Frequently Asked Questions

What is NFB.ca?

NFB.ca is a Web site where you can watch films produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). We’re still testing the site and need your feedback. Please have a look around, watch some films and tell us what you think.

Is it really free to watch films on the NFB.ca?

Yes! Private home viewing is absolutely free.

Are there costs for public broadcast and educational use?

Yes. There are restrictions for public broadcast, educational and other uses. For more information, please contact the sales agent in your area.

What content is featured on the site?

At present, there are over 1700 productions on the site including:

1. Full length documentaries
2. Auteur animation and drama
3. NFB award winners
4. Trailers and clips from some of our new releases
5. Curated Playlists – Selections of NFB films with a similar theme or set in a unique context

The NFB has been breaking ground in socially engaged documentary, auteur animation and alternative drama for over 70 years. Along the way, we’ve crafted over 12,000 productions and received more than 5000 awards, including 12 Oscars® and more than 90 Genies. Our goal is to ensure that quality, Canadian-produced films are accessible to all Canadians.

If there’s an NFB film you want to see featured on the site, just let us know by filling in our Contact Form

Why can’t I find a particular NFB title on the site?

There are three reasons an NFB film might not be on this site:

1. Rights – We may not have the rights to show the film online yet.
2. Digitization – We may not have converted the film into the correct format to play online.
3. Time – We’re working hard, but we may not have had enough time to get a title online.

If there’s an NFB film you want to see online but isn’t here yet, send us your ideas through the Contact Form.

Why are some of the subtitles and closed captioning missing the French accents?

Since 2002, all of our subtitling and closed captioning is done in lower case with French accents. Prior to that, there was no set standard and common practice varied from company to company. Unfortunately, we are unable to re-do the subtitles and closed captioning for these films. We included them on the site to ensure that people who are hard of hearing can enjoy the films as well and to make as much of our collection accessible to the public as possible.

Can I watch movies on my mobile device?

Yes, you can now watch all the films on NFB.ca on your iPhone. For more information, click here.

What is the NFB.ca blog?

The NFB.ca blog is a place where we talk about NFB films and related topics of interest. The blog will highlight festivals, events and anything tied to the NFB collection. It’s a great place to keep informed about the latest films and features on the site.

What comments are you looking for?

We want to hear and share your perspective. We want NFB.ca to be a place for people of all ages and backgrounds to talk about our films and relevant topics. Your submissions to our site help us encourage dialogue, social debate and the democratic engagement of Canadian and international publics.

Why do you moderate readers' comments?

All comments to the blog are pre-moderated. This means we read them before they are published to make sure they adhere to our guidelines.

Moderating comments is the best way to enhance the quality of the site so that it’s accessible to everyone.

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make these decisions as carefully and consistently as we can.

How do I comment?

Simply fill out the comment form found at the end of the post you are responding to. Your comments will then be sent to us. Once your comment is approved, we will post it on the site.

What isn’t acceptable?

The following won’t make the cut: personal attacks and defamatory statements, racist, sexist language, obscenity, profanity, illegally obtained information, invasion of privacy, commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, off-topic comments and posts in all CAPS (i.e., SHOUTING).

Do you edit comments?

No. Comments are either approved or not.

When and where will my comment be displayed?

Comments are posted during business hours. We reserve the right to display comments in a variety of ways, including within the text of articles or in promotional materials.

How will you use my comments?

Please note that by submitting your comments you acknowledge that the National Film Board has the right to reproduce, broadcast, distribute and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. You are granting us the non-exclusive and unrestricted right to use your content royalty-free.

What about including personal information in comments?

The name you enter in the comment form will appear with your entry. While we encourage readers to use their names to carry on engaging, respectful conversations on the blog, it is your decision whether or not you use your real name.

However, we do ask that you don’t include personal information in comments, such as phone numbers, home and e-mail addresses.

Please keep in mind that once your comment is published, it may be found in search results on sites like Google and Yahoo.

More information

The above provides a summary of the guidelines. For more details, read the NFB’s Submission conditions.

What system requirements are needed to watch videos on NFB.ca?

You’ll need to be equipped with the following:

1. Adobe Flash Player 9.0+ plug-in.
2. Windows 2000 or higher with latest updates installed.
3. Mac OS x 10.3 or higher
4. Firefox 1.1+ or Internet Explorer 7.0+ or Safari 1.0+

We also recommend a broadband connection for optimal viewing.

If you have all the above system requirements installed and you’re still having trouble playing files, please let us know about it through the Contact Form.

Is phone support available?

Not at this time.

Which firewall port do I need open to view films on NFB.ca?

Port 1935 (rtmp), 80 et 81 (http).

How do I share videos?

You can easily share all the videos on NFB.ca by clicking the “Share This” button beside the film.

How can I embed my videos in my blog, social networking site, etc.?

Under the “Share This” tab, you can grab the link to the video, embed the video in your blog or Web site or share it on your favourite social bookmarking site, such as Digg or del.icio.us.

The video is too wide / narrow for my blog. How do I change the size?

