BFI National Archive - Film Conservation Capabilities of Collections 13 October 2020
Lead Research Organisation:
British Film Institute
Department Name: BFI National Archive
Abstract
The BFI National Archive, established 85 years ago, is one of the world's largest and most diverse film and television collections, comparable to the Library of Congress and Archives Françaises du Film du CNC. In the UK it ranks alongside other great National Collections including the British Library, The British Museum, The National Archives and Tate. The film collections are held across two world-leading facilities for the preservation, conservation and restoration of film; the BFI Master Film store in Warwickshire - a state-of-the-art, sub-zero facility where nitrate and acetate film collections are preserved - and The J Paul Getty Jr Conservation Centre in Hertfordshire.
In support of the continued range of film conservation activities undertaken at the Conservation Centre, on which research and access are based, this bid combines requests for the renewal and upgrading of equipment and systems across photographic and digital methods and technologies.
Equipment within the following categories is being requested:
Film cleaning
Film processing
High resolution digital imaging for restoration and preservation
Digital cinema projection
Digitisation equipment for research access files from film prints
The bid represents an opportunity to bring coherent and strategically vital renewal, in a period when the expertise for photographic and digital reproduction technologies are finely balanced. Across the activities necessary to safely reproduce film for preservation, research and public viewing, the new equipment secures continuation of existing operations while simultaneously extending their currency and reach.
It is the distinctive characteristic of film conservation that the historical understanding of original objects leads to their creative reproduction in contemporary materials, rather than their direct display or exhibition. There is a continual need, therefore, to ensure archive technologies are assessed in quite different terms from film post production.
The BFI's Heritage 2022 strategy promotes uniquely a fruitful combination of maintaining the unique characteristics of the film print medium in projection, through creation of 100 show prints of international film classics, along with the continuing curated digitisation of lesser-seen collection titles ripe for research. Both draw on the kind of equipment, and underlying skills, represented in this application, which would ensure continuation of this comprehensive approach. The project also provides timely support for inter-generational knowledge and skill transfer between conservators.
Taken together, the equipment provides the fundamental and integrated basis on which film preservation can be undertaken now and in the future. It will underpin the deepening and sustained development of those techniques, as parallel generations of film conservators work alongside each other, transmitting and adapting them within a secure and inventive environment.
In support of the continued range of film conservation activities undertaken at the Conservation Centre, on which research and access are based, this bid combines requests for the renewal and upgrading of equipment and systems across photographic and digital methods and technologies.
Equipment within the following categories is being requested:
Film cleaning
Film processing
High resolution digital imaging for restoration and preservation
Digital cinema projection
Digitisation equipment for research access files from film prints
The bid represents an opportunity to bring coherent and strategically vital renewal, in a period when the expertise for photographic and digital reproduction technologies are finely balanced. Across the activities necessary to safely reproduce film for preservation, research and public viewing, the new equipment secures continuation of existing operations while simultaneously extending their currency and reach.
It is the distinctive characteristic of film conservation that the historical understanding of original objects leads to their creative reproduction in contemporary materials, rather than their direct display or exhibition. There is a continual need, therefore, to ensure archive technologies are assessed in quite different terms from film post production.
The BFI's Heritage 2022 strategy promotes uniquely a fruitful combination of maintaining the unique characteristics of the film print medium in projection, through creation of 100 show prints of international film classics, along with the continuing curated digitisation of lesser-seen collection titles ripe for research. Both draw on the kind of equipment, and underlying skills, represented in this application, which would ensure continuation of this comprehensive approach. The project also provides timely support for inter-generational knowledge and skill transfer between conservators.
