Techniques & Techniques & Rationale for Rationale for
Motion Picture Motion Picture RestorationRestoration
Kevin ManbeckKevin ManbeckMTI Film, LLCMTI Film, LLCProvidence, RIProvidence, RI
Jay Cassidy, Donald Geman, Stuart Geman, Donald McClureJay Cassidy, Donald Geman, Stuart Geman, Donald McClure
OutlineOutline
Factors driving demand for Factors driving demand for restorationrestoration
Categories of restorationCategories of restoration Motion picture restoration examplesMotion picture restoration examples Open problems in motion picture Open problems in motion picture
image processingimage processing
Restoration examples in detailRestoration examples in detail
Demand for restorationDemand for restoration
Film damage can be distractingFilm damage can be distracting Dust and debrisDust and debris Lint and hairLint and hair Chemical stains & water spotsChemical stains & water spots Persistent vertical scratchesPersistent vertical scratches Cue marks (reel change indicators)Cue marks (reel change indicators) Finger printsFinger prints Film TearsFilm Tears Splice marksSplice marks Customs stamps!Customs stamps!
Demand . . .Demand . . .
Evolution of tools has raised Evolution of tools has raised viewer’s expectationsviewer’s expectations Small community of creative peopleSmall community of creative people Intense competition between facilitiesIntense competition between facilities Pride in finished productPride in finished product
Post production workflow Post production workflow improvements have made improvements have made restoration affordablerestoration affordable
Workflow model before Workflow model before 19951995
colorcorrect
removedirt
525FFfilm
colorcorrect
removedirt
525LB
filmcolor
correctremove
dirt625FF
filmcolor
correctremove
dirt625FF
filmcolor
correctremove
dirtHD
filmcolor
correctremove
dirtairline
filmcolor
correctremove
dirtT.V.
film
film
AnecdoteAnecdote
Titanic Titanic (1997)(1997) Huge restoration project in 1998Huge restoration project in 1998 24/7 for 4 weeks. 2 systems.24/7 for 4 weeks. 2 systems. Billed 1300 hoursBilled 1300 hours
12 versions12 versions 100 hours per version100 hours per version
Modern workflowModern workflow
filmcolor
correctremove
dirtHD
Master
525FF
525LB
625FF
625FF
airline T.V.
Typical new feature film receives Typical new feature film receives about 40 hours of restorationabout 40 hours of restoration
Scan once, use manyScan once, use many
Demand for restorationDemand for restoration
The DVD revolutionThe DVD revolution Excellent image qualityExcellent image quality Stop and jog functionsStop and jog functions Cost structure allows small or niche Cost structure allows small or niche
production runsproduction runs On VHS, feeble restoration efforts were On VHS, feeble restoration efforts were
adequate. Not so for DVD.adequate. Not so for DVD.
Image quality continues to Image quality continues to improveimprove
Digital projection in theatersDigital projection in theaters Star Wars Episode IStar Wars Episode I (1999) 10 Digital Theaters (1999) 10 Digital Theaters Star Wars Episode IIIStar Wars Episode III (2005) 67 Digital (2005) 67 Digital
TheatersTheaters My prediction: digital projection is My prediction: digital projection is
unstoppableunstoppable Superior image qualitySuperior image quality Reduced distribution costs ($1200 vs. $200)Reduced distribution costs ($1200 vs. $200) Added flexibility for theaterAdded flexibility for theater
More demand for restorationMore demand for restoration
Image qualityImage quality
Standard definition video is 720 columns Standard definition video is 720 columns widewide
High definition video is 1920 columns wideHigh definition video is 1920 columns wide Data scans are typically 2048 columns wideData scans are typically 2048 columns wide Special effects are often 4096 columns wideSpecial effects are often 4096 columns wide
Inherent resolution of 35mm film appears to Inherent resolution of 35mm film appears to be between 3000 and 4000 columnsbe between 3000 and 4000 columns
Categories of restorationCategories of restoration
New features / Episodic televisionNew features / Episodic television High volumeHigh volume Adequate budgets availableAdequate budgets available Material not too distressedMaterial not too distressed
Chemical stainsChemical stains Isolated dirtIsolated dirt Vertical scratchesVertical scratches
Utter intolerance to artifactsUtter intolerance to artifacts ““Crisis of Confidence” is not allowedCrisis of Confidence” is not allowed
Categories . . .Categories . . .
Major Re-release of marquee titlesMajor Re-release of marquee titles Few titles per yearFew titles per year Large libraries in need of preservationLarge libraries in need of preservation Adequate budgetsAdequate budgets Material moderately distressedMaterial moderately distressed
Heavy dirtHeavy dirt Splice marksSplice marks Film tearsFilm tears
Intolerance to artifactsIntolerance to artifacts
Categories . . .Categories . . .
Re-release of niche titlesRe-release of niche titles High volumeHigh volume Low budgetsLow budgets Severely distressed materialSeverely distressed material Willing to compromise automation for Willing to compromise automation for
artifactsartifacts
Categories . . .Categories . . .
Archivist preservation of historic Archivist preservation of historic titlestitles Careful documentation of preservation Careful documentation of preservation
decisionsdecisions Generally funded by government or Generally funded by government or
foundationsfoundations Not necessarily interested in public Not necessarily interested in public
distributiondistribution
Restoration examplesRestoration examples
Switch to Macintosh demoSwitch to Macintosh demo
Open problemsOpen problems
Better use of GrammarBetter use of Grammar Cuts are important for dirt removalCuts are important for dirt removal Automatic splice bump detection & Automatic splice bump detection &
repair at cutsrepair at cuts Dissolve might be useful in grain Dissolve might be useful in grain
reductionreduction Upconvert / super resolutionUpconvert / super resolution Panning too fast for digital cinemaPanning too fast for digital cinema Image stabilization for digital cinemaImage stabilization for digital cinema
Open . . .Open . . .
Gate hairGate hair ““This picture came from T.V.”This picture came from T.V.” ““This footage came from a cell This footage came from a cell
phone”phone” Motion estimationMotion estimation
Gate HairGate Hair
The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
with Ting-Li Chen
Grain ReductionGrain Reduction
Dr. Mabuse (1933)
Repurpose materialRepurpose material
Upconvert SD material to HD. Upconvert SD material to HD. Super resolution.Super resolution.
Temporal changesTemporal changes
Pans for digital Pans for digital projectionprojection
My prediction: audiences will be My prediction: audiences will be confronted with material with confronted with material with objectionable “judder”objectionable “judder”
Take a lesson from animation?Take a lesson from animation?
The Contender
Motion analysisMotion analysis
Phase correlationPhase correlation Optical flowsOptical flows Block matchingBlock matching