From ideas to daily routine

Scanning and Preserving Film Heritage

Mikko Kuutti, Deputy Director

DIASTOR Conference

Zürich, 5 June 2014

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE Contents

– National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) in brief – Digital Cinema implications – KAVI’s strategy & technical implementation – Image digitisation

– resolution – time considerations – scanner comparison

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NATIONAL AUDIOVISUAL INSTITUTE In Brief

– 1957 established as Suomen elokuva-arkisto / Finnish Film Archive – 1979 public body operating under the Ministry of Education – 2008

– radio & television archiving started – name changed to Kansallinen audiovisuaalinen arkisto (KAVA) / National Audiovisual Archive

– 2014 – merger with the Centre for Media Education and Audiovisual Media

(formerly Board of Film Classification) – name changed to Kansallinen audiovisuaalinen instituutti (KAVI) / National Audiovisual Institute

– budget 7.4 million € – 87 staff

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6 300 prints of 1 250 Finnish feature films

image material on 20 000 Finnish films

16 000 prints of 10 000 foreign feature films

NATIONAL AUDIOVISUAL INSTITUTE Collection statistics 2013

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE Film Industry Digital Timeline

– sound production went digital decades ago – 1998 first full digital intermediate DI process in Denmark – 2000 first full DI process in Finland (and in Hollywood) – 2012

– in the Nordic countries, all cinemas digital – analogue film distribution stops – the only film lab in Finland goes bankrupt

– 2013 – Fuji stops making cine films, Kodak barely escapes bankruptcy

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE Implications of Digital for film archives

– demise of film as a medium – film collections usable only in a few cinemas

– almost all access will be digital – large-scale digitisation is required

– new films will have to be archived in digital formats – long-term digital preservation has to be deployed – and trusted

– film archives facing a profound transformation – from steady memory organisations into fast-moving IT houses

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– Strategy – develop KAVI into a hybrid archive for both analogue & digital films – digital access

– Funding – some extra funding since 2009, ca. 1 mill. € annually since 2011

– Storage – project started in Jan 2010, in use in early 2011 – partnered with the IT Centre for Science

– Digitisation – first equipment in early 2011, scanner installed in autumn 2011

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National Audiovisual ArchiveHybrid Institute

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE Digital Services unit

– a DCP production line – providing access in cinemas to Finnish film heritage

– throughput about 30 feature films/year – restorations are separate projects

– 3–5 restorations yearly – feature films scanned at oversize 4k – 2k worflow an option

– express DCPs, newsreels & short films

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“SUOMIFILMI GOES DIGITAL”

Viime vuosien teknillisen kehityksen seurauksena myös elokuva-alalla on siirrytty digitaaliseen aikaan. Kansallinen audiovisuaalinen instituutti KAVI (aikaisemmin Suomen elokuva-arkisto ja vuosina 2008-2013 Kansallinen audiovisuaalinen arkisto) on seurannut aikaansa ja aloittanut viime vuosina kotimaisen elokuvaperinteen digitoinnin. Osal-taan elokuvien laajamittaisen digitointihankkeen on mahdollistanut se, että KAVI on hankkinut omistukseensa studioajan suurimpien tuotantoyhtiöiden Suomi-Filmi Oy:n, Suomen Filmiteollisuus SF Oy:n ja Fenno-Filmin elokuvien levitysoikeudet. Elokuvien ohella KAVI omistaa näiden yhtiöiden oheisaineistojen, kuten valokuvien ja julisteiden ju-lkaisuoikeudet. Tämä kuva-aineisto on nykyään kokonaisuudessaan digitoitu. Vuoden 2014 kalenteriin valitut valokuvat kertovat osaltaan siitä, miten ilmaisuvoimaisia otoksia voidaan löytää esimerkiksi Suomi-Filmin ja Suomen Filmiteollisuuden tuottamista, vuosien 1927-1948 aikana valmistuneista elokuvista.

