academy Film Archive anecdote.
- Joey’s current work and film Ghost Camera (uses grandparents’ home movies + new footage).
- Light-hearted bits: Conan and Joey’s prior meeting (Cambridge bookstore), comedy back-and-forth, and the guest-host rapport.
Key takeaways
- Home movies are powerful primary sources: they capture mannerisms, décor, clothing, and instantaneous presence in ways written history often cannot.
- Older amateur footage often feels more innocent and present than contemporary smartphone video because people were less camera- and media-savvy.
- Film preservation isn’t only about famous directors’ cuts; preserving everyday footage matters for cultural memory and personal history.
- Practical restoration often involves creative solutions (cropping, mirroring, fuzzy edges) rather than full digital “removal” of unwanted people — but bespoke requests (even humorous ones) do come up.
- Archives like the Academy Film Archive actively acquire and preserve personal film collections; Joey has contributed work there and even discovered that footage of Conan lives in the archive.
Notable quotes & moments
- Joey: “Micro history is so much more telling and fascinating than macro history.”
- Joey: “I rarely feel such a strong sense of presence than when I’m watching home movies.”
- Conan teasing: “You walk the earth like Johnny Appleseed taking little clips of people.”
- Archive highlights: Alfred Hitchcock on a tricycle; Orson Welles on a pogo stick; Charlie Chaplin and silent-era stars on boats.
- Comic bits: requests to remove siblings from footage, add devil horns or other edits, and the “12-clump program” donkey joke.
Recommendations & action items
- If you have old home movie reels, consider digitizing and/or donating copies to an archive (local film archives or institutions like the Academy Film Archive) for preservation and historical value.
- Watch Ghost Camera (Joey’s film) if you’re interested in projects that juxtapose personal archival footage with contemporary storytelling — Joey mentioned a premiere in early May.
- For anyone curious about film preservation: look into programs or internships at film archives; hands-on exposure to collections can be eye-opening.
Episode credits & sponsors
- Podcast: Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan — host Conan O’Brien, producers and regulars Sonam Ovcesian and Matt Gourley.
- Episode producers and staff (from transcript): Matt Gourley (producer), Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross, Nick Leow (executive producers), music by Jimmy Vivino, and others.
- Sponsors/ads included in the episode: FX series (John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette), U.S. Bank Smartly Visa, Nutri-Grain, T-Mobile, Sonic ($6 All-American Smasher), Robert Half, Whole Foods Market.