The BUFVC Moving Image Gateway includes over 1,500 websites relating to video, multimedia and sound materials. These have been subdivided into over 40 subject areas. To suggest new entries or amendments, please contact us by email, telephone or visit the Gateway at http://bufvc.ac.uk/gateway/

The Big Idea
Academics from the University of Edinburgh discuss a theme of contemporary relevance in this monthly podcast. The first episode saw academics from the Schools of Law, Economics and History discuss the issues associated with Scottish independence before the 2014 referendum. Other podcasts have more of a magazine format, covering several topics, but the general focus is on current political, economic and social issues, including migration within the EU, the rise of Russian nationalism, and women’s rights, as well as more local issues, such as Scottish oral history and the negative effects of Edinburgh’s self-image. The podcast is also available on Soundcloud.

Cassiopeia Project
The brainchild of a retired physics teacher, the Cassiopeia Project aims to make high definition science videos freely available to ‘anyone who wants them’. The videos are broadly divided into subject areas, including biology, chemistry and physics., with a particular focus on space science and astronomy, and include a series of videos on relativity. The videos are all self-contained but also work as a narrative sequence and are embedded in a ‘science fiction/romance’ story, intended to give structure to the collection and to help teachers and educators with lesson planning. The videos can be downloaded as .M4V files, in HD or standard definition and users are free to edit and repurpose the clips as they see fit. Full transcripts of each episode are also available to download. The series can also be seen on YouTube.

Forward to Freedom – History of the British Anti-Apartheid Movement
This site tells the story of the British Anti-Apartheid Movement and its campaigns to support the people of South Africa in their fight against apartheid. The AAM also conducted similar campaigns for Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Angola, and against South Africa’s attacks on its neighbours. The website features a plethorra of digitised resources including audio interviews with people who were involved in the movement, and videos of interviews, promotional films and footage of events, rallies and festivals. There are many other digitised resources, including leaflets, posters, conference programmes, badges, annual reports, postcards etc. All the resources are accompanied by a description, with rights information and other metadata where available, as well as textual information covering the history of the movement and its campaigns.

Reality Radio
This online radio station was established in 2010 by Kate Hudson, General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). Shows are recorded at the CND headquarters in London and are available globally and free of charge, as downloads from iTunes and via live streaming. Two programmes are produced. ‘Open Door’ debates key themes in current affairs with an expert guest, covering issues as diverse as the global economic crisis, the political situation in the West Bank and health issues related to the use of nuclear power. ‘The Political Week’ is concerned with British politics and current affairs. Each week a studio guest highlights key issues in the week’s politics, offering views not normally heard in the mainstream British media.

Sound Effects Podcasts
Series of podcasts created by a sound designer and musician who goes by the alias SFX Ninja. Each episode addresses the process involved in the recording of sound and the creation of sound effects, offering advice on, for example, on how to record bird sounds and create chirping sound effects. Other episodes address ‘historical’ sound effects, video games and kitchen noises: others look at the challenges involved in recording bathroom noises and insect sounds. The podcasts also make an effort to contextualise the process, and include information about the history of sound effects and recording technology, as well as addressing the mixture of technological and creative skill needed. Each podcast includes free sound clips and effects to download.