Film footage sources
Procuring footage for documentaries can be complex, but is made simpler by the availability of searchable collections of footage online.
- Focal International
Search here to access FOCAL International's Directory of over 140 Footage & Content library members selling: clips, archive, footage, stockshots, stills & audio. Organized by subject with site links.
Archival Photograph and Document Research
- AP Archive
The Associated Press Images website displays more than three million of these amazing photos of news events, sports, politics, crime, disasters, science, heroes and celebrities, arts and entertainment, and more. Hundreds of images are added to the website on a daily basis from AP's current photo report as well as a growing selection of historical images from the AP Photo Library that includes negatives, slides, and prints. Licencing fees apply. - Archives of Ontario
The Archives of Ontario has created a number of research tools, databases and catalogues of information to help you in your research. Collections include immigration records, maps, photographs, aerial photographs, patents and blueprints. - City of Toronto Archives
The Toronto Archives is the municipal archives for the city. There are over one million photographs of Toronto in our collection, as well as tens of thousands of maps, plans and architectural drawings. Browse a complete list of all the digitized photographs, in the archives, arranged by series. (James, William 'Smallest House' ca. 1913 William James family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 82.14) - Getty Images - Archival Photos
A global archival offering of defining cultural moments, places and iconic personalities–– from the historical to the present-day. - Library and Archives Canada Image Search
Search the image collections held by Library and Archives Canada. Searches can be narrowed down by type (architectural drawings, art, maps, objects, photographs, and stamps). - Library of Congress Images
Search the Library of Congress' collection of prints and photographs online, keyword search or browse by collection. Includes advertisements, posters, propaganda, war photography, magazine and photo studio archives. Many images are in the public domain. - Life photo arhchive
Search millions of photographs from the LIFE photo archive, stretching from the 1750s to today. Most were never published and are \available through the joint work of LIFE and Google. - National Archives
Links to digitized photograph collections held by the US National Archives.