Films on Demand FAQ: Home

What is Films on Demand?

Films On Demand is a streaming video service with hundreds of thousands of educational programs. Many programs from the History Channel, Biography Channel, BBC, PBS and other news channels are included in this collection. Access is provided by your PPCC Library.

What are the benefits of using Films On Demand?

You no longer have to track down physical DVDs. You and your students have instant access to watch the video collection from any computer with a high-speed Internet connection. 

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. With a high-speed Internet connection, you can stream videos from any location.**Downloading is a violation of copyright.

Is closed-captioning available?

Yes. New videos may not be captioned when first added, but should be shortly thereafter. To toggle captions on and off, you can select the CC button on the toolbar just below the video. Video transcripts are also available. Just click on the "Transcripts" tab on the right. Click on the words in the script to skip directly to that section of the video. You may configure your default caption settings using the “My Preferences” page.

Are there any international films?

Yes. To find films made internationally, go to the Advanced Search and look at the drop-down list under "Producers." You are able to select films made by international production companies.

What is a playlist?

A Playlist is a customized list of segments and/or video titles that you create. Each playlist will create a specific URL which you can then play in class, email to others, or add to D2L You must create a User Account in order to create playlists.  

Will the film I'm using this semester still be available next semester?

Chances are good.  New videos are added monthly, but videos are deleted only twice a year -- in January and July. We will try to let you know which films are being removed, but it's a good idea for you to double check and make sure the video is available before you include it in your syllabus.