Frequently asked questions

Creating an account allows you to:

• Add shots to your bin and archive them for an unlimited time.
• Share footage by email with colleagues.
• Download low-resolution shots free of charge.
• Place orders for high resolution transfers.
• Receive our monthly newsletter (optional).

Note that you can also use your NFB account on nfb.ca to rent or download films for your personal usage and much more!

Our search engine goes by the NFB film title, contents of the description and subjects and related terms as indexed in our database.

See here for tips on advanced search.

Contact us for assistance if you are unable to locate your desired content in your search.

Because of the vast size of our collection, not all of our shots are online. The only way to view non-digitized material is to order a timecoded screener for a minimum charge of $75 (up to one hour of footage). You can still search and find those shots by unselecting « Shots available for online viewing » in the search result page.

1. Create or log in to your NFB Account
2. Find the footage you want
3. In the search results page or on the shot’s detailed page, use the downward arrow to start a download of the footage.
4. Select where to save the file on your computer and use as a placeholder in your projects

We have a wide variety of licence options. This page will give you an idea of the pricing, Feel free to contact us to discuss your projects and licensing.

For shots available on 16 mm and 35 mm, we can do custom HD transfers to your specifications. For material available on video, we can deliver NTSC or PAL format, SD or HD, depending on the masters available for the selected shots (There is an extra cost for upres and frame rate conversions). We can provide QuickTime Pro Res and other file formats digitally, or on tape if preferred.

PLEASE NOTE: Some of the SD material on our site runs at 23.976fps, but is only available in high resolution in 29.97fps. Please contact us before ordering if this is problematic for you.

This depends on the shots ordered and the format they’re available in. Please contact us for more information.

This depends on the shots ordered and the format they’re available in. Please contact us for a precise quote.

You can place an order by emailing us your list of shots and timecodes, or by creating an account and adding the selected shots to your shopping cart, specifying the desired format.

You’ve come to the right place. Please contact us for rates and third party clearance info.

Please note that the NFB Archives site specializes in licensing the use of stock footage, offering a wealth of archival material such as film clips, stock photos, and more. For general information on the contents of the NFB archival holdings (other than archival footage), please contact the Archives Department by email.

However, please contact the Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator if you wish to remain anonymous for the purposes of making a request under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.

In fact, if you wish to consult the documents of the Archives Department that are not accessible to the public, we invite you to visit the NFB’s Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) page to learn more about the process and procedures.

If you need assistance with our stockshots and on how to go about licensing them, please call or email us. For any other inquiries about the NFB activities or other offers, do consult our Help Site or contact our Customer Service.