Nykyään LSVR\]H[�LZP[L[ppU�WLYPU[LPZLU�HUHSVNPZLU�ÄSTPU�ZPQHZ[H�WppZppU[�PZLZ[P�KPNP[HHSPZLZZH�T\VKVZZH��+PNP[HHSPULU�LSVR\]HSL]P[`Z�[HYRVP[[HH�WHP[ZP�KPNP[HHSPZ[LU�LZP[`ZRV-pioiden valmistamista elokuvateatterikäyttöön, myös kotitallenteiden tekemistä. Vuoden 2014 aikana KAVI tulee julkaisemaan DVD:llä mm. Suomi-Filmin klassikkoelokuvat Anna-Liisa (1922), Pohjalaisia (1925), Rikas tyttö (1939), Vihreä kulta (1939) ja Sadan miekan mies (1951).

Elokuvien digitoinnin tavoitteena on saavuttaa elokuvan alkuperäisen ensi-iltakopion sisällöllinen ja laadullinen taso. Digitoitaessa elokuvaan ei lisätä mitään, eikä elokuvan alkuperäisestä versiosta poisteta mitään. Mikäli elokuvan lopullisesta muodosta ei ole varmuutta, kopion yhteydessä mainitaan, minkä lähteiden mukaan se on koottu (esim. käsikirjoituksen pohjalta).

Elokuvan�KPNP[VPU[P�HSRHH�ÄSTPHPULPZ[VU�RVUZLY]VPUUPSSH��-PSTPRVUZLY]HH[[VYP�]LY[HPSLL�LYP�TH[LYPHHSP[�QH�]HSP[ZLL�UPPZ[p�WHYOHH[�KPNP[VP[H]HRZP��;H]VP[[LLUH�VU�HPUH�Rp`[[pp�THO-KVSSPZPTTHU�]HYOHPZ[H�ÄSTPTH[LYPHHSPH�� ;̀ `WPSSPZLZ[P�ZL�VU�LSVR\]HU�HSR\WLYpPULU�RHTLYHULNH[PP]P��4PRpSP�LSVR\]HU�HSR\WLYpPZLZ[p�ULNH[PP]PZ[H�W\[[\\�RVO[PH�� QV\K\[HHU�ZP[p�[p`KLU[pTppU�LZP[`ZRVWPVPKLU�H]\SSH���,UULU�KPNP[VPU[PH�RVUZLY]HH[[VYP�RVYQHH�ÄSTPU�YPRRV\[\ULL[�SPP[VRZL[�QH�YLWLpTp[�ZLRp�WVPZ[HH�RpZPU�[HP�RVULLSSPZLZ[P�ÄSTPPU�[HY[[\ULL[�irtoroskat.

Kun digitoinnin lähtömateriaalina käytetään negatiiviaineistoa, skannataan kuva 10-bittisiksi logaritmisiksi DPX-tiedostoiksi. Positiivimuodossa oleva kuva-aineisto voidaan ZRHUUH[H�T`�Z�]PKLVNHTTH�RVVKH[[\UH��2\]H�KPNP[VPKHHU�ZRHUULYPU�RLUUVU�UH[PP]PYLZVS\\[PVSSH��QV[[H�]pS[`[ppU�[\YOHS[H�R\]HU�ZRHHSHHTPZLS[H��,ZPTLYRPRZP�HUHTVYÄULU�R\]H�ZRHUUH[HHU�ZLU�T\V[VPZLUH�R\PU�ZL�VU�ÄSTPSSp�QH�SL]P[L[ppU�VPRLHHU�T\V[VVUZH�]HZ[H�KPNP[VPK\U�LSVR\]HU�THZ[LYVPU[P]HPOLLZZH�

