welcome to filmfileshop.com 
 a webstore that offers downloadable newsreel and archival clips for purchase
newsreel and archival footage delivery for the 21st century
high quality files derived from 10-bit uncompressed high definition or broadcast video sources

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

The  National Archives (NARA) is the primary source for our public domain material. We follow the NARA nomenclature. Our files are derived from:

  • 10-bit uncompressed high definition 4:2:2 full-bandwidth native scan telecine film transfers

  • or from standard definition videotape (1-inch, digital betacam electronic intermediates, or D-2 formats)

You are watching Hands, a silent classic New Deal WPA film by Ralph Steiner and Willard Van Dyke. This is just one example of the public domain titles you will find in the FilmFileShop webstore.
View: 160x120 previews with visible timecode directly in the store. Free viewing in store.

Watch full-length streaming 160 x 120 QuickTime previews of the titles in the store, whether the title is one minute or 72 minutes, sound or silent. Although there are currently only about 1000 titles in the webstore, there are over 5000 titles in the collection.
Download: Purchase each full-length title as a 480 x 360 QuickTime file for download. These files are suitable for research or as place holders for documentary production. Prices are based on runtime and range from $ 1.99 - $35.00. The average 10- minute clip is $8.99.

The 5000+ 160 x 120 QuickTime preview files are now being shipped on the Passport to History - a portable external 250 GB hard drive loaded with the timecoded files from the Collection. Click on the Passport above to find out how you can purchase the set of preview clips.

 

Purchase the 10-bit uncompressed high definition or standard definition files that are delivered to you on a hard drive. Average 10-minute standard def clip = $110. Average 10-minute high definition clip = $225.

Would you like to see what titles
are on the Passport? Search the PDF:


Hard drive Delivery of high resolution files:

If you find a title in the Passport PDF that is not currently in the webstore and you really need to preview the files soon, you may request that the files be processed and added to the store. The fee is $35 for 1 - 5 titles. Please use the Please Process Form.

Reminder: This  form is ONLY for titles in the FilmFileShop Passport Collection (listed in the Passport PFF).

If you identify titles in the National Archives ARC database that we do not have in the webstore or in the Passport PDF you will need to request the moving image material directly from the National Archives.

 

  • Each category in the store identifies the overall nomenclature for its particular record group from it archival source. Currently, all the items in the store correspond to material available from the National Archives. For example, "200 UN" corresponds to the Universal News series; 111 ADC designates US Army/World War II;  428 NPC stands for US Navy Department films. Because the New Deal films span several record groups, the New Deal films are grouped separately in the webstore.

  • Browse the webstore by record group (product categories) or put in keywords in the search box to help identify potential titles. 

  • If you notice an "sd" after the title in the webstore that designates that the clip was derived from a standard definition source. Titles without the "sd" were derived from high definition telecine transfers. EX: 111adc6834-sd is a 10-bit uncompressed 720x486 standard definition file. 111adc6835 is a 10-bit uncompressed 1920x1080/24p (23.98sf) high definition file.

  • Previews of many of the titles are available to view directly online. The QuickTime streaming files are 160x120 with visible timecode. NOTE: the QuickTime streaming files DO NOT work in the Firefox web browser yet.

  • If you see a price displayed for the item, it is available for purchase and download.  When you identify a title you want, just add it to the cart. You can buy as few as one title or as many as you wish. We recommend buying one title first to test your download connection, since there is a time limit on the download.

  • When you are ready to check out, you will need to register or sign in. Once you have registered, you will be saved some of the basic input on future orders.

  • After purchase through our secure socket, you will receive a confirmation email that will include the download link for your clip(s).

  • Please note that you will have 60 minutes to download your order so please purchase clips when you will be available to complete the download process.

  • For a fuller explanation visit the Tech Notes page.

And we are particularly fond of the motion pictures and video that have captured the history of the 20th century. The eyewitnesses may be gone but the records they produced live on in places like the United States National Archives and Records Administration. Access to these public domain records has been a daunting and often expensive ordeal for students, educators, museum curators, history buffs, and independent producers. However, in this new era of iPods and highspeed, we asked, why couldn't historical moving images be available via download or shipped out on ready-to-edit files via hard drive? And why couldn't the prices be fair and reasonable? And why couldn't the quality be consistently high?

What we are: We're a collection of history buffs, educators, and motion picture professionals who think its time to provide moving images using the "new generation' tools. What we are not: We are not researchers. Please do not ask us to locate material for you. As the site develops there will be additional tools to help you  identify and select clips that are posted in the store.

Help us grow!
We invite your feedback and hope that you will contribute ideas and comments. We are particularly interested to find out how we can help students and teachers utilize our clips in their learning environments.

Revised 27 July 2009