Film Studies: Find Primary Sources

Overview

• This page shares tips for finding primary sources.
  • Need help? Contact the English & Film Studies Librarian, Meredith Fischer (mefischer@wlu.ca).

Primary Source Databases

Digital Collections

• California Digital Newspaper Collection
  • Selection of California newspapers from 1846 to the present.
• CineFiles
  • The Pacific Film Archive's film document image database. Includes reviews, program notes, newspaper articles, etc. for selected films.
• Directory of International Film and Video Festivals
  • Descriptions of collections including some film clips.
• FilmSound.org
  • Includes articles and annotated links to film sound resources.
• Focus on Film
  • From the U.K.'s National Archives. Includes clips from historical films.
• Internet Archive
  • Includes digitizations of old film magazines such as Moving Picture World and Photoplay.
• Margaret Herrick Library Digital Collections
  • Includes correspondence, photographs, periodicals and sheet music.
• Media History Digital Library
  • Classic media periodicals, including trade papers and fan magazines, in the public domain. Search using Lantern.
• Moving Image Archive
  • Selected, digitized titles from the Prelinger Archives: a collection of "ephemeral" (advertising, educational, industrial, and amateur) films.
• Moving Image Source: Criticism and Theory
  • Pulls together quality sources for film and television.
• National Film Preservation Foundation (U.S.)
  • Lists preserved films and their locations, along with selected film clips.
• News archives online
  • Includes full text of New York Times, London Times, Globe and Mail, etc.
• ULCA Library Digital Collections
  • Includes material for film history.

Laurier Archives and Special Collections

• Laurier Archives and Special Collections is the Library's research collection of archival records, thematic special collections, and rare books.
  • For more information, contact libarch@wlu.ca.