National+Film+and+Sound+Archive

__ The National Film and Sound Archive - an evaluation by Rosie Westerman and Melissa Knowles __
Address: McCoy Circuit, Acton, Canberra.

Opening hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday 10am-5pm Weekends and Public Holidays

Cost: Entry is free of charge.

Website: []

The National Film and Sound Archive is Australia’s audiovisual archive. The NFSA believes "The images and sounds of film, television, radio and recording are a reflection of our creativity – a window onto our life and times, our dreams and stories, our place in the world."

The NFSA holds within its premises a vast library, various galleries which include interactive activities, cinema screens, a shop and cafe. The building itself is a piece of historical architecture, and includes an outdoors area suitable for children. There is a monthly e-newsletter for those of you who are interested in learning more about the NFSA. Email the NFSA at enews@nfsa.gov.au

The National Film and Sound Archive's primary aim is "to develop a comprehensive collection of Australian works and materials representing the history, technology and culture of the audiovisual media, from their origins to the present time." The NFSA also collects international material and provides specific guidelines to the Indigenous collections.

The National Collection includes more than 1.3 million items. In addition to discs, films, videos, audio tapes, phonograph cylinders and wire recordings, the Collection includes supporting documents and artifacts, such as photographic stills, transparencies, posters, lobby cards, publicity, scripts, costumes, props, memorabilia and sound, video and film equipment.


 * The National Film and Sound Archive offers a range of services to help you access the National Collection and learn more about Australia's screen and sound heritage. **

They are as follows:

National Programs:Big Screen, Black Screen, School Screen and australian screen online. Collection Access staff facilitate finding, viewing, opying or borrowing items for a wide range of purposes. Around various locations around Australia you can view and listen to films, recorded sound, television and more from the collection. Screening loans, which include: 35 mm, 16 mm prints and other formats may be borrowed for theatrical and non-theatrical screenings. The Media Resource Center holds high-resolution images related to NFSA projects and activities which can be downloaded for publicity purposes. Links to websites of other organizations whose aims and activities complement the NFSA's.

The NFSA hosts a variety of Preservation Projects, such as Australia's 'Lost' Films: Search and Rescue, specialized collections including an Oral History collection and an Australian Jazz archive.


 * NFSA provides comprehensive learning resources and experiences for people of all ages in Canberra, across Australia and online. **

NFSA Digital Learning combines the former Screen Australia Digital Learning websites and NFSA’s online education resources. These content rich education websites feature thousands of video and audio clips available for streaming and downloading.

The NFSA’s //australianscreen// is a web-based resource of film and television material - from feature films and documentaries, to advertisements and TV programs - drawn from a range of archives, with curators’ notes and other information about each title. More than 2,000 moving clips from more than 1,000 works are available and the resource is continually growing.

School Screen provides free screenings of Australian feature films, shorts and documentaries for school students and their teachers in local cinemas around Australia. The program offers a dynamic resource for modern teaching to engage students in a range of curriculum and learning areas. A selection of contemporary Indigenous short films can be accessed through the NFSA's //Black Screen// program for use in schools.

Engage with live educational presentations that tell the story of Australia's historic and contemporary film, television and music industries, and the work of the NFSA to preserve this heritage.

The NFSA offers a rich, diverse and constantly growing range of film and video screening material, which is available for loan to cinemas, film festivals, film societies and educational, cultural and community organizations.

__ How could NFSA be used in teaching? __
- Whole class excursions to the building could be made with specific activities about the history of particular films, costumes and posters. NFSA caters for a variety of student based research projects. - NFSA provides materials which allows students to relate and reflect upon history in a more meaningful way. - NFSA exposes children to historical technology - NFSA shows how technology can be used to document past and current cultures. - NFSA caters for Kinaesthetic, aural and visual learners through a variety interactive activities. It also connects children to real world events and issues. - Whole class excursions to the building could be made when an appropriate and educational film is screening. - Teachers and students can use the website to gain access to particular fact and activities. - Teachers can can seek help from the NFSA staff to choose unit related films and resources



__ What SOSE ELAs can NFSA cover? __
Depending on how you choose to use NFSA in your classroom teaching, it can cover each of the following Essential Learning Areas: