Reproduced from American Cinematographer, June 1996
Attack of the Vinegar Syndrome
An in-depth examination of the insidious virus that is
eating away at America's cinematic heritage.
By Les Paul Robley
Unbeknownst to many, our American film heritage is
deteriorating with each passing year at an alarming rate. Film
archivists have estimated that a whopping 75% of all U.S. silent
films have been lost through deterioration or improper storage
procedures, and that 50% of all films made prior to 1950 are
gone. In addition, many much more recent works lie in vaults,
wasting away to the point where the negatives have become
corrupted.
If steps are not taken to reverse this trend, some of the
cinema's seminal works may be lost forever. The purpose of this
article is to offer an in-depth explanation of the degradation
process, in the hopes that detailed information on the
seriousness of the problem will encourage studios and filmmakers
alike to take measures to preserve and protect our collective
film history -- and future works -- from further harm.
When cellulose triacetate base safety film was introduced in
1948 to replace the highly flammable nitrate stock, everyone
thought it would outlast its deteriorating predecessor by leaps
and bounds. Collectors of IB (Imbibation) Technicolor three-color
strip dye-transfer prints believed 9 that they had invested in
something that would outlive them in terms of non-fading color
and image excellence. Unfortunately, this not the case as both
cellulose nitrate and acetate have a built-in inclination to
degrade. Some nitrate films have even lasted longer than safety
film prints.
The first reports of triacetate degradation were discovered
by the Eastman Kodak Company in the Fifties. Film from the
government of India had been stored in a hot, humid environment
which adversely affected the chemical stability of the plastic
film support. Subsequent laboratory experiments by Kodak in
high-temperature incubation ovens confirmed that improper storage
of safety prints would yield cellulose contamination.
The dilemma was outlined by Anthony Slide in his book
Nitrate Won't Wait: Film Preservation in the United States. He
writes: "For a number of years, archivists have been noticing the
pungent order of acetic acid emanating from some safety films,
evidence of the film stock's deterioration. Because of the smell,
the phenomenon has come to be known as 'the vinegar syndrome'...
In 1991, [Kodak] revealed that safety film deterioration 'derives
from the same chemical mechanism (hydrolysis) and the same
triggering factors in the environment (heat and humidity) that
nitrate decomposition does.' Without the hoopla and publicity
surrounding nitrate film decomposition, it transpires that safety
film has also been decomposing with the same finality."
Kodak disclosed to the press that "'vinegar syndrome' is a
common term used to describe the chemical reaction occurring
during the natural deterioration of triacetate film base in a
sealed container." According to Kodak, when cellulose triacetate
begins to degrade, acetate ions react with moisture to form
acetic acid, producing the characteristic odor. In layman's
terms, one 1000-foot (10-minute) roll of 35mm motion picture film
can generate the equivalent of 250 teaspoonfuls of household
vinegar! The acid attacks the film base and accelerates image
color dye fading.
All freshly manufactured acetate film carries with it some
level of acidity by the very nature of its composition.
Hydrolysis is the reaction by which moisture in the film (water)
cause it to decompose as the acetyl groups in the cellulose
molecules become detached. Temperature and humidity both play
important roles in regard to this liberation of free acetic acid.
The room humidity controls how much water will be absorbed by the
film, and the temperature affects not only color dye stability,
but also the speed with which the chemical reaction takes place.
Excessive heat causes the shrinking and expanding of the
base in conjunction with the less-affected emulsion layer,
causing the latter to flake or crack. High humidity not only
invites vinegar syndrome, but also Promotes mold-growth on the
gelatin emulsion. As the base shrinks, the emulsion gives way and
the film becomes warped to the point where it cannot travel
through a projector or printer. Seriously buckled film not only
releases a sharp vinegar odor, but exudes plasticizers out of the
plastic base. These resemble shiny slivers or crystals which have
oozed out of the base onto the reel or emulsion surface of the
film.
Another, easily recognizable physical indication that alerts
one to a badly decomposed print is when the film refuses to wind
tight on a reel, or lies "unhappily" across your splicer. The
effect when viewed from the side on a shipping reel is like a
hexagonal "spoking pattern whereby the film will not lie flat
when wound in a certain emulsion-in-or-out orientation. By the
time this happens, the film is unusable and is ready for the
rubbish bin. So far, no one has discovered a way to reverse this
process and bring the suffering print back to a salvageable level
so it will run efficiently through a machine. But one can save a
film that is in an early stage of vinegar syndrome and prevent it
from getting any worse. Prevention is the name of the game, and a
film with only a slight smell" can still offer years of use and
entertainment.
The vinegar problem was reviewed in 1990 by Kodak research
scientists Dr. A. Tulsi Ram and N.S. Alien in various scientific
papers claiming that the reaction was acid-catalyzed, meaning
that once the degradation began, it fed on itself at
ever-increasing rates. This led to the popular theory that an
infected film can affect other healthy prints. When the acetic
acid (vinegar) leaches out of the plastic film base, it either
evaporates into the air, or it can be absorbed by the surrounding
storage container. The effects of this process can be seen in the
rusted enclosures of metal film cans encasing vinegar prints, or
the embrittled paper surrounding them in shipping cases. The
acidic fumes are very volatile and can be measured using A-D
(acid-detecting) strips inside the fiber cases, polyethylene bags
or cardboard microfilm boxes which formerly contained fairly
degraded stock, long after the film itself had been removed. If
the degraded film is contained in such isolation for a long
period of time, the acid can become trapped. Being autocatalytic,
this greatly accelerates the degradation process.
Similarly, "healthy" fresh film has been found in some cases
to absorb acidity from deteriorating prints kept in close
proximity. This, in turn, is thought to accelerate the rate of
degradation in the fresh film. While there remains some argument
as to the extent to which the absorption of acidic vapor
motivates the degradation of fresh film, it is believed by most
archivists that segregation of the diseased print is the safest
policy in protecting a film collection.
While it is not always possible (or pleasurable) to sniff
every print in one's collection (the vinegar odor is strong and
can lead to health problems, namely throat and skin irritations),
one can assume that all collections of old safety film carry with
them some degree of vinegar sickness; knowing which ones are at a
higher acidic level than others can prevent the spread of the
disease. Storing film in a well-ventilated area, as some archives
do, can help lower the level of acetic acid in the storage area.
The Image Permanence Institute of Rochester, New York (IPI) sells
a Storage Wheel (along with their A-D Strips) which is based on
the worst-case-scenario -- the acid-trapping factor of film
stored inside a tightly-closed container. The wheel details the
effects of temperature and relative humidity (RH levels) on fresh
acetate film, as well as film which has already degraded beyond a
0.5 free acidity level, the deadly autocatalytic point of film on
the road to vinegar syndrome.
Based on results achieved with this system, IPI claims that
new film stored at 50% RH in 70' Fahrenheit (normal comfortable
room conditions) will take approximately 40 years to reach 0.5
acidity. The colder and dryer the environment, the longer the
film will last. For example, film stored at 55`F, 40% RH may not
suffer the onset of vinegar syndrome for 150 years. Films kept in
very cold conditions (below 50` at moderate RH levels of 20 to
3070) can be expected to last for centuries. In fact, merely a
10` decrease in storage temperature may increase your film's
existence by a factor of two. Even though water is a primary
reactant with regards to vinegar syndrome, storing films below
20% RH is not recommended, as the dry conditions can lead to
brittleness in the base of the stock. Without some moisture, the
film might break apart when handled or run through a projector.
Too much dryness also increases film curl and warpage.
There is a twist, however. Some film collectors who have
stored film in their warm household closets have movies they know
to be more than 40 years old, but which show no apparent signs of
deterioration. Also, many film archivists know of films that are
40 years old but still in good condition. But it's important to
remember that the IPI chart is simply a means of prediction, and
that collectors do not always know how a film has been stored
before they have appropriated the print. IPI assures us that the
40-year prediction is merely an approximation of the years to the
onset of measurable deterioration, and not the number of years
that the film will be able to last through a projector. The wheel
acts as a guide with which to analyze, relatively speaking, how
much better or worse one storage environment is in comparison to
another.
Since nothing lasts forever, the converting of film
information to a digital environment for long-term archival
storage may not be such a bad idea. In the long run, opponents of
videotape and laserdiscs -- mediums which have also shown
problems in quality and durability, what with tape disintegration
and disc sides unbonding -- may be grateful for electronic
storage mediums. Even if video afforded a suitably high
resolution, the physical characteristics of the tape itself
indicate that the image will deteriorate quicker than a film
image. Thus far, black-and-white color separations have provided
the best means of preserving original color negatives, but
Problems with registration of the three elements come into play
if the three films shrink by different amounts during storage.
