COI Footage File Background

The output of the Central Office of Information, from cinema in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and television from the 1960s reflects a changing British society.

The collection started in the 1930s with the government sponsored Empire Marketing Board, which made information films. Later, the General Post Office Film Unit (GPO Film Unit) was set up by the government to produce documentaries in this new medium; John Grierson’s ‘Night Mail’ is the most famous example.  With the outbreak of WWII in 1939, the Ministry of Information took over the GPO Film Unit and changed it to form both the Crown Film Unit and the Colonial Film Unit. The two units produced around 5000 35mm films.

Some were made especially for the foreign market; one film, The True Glory 1945, aimed at the US market and made to encourage American entry into the war, won an Academy Award.

Forty five thousand films have been produced and such luminaries as Humphrey Jennings, Alfred Hitchcock, Richard Massingham, Jack Cardiff, Len Lye, E.M. Forster, Dylan Thomas, Graham Greene, Peter Greenaway, amongst others have been contributors.

COI Footage File Contemporary

The COI now produces commercials, fillers and corporates on behalf of most government departments. The COI made pioneering films alerting the dangers of AIDS and HIV infection in the 1980s. As well as documenting changes in Britain since 1980 the modern films provide a record of government policy through the 1980s and 1990s Films cover such subjects as, Right to Buy a Council Home, Pensions Mis-selling, Privatisation, Jobstart and Restart, award winning drink-drive and anti-smoking adverts along with army, NHS and police recruitment commercials.
	In addition, the following series were made in the 1980s and 1990s by the COI: Insight (1980s) world distribution. Featuring designers, sports people and artists. London Television Service Stories (1970s & 1980s) world distribution. General interest stories including interviews with famous politicians and people of interest. Perspective (1980s & 1990s) world distribution. 156 thirty minute science programmes showing the research, development and application of numerous projects. Has won many international awards. Perspective Plus (1990s) 180 3-5 minute topical news stories. Everything from Transgenic Chickens to Plastic Oil! UK Today (1990s) world distribution. Each episode contains several general topical items of interest such as the opening of a Hindu temple in Neasden, the largest in the world outside India.   All COI footage is subject to Crown Copyright and all re-use must be acknowledged as such.