Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I find out what films the BFI National Archive holds?
- How can I see a film or TV programme that is in the Archive?
- What does the BFI National Archive collect?
- What should I do if I find a reel of film or a tape?
- Could it be dangerous?
- What is the best way to store it?
- Who should I contact if I want to donate something?
How do I find out what films and television programmes the BFI National Archive holds?
There is currently no public online database of our holdings. The BFI Film & TV Database is a filmographic database, not a catalogue of films in the Archive.
Those considering a research viewing can find out whether the Archive has a viewable copy of a particular title via this form .
How can I see a film or TV programme that is in the Archive?
Once researchers know that we hold a copy of the film or TV programme, they may be able to view the film on BFI premises (please note that copyright restrictions prevent us from selling copies). If you are a researcher or student, you should contact our Research Viewing Service for terms, conditions and charges.
The BFI operates several digital services providing access to films and television programmes in the collection. These include:
- BFI Screenonline - The definitive guide to UK film & TV history, with hundreds of hours of rare footage available in schools, colleges and public libraries.
- BFI Mediatheques - Complete films and TV programmes available to view free of charge in London, Derby, Cambridge, Wrexham and Newcastle.
- BFI InView - An indispensable collection of non-fiction film and television for academics and FE/HE students of 20th century British history.
- YouTube - The BFI's own channel, making the Archive's collections available worldwide.
A selection of films preserved in the Archive is available on BFI DVD and Blu-ray.
We regret that the archive is unable to respond to requests for bespoke DVD copies.
What does the BFI National Archive collect?
The BFI has a primary responsibility to collect British and British-related films and TV programmes. Within Fiction we have the ambition to acquire all British feature films which have been released into cinemas, as well as significant artists' moving image work, short films, trailers and home movies by British film personalities.
The Non-Fiction collection not only includes major British documentaries but also covers newsreel, industrial, educational and scientific filmmaking, political and campaigning films, advertising and amateur filmmaking.
The Television collection covers all British television production and on-screen presentation. We aim to collect from all sources, but have statutory responsibility for ITV, Channel Four and Five and a close archival collaboration with the BBC.
For a more detailed overview of the collections of the various Archive departments, go here.
What should I do if I find a reel of film or a tape?
If you wish to donate a film or tape to the BFI you will need to provide us with as much information as possible, including the gauge of the film (simply established by measuring the width of the film itself) or the format of the tape. Please note that we do not normally acquire 8mm, super 8mm or 9.5mm films if they are versions of films already preserved in the Archive on 35mm. Television programmes recorded off-air onto VHS or any later formats are not required, but earlier formats (pre-1978) may possibly contain interesting materials.
If your film documents life in a specific area of Britain, you should in the first instance contact the appropriate national or regional archive:
- National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales
- Scottish Screen Archive
- East Anglian Film Archive
- Media Archive for Central England
- North West Film Archive
- Northern Region Film and Television Archive
- Screen Archive South East
- South West Film and Television Archive
- Wessex Film and Sound Archive
- Yorkshire Film Archive
If your film deals with aspects of war and conflict involving Britain and the Commonwealth, please contact the Imperial War Museum.
Could it be dangerous?
It's unlikely. However, your material could be dangerous if it is a 35mm print which was manufactured before 1953. Prints on nitrate stock can become unstable if stored in poor conditions and there is a remote but real possibility of spontaneous combustion. All 16mm and 35mm prints after 1953, and all home movie formats regardless of date, were printed onto safety stock and do not present any hazard, unless they are giving off an unpleasantly strong vinegar smell caused by acetic decomposition.
What is the best way to store it?
If you believe you have a print on nitrate stock, you should contact the BFI promptly for advice on its handling or storage. The best storage environment for film and videotape is a dry, cool, dark location which is not susceptible to wide variations of temperature.
Who should I contact if I want to donate something?
Contact us at fictioncurators@bfi.org.uk, nonfictioncurators@bfi.org.uk or tvcurators@bfi.org.uk
