Q & A for services provided by: www.filmorvideo.com
1) FILM - What is the
difference between 8mm and super 8mm film.
8mm film is the original film which was produced
by cutting 16 mm film right in the median. That’s why 8mm film only has
sprocket holes on one side. The sprocket holes are somewhat square and large.
Super 8mm is produced in the same manner but the sprocket holes are smaller and
somewhat rectangular. This leaves a larger size for the capture area. Super 8mm
will result in a better transfer quality by virtue of a larger capture area.
Super 8mm will also result in a better transfer quality by virtue of being of a
more recent date.
1 FILM - What is "frame
by frame" transfer and why is it more expensive than traditional transfer?
Frame by frame is a process where the film
is not played in the projector at full speed. Instead, the film runs at a speed
of some 6 frames a second which is approximately 3 times slower than the normal
speed of a projector. Full projector speed is either 16 frames a second for 8mm
film or 18 frames a second for super 8mm film. With the "frame by
frame process", when one frame gets in the film gate a snap shot is taken
of the frame. The film then advances to the next frame when another shot is
taken. Each frame is computer assembled into a movie. In the traditional
transfer, also known as "real time" transfer, the film is projected
on a white surface at full speed and a camera captures the projected image. The
film is recorded as a flow and it contains all imperfections of the optical
transfer including flicker. It takes a lot longer to capture film frame by
frame but the quality is significantly better.
1 FILM - What is the
difference between 1 chip camera and 3 chip camera?
Digital cameras come as 1-chip or 3-chip
variations with the chips ranging in size from 1/16" to 1/3". To
understand the difference between a 3-chip and a 1-chip camera you should know
that all video cameras create their images using 3 colors; Red, Green, and Blue
or RGB. A 3-chip camera has dedicated processing each color individually. This
allows for greater tonal ranges and overall color quality. A 1-chip camera
splits the three colors through its one chip and therefore takes a big hit in
color quality. The size of the chip allows for greater processing as well. We
use an HD 3 chip camera. In as much as the film capture takes place in DV
format which produces DVD quality images (720x480 NTSC resolution) the
capability of the camera enhances
1 FILM - Why is there a
difference in the quality of the capture?
It is our opinion that each job or batch of
film will have results which will differ from other jobs. In as much as
the process we employ gives as good of results as possible, the condition of
the film is also extremely important if not even more important.
Age of film makes a lot of a difference.
Film degradation is a reality and every day of delay ads to such
degradation. There are chemical processes that take place in time, one of
which is the spontaneous acetic acid production in the emulsion. This is
known as the vinegar effect because the film starts to smell like vinegar.
The way the film was developed makes a
difference. If the developer solution was not properly washed off, the
chemical process may continue for an unspecified period of time with
unpredictable results.
Type of film makes a difference. In some
instances, super 8mm will result in better transfer by virtue of having a
larger surface by some 33%.
Film operator makes a difference. Recording
a movie without concern for camera focus or without wearing glasses (if
prescribed) will result in out of focus film.
Film technique and knowledge makes a
difference. Recording a face at a few inches away will always result in no
focus at all. Recording in no light will result in no image or extremely poor
image. Recording in intense spot light from short distance will result in
burned images.
Fast panning and zooming will result in bad
footage. Extreme zooming will also result in shaky film unless the camera was
on a tripod.
1 FILM - Did my film shrink?
Organic film base shrinks with age and
handling. The result is that the sprocket perforations will no longer be
in the right position and, if more than 1 % shrinkage occurred, it is possible
that the film cannot be properly run. There are two implications
associated with the shrunk film. First, the sprocket holes may get
damaged when the film is run and second, the frames may jump during the capture
process because of the inconsistent relation between the sprocket hole distance
and advance film mechanism.
1 FILM - Why do I see film
grain on the screen?
Frame by frame capture has the ability to
get a lot more information out of each frame. This information, when exposed on
a larger screen TV will become evident. Film grain is one of it. The standard 8
mm film is about 5X3 mm including the side edge and the frame separators. The
actual image on the frame is 4X2.5 mm or 10 square mm or less than 0.03 square
inch. One 4X6 print contains 24 square inches. Therefore to obtain a 4X6 image
a magnification of 800 is required. On a 32 inch TV a magnification of over
16500 is required. With a traditional capture, the image is in constant
movement and, as a result every little grain is in movement as well. There is
no detail because of the movement and the image is a lot blurrier, as a result.