Taken together, the equipment provides the fundamental and integrated basis on which film preservation can be undertaken now and in the future. It will underpin the deepening and sustained development of those techniques, as parallel generations of film conservators work alongside each other, transmitting and adapting them within a secure and inventive environment.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Kieron Webb (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | This award enabled a strategic renewal of film equipment and systems in use throughout the BFI National Archive Conservation Centre. Both black and white photographic preservation, as well as a range of digitisation and digital restoration techniques were already employed within the film conservation laboratory. The award represented, therefore, a generational opportunity to broaden and strengthen these technologies with the aim of ensuring succession of the associated knowledge and skills across film conservators. In particular, the following areas of film conservation were addressed with new and upgraded equipment and systems: - Film processing - High resolution digital imaging for restoration and preservation - Digital cinema projection and preservation - Digitisation equipment for research access files from film prints - Film processing The black and white film processors which develop, fix and wash film master copies and projection prints to archival standards for long-keeping, have been in continuous use for 34 years. A new film processor has been designed, constructed and delivered to the laboratory, which will provide development for both negative and positive film copies. This major investment means the inimitable characteristics of film-to-film copying will be available for curatorial and conservation choices when assessing the historical varieties within the collection. As the new processor is supported for parts and maintenance, and enables two types of operation within the same footprint, its arrival brings advantages of sustainability - for conservation and for environmental efficiency. - High resolution digital imaging for restoration and preservation Digitisation and restoration of film originals is a fundamental tenet of modern film conservation. Within the last three years, scanning at 4K resolution and 16 bit colour depth has become standard. This specification brings incredibly impressive levels of detail and definition from film images, requiring correspondingly high levels of data storage and throughput. The award brought significant upgrades to both high resolution film scanners at the BFI National Archive, the Arriscan and the DFT Scanity. Arriscan - XT system upgrade, 35mm archive gate upgrade and stabilisation software, airknife solvent drying system These upgrades collectively represent almost a complete renovation of the Arriscan film scanner. The XT system upgrade replaces the previous camera head with Arri's Alexa XT sensor, along with an extensive overhaul of the scanner's supporting software and workstation. The archive gate encompasses a wider aperture and enables stabilisation software, which provides stabilisation frame-by-frame of image scans from very shrunk and damaged film reels. The Arriscan installation includes a wet gate system, which provides an option for scratched and mouldy films to be passed through a solvent to hide defects from the scan. The airknife system dries films before they are taken up again after scanning exposure, which has beneficial conservation consequences. Together, these upgrades renew the scanner and increase its already-impressive range of handling for fragile film reels. DFT Scanity - OS and workstation upgrades, powerful local storage: Xcellis Director SAN, 8mm film scanning capability Two upgrades which ensure the longevity and efficiency of the Scanity's operating system. The new Ubuntu platform is used on a powerful workstation, providing a basis of support for operation. The Xcellis Director SAN can handle 4K 16 bit film scans, which often more than 1TB of data per film reel, and process the data quickly enough to enable playback at viewable speeds. This is crucial to allow conservators to check the scans immediately for any issues or faults, while making regular scanning at these data rates feasible. Scanning of 8mm film reels at highest specification is now possible through the installation of the appropriate gate adaptor, a capability that could not be carried out previously. - Digital cinema projection and preservation A package of works have been carried out to rejuvenate the quality checking theatre at the Conservation Centre. A new screen, with fully-adjustable masking to allow for correct projection of a wide range of historical film aspect ratios, and a Barco 4K RGB laser projector have been installed alongside the existing 35mm film projector and Dolby sound processor. Conservators and curators will therefore be able to view original film prints as part of remastering and restoration projects, before embarking on the creation of accurate digital masters. Digital Cinema Packages (DCPs) produced by the film conservation laboratory can be approved and checked for correct playback, as will those deposited in the National Collection by producers in receipt of funding from the BFI Film Fund. All DCPs can then be preserved following theatre approval. - Digitisation equipment for research access files from film prints An important route for academic and public research access is the digitisation of film prints from the collection. Making 'straight' digital transfers allows the films to be viewed safely without risking them physically. The previous equipment in use to provide this research service was at end of life and restricted to HD resolution and a limited camera dynamic range. The award funded purchase and installation of three Black Magic Cintel scanners which will keep the digitised research service for 35mm and 16mm film prints sustainable. The associated control software for the scanners can also be independently used to colour grade, edit and sound sync files produced on other scanners. The award's objectives were to underpin the widest range of film conservation activities at the BFI National Archive, from the highest-level scanning and cinema presentation to research access via digital reference copies, and production of film preservation masters and exhibition prints. They provide for research and public engagement, both in the UK and internationally, to one of the world's greatest film collections. |
