Film Transfer Pricing

March 22nd, 2013Audio & Video, Blog, Film & Photos0 comments

From time to time I will hear from a customer that $3/minute seems like a lot to pay for film transfers even if they are high quality, HD files.

It is then required that I give a brief description of the process which can be very arduous and trying at times. A lot of this depends on the condition of the film as far as the level of difficulty. Sometimes, it all goes off without a hitch. The film has been stored properly and it’s just an easy breezy process from start to finish. More often than not, this is not the case.

Many reels of film do not have a leader. Without that, you may lose the first couple seconds of your film. The process of splicing on leader is not always that easy. Super8 is a little easier. It’s just one of those things that for some reason or other it’s hard to do with the antiquated tools which are still the modern standard for splicing 8mm film. The smaller the film, the harder it is to get the sprockets to line up.

Sometimes the film is on the reel backwards. You may see people walking backwards or it may have just been put back on the reel backwards so the sprockets are on the wrong side and won’t feed through the projector.

The technician, (sometimes I do this work as well) also has to watch the film at as it plays. He cannot step away for any length of time because if the film becomes jammed, it can be ruined if someone’s not there to stop the projector from force feeding the film. Also, film is extremely brittle and it can snap or get caught and break very easily making more splicing necessary.

There is also reel change time which we do not charge for. Each of the smaller 50 foot reels is approximately 3 minutes. So just to get that set up is another few minutes of work.

So trust me when I say that $3/minute is actually a very reasonable price to pay for HD files. And remember we can also offer DVDs if you would like them. Keep in mind, DVD is a Standard Definition format. For more information, please give us a call.

What Digital File is Best for Me?

September 4th, 2012Blog, Film & Photos0 comments

Choosing the right digital file format in today’s complex and ever evolving day and age is no longer a simple task, nor should it be.

Whether you are looking for a digital filing software, digitizing files, digital file storage, digital filing solutions, digitizing service, digital file delivery, scan to file, video and document imaging or even free digitizing, you will need to make a choice about what type of digital files you actually need and want.

We at Advanced Media, a Los Angeles Digital Files, Video and Media Services provider can be of immense value to you.

Please contact us HERE or at (323) 469 0707 / (855) 551 5857

Let us start with a brief explanation of various video files and what they can do for you. This article is going to address primarily video files, however, same principles do apply when dealing with various forms of image and picture files, scans, films, digitizing software, digitizing programs and overall media and documents management.

Generally speaking, when it comes to digital video files, there are 3 main categories:

Uncompressed files – these files are large, heavy, offer virtually no compression (or very little) and are generally suited for high-end use and high-value content, such as broadcast, digital cinema and archival. The two main considerations are that the files are very large in size and require above-standard systems to be able to play in real time. Also, there is no generational loss in exporting uncompressed file to an uncompressed file.

In layman terms, these are heavy and bulky files, and you will only want them if your source content hold a commercial value to you or others.

For techies, examples include: DPX, Uncompressed, Lossless, RGB, Cineon, EXR and the likes. If you are not well versed with these terms, you probably do not need it.

Effectively Compressed files – these files offer the best compromise between uncompressed and highly compressed files. They preserve the overall picture quality in a way similar to uncompressed, however with higher compression, while offer a much smaller file size. Those types of files are used primarily for editorial purposes and for general use content, or when storage space and file size is a concern. These files can usually play on most systems. An export from this type of file, would incur some generational loss, however minimal.

To put it simply, these are the type of files that most people need. They provide the best of both worlds – good enough quality at a reasonable size.

Some examples of such files are: ProRes, Sorenson, DV, DVC, MPEG and others. Even if you do not know the terms, you may want to consider using these files.

Highly Compressed files – highly compressed files are used primarily for internet distribution or for editorial, screening or approval processes where quality is not a concern, and when large amount of files are needed to be moved rapidly. The main benefit of these highly compressed files is their very small size and ability to play them on any system, and their main drawback is the lower quality they offer. An export from a highly compressed file would account for a significant generational loss.

The most important thing to consider is that once you get these files, you cannot go higher in quality (unless you still have access to your source content), so you better choose carefully.

In summary, choosing the right digital files for your needs is no easy task, and you may want to always consult a professional. We at Advanced Media are ready and able to assist you. Tthe more we learn about your final and intended uses, the better overall better advice and guidance we can provide.

Please contact us HERE or at (323) 469 0707 / (855) 551 5857

Super 8 to Bluray is here!

August 23rd, 2012Audio & Video, Blog, FILES, Film & Photos0 comments

In the last year we have added HD telecine transfers and high quality Bluray discs to our arsenal.

Now, we’re offering them in conjunction. You can have us transfer your old 8mm and Super 8 film to HD files as well as Bluray. Of course we’re still offering transfers to DVD as well because not everybody has a Bluray player. Me, for example, I don’t have one but personally I would prefer the files anyways because I would like to edit my footage and create new files to upload to my Vimeo account and share them with family members. Actually I already had my own footage transferred. I wish there had been more of it but it amounted to about 45 minutes of footage ranging from the late 70’s to the early 80’s. The colors are so beautiful and the images are incredibly sharp but I think I’ll redo them to get the HD quality. To find out more, please contact us here or call (323) 469-0707

8mm Film

July 16th, 2011Blog, Film & Photos0 comments

8mm Film

8mm film has been around since the early 1930s and was developed to provide a cheaper alternative to the costlier 16mm film format.

The 8mm film format was an instant success and has been used by individuals, families and professionals alike to document life as it happened, which today represents our entire unique and invaluable history and memories.

8mm film comes in several variations – Standard 8mm film, Super 8mm film, Single-8 and Straight 8, with the most common being Standard 8 film and Super 8 film. The Super 8 was introduced in the mid-60s and quickly replaced the standard 8mm by many users.

Most 8mm films we receive have no sound. However, occasionally we get films with sound embedded, which we handle as well. Transferring 8mm film with sound does require an extra process.

The 8mm format has faded with the advent of cheaper and more accessible VHS camcorders, however, recently there has been a revival of the 8mm and Super 8 formats, with many artists and hobbyists shooting on 8mm film in order to utilize its unique picture qualities and several film festivals dedicated to 8mm film had sprung up. Even higher-end wedding videographers have been using 8mm film now in order to achieve an authentic nostalgic film look.

We at Advanced Media have transferred tens of thousands of feet of film for thousands of individuals and institutions from around the country.

We currently offer a major upgrade and transfer 8mm film directly to high-definition video (HD), therefore you will be receiving the highest possible resolution for your film, which will enable you to enjoy it in ways that were not possible before. In addition, we monitor and adjust the motion so that your film will not run too fast or to slow.

The benefits of transferring to HD are that the clarity, resolution and motion are much better and vastly improved. Now, you, your friends and your family can finally enjoy your family history in full high-definition clarity.
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For more information about the 8mm Film Format, please contact us here.