Preparation

The first step is preparing the film for scanning. Prior to digitizing film we repair old splices, remove blank film & damaged perforations and we replace the leader if necessary. Film is then hand cleaned with a special solvent to remove dirt, mold and dust, as well as, lubricate and condition the film stock. Film from multiple small reels (3" reels) is consolidated onto larger 7 inch reels for transferring purposes and for better storage. If you have a specific order you want the film reels to be in, labeled and numbered reels will be honored and organized as such.

Scanning

We use film scanning machines that are able to take a picture of each individual film frame. Additionally, many Super 8mm and 16mm films have sound recorded within them, and we transfer this audio recorded content into the final product.

Editing

Once the film is digitally captured, a digital restoration can also be performed. Various film stocks can suffer from color fading and other discoloration over time, and we offer color correction services, in an effort to restore the images to near original coloring. Additionally, there are various video editing options, such as background music, onscreen titles, voice narratives and pop-up text descriptions for silent film to customize the final transfer product and tell a better story.

Delivery

Depending on your order, your movies will either return to you on a DVD, Blu-Ray disc, or as data files on a flash drive or hard drive. All original film is returned on either the film’s original reels or on 7 inch 400ft take-up reels. We return all original film reels, canisters and boxes.