| Exploitation Route | Films preserved, restored and made available for cinema screening, home entertainment and video streaming, through the equipment of the Capability for Collections grant have already been released, and the equipment will promote skills succession and public access as part of the BFI National Archive's ongoing programme. |
| Sectors | Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| Description | The award allowed for the generational upgrade and replacement of equipment and systems across the BFI National Archive's Film Conservation laboratory, providing the fundamental and integrated basis on which film preservation will be undertaken now and in the future. The various aspects of the award provide coherent and strategic renewal and extension across activities necessary to safely reproduce films for preservation, research and public viewing. The new equipment secures continuation of existing operations while simultaneously extending their currency and reach. The upgrades to high resolution scanning equipment and systems allowed for production of new 4K remasters of Mike Leigh's feature NAKED (1993) and Peter Wollen's FRIENDSHIP'S DEATH (1987). Likewise, their newly-produced digital cinema masters were fully quality-checked and approved in the upgraded theatre at the BFI Conservation Centre. Both films were released on Blu-ray during 2021, as well as being made available for cinema screenings and streaming. All remaining aspects of the award have been installed and their harmonious incorporation within established conservation methods is well underway. In addition, for 2023, other notable outcomes have been recorded in the appropriate sections. The new Photomec film processor has been established with chemical processes and is in use for making film-to-film photographic preservation and screening copies. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | British Newsreels, 1911-1930: Culture and Society on Film |
| Organisation | Adam Matthew Digital |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This exciting new video resource comprises around 6,000 early twentieth century Topical Budget newsreels drawn from the British Film Institute and Imperial War Museums. Topical Budget was one of the major British newsreels of the silent era. These silent films, which reached a weekly audience of up to five million, offer fascinating insights into British life, culture and society with subjects ranging from the First World War, the Royal Family, and domestic and international politics through to sport, leisure and fashion. Nearly the entire run of this extremely important British newsreel series is extant and preserved by the BFI National Archive. The collection was assessed and prepared for digitisation, including film physical repair and cleaning, and the image scanning process was immensely improved by the upgraded equipment provided through CapCo grant award. |
| Collaborator Contribution | AM have brought significant editorial resources to bear on the Topical Budget collection and it is now available through their digital library for research opportunities. |
| Impact | Please see above for link to AM published editorial collection. In addition, the agreement allows the BFI National Archive, as rightsholder and guardian for this collection, to preserve the files within it Digital Preservation Infrastructure and to use them for independent and third party access and research. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | BFI National Archive restoration & remastering programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | All equipment and systems upgraded within this award have been in constant use within this period (2023). Primarily, they form the basis on which the BFI's film conservation teams preserve and make available the national moving image collection through digitisation and photographic reproduction. Two projects from this period in particular illustrate the wide reach and ongoing engagement with the UK's film heritage. Lorenza Mazzetti - Mazzetti's three films have been restored by the BFI National Archive, making them properly available to international audiences for the first time. She created the films in London during an extremely productive period of the fifties. Two of the films are loosely based on Kafka stories and the third, TOGETHER, was shot on 35mm and funded by the BFI Experimental Film Fund. It found great success at that year's Cannes Film Festival. The restorations were released on BFI blu-ray, alongside Bridget Lowe's documentary portrait TOGETHER WITH LORENZA MAZZETTI, and are available for streaming in the UK. They have also played at the Rome Film Festival and MoMA's To Save and Protect festival. Cinema Unbound: the films of Powell + Pressburger - this BFI project represented a comprehensive presentation of the work of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, pre-eminent amongst cinema's collaborators and hugely innovative film makers. The presentations included a three month season at the BFI Southbank, including both film and digital screenings, blu-ray and streaming releases, and nationwide events and screenings. In 2024, the retrospective will continue to play internationally. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/cinema-unbound-creative-worlds-powell-pressburger |
| Description | Heritage Open Day - BFI National Archive Conservation Centre |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The BFI's participation in the nationwide Heritage Open Day scheme was significantly enhanced by the equipment purchased as part of this award. The attendees could see the new film processor, now a very specialised operation, and engage with film projections through the digital projector to appreciate the Archive's ongoing conservation work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/resource/bfi-creativity-beyond-film.html |