Digitise Your Memories
Standard & Super 8mm Reels With or Without Sound
Remember ‘Film Nights’? Gathered in front of an old projector, laughing at the antics in the movie? We all sat around while the projector was set up. Someone manned the light switch, then away it went with the associated clatter until the film ran out – or even worse broke!
My earliest memory of reels was when my father put on a rodeo film but ran it in reverse. He had us convinced they were ‘very good riders’ that could jump onto their horses backwards. LOL!
Those days may be gone but there are still boxes of old reels in the bottom of peoples’ cupboards just waiting to be resurrected and enjoyed all over again. Through film reel transfers, you can relive those memories as easily as putting a DVD into your media player or a USB stick into your computer. You can watch them all, over and over again; and it’s so much easier to share these memories now. Extra copies are very easy to obtain at little additional cost. They also make great presents for those people who ‘have got everything’.
The film reels transfer method used by Archive It utilises the latest in digital technology. It uses a frame-by-frame scanning method which takes a photo of each frame as they pass under an LED lamp without heat exposure. This means no danger of burn spots and no breaking of film – unlike with the old projectors. The resulting scans are crisp and clear. Once scanned, they are tidied up with computer software where necessary. Check out our ‘Before & After’ film clip.
If your film also has sound, it can be extracted through another process and dubbed into the scanned film for an additional cost. Alternatively, you can have your choice of music added to a film at no cost. Once all processes are finished, we’ll present your film on a personalised DVD with case and any details you’d like included within. And, of course, they can also be put onto USB or a hard drive.
What is Vinegar Syndrome?
Most old films are made from acetate plastic that decays due to improper storage. This degradation process is called the ‘Vinegar Syndrome’ as the film begins to have a pungent vinegar smell, followed by shrinking, which causes the film to lose flexibility, curls and wraps. Storage in warm and humid conditions greatly accelerates this process, and eventually the film becomes unplayable, which means the film can’t be digitised.
Before & After
Photos, Negatives & Slides
Frequently Asked Questions
- Store them in a cool, dry place
- Avoid sunlight
- Allow airflow, don’t store in airtight containers or plastic bags
- Remove any extra materials on the film such as tape or rubber bands