Kaikki restauroitavat elokuvat käsitellään 4K-resoluutiolla. Valtaosa muistakin 35 mm lähtömateriaaleista pyritään digitoimaan 4K-resoluutiolla, ja jälkityöt tehdään tapauskoh-[HPZLZ[P��2��[HP��2�[HYRR\\KLSSH��4PRpSP�LZP[`ZRVWPV�[LOKppU�K\WSPRHH[PZ[H�[HP�ÄSTPRVWPVZ[H��[HP�TPRpSP�ZPPYYVZZH�Rp`[L[ppU����TT�ÄSTPTH[LYPHHSPH���2�YLZVS\\[PVU�Rp`[[��ZRHU-nauksessa voi olla perusteltavissa. Kaikki pelasteskannaukset tehdään 4K-resoluutiolla. Ääni digitoidaan aina vähintään 24-bittisenä 96 kHz näytteenottotaajuudella. Tommi Partanen Arkistonhoitaja

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE Digital Services unit

– hardware – Scanity 4k scanner – laser diffraction sound scanner – 190 TB (usable) Fibre Channel SAN

– multiple concurrent 4k+ streams – off-site tape storage

– 10 km dedicated fibre link – software

– Resolve, Revival, PFClean, Fraunhofer Curator / easyDCP, OpenCube, Pro Tools, Cedar

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– 7 staff – head of unit – scanner operator – colourist – colourist-editor – 2 x image restorers – sound restorer

Funet

1 Gbit/s

1 Gbit/s

10 Gbit/s

NAS VfilerCIFS

”inside”

4,5 TBNL-SASRAID10

NAS VfilerNFS

”dailies”

22 TBNL-SASRAID10

<10 Gbit/s

Digital Services Unit

Cataloguing Server

KAVAWorkstations

PackagingWorkstation

Restoration Workstations

Fibre ChannelSAN Storage

Transfer Server

ADAdministration

NAS VfilerNFS

5 TBNL-SASRAID10

2 TB

190 TB

NAS VfilerNFS

”restoration”

20 TBNetApp

NAS VfilerCIFS

”stock”

12 TBNL-SASRAID10

KAVA DMZ

KAVA inside

CSC Services

KAVA restoration & secure storage

National Audiovisual ArchiveExternal Streaming

Internal Streaming

SFTP Server

Storage handler/mover

External Streaming

600-800 GB

Flash memory

IT Centre for Science

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE Outsourced Services

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STREAMING SERVERS

RESTORATION DISK SPACE

INTRANET FILE SERVER

TAPE ARCHIVE

SFTP SERVER

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Human visual limits

– cinema geometry, constant height projection – viewing angle of CinemaScope 2.39:1 images: 36°– 90°

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3.7 x screen height1.2 x screen height

90°36°

– KVA (Kuutti Viewing Angle) 90° – full unobstructed view through my eyeglasses

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Human visual limits

KVA

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Human visual limits

– normal human visual acuity – “Snellen 20/20” or “visus 1.0” vision

= smallest details 1°/60 – visus 1.2–1.5 is common

= smallest details 1°/90 –1°/75

smallest discernible detail≈1°/90–1°/60

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where w = size of pixel h = size of screen r = viewing distance α = viewing angle ß = angle of detail (e.g. 1°/60) n = number of pixels

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Human visual limits

α ß

h

r

w

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– pixel count from viewing angle:divide screen dimension by size of smallest discernible detail

– visual limits for on-screen pixel count for constant height projection

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Human visual limits

human visual acuity 1°/60 horiz. px vert. px2.39 1.85 1.37 1

36° (back) 2234 1729 1281 935

52° (middle) 3353 2596 1922 140390° (front) 6875 5322 3941 2877

human visual acuity 1°/75 horiz. px vert. px2.39 1.85 1.37 1

36° (back) 2792 2162 1601 1168

52° (middle) 4192 2421 1793 175490° (front) 8594 6653 4926 3596

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Film performance

– ITU-R Study Group 6 research into the resolution of 35mm film in theatrical presentation, Document 6-9/3 (2001–02) – target with sine wave patterns corresponding to resolutions of up to