Of course, new technology may not always be the panacea that
it first appears to be. For example, low-fade LPP color stock was
once ushered in to greatly improve the cyan limiting dye-factor
in earlier 5383 or 5381 Eastman color print films. The improved
cyan dye was expected to last up to 50 times longer than that of
a conventional magenta-stable Eastman print. But even prints
manufactured just 12 years ago have begun showing some loss of
cyan density in the black area of the transparent image. In a
properly timed print with good contrast, the black area should be
composed of equal densities of the three dye layers. The extent
to which the cyan layer has a lower density than the more stable
magenta layer in a faded print represents the amount of fading
which has occurred in each layer over the years.
With regards to dye stability, nothing seems to have
outlasted the old Technicolor Imbibation process of three-strip
dye-transfer printing. The popular story among film collectors is
that Technicolor labs phased out IB. printing in Hollywood
because the trend in print orders gravitated towards smaller
numbers of release prints, making the complex Imbibation process
less economically feasible. Star Wars was probably the last big
feature made in IB by England's Technicolor Labs, a company which
used the process a few years longer than America before selling
it to the Chinese in the late Seventies. China embraced the
process because it made their Communist country less dependent
upon foreign suppliers of color film stocks. The Chinese were
able to manufacture the raw stocks required for Imbibation
printing, but the resultant dye-transfer release prints suffered
in image quality due to poor lab conditions, prompting the
discontinuation of the process in 1994. At any rate, the very
nature of the IB process made it less likely to achieve the
degree of sharpness that is possible with the integral tri-pack
films used in modern processing techniques.
Despite the superiority of dye stability in IB Tech prints,
Jim Harwood, vault supervisor of the Kodak's PRO-TEK film
preservation facility in Hollywood, points out that these films
have been found to be more prone to vinegar syndrome than those
using standard Eastman color processing, mainly because higher
amounts of certain acids are used in the final wash. In addition,
IB prints made with the Fifties' four-track stereo process, such
as Oklahoma!, pose a double threat. In these older 35mm mag
prints, the magnetic stripe used for the additional sound
channels acts as a catalyst in accelerating the vinegar syndrome.
The iron oxide (like rust) speeds up the chemical reaction,
causing these acetyl groups to split apart even more, releasing
the acetic acid and subsequent vinegar odor. Keeping the film in
a confined place, such as a lab can or shipping case, accelerates
the process further, to the point where the reaction begins to
feed on itself, exhibiting the autocatalytic behavior described
earlier.
Collectors often wonder why Technicolor does not revive the
older IB process, making it less susceptible to vinegar onset
using today's technology -- particularly in view of its superior
dye stability. But as mentioned earlier, there was a time when
the dye-transfer process was no longer considered to be
commercially viable. The older printing machines were very labor
intensive, and it sometimes required eight men to operate one
printer. For the technique to work in the present, the printers
would have to be completely redesigned to be competitive with
today's faster printing process, and would demand the expertise
of individuals who retired from the film industry long ago. Also,
single print orders by low-budget producers would make the
process less advantageous due to the amount of work involved in
setting up one printer. For the process to become feasible again,
only big pictures commanding large print orders would have the
clout necessary to dictate a renaissance in the IB process.
Still, there may yet be hope for IB's future. There has been talk
of it being revived for use in selected road show runs of newly
restored classics.
All this being said, what can low-budget producers or film
collectors do to make sure that the items in which they have
invested last at least through their lifetimes? For now, the
best advice for collectors of old IB Tech product, which may or
may not carry the dreaded "smell," is maintaining a proper,
climate-controlled storage environment. Temperature plays a key
role in slowing down the chemical reactions within the film. If
cold storage proves economically impractical, a constant 70"
temperature is still better than one which fluctuates
continually.
"The absolute worst thing for long-term film storage is a
fluctuating environment," reiterates Jim Harwood. "I have been in
facilities where the temperature has varied wildly by 20 degrees
on a daily basis."
For this reason, outdoor tin storage sheds, uninsulated
garages, attics and public storage facilities are definite
no-no's when it comes to preserving a valuable film collection.
Even though a 70" office environment isn't great for color
storage, it does less harm than one which fluctuates continually.
