What would you like to know more about?
Click on a question to see the answer. Click on the question again to hide the response.
Digital Media Overview
What is Films On Demand?
Films On Demand is a state-of-the-art streaming video platform that makes it easier than ever to incorporate outstanding educational programs from Films Media Group into your content management systems, online lesson plans, distance learning courseware, or electronic card catalog system. Most titles are available for individual lease or purchase, or you can buy access to large curriculum-focused collections on a subscription basis.
What are the benefits of using Films On Demand?
The ability to view digital video in real time provides instant access to your entire video collection from any computer with a high-speed Internet connection. There's no need to track down borrowed or misplaced VHS tapes or DVDs. And the Films On Demand interface provides access to enhanced functionality that allows you to take complete control of your video content and your students' viewing experience. You can use Films On Demand to search for specific video segments, organize videos into folders, and create personal playlists for others to view. You can also integrate videos directly into online card catalog systems and distance learning courseware. And by using Films On Demand, you will have access to usage reports that provide you with valuable information about which videos are being watched and how often.
How does video streaming work?
Streaming technology allows you to access high quality video content via the Internet. Instead of downloading an entire video file before viewing it, streaming allows you to begin viewing the video immediately while the rest of the program downloads in the background. Using a computer with a high-speed Internet connection, you can stream videos from any location.
What digital video file formats are available?
Films On Demand now provides videos as Flash Video streams with Windows Media and QuickTime also available for most titles. Flash Videos can be streamed at 400k, 700k, or 1500k bitrates. Windows Media and QuickTime streams are 300k. Higher bitrates deliver excellent resolution when video is viewed in full-screen mode or projected. Lower bitrates may be better choices in limited-bandwidth environments.
Films On Demand Video Programming
What video programs are available on Films On Demand?
Films On Demand combines our newest videos with many of our best-selling programs to provide you with an up-to-date, cross-curricular digital library that spans high school, advanced placement and college needs. Select one video or 1,000 programs - the choice is yours! With more than 6,000 available titles, Films On Demand allows you to customize your school or library’s video collection to meet your specific content needs.
How can I see a list of current programs available on Films On Demand?
You can visit the Films On Demand Digital Options page to access a list of available individual titles and subject-specific collections. Or you can use the
Advanced Search page on our e-commerce website (
www.films.com) to limit your search to only digital titles.
On average, 600 new programs are digitized, segmented and made available via Films On Demand every year. For our customers with subscriptions to collections, the appropriate programs are automatically added to your account and you will receive an email notifying you of the new titles as they become available.
Why are some programs available on DVD/VHS but not on Films On Demand?
Films Media Group currently offers more than 6,000 titles on Films On Demand and
is digitizing and uploading an average of 600 additional programs annually. Many older or specialized titles from our backlist that have not yet been added to Films On Demand may be requested by contacting our Sales Department at
sales@films.com. Unfortunately, in other cases FMG has been unable to obtain digital rights from the producers.
Films On Demand Pricing
What does each Films On Demand program cost?
There are two basic options for acquiring individual digital video titles through Films On Demand: 3-year lease or outright purchase. In most cases, the cost of a 3-year lease is equal to the list price of the hard copy (DVD/VHS). A digital video may be purchased for your permanent collection for two times the cost of a 3-year lease. Both options include full public performance rights and unlimited, 24/7 concurrent access by authorized faculty, staff, and students at your institution. Discounts are available for lease or purchase of multiple titles and/or for use at multiple institutions. Subscription plans are also available (see below). For additional information, please call 800-257-5126 and press 3 for a media consultant to assist you.
Do you offer a subscription service?
Yes! After many requests, we now offer virtually our entire digital video library on an annual subscription basis. Videos are grouped into curriculum-based collections that are available separately or as a comprehensive master collection. The annual cost is based on the type and size of your institution. Discounts are available for multiple institutions who subscribe together. As with all our digital video options, the subscription service includes full public performance rights and unlimited, 24/7 concurrent access by authorized faculty, staff, and students. (Note: Individual videos are not available by subscription.) For additional information, including a free trial, please call 800-257-5126 and press 3 for a media consultant to assist you.
What if I already own a lot of your titles?
As a valued customer, we will work with you to convert your VHS/DVD collection to Films On Demand. Our media consultants can provide you with a customized offer that will make this transition simple and cost-effective. For additional information about converting your existing video library to Films On Demand, please call 800-257-5126 and press 3 for a media consultant to assist you.
