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