How good is old Film?

Almost daily our customers bring in a box of old film and say, "I don't even know if it's good anymore!" Although your film may be very old, we are almost always able to transfer it to DVD and stop the decaying process. Film does wear out! Sprocket holes break, old splices rip apart, and dirty fingerprints accumulate with grime on the surface. Rest assured that you are not the only one with film in this condition! We've transferred 8mm film from as far back as 1935. It still came out looking fantastic! So, how can you tell if your film is still in good enough shape to transfer? It's simple.

The Horseshoe Test

This test checks for brittleness in your film. Take a reel from the box (or film can) and unwind 12-18 inches. Take the unwound length of film in both hands and bend it into a horseshoe shape. It should be flexible enough to bend and twist. Film will almost always pass this test. It's a great indicator that your film is still in great shape and ready for transfer.

The Transfer Process

Now that you've established the condition of your film, let's go step by step through the journey of your film in the Transfer for Less lab.

Preparation

We don't just transfer for your film to DVD! In fact, we take extra measures to ensure that your film is cleaned, repaired and conditioned before it is even placed on our machines for transfer. Every reel is competely unwound and carefully inspected. This includes cleaning and lubricating the film by hand as well as repairing broken splices and damaged sprocket holes. We will even add new leader to the film when necessary. This procedure is the most important part of the process! Starting with clean film guarantees a cleaner transfer to DVD.

Frame by Frame Scanning

We digitize your film by scanning in each image cell, one at a time, frame by frame! That's right! Frame by frame. It is a lengthy process, but guarantees a crystal clear, flicker free film transfer with greater color and razor sharp image quality. Our transfer machines also use a cool LED light instead of the super hot bulbs found in old film projectors. The cool LED allows for even illumination of each frame without any danger of damaging the film. The process is completely non-destructive, and you'll receive your film back with your brand new DVDs. Just look at the side by side comparison of projected film vs. the Frame by frame transfer and we're sure you'll agree that Frame by Frame is the only way to transfer film to DVD!

Professional Editing

It's all about the editing! After the film is digitized, it is sent to our editing department where our professional editing staff previews all the footage and removes blank spaces, unintentional recordings (floor, sky etc.) as well as under and over exposed sections to allow continuous playback. Our Editors also ensure that your film will play back at the correct speed. But the best part? All of this correction and editing is INCLUDED AT NO EXTRA CHARGE! Have a need for something not mentioned? Additional editing time can also be purchased for adding specialized music, titles or even a voice narration.