What discounts are available for leasing/purchasing multiple programs?
If you intend to lease/purchase multiple digital programs through Films On Demand, we will work with you to provide a pricing structure that takes into consideration bulk sales, multiple year leases, multiple location access, and the conversion of your existing DVD/VHS titles to digital. Please call 800-257-5126 and press 3 for a media consultant to assist you.
Films On Demand Functionality
How do I access programs from Films On Demand?
Once you lease a digital video program or subscribe to a collection from Films Media Group you will be able to access your programs directly from Films On Demand at
digital.films.com. Simply log in with your user name and password and you will be able to immediately view any programs in your digital collection. Additional authentication options are also available. To learn more about the supported authentication methods, download the
Films On Demand Authentication Options PDF.
Once you lease a digital video program from Films Media Group you will be able to
access it immediately from Films On Demand at:
digital.films.com.
Simply log in with your user name and password and you will be able to immediately
view any titles in your digital collection.
The Films On Demand platform provides you with features that allow you to control how the video content is used and viewed within your school or library.
Some of the basic functionality of Films On Demand includes the ability to:
- Access your digital content, anytime and anywhere you need it
- View full-length video programs in your digital collection
- View pre-defined segments from each program
- Create personal playlists to assemble full-length videos and/or segments into a classroom presentation or to share with students for out-of-class viewing
- Integrate videos into electronic card catalog systems or distance learning course
- Search your digital video library by title or segment using keywords, subjects, and other criteria
- Browse your digital video library using a curriculum-based taxonomy
- Organize your digital videos into custom folders for quick and easy access to your favorite titles and segments
The categories displayed in the View By Subject navigation area correspond to video content acquired by your institution. If you have not acquired access to any videos in a particular subject area, that category is grayed out and the link is inactive. Please note that many videos and segments are appropriate for use in multiple subjects. As such many titles are cross-listed in more than one subject category, and this cross-listing may result in a correlation that is different from your own use of that
How do I play Films On Demand video in full screen?
Full-screen support is only available when using Microsoft's Windows Media Player.
To enter full-screen mode, please follow these steps:
- Start playing the video in Windows Media Player
- Right-click anywhere within the player
- Select the "Zoom" option
- Select the "Full Screen" option
- To exit, right-click anywhere within the player, and select "Exit Full Screen"
To enter full-screen mode in Flash, click the “window extend” icon on the right of the Flash video player.
Yes, many of our titles support closed captioning. Closed captioning is available using Windows Media Player and Flash Player. For Windows Media, if the "CC" icon appears below the video window, simply click on it to activate captions. For Flash Video, click the “chat bubble” icon embedded in the right side of the Flash player to toggle the captions on or off. You may configure your default caption settings using the “My Preferences” page.
How Do I view captions in Windows Media full-screen mode?
In full-screen mode, you must first configure Windows Media 11 to support captions. You need to do the following steps one time only:
1. Start playing the video in Windows Media Player
2. Enter full-screen mode (for instructions, see below)
3. Right-click anywhere within the player
4. Select the "Lyrics, Captions, and Subtitles" option
5. Select the "Subtitles" option
6. Right-click within the player again
7. Select the "Exit Full Screen" option
8. Enter full-screen mode again, and the captions will now play
What are title URLs and playlists?
Title URLs are free-standing, persistent URLs of for specific videos that can be shared within your institution, integrated into an electronic card catalog system, or placed in any course management system. Every title in your Films On Demand collection comes with a pre-configured Title URL. These can be found on the “View Video” page in the “Details” tab.
Playlists are customized links that can consist of any combination of segments and/or full videos. Users can create playlists by using the “Playlist” tab on the “View Video” page. A single segment or multiple segments from a video can be selected to create a playlist. Segments from multiple programs can also be combined into a single playlist. Once a playlist has been created, it can be edited by accessing the “My Playlists” tab. Custom playlists will all have a free-standing, persistent URL that can be shared with students or others in your institution.
How do I access a playlist?
Playlists can be accessed via a playlist code or a playlist link. To use a playlist code, students can access a specific playlist by entering the code into the playlist login box on the Films On Demand home page. To find the code for a playlist that you have created, log into the “My Playlist” tab in Films On Demand. To use playlist links, your collection will need to be configured for proxy server authentication. With authentication, a secure page listing all your collection's playlists can be easily accessed by your students. Please contact FMG or your school’s administrator for more information
Can I post a video or playlist link on the Internet?
