Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Inquiries
1. How does Flicker Alley decide upon which titles to publish?
Flicker Alley has a commitment to celebrating film heritage, and we aim for our collection to reflect that goal. Though we do specialize in both classic and silent film, we are very much open to all types of cinema – whether it be documentary (Nanook of the North, Man with a Movie Camera), experimental (Meshes of the Afternoon; The Life and Death of 9413, A Hollywood Extra), film noir (Los Tallos Amargos, El Vampiro Negro), or format-expanding spectacles (3-D Rarities, This is Cinerama). That said, there are of course numerous other factors that go into how we decide upon our releases, namely having to do with rights and/or licensing.
2. Do all Flicker Alley publications have English language subtitles and/or subtitles for deaf and hard-of-hearing (SDH)?
All of our foreign-language releases are geared toward the North American market and hence do come with English-language subtitles. We are also aware and appreciative of our many international customers, and when possible, strive to provide subtitles in alternate languages (as is the case with releases like Foolish Wives and The Ancient Law).
In addition, though many of the titles we publish are silent films, we are committed to including subtitles for deaf and hard-of-hearing (SDH) on most of our publications featuring sound films. If you have questions about SDH on any of our physical or digital publications, please feel free to contact us at info@flickeralley.com.
3. Are all Flicker Alley publications presented in their original theatrical aspect ratio?
We do strive to preserve the original aspect ratio in all of our films. Certain Blu-ray and DVD players do automatically alter aspect ratios, in which case we recommend conforming the settings of your player to standard HD or SD formats (depending upon the title).
4. For what regions are Flicker Alley Blu-rays and DVDs playable?
All Flicker Alley Blu-rays and DVDs are coded for the North American market (regions 1/A), a selection of which are coded for all regions (1,2,3/A,B,C). Region codes are listed on all sales pages of our website and on the back covers of all publications.
5. What are the upcoming Flicker Alley releases? And how can I make a title suggestion?
We do our best to let our customers know about our upcoming releases as soon as we can. We recommend keeping up with our e-mail newsletter, our website, our Facebook page, our Twitter, and our Instagram for any and all updates. As for title suggestions, please direct them to info@flickeralley.com.
Streaming
1. How can I stream Flicker Alley titles?
We offer a number of ways to stream digital editions of Flicker Alley films:
Via the VHX/Vimeo platform, Flicker Alley has its very own channel for streaming an ever-growing collection of our films. You can access this channel through the Stream page on our website. Once there, you can browse through the collection and, depending upon the title, either rent or buy your film(s) of choice. Upon renting or purchasing a title, you will be asked to create an account, or to sign in if you already have one.
Renting: By renting a title, you will be able to stream it on your computer, mobile device, or smart TV for a period of 3 days. During the rental period, you may watch the film as many times as you like! The file itself will not be saved to your computer or device, but you will be able to log into your account and access the title at any time during the rental period.
Buying: If a title in the Flicker Alley browser offers the option to buy, you can click on the ‘Buy’ button (located below the credit card info and to the right of the Rent option on the checkout tab).
Flicker Alley also has its own digital storefront on a little site called Amazon. Here, you can rent and/or buy many of our digital publications.
2. What type of internet connection do I need in order to stream Flicker Alley content?
A broadband connection is preferred for viewing videos on a desktop. Videos have been optimized to work with standard home Cable & DSL speeds. For mobile devices, video has been further optimized for streaming over wi-fi and 3G/4G networks.
3. Is renting/buying from Flicker Alley’s Stream page secure?
Absolutely! VHX’s credit card processor has been audited by a PCI-certified auditor, and is certified to PCI Service Provider Level 1, the most stringent level of certification available. They enforce HTTPS for all sensitive data on Flicker Alley, including the public website, the checkout experience, and the user account pages.
4. How do I redeem a coupon/promo code on Flicker Alley’s Stream page?
On the checkout tab or page, enter your email address, click the “Use code” button, enter the coupon code and click the arrow to input it. If the code was for a free copy, you will be able to click Redeem and watch immediately. If the code was for a discount, you will need to enter your payment info to complete the payment.
