The material mainly consists of items created and acquired during the course of Joy's work on film and television productions. These include the Thunderbirds television series, She, Fahrenheit 451, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Vengeance of She, Mackenna's Gold, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and Erik the Viking. The series relating to 2001: A Space Odyssey is the most extensive.

A smaller number of personal items, and later additions about the projects and people she worked with are included.

The material takes the form of notebooks and sketchbooks, photographic material, film frames, press cuttings, artists equipment, and props.