Customers may make videos, segments, or playlists freely available for viewing by authorized users within a secure environment using approved authentication procedures. Links may be posted on a course management system, institutional web site, or online card catalog, provided these are accessible only to authorized users. Customers or users are prohibited from making a video or any part thereof available to any person or organization that is not an authorized user. This includes web sites such as YouTube and other publicly-accessible electronic networks, blogs, forums, and social networking services. Links to FMG content that are posted on information services such as OCLC’s WorldCat must require logging in by an authorized user to view the video. Other permitted and prohibited uses are described in the Digital License Agreement.
Films On Demand Technical Questions
What are the technical requirements to use Films On Demand?
Films On Demand supports most Windows and Macintosh operating systems. High-speed Internet access is required with a minimum of 380 kbps DSL, or 500 kbps Cable Modem connectivity. Because Films On Demand provides the opportunity to view videos at different bitrates, users can select the option that best fits their bandwidth needs. For additional technical information, download the
Films On Demand Technical Requirements PDF.
Films On Demand can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. All you need is a high-speed Internet connection and a computer that meets the minimum technical requirements. Depending on the authentication options you select, remote access will be possible for educators and students. To learn more about the supported authentication methods, download the
Films On Demand Authentication Options PDF.
If you have administrative permission, you will be able to access meta-data information, view title and collection status, view playlist URLs, manage users, and view usage statistics for every title and segment in your Films On Demand collection. The Administrator options are found within the “My Preferences” tab.
What authentication options are available for Films On Demand?
Films On Demand supports both IP and Proxy authentication. We can provide a specific Films On Demand URL that is authenticated to the on-campus IP ranges of your institution. Similarly, we can provide a Films On Demand URL that is authenticated to the IP address of your proxy server for off-campus use. This options works well for any institution wishing to utilize their EzProxy access. To learn more about the supported authentication methods, download the
Films On Demand Authentication Options PDF.
The following meta-data is available for every Films On Demand title and segments: FMG Item #, Title, Description, Copyright Date, and Run-Time. All of the available meta-data can be printed or exported as a Microsoft Excel document. The meta-data is available for Administrators within the “My Preferences” tab.
Are MARC Records available for titles in Films On Demand?
MARC records are not typically created for digital streaming video titles. MARC records for most DVD & VHS items are available from Films Media Group, and some institutions have adapted these for digital use. To inquire about availability and cost of these records, please call 800-257-5126 and press 2 for a customer service representative to assist you. Other institutions have used FMG-provided metadata as substitutes for MARC records.
Can Films On Demand Titles be added to an online card catalog system?
Yes, titles in Films On Demand can be added to an online card catalog system. Using the available meta-data and the Title URL link, a card catalog entry can be created. If the card catalog is accessible to people outside of the purchasing institution, the Title URLs must be authenticated to prevent unauthorized access.
Can digital video programs be downloaded to my computer from Films On Demand?
The current version of Films On Demand does not allow individual users to download video files to their computers or mobile devices
I am having problems using Firefox and Windows Media 11.
A plug-in is required to solve some issues encountered when using Firefox, Windows Media 11, and Windows XP or Vista. Known issues include a shifting of the Windows Media player and an over-sized video when playing 600k bit rate files. Click Click
here to download the Firefox plug-in. After installation, you will need to restart your Firefox browser.
Find Out More
Where can I find more information about the Films On Demand technical requirements?
Where can I find more information about how to use Films On Demand?
The Films On Demand User's Guide contains information about how to use all of the features and functions available for users and administrators. Click here to download the
Films On Demand User’s Guide PDF.
QuickStart Guide PDFs are also available to provide you with simple steps for using the most common features of Films On Demand. Registered users can also access interactive Flash tutorials about how to use many of the available features of Films On Demand – these can be found in the “Help” center.
Films On Demand can be previewed for free by qualified librarians and educators. To see if you are eligible for trial access to a sample of individual titles or our subject collections, contact one of our media consultants at 800-257-5126 (press 3).
How can I contact someone to learn more about Films On Demand?
If you have any questions about Films On Demand, please don't hesitate to call 800-257-5126 and press 3 for a media consultant to assist you. If you require technical support, please contact us at 888-744-6398 or via email at
support@films.com.