Swank Digital Campus provides academic streaming access to feature films, documentaries, and television shows. Swank features content from Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate Films, Magnolia Pictures, A24 Films, and other studio partners.
VCU Libraries purchases one-year licenses for individual films in the Swank Digital Campus portal when requested by VCU faculty for course use. Due to the cost of annual licenses, we ask that you use our DVD collection when possible. Film licenses expire after one year and must be requested by faculty again if needed for course instruction. If you plan to show a Swank film that is currently accessible, please check the expiration date of the current film license by navigating to that film in the Swank portal. If the film is set to expire in the middle of course instruction, submit a renewal request using the Film Request Form two weeks in advance to ensure continuous access. The portal is accessible to VCU students, staff, and faculty via the library's A-Z Database list.
When opening the Swank Digital Campus portal, users will be asked to identify as students or instructors. The Swank portal appears differently for students and instructors. Students can only see the content that we have licensed, and they cannot see restricted titles. Instructors can see both content that VCU has licensed and the other content offered in the Swank catalog. Instructors can also see "limited access" or restricted films. To watch or share restricted films or to request other films in Swank, instructors must create an instructor account.
To receive email notifications when your requested film is either approved or denied, please ensure that you have fully activated your account. When you set up your account, you should receive an activation link in your email. Please complete the email activation, otherwise you will not receive email notifications.
Faculty can request Swank films by filling out the Film Streaming Request Form or by requesting films directly through Swank. Film requests made directly through Swank go to the VCU streaming administration. Requests do not ensure instantaneous access, so please make your requests at least one week before.
Swank films are licensed for one year at a time. If you are using a film that is already available through Swank, please review the Available Through date to ensure that the film will continue to be accessible through the duration of your course.
Restricted titles are titles that students cannot see in the Swank contents catalog; rather, they must view the film with a direct link provided by their instructor.
Faculty can obtain links to individual Swank films to add to their course pages in Canvas.
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