The emphasis of this collaboration is to build a collection of Singapore films and film-related materials, especially culturally important works by independent filmmakers whose films are not well archived and catalogued.

Accepted works include:
- film gauges, video, digital formats (35mm, 16mm, 8mm, super 8, digiBeta, miniDV, VHS, HD, DVD, data files and others)

- length (short, medium or feature)

- genre (narrative, documentary, experimental or animation)

- film-related materials (stills, posters, scripts, storyboards, festival catalogues, press kits, thesis and articles)

In a tropical environment like Southeast Asia, films (including digital formats) can disintegrate rapidly if they not kept properly. To ensure your films are preserved for posterity, all film masters are kept in secure and 24-hour temperature and climate-controlled vaults to prolong their lifespan. Other materials such as scripts, stills, posters are kept in acid-free packaging to prevent deterioration. All films and related materials are maintained and conserved in accordance with accepted standards of archival procedures.

Beyond archival, the Asian Film Archive (AFA) builds cultural value on our collection through research, education and publication. AFA also promotes films in its collection and makes them accessible to the public for creative processes, teaching, or research.

Please contact AFA and send more information about these films through the online submission form: www.asianfilmarchive.org/collection.htm. The online submission form is to provide sufficient information so that AFA can follow up with the filmmakers and arrange for necessary materials (masters and DVD screeners) to be sent to the address below. An acknowledgement reply will be sent to the filmmaker upon receipt.

Contact: Archivist, Ms Karen Chan / Archive Officer, Mr. Chew Tee Pao
Email: karen@asianfilmarchive.org / teepao@asianfilmarchive.org
Tel: 6777 3243
Address: Asian Film Archive (Attn: Archivist, Ms Karen Chan)
c/o Library Supply Centre
3 Changi South Street
Xilin Districentre Building B
#02-00
Singapore 486548

Once contact has been established between you and AFA, you will be advised to submit 1 original (where possible) and/or 2 master copies, 3 DVD screeners, as well as related materials like stills, press kits, and storyboards.

In accordance with the Singapore Film Commission’s grant agreement, filmmakers who have received funding should submit the above materials for archival upon completion of production.

If you are negotiating film festival screenings or distribution deals and would temporarily not want the public to access the films, arrangements can be made to embargo public access to the specified titles for a period of time, to a maximum of two years.

You can use your screener copies to submit to film festivals for acceptance. Upon acceptance, you can use your spare master copy for film festivals, or we can facilitate film festival requests and arrange for your films to be sent to the festivals and receive them when the presentation is done.

The SFC and AFA will support the distribution of the films to film festivals. AFA will send information on newly completed works to curators overseas and arrange to host film programmers in Singapore to watch newly completed works or meet filmmakers.

The SFC will promote the Singapore films on its website as a one-stop centre for Singapore films and Singapore as a filmmaking hub. Filmmakers, whose works are selected for international film festivals / competitions, can apply for the SFC Overseas Travel Grant at www.sfc.org.sg.

AFA and NLB will organize film activities such as film literacy seminars, film screenings and workshops, and talks at NLB to promote the AFA collection to the public through a variety of events to raise awareness and interest in the film heritage of Singapore and Asian cinema.

The reference copies of the films and its related materials will be housed at the Asian Film Archive Reference Collection and can be viewed within the premises of the library@esplanade.

Permission from filmmakers will be sought by the AFA if a film is selected for screening or if there are any requests by external parties for film festivals or screenings.

Apart from making accessible the reference copies of the films for the public to view within the library premises, the AFA Collection will also be promoted to raise film heritage awareness. Consent will be sought before films are used for any such educational activities.

As part of the current SFC grant agreement, filmmakers are required to submit 2 good master copies, 3 screeners, and related materials of their completed films that received SFC funding for preservation with the AFA. Where possible, originals are also encouraged to be archived. In addition, 1 DVD should be sent to SFC. AFA will also archive your past SFC funded works as part of the collection. You can contact the AFA if you have materials and information that should be updated since you last sent them.

For filmmakers who have any reservation making your films available at the reference library, SFC will consider your request on a case-by-case basis. Please contact: Ms Kristin Saw, Kristin_SAW@mda.gov.sg

 

Please contact AFA and send more information about these films through the online submission form: www.asianfilmarchive.org/collection.htm. The online submission form is to provide sufficient information so that AFA can follow up with the filmmakers and arrange for the screeners (preferably in DVD format) to be sent to the address below. An acknowledgement reply will be sent to the filmmaker upon receipt.

Contact: Archivist, Ms Karen Chan / Archive Officer, Mr. Chew Tee Pao
Email: karen@asianfilmarchive.org / teepao@asianfilmarchive.org
Tel: 6777 3243
Address: Asian Film Archive (Attn: Archivist, Ms Karen Chan)
Library Supply Centre
3 Changi South Street 2
Xilin Districentre Building B,
#02-00
Singapore 486548

No. The online submission form is to provide sufficient information so that AFA can follow up with you to arrange for DVD screeners to be sent for consideration. Subsequently, AFA will contact you to inform if your film has been accepted for archival.

If this is indicated in your online submission form, you will be contacted by AFA on more information about your films. Possession of only the original film print will not affect the decision for archival consideration as the Archive will accept other formats even if there are no ready DVD/VCD screeners.

No. The deposit of the films and related materials does not constitute an assignment or transfer of the copyright or any other intellectual property rights. Unless explicitly expressed, any rights subsisting in the films and film related materials shall at all times remain vested in the relevant copyright owners.

All staff and volunteers of the AFA handling materials and information are carefully selected and required to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect the confidentiality of information and materials submitted to AFA.

No. All costs relating to documentation, logistics, preservation, maintenance and promotion of the films will be absorbed.

No. AFA is a non-profit and non-governmental organization founded to save, explore and share the art of Asian Cinema. It is not a profit-driven commercial entity and regards its work as providing a service to filmmakers and the community by preserving film heritage.

If your film has been produced and distributed as a DVD publication, please notify NLB. An ISBN number will be issued and two copies of the DVD publication should be sent to NLB. These copies will be catalogued and kept with NLB as part of its published heritage collection for research by present and future generations. A copy of the published DVDs will be available at library@esplanade for viewing and research onsite. Copies of suitable Singapore films are also purchased for its network of libraries.