Film Archiving and Preservation

American Film Technologies

Guide to Film Archiving and Preservation

Finding film and video archiving companies
By Nate Waymire

Movies that were shot in 35mm or 16mm formats are very likely to deteriorate over the years, which has led to an ongoing effort to preserve them. The film may become scratched, dirty or faded, or it might get stretched out from the projector stopping and starting while the film is loaded. Old film can also become brittle and start to crack and tear. Companies that have produced movies using this film format may be interested in working with businesses that deal in the archiving and preservation of film.

Film archiving and preservation is done by companies that are dedicated to saving old films and restoring them for future use. They offer services such as:

1. Film preservation techniques that will restore and refresh old movies, documentaries, news reels and more;

2. Archiving films in a safe where they are kept away from sunlight, water and other potentially harmful substances;

3. Transferring old films into a digital format.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Gain access to archive films that have been professionally preserved Some organizations are dedicated to preserving films that might otherwise be lost forever. They painstakingly go through the entire film frame by frame to restore it as thoroughly as possible. When the films are finished, they are made available for research purposes, documentary creation and they may even be loaned to non-profit businesses or public venues to be shown free of charge.

I recommend:  Three highly respected film preservation societies are The UCLA Film & Television Archive, National Film Preservation Society and The National Film and Sound Archive.

Hire companies that provide the service of preserving films Your company may need to preserve archival footage, industrial films or other recordings to return them to a good working condition. There are businesses that specialize in taking films that have deteriorated and returning them to a professional grade quality.

I recommend:  Get help preserving your old company films from Iron Mountain or The Colorlab Archival Film Services Division.

Work with a film preservation business that does film transfers Many businesses have old work films and historical documentaries they would like to preserve and update to a digital format. Old movies, still shots and other types of media can be scanned and transferred to a DVD, mpg or any other format that is desired.

I recommend:  Have your films transferred professionally at MyMovieTransfer or Precision Images. Purchase equipment to do your own transfers from Lasergraphics.

Retain film archiving services for older movies Independent movie studios or any other company that has a large number of full-length 35mm films can easily run out of storage space, or simply not have the proper facilities to store them properly. These films can be safely stored in protected warehouses in which they will be kept in the best condition possible.

I recommend:  Contact Underground Vaults & Storage or KISS Vaults when you need room for old movies.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Important historical documentaries may be eligible for complimentary film archiving and preservation services.
• Ask how long the film and video archiving company will take to finish your project so you can be certain it will be done within your time limit.