The film grain you see is the guarantee that the capture was done frame by
frame and in perfect focus. It’s a good thing.
Primarily very dark images will tend to be
grainier. Also, color restoration which is done both in luminosity and
color channels (RGB) will generate a grainier if not significantly grainier
image. We use a very good grain removal tool. That process is done at
additional cost along with the color correction/restoration. However, not all
the grain can be removed because the image would not look natural. There
is a certain balance between grain removal and image quality that can be
achieved.
1 FILM - Do I really need
film restoration?
In most instances yes, if you want to get
the best look of the footage. Otherwise the film is going to look grainy the
washed off parts will be barely visible, the dark footage will be too dark and
the color will be what it will be. The restoration is not going to do a
miraculous change of the look of the film but it will revive some if not all of
the footage, will make the colors look more natural and it will eliminate a
good part of the grain.
1 FILM - How long does it
take to capture the film?
The capture process is only a part of the
transfer process.
First step is the integrity film inspection and
repair process. In this step up to 8 reels of 50 feet (3 inch) film are spliced
together on a 7 inch reel (if necessary and allowed by the work flow).
Second step is the film capture. For the
"frame by frame" process, for a 50 foot reel it takes approximately
11 minutes for this step only.
Third step is standard film editing and/or
custom editing (if ordered)
Fourth step is film restoration (if ordered)
Fifth step is the film speed conversion.
Sixth step is the film transfer to
media. If the final product is data, this process is rather fast.
If the final product is video the process is elaborate or extremely elaborate
depending upon the specific requirements of the client (titles, chapters,
transitions, text, sound etc, etc, etc.)
Seventh step is packaging which includes
text or graphic display on the surface of the disk and the disk case.
All jobs are started in the order in which
they are received. All steps up to film manipulation are done at a time and
depending upon the number of reels it can take up to a day or more. The
manipulation and actual transfer to media depends upon the quality and length
of footage and it may take a few more days. Simple jobs are done in a few days,
more complex jobs will take a longer time. Rushing this type of work is
not a good idea as the quality will suffer. It is better to provide the film
footage with sufficient time in advance before the expected due date to allow
for proper transfer.
1 FILM - Why do you inspect
the film?
The inspection is necessary to make sure
that sufficient leader exists and that the film is not broken. If leader is
missing the film cannot be put through the capture machine without loosing some
2 feet of footage. Therefore, a minimum of 2 feet of leader is necessary at the
beginning of the reel.
1 FILM - Is there a charge
for the leader?
Yes, there is a charge for the leader as
indicated in the Price Calculator.
1 FILM - Is there a charge
for the splicing?
Yes. There is a charge for splicing broken
film on the reel, as indicated in the Price Calculator. However, there is no
charge to splice multiple reels into one larger reel.
1 FILM - Is there a charge
for storage reels?
Yes. There is a charge for storage reels, as
indicated in the Price Calculator. Smaller reels have to be put on one larger
reel. There are three reasons why. First reason is related to the length of
captured footage. Each end of film is either firmly attached to the reel or
does not advance through the capture machine because there is no way of passing
it entirely through the advancing mechanism. If the film at the end of reel is
loose, it tends to move freely and it creates capture disturbances. This
results in a small loss of captured footage or capture problems. When reels are
put together, all film flows continuously up to the end of last foot of film.
Second reason is the elimination of repeated loading and unloading time. Third
reason is purely related to the storage of film which is done with a
significantly lower number of reels and with sorting within the reel and among
the reels. All large reels are numbered in logical order. The result is a more
complete capture process at a higher overall speed and with a better storage
advantage.
1 FILM – Is there a
surcharge for processing the 3 inch reels without combining them on a large reel?
Yes there is a $ 0.03/foot surcharge. It is extremely inefficient and time
consuming to process each reel individually.
It takes a long time to clean load and unload each little reel instead
of combining several small reels on a bigger reel. The surcharge covers for the additional work.
1 FILM -
Why do you convert the speed of the film?
8mm film speed comes in two main flavors.
Regular 8mm film was shot at a theoretic speed of 16 frames a second. Super 8mm
was shot at 18 frames a second. Nevertheless, since this a mechanical process
the speed is relative. When played through a projector, the speed may be
adjusted but in many instances it does not look right. NTSC system requires an
approximate speed of 30 frames per second (29.97 to be exact) To properly
display the film on a regular TV, we stabilize the play speed for natural
movement.
