Barbara Sears is best known among historians as Pierre Berton's most-trusted researcher. No, she did not ghostwrite his books, but Berton warmly acknowledged her contributions in several of his books. Barbara went on to become perhaps the country's leading researcher for visual materials, and much else as well, for historical programming by the National Film Board, CBC Television, and private filmmakers and broadcasters. She was also a founder of
The Visual Researchers" Society of Canada. I knew her only slightly, but I was a fan of her vast knowledge, common sense, and integrity.
She died a couple of years ago.
Picture research and research for film generally are not areas of research much recognized by historians, perhaps, but the
Geminis, the Canadian television awards, have just renamed their Editorial Research award The Barbara Sears Award. This year's nominees are:
- Jane Burgess, Jonathan Woodward for The Pig Farm CTV (Bell Media)
- Jackie Carlos, Karine Guillemette, David Wells for Meltdown: The Secret History of the Global Collapse - The Men Who Crashed The World CBC (CBC)
- Richard Longley Save My Lake CBC (CBC)
- Gil Shochat the fifth estate - Death at the Olympics CBC (CBC)
- Rebecca Snow Museum Secrets - Inside the Vatican History Television (Shaw)