5. My video playback on Flicker Alley’s Stream site is slow, or not functioning at an optimum level. What are some tips to help speed up my stream?
If you’re on desktop and the website loads fine but videos don’t seem to be playing, try a different web browser or try updating your current one. You can also try changing the video resolution, located on the bottom right corner of the playback screen. For mobile devices, buffering can take a little longer so be patient. Always ensure you have a strong signal (if you’re on a wireless network with desktop, or on mobile, that your wi-fi or network connection is connecting beyond your minimum speed).
For more questions about video playback of Flicker Alley films on VHX, please refer to VHX’s help center.
6. Will I be able to watch a film I rented/purchased from the Flicker Alley Stream page on my TV, iPad, iPhone, smart TV, etc?
Yes, VHX/Vimeo supports video playback of Flicker Alley films on all major devices. Please refer to the VHX help center for information about your specific device.
Tech Support
1. What do I need to watch Blu-ray movies?
In order to watch a Blu-ray movie, you will need a compatible Blu-ray player that hooks up to either your HDTV or your computer. It should be noted that occasionally there are discrepancies with certain Blu-ray players and/or playback devices that cause issues with disc compatibility, and to be mindful of this when purchasing a new player.
2. Will DVDs play in my Blu-ray player?
Yes! Blu-ray players are fully backwards compatible with DVDs.
3. Does Flicker Alley publish DVDs outside of the United States? And what regions do they play in?
Flicker Alley releases are always available to international audiences. We routinely ship our products to customers all over the world, and whenever possible, we aim to make them Region Free (0 or A,B,C). That being said, we are a small, North American-based company and therefore must adhere to NTSC standards. Also, on limited occasions, we are bound by license agreements to provide a title to a specific market.
4. What should I know about handling Blu-ray discs?
Blu-ray discs are extremely sensitive to dirt and fingerprints, so be sure to handle them carefully and avoid getting fingerprints on the playback surface. Even a small, partial fingerprint has been known to cause problems.
If you do need to clean a Blu-ray disc, here are some helpful tips: Be sure to wash, rinse, and dry your hands thoroughly before cleaning the disc. Hold the Blu-ray disc under cool running water (don’t use soap on the disc!) and use your thumb or fingertip to clean the surface by gently rubbing from the center outward. Don’t use a back-and-forth motion or rub the disc in circles (the motion should be like rays extending from the sun, not like the hands of a clock). After washing, it is important to dry the disc thoroughly, or it will gather lint. Sandwich the disc between several layers of good-quality paper towel and very gently pat dry until all the water has been absorbed from the surface. Do not rub the disc with a paper towel!
Order Support
1. How do I reach Flicker Alley if I have an order problem or question and I can’t find the answer here?
Customer support is extremely important to us. The best way to reach us is always by e-mail at info@flickeralley.com. We will do our best to get back to you within 24 hours, though often much sooner! You can also call us directly at the Flicker Alley office at (323) 851-1905.
2. What payment methods does Flicker Alley accept?
We accept payments on our website via all major credit cards and/or PayPal. We can also process your credit card over the phone at (323) 851-1905, or you can send us a check or money order in the amount of your purchase to the following address:
Flicker Alley, LLC
PO Box 931762
Los Angeles, CA 90093
3. Can my order be shipped outside of the United States?
Yes. And if you are ordering from outside the U.S., we highly recommend reading our shipping policies first.
4. What if I want to cancel a Flicker Alley order?
To cancel an order, please notify us by e-mail at info@flickeralley.com.
5. How much do shipping and handling cost?
For shipping within and outside of the U.S., we charge standard postal rates. Again, please refer to our shipping policies.
6. Do you charge sales tax?
Flicker Alley only charges sales tax for customers ordering from within California.