No problem. Just edit the embed code to suit your blog dimensions. So if your blog's main column is 500 pixels wide, change the width and height numbers accordingly. You’ll need to change the number in two places though:

<embed src="http://media.nfb.ca/medias/flash/ONFflvplayer-gama.swf" 
            width="516" height="337" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" 
            autostart="false" flashvars="mID=IDOBJ1004&width=516&height=337
            I=http://media.nfb.ca/medias/nfb_tube/thumbs_large/2008/hungu-tv-big.jpg
            &autostart=false&showWarningMessages=false&streamNotFoundDelay=15<=en
            &getPlaylistOnEnd=true&playlist_id=REL1004&embeddedMode=true">
        </embed>
        
        

500px is 97% of 516px so the new height will be 97% of the old height (337) which is 327px.

Your new embed code should look like this:

<embed src="http://media.nfb.ca/medias/flash/ONFflvplayer-gama.swf" 
            width="500" height="327" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" 
            autostart="false" flashvars="mID=IDOBJ1004&width=500&height=327
            I=http://media.nfb.ca/medias/nfb_tube/thumbs_large/2008/hungu-tv-big.jpg
            &autostart=false&showWarningMessages=false&streamNotFoundDelay=15<=en
            &getPlaylistOnEnd=true&playlist_id=REL1004&embeddedMode=true">
        
        </embed>
        

What is RSS?

RSS means Really Simple Syndication. It’s a way for you to subscribe to our content without having to come back and check what’s new. All you need is an RSS reader like Bloglines or Google Reader. Find out more about RSS here.

Why does the app crash sometimes while I’m watching a movie?

Make sure you have the latest iPhone software installed on your phone. The latest update addresses problems with streaming video on the iPhone which may affect the NFB App.

Why can I only hear the audio while I’m watching a movie?

Make sure you have the latest iPhone software installed on your phone. The latest update addresses problems with streaming video on the iPhone which may affect the NFB App.

Are all the films on NFB.ca on the iPhone app?

No, not yet.

Can I use the iPhone video adapter to watch films on my TV?

No. We are working to make sure the app is compatible with the Apple Composite AV Cable for the next major release of the app.

Is the NFB iPhone App only available in certain countries?

No. It’s available for free all over the world.

Are certain films only available to certain countries?

No. There is no geo-blocking on the iPhone app or NFB.ca.

When will you have an app for other mobile platforms available?

We don`t have schedule for other platforms yet. Contact us and let us know if there’s a platform where you’d rather watch NFB films.

Why can’t I save the film for longer than 24h or download the entire film?

We do not have the rights to make the films available for download through this App.

Can I suggest improvements for the next iPhone app?

Yes, please send us your suggestions – we will take them all into serious consideration for the next release.

The NFB on Boxee

The National Film Board of Canada now has a Boxee channel. That's over 1000 NFB animated and documentary films, clips and trailers you can watch through the startup internet-TV broadcaster.

What is Boxee?

Boxee is a program that lets you watch internet video on your television. It has a simple layout that lets you flip through channels easier. Boxee also has social networking features - which means you can see what your friends are watching, what they like, and you can let them know about what you're watching too.

How do I watch NFB films on Boxee?

The NFB channel is one of the featured channels on Boxee. So you can just download and start watching. You can download Boxee here.

The Windows version of Boxee will be available june 23 2009

Why are we on Boxee?

Why not?

Boxee is easy, free and just another way for people to watch our films. So , really, the question is Why Not?

More importantly, it's in line with our < href="http://www.onf.ca/medias/download/documents/pdf/NFB_STRATEGIC_PLAN.pdf">Strategic Plan [PDF Link] which demands that we make our films "widely accessible to Canadian and international audiences on all relevant platforms of the day..."

What is HD?

HD stands for High Definition, which is the highest quality of video available, with a resolution higher than traditional television or video.

How can I start watching NFB.ca films in HD right now?

We have a selection of films at NFB.ca that are available in HD. For a complete list of these titles, click here.

Why is my video only 640×360?

Our HD films have a native size of 1280 x 720. We stream them at exactly half that size (640 x 360) in order to preserve the crisp quality of HD. If you click on the full screen button on the bottom right corner of the player, you can see the whole image in full screen mode.

Can I watch HD in native 1280×720 with no scaling?

Yes, click the full screen button in the lower right corner of the player, then click the button right above it 'scaling off' to toggle scaling. Your preference will be saved for all HD videos you watch.

Do I need any special software to watch HD?

We recommend using the latest version of Flash. You probably already have it installed, but if you don’t, you can download it here.

Do I need a fast computer for HD?

Most computers manufactured since 2006 (either Mac or PC) are fast enough to fully enjoy the added quality of HD. If you’re having trouble, try quitting unused programs and closing extra browser windows. If you’re still having trouble, you can contact us here.

Do I need a fast internet connection for HD videos?

Yes.

Is my monitor capable of showing HD?

Yes. All modern computer monitors have sufficient resolution to display HD video.

Can I watch NFB.ca HD films on my HDTV?

Yes. If you can connect your computer to your HDTV (using an HDMI adapter, for example) you will be able to enjoy our selection of HD films on your television.

How are 3D images created on the web?

3D images on the web are comprised of Anaglyph images - images that are made up of two color layers that are superimposed. Viewing these images through a pair of ColorCode 3D glasses produces a stereoscopic effect, as your brain fuses the image into a three dimensional scene.

Do I need any special equipment to view 3D films online?

Except for a pair of ColorCode glasses, no.

Where can I find a pair of ColorCode glasses?

The 3D ColorCode glasses are available for free from our online store. Click here to order your pair.