British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

NATIONAL SCREEN AND SOUND ARCHIVE OF WALES


Mr Lloyd George addresses the House of Commons. Still from the silent film THE LIFE STORY OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE, Ideal Film Company, 1918 (photo courtesy of the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales)
Description
The collection comprises the voluntary film and video deposits and donations of film-makers and production companies, individuals, groups, organisations and corporate bodies. All commonly used film and video formats (current and obsolete) are represented, with 16mm the most common for film (81% of total footage in the collection). The types of production can be categorised as feature.fiction (20% of the total collection footage), animation (5%), art.experimental (5%), documentary/non-fiction (45%), amateur/home movie (25%). Television material is acquired via the collections of individual production companies and producers, rather than systematically from broadcasters or off-air, although Welsh-language fourth channel S4C deposits selected drama material. Non-fiction, being the largest category of material held, includes newsreels and topicals, TV and film documentaries, educational films and home movies and other amateur productions. One of the collection’s greatest strengths is the range and variety of certain thematic representations: an example is ex-Prime Minister Lloyd George, who appears in newsreels, educational films, home movies, amateur records of political meetings, a three-hour government-supressed 1918 biopic, and even animation. Strongly-represented subjects include agriculture, community and social life, cultural activity (e,g eisteddfodau), family life, and tourism and leisure. Note: The Archive will join with the National Library of Wales to form a bigger archive in April 2001.
Artefact description
Significant collections include those of the Welsh Arts Council, the Welsh Film Board and Jack Howells (director).
Website
http://screenandsound.llgc.org.uk/index.htm
Keywords
Wales; Amateur films; Educational films; Agriculture; Tourism; Eisteddfods; Family life, social customs; Lloyd George, David, 1st Earl of Dwyfor
Access
09:30 - 17:30 Monday -Friday.
E-mail: screenandsound@llgc.org.uk

Staff are available to assist. Access for disabled. Access ramp and toilets available.
Facilities
Viewing on premises. VHS copies of certain titles may be supplied for viewing off premises in some circumstances.
Charges
Charges for research for broadcast and commercial productions. Special rates for academic, educational and non-commercial users. Charges for facilities and handling. A price list is available upon request.
Copyright
Most copyright is in third party ownership.

Moving Image, Audio and Related Documentation Holdings

Books
Appox 100 items, including early film history books, technical journals and manuals, some acquired from a private collection.
Equipment
15 projectors (various formats), 15 cameras (various formats).
Ephemera
Few items only.
Manuscripts
8 collections of various items (scripts, correspondence) relating to the filming/commissioning activity of their depositors (individuals, companies and organisations.)
Video/Film
Video: 1.200 reels/cassettes, 900 hours. Amateur, documentary, science and education.
Video components: VHS Video, S-VHS Video, 8mm Video, hi-8, hi-band U-Matic, lo-band U-Matic, Beta/Beta-SP, 1-inch Video, 1/2-inch reel to reel, Phillips video format.
Film: 3,000,000 feet; 8,000 cans. The Archive holds over 3,000 titles to date. Much of the material is non-fiction and spans most of the 20th century. A considerable amount of amateur footage, including that of the National Eisteddfod, is also held.
The collection consists of advertising films (5%), amateur footage (40%), documentaries (30%), feature films (5%), news and current affairs (5%), science and education (2%) and travelogues (13%). 65% colour film, 35% black and white film.
Film components: 8mm, Super 8mm, 9.5mm, 16mm, Super 16, 35mm, positive film, negative film, fine grain print, effects mix, final mix.

Artefact and Related Documentation Holdings

Animation
Animation artwork and cels
Cinema
Rewinders; Projectors; Projection lenses; Sound reproduction equipment
Documents
Correspondence; Diaries, unpublished memoirs etc; Equipment manuals; Scripts and treatments; Storyboards; Personal papers; Photographs
Film-making
Cine cameras; Editing equipment and viewers; Film laboratory equipment
Installations
Associated projection/installation equipment
Projection & Viewing
Magic lanterns; Slide projectors
Sets & Costumes
Set designs; Sets; Hair/wigs
Sound
Microphones; Sound recorders; Sound synchronisation equipment; Sound transfer and striping equipment
Toys & Games
Optical toys
TV, Video & Digital
Television/video cameras; Television monitors; Video recording equipment

Catalogues

Computerised database
http://www.screenandsound.llgc.org.uk/
Printed catalogue
Available, indexed, for a proportion of the collection (published 1997.)

Additional Information

Conservation policy
Junking only occurs when the material is of limited interest, of very poor quality, or of no relevance to the nature of the collection (i.e. not of Welsh interest). In the latter case the archive would propose the material to a relevant archive before junking.

Main Contact

Name
Iola Baines
Job title
Film Development Officer
Telephone
01970 632828
Fax
01970 632544
Email
iola@llgc.org.uk
Address
National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth
SY23 3BU

Alternate Contact

Telephone
01970 632828
Fax
01970 632544
Email
agssc@llgc.org.uk

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