Can I get archive film anywhere?

[Laurance Miller]

I’m preparing material for a film covering British lifestyle and events around the beginning of my life, my childhood and early adulthood in the mid/late twenties, thirties and forties and I’m hoping members can help me.

Is there any way in which archival film can be obtained, which allows me to include it in my amateur film, is downloadable and free!! If not free, is inexpensive to buy?

Any suggestions or information will be gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Laurance Miller
IAC Membership No. 10413

[Dave Watterson]

Hi Laurie - and congratulations on winning the 2007 North Thames Region Festival with Weir Here.

There was a scheme involving BBC, Open University, Channel Four etc to make clips available. It was called the Creative Archive Licence scheme. It ran until September 2006 and I have not heard if it will be re-started.

One of the partners was BFI (British Film Institute) and their clips still seem to be available for download at:
http://creative.bfi.org.uk/titles/

I just downloaded the Metropolitan Railway one.
Billy might be interested in the Tynemouth Swimming Gala of 1901.

The Open University clips are also still downloadable at
http://www.open2.net/creativearchive/azlisting.html
though this is an eccentric collection.

That's a start.

Dave

[Laurance Miller]

Many thanks Dave, I'll give them a go! Laurie.

[billyfromConsett]

I checked out the swimming gala. I was thinking about the cost of the cameraman keeping his finger on the trigger. Pound notes just disappearing beneith the water...

Good link Dave. Interesting stuff.

[stingman]

I think Pathe News has a website. Being here on the Island is quite a populare place. There`s quite alot of pathe news. I used a clip which included Ryde Carnaval (which is the oldest in the country.