7. Is it safe to use my credit card with Flicker Alley?
We offer the use of a secure server. All supplied sensitive/credit information is transmitted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and then encrypted into our Payment gateway providers database only to be accessible by those authorized with special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential.
After a transaction, your private information (credit cards, social security numbers, financials, etc.) will not be stored on our servers.
8. If I am purchasing a DVD or Blu-ray on pre-order, do you charge my credit card right away?
Yes. Due to the fact we are a very small company dedicated to bringing high-quality releases to our customers, we make it a practice to charge pre-orders at the time of check-out. If at any time before shipment you change your mind, though, we are happy to refund you in full. Simply e-mail or call us, and we’ll do our best to work with you.
9. How do I know if my DVD or Blu-ray order has shipped?
After your purchase, you should receive an automated e-mail that contains your sales receipt. If it is a pre-order purchase, your order will be shipped out on or before the specified date of release. In the case of all other orders, we ship everything out within one business day of when the sale is processed.
10. Do you offer institutional sales?
We do offer institutional sales. If you are representing a school library, please visit our Educational Sales page. If you wish to set up a public screening for one of our films, please visit our Theatrical Rentals page, or contact us directly at info@flickeralley.com.
11. Do you offer wholesale pricing on DVDs and Blu-rays?
We do offer wholesale pricing to certified vendors who order a certain amount of product. If you wish to purchase Flicker Alley DVDs or Blu-rays at a wholesale rate, please contact us directly at info@flickeralley.com.
Shipping Policies
Domestic Shipping
All shipments are processed by 6:00pm PST Mon-Fri. Any orders made after 4:00pm will be processed the following day.
If you purchase a pre-order DVD or Blu-ray, your credit card is charged automatically upon checkout.
Flicker Alley ships through US Postal Service and Stamps.com. If you would like to receive a shipping notification, please email info@flickeralley.com and we will do our best serve you.
Shipments sent First Class may take up to 4 days, and 9 days for Media Mail.
Shipments may be upgraded to Priority Mail for an additional cost. Domestic shipments should be received in 3 days or less. If there are any issues regarding your order please visit our Returns, Losses and Damages policies or email info@flickeralley.com.
International Shipping
If you purchase a pre-order DVD or Blu-ray, your credit card is charged automatically upon checkout.
Flicker Alley offers the option of using U.S.P.S. First-Class International service or U.S.P.S. Priority International service. We highly recommend using Priority International service, which is the most protected and dependable method of shipping to addresses outside of the U.S. This service will protect your purchases because it includes delivery confirmation and insurance. Finally, the service helps to resolve issues quickly when a package does not arrive safely.
Advantages of U.S. Postal Service Priority International:
• Faster service; Delivery in 6 to 10 days
• More Reliable
• Fully insured
• Traceable; Includes delivery status information
• Packages can be shipped to over 190 countries
Our prices for U.S.P.S. Priority International service are based on the latest rates (determined by weight and destination) at USPS.com.
Customers who trust that Flicker Alley makes a good faith effort to document all orders and shipments, takes care to properly prepare and address all packages, and ships these packages in a timely manner, will still have the option of choosing U.S.P.S. First-Class International service upon checkout. It will be listed following our preferred, default shipment options. U.S.P.S. First-Class International service should only be considered with the understanding that Flicker Alley will not be held accountable for any order that fails to reach the customer in a timely manner and in good condition.
Returns, Losses and Damages
If you would like to return an item for any reason, please e-mail us at info@flickeralley.com, or call us at (323) 851-1905. Flicker Alley does not take responsibility for lost or stolen items, and we reserve the right to fully assess damaged items in order to determine the cause or origin. If you believe a DVD or Blu-ray was damaged in transit, please provide photos, along with relevant details and/or documentation.
Once Flicker Alley has had the chance to fully determine the cause of damage or loss, we will be in contact with you regarding whether or not we can provide a replacement. All Flicker Alley orders that are returned to us unopened and in good condition will be refunded in full.
Privacy Policy
Please see our Privacy Policy here.