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Re: converting old home movies



Hi Michelle,

This is an issue that regional film archives (like ours) deal with
regularly.  I'll try my hand at some suggestions for you.

You don't say how old the home movies are, but in any case you should avoid
the fairly ubiquitous local services that say they can transfer your film to
video.  The movies you have are archival documents, after all -- you
wouldn't trust Kinko's to photocopy your Magna Carta, so why trust
Walgreen's to transfer your films to video?  There are a handful of
respected labs that have the proper equipment and expertise to deal with
archival footage, and all the potential problems (warping, shrinkage, tears,
etc.) inherent with 16mm and 8mm film.  For a list of these labs, check the
list on the American Film Institute's web site at
http://www.afionline.org/preservation/about/labs.html --  there are others
besides, but don't be shy about sending the film any distance.  Chances are
you won't find what you need nearby (depending on where you are).

You're absolutely right about acquiring the originals for your archives.
Video copies are transitory, and should be used only as reference and, as
you mention, outtakes for productions.  Donors, too, will appreciate a video
copy -- VHS is the best option for them.  And don't forget to get copyrights
as well as property rights in your donor agreement.

As for what video format to use, there is a lot of debate on that score.
Digital is great for making copies, but in the jockeying for market
supremacy there is yet to surface a format standard (like VHS and BetaCam in
the analog world).  For that reason, I'd recommend transfer to BetaCam-SP,
the latest analog standard.  From that, or even simultaneously, digital
copies can be made to whatever format is the Flavor of the Month.  And for
the donor, VHS (have a VHS made for yourself, too, as a reference copy)

Finally, if you want to find out more about the process or want to ask for
other lab possibilities, post a message on the listserv of the Association
of Moving Image Archivists, AMIA-L.  You can find information on this at the
following URL: http://www.amianet.org/#AMIA-L.   There are also a few
funding sources for the preservation of film (home movies and otherwise)
whose significance can be demonstrated; check out the National Film
Preservation Foundation at http://www.filmpreservation.org/.

Hope this helps.  Good luck!

-Paul

Paul J. Eisloeffel
Curator of Manuscripts and Audio-Visual Collections
Nebraska State Historical Society
P.O. Box 82554
Lincoln, NE 68501
(402) 471-4750
Fax: (402) 471-8922
E-mail: pje@inebraska.com
           pje@nebraskahistory.org
www.nebraskahistory.org



----- Original Message -----
From: "Michelle Mumaw" <MMumaw@MCC.MCCOAK.ORG>
To: <ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 9:54 AM
Subject: converting old home movies


> Hello,
>
> We have a number of old home movies, some 8 mm, some 16, and so on here.
> We started out wanting to get copies made for the family that donated
> one group, and now we are thinking of possibly converting them into a
> digital format (keeping the originals, of course) so that they can be
> used in productions, etc., for the institution.  I am looking for
> advice; has anyone had this done with films in their collection?  Were
> the results good?  Would you do it again or recommend it to anyone else?
> What format did you use and were you able to find a person to do this
> locally?  (Yep, I'm full of questions!)  You can respond off-list
> (unless anyone else jumps in wanting the info. too.)  Any advice would
> be appreciated.
> Thanks!
>
>
> **************************************************
> Michelle Mumaw
> Archivist/Librarian
> Minnetrista Cultural Center
> &Oakhurst Gardens
> 765.282.4848 ext. 168
>
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> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>
>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

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Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
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Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>