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Case Study - Heather Norris Nicholson Academic Projects and Research Work Using The Archives
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Research and the archivesFilm and television material in archive collections provide a unique and rich resource for academic study, teaching and research as well as for artistic projects. Several of the UK's public sector moving image archives are based within Higher Education institutions and all strive to maintain good links with the academic sector. The 12 UK public sector film archives follow key principles of access and research. They assert that:
All of the public sector archives are dedicated to enabling access to their collections for academic research and teaching, and are happy to provide assistance and guidance to users. Research - Those interested in moving image archive material may be looking to investigate film on a particular theme or subject, from a certain locality, or by a particular film-maker. Researchers may also be searching for shots and sequences for use either in particular projects or to support teaching. When considering investigating moving image resources, researchers can learn more about the individual archives collections through this website, and through the archives' own websites. All of the archives provide information on their collections through catalogues of their material available either on their premises or online. Users should then contact the regional or national archive in order to discuss their project. Facilities - Selected film archive material is generally made available for research in the form of viewing copies on VHS, DVD or film. Many of the archives also offer screening facilities for larger groups and may provide teaching resources to HE institutions within their region. Access restrictions - It is important to consider that the archives are repositories for unique and often fragile material. This can mean that viewing access to collections may be restricted by availability of the material and the archive's facilities. Researching these collections, though rewarding, can take time. Users should also bear in mind that copyright and other usage restrictions my apply if you are seeking to copy or re-use moving images from the collections. Users should discuss their requirements with the respective archive. Charges - All of the English regional archives, as well as the Scottish and Welsh national film archives aim to offer research and viewing access to their collections for academic users, that is free at the point of use. Some small charges to cover costs and materials may be applied in some cases. The BFI National Film and Television Archive, and the Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive both make some charges for access. Find out more about access to the collections from the individual archive pages Types of films to be found in the collectionsThe archives collect and preserve moving images deposited with them in a variety of original film gauges, video formats and digital media. The collections comprise of a range of overlapping film types including: amateur films, artists films and animation, corporate and promotional films, documentary films, fiction films, educational and training material, 'local topical' films and newsreels, official and government films, political and campaigning films, films by public and charitable organisations, travel films, and national and regional television broadcasts. Subjects & themes in the collectionsThe collections of the regional and national archives cover a vast range of topics, illustrating as many different subjects as could be imagined by the film-makers. It is difficult therefore to sum up the subjects covered in the collections. However many of the archive collections have common elements that feature in their holdings. Strong themes in many of the archive's collections include scenes of domestic and family life, holidays and leisure time, agricultural and rural life, work and industry, British coastline and waterways, regional and national events, urban life and the built environment, modes of transport, life during war-time, aspects of heath, welfare and education, social and political issues, gender and cultural diversity, arts and culture, as well as drama and entertainment from film and television. All of these themes can be explored through descriptions of the archive's collections, and through the list of over 100 film clips on the site, divided into subject themes. Examples of researchRead examples of researchers working with archive film in our selection of case studies:
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