Consulting Services
Whether you are new to Motion Picture Film, or have just inherited a new film collection, our experts at MWA can help assist with navigating the common hurdles of film preservation to ensure your film collection’s legacy for future audiences.
We can help with:
1. Assessment and inventory:
What types of film formats and elements are included in your collection? What are the special environmental requirements? How should the physical assets be inventoried?
When collections are acquired with multiple formats of various ages, and conditions, a strong appraisal strategy should be in place to help determine the preservation priorities and levels. For example, some assets may be deteriorating more rapidly than others, so this could be an important factor in prioritizing these films for preservation. Assessing the soundtrack condition and choosing the best version is also critical as the various types of soundtracks will have different levels of fidelity, and require different workflows. These factors will also contribute to your decision on how and what to prioritize. Our experts can provide you with the best practices to answer all of these questions and more.
2. Scanning and Digitization:
What scanner features are required for handling delicate film? What features are offered to correct image and sound PRE-processing in order to minimize the time required in post-processing? What type of camera resolution is required for scanning? How many sound tracks must be scanned? What type of file output is required? What are the digital restoration requirements for each file in terms of color and image quality?
Upon completion of the Assessment and Inspection phase, now the film is ready for the scanner. Some film may be extremely delicate, and therefore it is important avoid any sudden stops and starts in the scanning process. It is imperative to ensure that the scanner will not cause further damage to the physical asset. Depending on the asset, various scanning resolutions may be required. Our experts are familiar with a variety of scanners and can assist you in choosing the best one for your collection. In addition, our experts can assist with customize work flows and best practices for scanning and digitization.
3. Cataloguing, Storage and Accessibility:
How should the digital files be catalogued as to identify the contents? How much digital storage is required for the scanned files? What is the backup/recovery plan in case of network or server failure? How should the files be made accessible to the public?
Now that the film is scanned and digitized, there needs to be a plan to store it, identify it by its meta data and contents, and make it accessible for viewing. Storage requirements will be based on the size and formats of the files. Cloud storage may be an option, but if the files will be accessed regularly, network capacity may be an issue. Designing a cataloguing system where the contents of the film can be easily identified will be critical for best use of the information.