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Costume & Performance Design: Film Research

A Guide for Costume, Performance Design & Film Costume, and Historical Costume

Further Sources for Film Research

In addition to the scholarly sources you will need to research film productions, design and cinematography, you will also need to make use of audiovisual sources and primary sources - such as critics' reviews of films, interviews and news and industry sources.

Film Reviews

Films Nominated for Costume Design Awards

Film Streaming Sources

BoB National
TV and radio programmes, including films and documentaries. You can find some good costume design documentaries in this BoB Playlist. 

Kanopy
Access to documentaries, world cinema and classic film, as well as a range of theatre performances and opera shows, recorded on stage.


BFI Screenonline
Encyclopaedia of British film and television featuring clips from the collections of the BFI National Archive.

Blu-ray & DVD Collection

The Library has a large collection of DVDs. If you do not have a DVD or Blu-ray player, there are facilities in the Library that can be booked at the Library counter.

 Browse some of the best DVDs for costume design here, or search the collection by director, genre or specific film title using the search below. Narrow the search by selecting Locations > DVD Bay to the left of your results.

Blu-rays and DVDs can be found in the centre of the library on the ground floor, organised in numerical sequence. If you cannot find what you are looking for, remember to check Box of Broadcasts or Kanopy.

646 Fashion Documentary
709 Art History / Theory
770 Photography
780 Music Documentary
791.43 Feature Films
791.434 Animation
791.43601 Experimental
791.43655 Documentary
791.4375 Short Films
791.45 TV Series
792 Theatre
793 Dance
822 Shakespeare

News & Industry

The Costume Designer
The magazine from the Costume Designers Guild, with archives back to 2005. News, features and industry information for costume designers in film and television.

SetDecor
Magazine from the Set Decorators' Society of America, with pictures of the set design on films and television shows. Full archives back to 2002. 

Film History

Fan Magazines Collection
Fan magazines gave audiences a way to experience the magic of the movies beyond the theatre and producers a way to promote their stars and coming films. This collection comprises digital access of complete magazines including Photoplay, Hollywood, Modern Screen and more, from 1914-1963. 

Screenplays