1 FILM - What is digital
merging?
Digital merging is required to eliminate all
empty footage from the captured film. We do not leave the film as is. Some
transfer companies will eliminate footage containing 5 or more seconds of bad
material. We do the same with one exception. We go down to less than a second
of bad material. This results in virtually eliminating all the bad footage that
is longer than a second. There is no additional charge for this step.
1 FILM - What is film
editing?
Film editing is going beyond eliminating bad
footage. It involves many levels of film alteration not only as regards quality
but as regards composition. This step is usually very time consuming and there
is additional or significantly additional charge, as indicated in the Price
Calculator.
1 FILM - Do I need to mark the reels in sequential order?
Absolutely yes. You want to make sure the reels are in logical orders. In most instances this is an easy task since most of the reels and the respective boxes have either inscriptions or notes on them giving some reference to an event and/or date. Also, the processing date can be of help. Look for the post office stamp cancel date. In absence of clear indication, all reels will be processed in random order. If you have no references at all, there is another alternative, which comes at additional cost. Transfer can be done in random order and a reference disk with either Windows Media Player or Flash files can be generated. You can view the files on any Windows based computer and assign a sequence to each reel. Please inquire about the cost at the time you place the order.
1 FILM - How about music?
Adding music to the captured film footage is
strongly encouraged. Silent footage is "dry" while choosing
appropriate sound background can bring video to its real live potential.
Customers have to provide their choice of music, either on original CD or in
.mp3 format. Music on original CD is strongly suggested. Written list of track
numbers in the order in which they are to appear on DVD is also necessary. Otherwise,
the music will be used in track number order. Music cannot be strictly
associated with specific footage but an effort will be made to put relevant
music in relevant video positions to the extent to which it is possible. We do
not provide "free" music as, it is our long experience that, such
music does not complement the specificity of footage for each customer. All
music provided will be returned to client along with the original materials and
finished product.
1 FILM - How long will you
be keeping the original film footage?
The original footage will be kept on file
for 30 days from delivery. After that the material may be either discarded or
converted and compressed to save disk space. It takes about 13 Gb of space to store
one hour of original footage. There will be no firm guarantee that the footage
will be kept beyond 30 days. It is strongly suggested that clients purchase the
original footage either on DVD or on tape and store it in a safe place for
future editing and/or reproduction. In case of video DVDs we will keep the
final product in form of .iso file for at least 90 days.
2 VIDEO - How long will you
be keeping the original VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS-C, Video 8, HI8, Digital 8, Mini DV footage?
For the direct transfer also known as
straight transfer job we do not keep the original footage nor do we make a
master DVD. For the jobs where parts of video footage is edited and
compiled into a video production such as a family DVD show with film/background
sound plus pictures with transitions and various video clips, we will keep the
original footage on file for 30 days from delivery. After that, the material
may be either discarded or converted and compressed to save disk space.
2 VIDEO - Do you do any kind
of editing for the direct video tape transfer?
No, we do not either inspect the footage,
watch the footage or make any editing to it. Some transfers we do with
professional dubbing equipment. In that case, there is no human
intervention in the transfer, at all. Some other transfers are done by
means of digital capture. Once the capture is done, the footage is
converted to DVD, as is. Other than controlling the programs used, the
only human intervention is to inspect the beginning and end of file and
eliminate the start and end idle frames. It is our policy to ask, before the
job is done, if the client knows the content of the video tapes. If the
answer is yes, then we can proceed with the direct transfer. If the
answer is no or maybe, it is always better to avoid direct transfer and go with
video capture and editing. In that case, unwanted footage such as
recorded TV shows can be removed from the final DVD and make the transfer a
true "family memories" product.
