Ben Metcalfe

BBC releases first offerings from the Creative Archive

My good friends and office mates, The Creative Archive crew, have launched the BBC’s first Creative Archive project: Superstar VJ on BBC Radio 1.

The idea is simple: you use some of the groovy footage made available via the Creative Archive to produce your own VJ set.

Footage includes helicoptor shots of the pre-9/11 New York skyline through to grizzley bears tending to their cubs.

Totally open-media-‘tastic, mate – not ‘arf. (If you’re not familiar with British radio culture, you’ll have no ideas what that was about!)

The official line from the BBC is:

For the first time in its history the BBC has opened its video archives and released nearly 100 programme extracts to the UK public under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence. People interested in being creative with BBC material will be free to download and mix that footage and use it as the fuel for their own creative endeavours.

Taken from a whole host of BBC programmes the footage includes a wealth of material covering natural history, wildlife, science, locations, art and more. There are also gems including shots of cityscapes, sunsets, seascapes and many other stunning visuals. People within the UK can download this material now from the Radio 1 Superstar VJs site. More clips will be added over the coming months.

Don’t forget, this is only the start. It’s the first of many projects and releases by the Creative Archive team.