Hrvatski filmski ljetopis, broj 26 (2001) - Hrvatski filmski savez

ation of film emulsion as the two most fragile elements of
film tape. These alarming figures are being partially reduced
by the production of replacement film stock (new copies of
film), which can be used for reproduction and storage.
However, limited financial sources are the reason that some
films do not have replacement copies. Moreover, in many
small, poor countries even the filmmakers do not make
copies, nor do the archives. The introduction of electronic
recording (videotape), with all its advantages, the possibility
of widespread usage, and finally digitalisation is opening
new ways of dealing with the situation, but also introduces
its share of problems. These particularly refer to the production,
restoration and long-term storage of replacement
copies. When working with an electronic medium, restoration
and reconstruction happen at the micro level. In other
words, digital system is used for the reconstruction of a single
frame of film. Digital restoration begins with the scanning
of each frame producing a digital video recording. Such
video (electronic) recording is restored in a computer with
the help of a specially devised software designed to make all
the possible improvements (add colour, focus, eliminate
vibrations, etc.), as well as eliminate all non-original parts of
film footage added subsequently (mechanical faults, scratches,
dirt, etc.). Eventually we obtain a new digital recording
that is stored in the digital image store. Such a restored film
picture is then being transferred on film tape via a film
recorder. Digital recording does not only improve the technique
of restoration of the original material but also enables
the production of copies whose quality will not deteriorate
over time. This was not possible with the classical mechanical
and electronic analogue processes. Digital restoration
makes it possible for a film to be well stored, while at the
same time the stored material is more accessible. However,
digital storage and restoration are facing serious problem.
For example, it is difficult to establish the resolution of original
films and to achieve the adequate resolution of the digital
recording. The process of scanning presents another difficulty.
There are no standardized procedures for scanning
films that would satisfy the demands of archives, while the
process itself is very slow and expensive. And finally, it is
unavailable to most archives. The transfer of film footage to
digital form and back does not yet give best results and the
original picture looses some of its quality. These are the reasons
why archivists display so much distrust and hesitate to
accept the existing digitalizing technologies. They are particularly
distrustful to the idea that digital recording should
completely replace classical storing techniques, in other
words, that we should allow the deterioration of the original
footage on film tape. They emphasize that we should not
preserve only the ’software’ picture, but also the hardware
base of the original film footage and its representation —
i.e. film tape and the original technology of storage and
reproduction. Nevertheless, it is obvious that we must take
into account the possibilities of digital technology, however,
only as a parallel technology to the classical-archivist or as
one of the phases in the process of restoration. Digital
future demands that archivists set standards that the transmission
— film — digital recording — film — has to satisfy.
Hrvatski filmski ljetopis 26/2001.
(For example, the demand for transparency — the ability of
digital technology to read all the information from various
original film tapes and copies made in different phases; the
demand for resolution that would correspond to the original
(and reach the highest film resolution where achieved).
A universal standard of transmission must be established
among various digital (software) standards used in different
countries and by different producers of digital technology.
And finally, of course, the technology has to be economical
and affordable to all). ANALITICAL CONTENT: The limitations
of film medium / The progress of film technology /
Video technology and various generations of electronic
recordings / The restoration of film stock with the help of
digital medium / The issue of resolution / Resolution in pixels
/ Necessary resolutions in pixels for particular film
footages / The scanning of film stock / The restoration of
scanned picture / Transfer to film tape / The cost of digital
restoration / Film tape used in transmission from digital
recording to film tape / The restoration of faded colour
films / Achievements and limitations of the photographicchemical
method of restoration of film footage /
Improvements of technical and technological quality of film
/ Limitations and long-term passivity of the system of film
archives / Photographic-chemical and digital restoration —
subjective methods / Limited effectiveness of digital system /
Distrust of film archivists due to unavailability, slowness and
partial solutions of the digital restoration of film footage
(Europe-USA) / European experiences / American experiences
with the application of digital technology in the
restoration of film stock / Conflicted interests of film
archives and producers / Conclusions / Film archivists facing
a new challenge / Disappearance of film infrastructure /
Discovery of a new ideal medium for permanent storage of
moving pictures / Epilogue / Notes / Bibliography.
UDC: 791.44.02:004
Sergej Ivasovi}
Digital Editing
On the operational level classical editing is a rather simple
process. The editor pieces lengths of film into larger
sequences, i. e. into a complete motion picture using special
tools. On the creative level classical editing has one significant
advantage: the editor (director, producer...) can choose
which part of film he will be working on at any given
moment. He has an absolute freedom of approach to all the
segments of film material. This is a great incentive for the
author’s creativity. However, the procedure also has many
shortcomings. This mostly refers to the fact that the editor
has to perform repeatedly a series of mechanical acts in a
given time sequence in order to make a cut, regardless of
whether the cut is good or not. The introduction of computers
and digital technology in the production process
solved all the above-mentioned problems, greatly changed
the creative aspect of some of the key jobs in production
while introducing a new time sequence of decision-making.
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