3 SCAN - What is the difference between the scan services?
Let's take for example the 35mm slide scanning process. Most of the slides are old or very old. They may have been made in the 50's, 60's, 70's, etc. Some glass slide can be significantly older than that. There are different vintages of film used, different places where they were processed and possibly different conditions under which they were kept. Some are overexposed, some are underexposed some are faded, some turned dark, yellow or red, etc. And, more than sure all of them have some kind of wear and tear on film as well as dust and dirt. The ideal task is to make them all look about even across the board as if they were all made, processed and kept under similar circumstances. The basic level consists of scanning the slides just as they are. We call that a raw scan as the image is created exactly as it comes out of the scanner. All defects and blemishes will be visible. We do not offer Digital Ice correction for this lever of service because Digital Ice may introduce additional artifacts. There is no white balance, no levels and, therefore all image parameters will be just as interpreted by the scanner. Please note that depending upon the light source of scanner such as cathode or led array, the images may look different from looking at them in natural or incandescent light. This scan level is suitable for jobs where the image is going to be extensively processed by expert software retoucher who will make all necessary manual adjustments, dust, scratch, grain removal as well as sharpening. The mid level service employs machine dependent corrections to improve the overall quality of image. These machine corrections may include color and fading restoration, grain reduction, sharpening, auto levels, auto white balance. In addition, Digital Ice processing may also be employed to further enhance the image quality. This scan level produces a significantly better image quality in the sense that most blemish issues described above are automatically enhanced by hardware. This is not a perfect process but is suitable for those who have some image manipulation knowledge and are willing to take the time to further enhance the scans by means of computer software. We call this scan level archival quality. It is important to understand that the mid level service is neither reversible nor downgradable to the basic level. The reason is very simple. Once machine corrections have been employed, the end scan will contain all these changes. There is no going back to basic level unless the scan process is done again at additional cost. The upper level service, employs, in addition to all above machine made corrections, auto software corrections. These software corrections may be done in one or more steps, using one or more pieces of software either as a batch or, sometimes, on individual basis, to achieve the task on hand. We call this scan level slide show quality. Perfection is not the task on hand because it is not our goal to define what perfection is. Perfect balance, perfect colors, perfect anything is in the eyes of the viewer. We will give our best effort to produce images which are suitable for a slide show. Furthermore, it needs to be understood that such show will look different in different light environments and on different different screens, whether TV screens, CRTs or LCDs monitors. As indicated above, we will try to average all images so that they look even across the board as if they were all produced at the same time and at the same quality level, to the extent to which this is possible. There is an ultimate level of service we offer which consists of manual adjustments made to scans by expert professional retoucher. The expert will receive both raw scans and machine corrected scans in either 48 bit or 64 bit format. Corrections will be made based on customer specifications to the maximum extent possible. The cost of such services cannot be estimated until the scans have been made and the expert got a chance to review both the scans and customer's expectations. This is a lengthy or very lengthy process and, therefore, is only available for individual images.
4 GENERAL - What is standard
format and widescreen format?
Standard format is the way a regular TV
displays the image. It is a ratio of 4:3 magnified depending upon the diagonal
length which could b 20", 25", 32" and so on. Widescreen format
is the same concept only that the ratio is 16:9 which I more rectangular than a
4:3 which is closer to a square. Film transfer fits in a 4:3 or standard format
due to its native nature.
4 GENERAL - Is my video DVD
going to be interlaced or progressive scan?
That depends upon the final destination of the DVD. If you plan on watching it on an old CRT (standard TV), the interlaced image would be more suitable. If you plan on watching it on a more modern TV such as plasma or LCD or DLP the progressive scan would be more suitable. Another factor may also be the type of DVD player(s) that you are using. Since there is no easy answer to the multitude of options, unless otherwise requested, we produce the video DVDs in progressive scan mode.
4 GENERAL - What is transfer
to media?
Captured footage can be transferred to DVD
or mini DV tape as is, without any speed adjustment or manipulation whatsoever.
The files are generated in their pure format (.avi) and are entirely suitable
for further editing. Files can also be compressed and transferred to DVD in
.mpeg format which is also suitable for editing. The advantage of .mpeg files
is that they take significantly less space (perhaps 5 times less space). The
disadvantage is that compression results in loss of quality. Yet, .mpeg files
are still suitable for DVD creation. The most common transfer to media is the
DVD video which is the final product suitable for playing in a consumer DVD
player. These files are not easily editable.
4 GENERAL - Will the DVD
have menus and chapters?
The DVD will have a main menu which will be
a motion menu and a generic background sound. The DVD will also have chapters
which can be separated either by reel if the footage is specific enough so that
a clear separation can be made or by specific amount of time (most customers
choose 3 minutes). The remote control will be required to navigate back
and forth among chapters.
4 GENERAL - Do I need to
provide title(s) for my DVDs?
If the final product is a direct video
transfer, the answer is no. If the final product is a video DVD with menu the
answer is yes. Since you have a starting menu you need to have some kind
of title information there. The title needs to be very descriptive and
very short. "Jones Family Memories" or "Our Wedding - June
15, 1955" or anything along those lines. The DVD's top surface and
the DVD cover insert will be inscribed with the same information unless
otherwise requested.
