Medical film and footage research
July 2008
The BMA library is not able to undertake footage research for non-members. This reference factsheet lists organisations collecting medical footage.
Organisations which collect medical footage
For contemporary footage of surgical and clinical procedures you should contact the university departments who produce audiovisual material. These are listed in the separate factsheet on: medical audiovisual material
You can look at our information factsheet on medical audiovisual materials here
Historical materials are dealt with by these companies:
Huntley Film Archives
22 Islington Green
London
N1 8DU
tel: 020 7226 9260
fax: 020 7359 9337
email: films@huntleyarchives.com
Go to the website here http://www.huntleyarchives.com
A large commercial archive which covers all the main subjects, not just medicine.
National Film and Television Archive
21 Stephen Street
London
W1P 1PL
tel: 020 77255 1444
fax: 020 7436 0165
email: footage.films@bfi.org.uk
Go to the website here http://www.bfi.org.uk/nftva/
An enormous range of material available: feature films, documentaries, newsreels and animation are all covered.
Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine
Moving Image and Sound Collections (MISC)
210 Euston Road
London NW1 2BE
tel: 020 7611 8722
fax: 020 7611 8765
email: misc@wellcome.ac.uk
Go to the website here http://library.wellcome.ac.uk/misc.html
Reference collection of over 650 medical and scientific films, videos and audiotapes.
Footage research tips
Members can borrow videos from the BMA library video collection (i.e. BMA 2000V or TV800). We are unable to loan films, or arrange for them to be viewed in-house. British Medical Television (BMTV) and Telemed programmes are not available for use as footage.
We are not able to loan videos to, or provide "viewing copies" for non-members although they can be viewed by non-members after purchase of a full readers ticket.
Copyright permission has to be obtained before useful material can be used. This information is given in the catalogue record. BMA library staff may be able to provide general contact details, i.e. address/phone details, but not the name of an individual.
The copyright holder should also be able to provide a suitable master format of the material, as well as being able to give permission for use of the footage. You can find addresses by using:
- British National Film and Video Guide (available in the BMA library)
- Addresses on the Medical audiovisual materials: equipment and distribution information factsheet. Go to the Medical audiovisual materials: equipment and distribution information factsheet here
- General reference directories
- Internet
If you manage to work out who was who, then the best source for contact details is the BNF/eBNF which provides a general phone number.
Go to the eBNF website here
Pharmaceutical companies sponsor the production of videos (and distribute them out as promotional copies) but often do not have any master material themselves - this is usually kept by the production company. Also, it is often better to contact the Marketing or PR department of the pharmaceutical company, as very few of them have film archives.
A large number of videos in the collection are not available commercially. Many were acquired through the BMA film and video competition and are no longer available for purchase. Generally speaking, if a video is more than ten years old and/or was produced/distributed by a pharmaceutical company, then it will probably not be available.
Copyright holders
Educational Media Film & Video Ltd See Viewtech Educational Media
Healthcare Productions Ltd Unit
The Great Barn
Godmersham Park
Canterbury
Kent
CT4 7DT
tel: 01227 738279
fax: 01227 32145
email: footagelibrary@healthcareproductions.co.uk
Go to the website here http://www.healthcareproductions.co.uk/
Leicester University
Audio Visual Services
PO Box 138
Maurice Shock Building
University Road
Leicester
LE1 9HN
tel: 0116 252 2910
Go to the website here http://www.le.ac.uk/avs
University of Newcastle
| Audio Visual Services & Development The Medical School Framlington Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH Go to the website here http://www.ncl.ac.uk/iss/tcrs/ |
Videos For Patients
The Production Tree
Unit G16 Shepherd’s Building
Rockley Road
W14 0DA
tel: 020 776105599
email: sales@productiontree.co.uk
Go to the website here http://www.videosforpatients.co.uk
viewtech educational media
7-8 Falcon's Gate
Northhaven Business Centre
Dean Road
Yate
Bristol
BS17 5NH
tel: 01454 858055
fax: 01454 858056
email: info@viewtech.co.uk
Go to the website here http://www.viewtech.co.uk/