2400 lines per picture height (L/PH) @ 1.85:1 – MTF of negative and answer print measured – perceived resolution tested in a number of screenings in different

cinemas

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17@ 1.85:1 (11.33 mm)

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Film performance – audience expectations

– film measurements for negative and answer print: – > 2000 lines @ 1.85:1 ⟹ >2700 lines @ 1.37:1

– screening subjective results – camera negative – interpositive – internegative – print:

highest perceived resolution 875 lines / picture heightaverage highest perceived resolution 750 lines / picture height

– perceived vertical resolution 60–80% of horizontal resolution

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Resolution summary

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negative1.37:1

human visual limit (1°/75)projected film front row middle row 4k 2k

L/PH 2700 875 3600 1750 2160 1080

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Resolution summary

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human negative1.37:1

human 2kfull heightfront row 4k middle row projected film

L/PH 3600 2700 2160 1750 1080 875

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Resolution summary

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human negative1.37:1

human 2kfull height

projected film

2k scopefront row 4k middle row

L/PH 3600 2700 2160 1750 1080 875 858

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Scanning at 4k

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1480 x 1080 1.6 Mpx

2959 x 2160 6.10 Mpx

4096 x 2990 11.68 Mpx

4k scan

4k DCP

2k DCP

52%

13%

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Scanning resolution

– 4k scanning – approaches the resolution of film – achieves oversampling which is necessary for best results in

– spatial transformations, e.g. stabilising, de-warping – dustbusting, scratch-removal

– hopefully no need to re-scan any time soon – 2k scanning

– is good enough for 2k DCPs but will not give best results – 2k DCP-size

– restoration inside a 2k DCP @ 1.5 k is a somewhat wasted effort

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Scanning bit depth

– dynamic range: high density film needs high intensity light source and/or high sensitivity sensors

– high bit-depth scanning is needed to permit tone scale manipulation without artifacting, and for faithful recording of the original film

– DCPs are @ 12 bits, more are needed when scanning – KAVI current standard uses 10 bit log dpx files for workflow reasons.

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Scanning time considerations

– about 120 Finnish feature films are loaned per year for screening outside the archive

– soon, they will all have to be DCPs – working time to scan a 90 min feature film at various scanning speeds: !

!

!

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– film operations at scanning (loading, unloading, setting scanning parameters, winding, QA) estimated at 36 min/part or 180 min/feature

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fr/sec h days15 5,5 0,8

4 12,4 1,8

1,3 31,8 4,5

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Scanning time considerations

– physical film preparation, colour correction, sound scanning, syncing, file packaging & compressions, file transfers also take time

– an optimistic estimate: scanning one day + other work three days – 100 features x four days: 400 days… – all access will be digital: flexibility is needed to allow scanning of

something else besides feature films – choice between 1.5 fr/sec & 15 fr/sec was easy

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SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Some scanner comparisons

– same vinegar affected B/W film scanned with three different scanners – scanned by manufactures’ personnel – each scanner had a different scanning resolution

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A

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B

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C

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A

37

B

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C

39

4 k scan 3 k scan 2 k scan

A B C

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A B C

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SCANNER A SCANNER B

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A FILM ARCHIVE TAKING ON DIGITAL Practical scanning – Stability

SCANNING AND PRESERVING FILM HERITAGE – Digitisation Scanner conclusions?

– For KAVI, the decisive factors in choosing the scanner – scanning speed – 4k for future-proofness

– scanner testing is of limited utility – lack of standard testing procedures – scanner operator & scanning setup have a major effect on results

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Scanned footage fromCinémathèque royale de Belgique Nicola Mazzanti !

in connection with a FIAF Technical Commission survey project on moving image film scannersScans made in 2010

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That’s All Folks.

National Audiovisual InstituteSörnäisten rantatie 25 A00500 HelsinkiFinland !Mikko Kuutti mikko.kuutti@kavi.fi tel. +358 2953 38151

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