4 GENERAL - Can the DVD be
played in another country?
If another country is using the same NTSC
format the answer is yes. If the format is PAL or SECAM, the footage
needs to be prepared accordingly. Each system is using its own speed and
frame size. Producing multiple formats requires separate
editing/rendering and separate DVDs. For overseas orders or destinations,
please provide all necessary information before the job is started.
Otherwise, re-rendering charges will apply.
4 GENERAL - How much is a
transfer going to cost?
There are at least three elements which
determine the cost of transfer. One is the capture itself. The second is
the level of enhancement/editing required. The third is the final form that the
captured footage is going to take (DVD file, DVD Video, VHS, etc). The Price
Calculator gives all available options to make a preliminary determination. The
final determination can only be made after the inspection of film, actual size
of reels and cost of editing (if any).
4 GENERAL - How many DVDs
will it take?
Assuming that entire captured footage is
used, a 50 foot reel of film will take slightly over 4 minutes to play. About
25-30 reels of 50 foot film would fit on a standard play Video DVD of 2 hours.
To maintain a decent quality of footage we do not recommend video compression
that would allow significantly longer play time on a single DVD.
4 GENERAL - Who has the
ownership and copyright of transfer?
Client is solely
responsible for entire content of all materials, their display whether in
original or converted form, distribution of original or converted materials
whether in one or multiple copies, ownership of all originals and final
product(s) as well as takes full responsibility for copyright infringement(s),
if any. For non copyrighted direct transfer jobs, we do not check the transfer
content. For the transfer with editing, we may reserve the right to
reject objectionable or copyrighted materials. However there will
be a charge for actual work done whether or not it will result into a
final product. All clients understand that video transfers are not a
creative process and that the result of transfer is just an equal way of
accessing and displaying the same original materials on different media.
Therefore, except for advertising rights, all other rights and responsibilities
are exclusive to client.
4 GENERAL - Advertising
Rights?
We reserve the rights to use captured
footage or parts of captured footage either in still or animated form for
advertising purposes. Clients who do not want us to use their captured footage
may notify us, accordingly.
4 GENERAL - Where do you
conduct business?
We have no geographical boundaries and serve
international and national clients. However, we are located in
Oakland County: Addison, Auburn Hills,
Berkley, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Brandon,
Clarkston, Clawson, Commerce Township, Farmington Hills, Fenton, Ferndale,
Franklin, Groveland, Hazel Park, Highland, Holly, Huntington Woods,
Independence, Keego Harbor, Lake Angelus, Lake Orion, Lathrup Village, Leonard,
Lyon, Madison Heights, Milford, Northville, Novi, Oak Park, Oakland, Orchard
Lake, Orion, Ortonville, Oxford, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac, Rochester Hills,
Rose, Royal Oak, South Lyon, Southfield, Springfield, Sylvan Lake, Troy, Walled
Lake, Waterford, West Bloomfield, White Lake, Wixom, Wolverine Lake
Macomb County: Armada, Bruce, Center Line,
Chesterfield, Clinton, Eastpointe, Fraser, Harrison, Lenox, Macomb, Mount
Clemens, New Baltimore, New Haven, Ray, Roseville, Richmond, Romeo, Richmond,
St. Clair Shores, Shelby, Sterling Heights, Utica, Warren, Washington
Wayne County: Allen Park, Belleville,
Brownstown, Canton, Dearborn Heights , Detroit , Ecorse, Flat Rock,
Garden City , Gibraltar , Grosse Ile, Grosse Pointe, Hamtramck, Harper Woods,
Highland Park, Huron, Inkster, Lincoln Park, Livonia, Melvindale, Northville,
Plymouth, Redford, River Rouge, Riverview, Rockwood, Romulus, Southgate,
Sumpter, Taylor, Trenton, Van Buren, Wayne, Westland, Woodhaven, Wyandotte
4 GENERAL - Disclaimer
Customers are required to read the content
of the webpage and this document and are strongly encouraged to ask all
relevant questions before placing an order. Otherwise, all procedures and
results will comply with the information provided on this website. The pricing
for all services rendered are provided in the price calculator. All
customers can input their data and obtain an estimate quote. Final prices
will be set only after inspection of materials. This document may be changed or
updated with new information, at any time.