As mentioned before, temperature equilibrium for film changes
quickly (sometimes in a matter of hours), causing the film base
to shrink or expand. The slight temperature changes found in an
ordinary household should not result in any physical damage to
the film. However, the conditions maintained in some PRO-TEK
vaults can be as low as a constant 34"F, 25% RH. According to
IPI's acid wheel, this will effectively slow the doubling of
acidity in a print which already has a 0.5 acidity level for
roughly 500 years.
It's also best to avoid treating or rejuvenating prints with
a scratch-removal process. Treated prints seem more prone to
vinegar syndrome than untreated ones. Since IB prints are a
valuable commodity on the collector's market, many have been
treated with a substance using the same index of refraction as
the film to "fill-in" the scratches and thereby maintain a
scratch-free appearance. (Base scratches on a positive release
print normally refract the light, which makes them look black on
the screen. Some emulsion scratches fill with dirt, and after
ultrasonic cleaning and scratch-removal, turn white when
projected.) One SR process used polished ground glass to
effectively sand down the film base, after which it was treated
with chemicals.
"Some film rejuvenation of IB Tech material, for example,
can accelerate the autocatalytic process," warns Harwood.
"Apparently, some of these [so-called] rejuvenation techniques
chemically add something to the base that just doesn't mix. I had
heard of one process with a bit of acetone in it. All of these
various companies that do scratch-removal use different
combinations of chemicals, which is one reason for thinking that
certain types of treatments will cause [problems.] I don't know
if anything scientific has been done on it, but I do know of
collectors who have taken a reel of film in for scratch-removal,
and then found, years later, that it's the one reel which has
vinegar problems. From an archival standpoint, no one in the
archival industry likes to treat original negative or
preservation elements with any form of rejuvenation, because they
don't know what the long-term effect will be."
How does one know if a film has been treated? The nose
knows, and often the easiest way to find out is to sniff it and
see if you can detect any odor. But what if the degradation
process is underway, and it hasn't yet gone vinegar? Or the
rejuvenation smell has long since vanished? It is often
impossible to pinpoint an odor within a massive collection
harboring many different solvent smells. Plus, one can become
desensitized after breathing the odor for prolonged periods, or
risk hazards to one's health.
One fanatical collector I met in Europe actuary uses his
dog to sniff for treated prints, much like customs agents in
airports use canines to sniff for narcotics. Another in Holland
swears that one can use a magnifying glass or microscope to look
along the edge of the soundtrack and pinpoint whether there is a
coating on top of the picture area, since the process is normally
limited to the image area projected on screen. Many collectors
complain that they have encountered the most problems with
vinegar from prints made in the Fifties, an era in which the
earliest examples of Kodak triacetate safety film were made
commercially available. Being an old stock, perhaps it's showing
all the signs of decomposition. (The obsolete diacetate stock is
even older and has its own set of acidic problems.) It's also
possible that these stocks were once treated at one of many
questionable West Coast rejuvenation facilities.
The problem is hardly exclusive to the West Coast, however.
Many Fifties-era prints, both color and black-and-white, have
experienced vinegar syndrome, which occurs with all types of film
stock -- Kodak, DuPont, Fuji, and so on. The one certainty is
that all improperly stored acetate films will eventually succumb.
A SMPTE Journal of May 1992 concludes that "the chemical
stability of different cellulose ester-base films is generally
quite similar. There have been reported cases where films from a
particular manufacturer, or which were made during a certain time
period, have poorer stability. However, there is no evidence to
suggest that diacetate, triacetate, or mixed esters have
inherently different stabilities because of their chemical
differences."
If treating a film can affect a print adversely, what about
coating it with film cleaning solutions, such as Vitafilm or
trichloroethane? "There have been no known cases that I have
heard of involving the commercially available cleaning solutions
containing trichlor, which we use here at PRO-TEK," says Harwood.
"Trichlor is very volatile and it evaporates very quickly, so it
doesn't soak into the base of the film. It's more of a surface
cleaner. Vitafilm tended to get into the film base somewhat, but
I've known collectors who have experienced no problems after
treating their prints with it. The only problem I've heard
relating to Vitafilm was that it sometimes caused the IB dyes to
run."
Vitafilm is no longer available, and trichloroethane (also
known as methyl chloroform), used for years in film labs, will
also no longer be an option. Due to potential ozone depletion,
the world's environmental science community recommended a cease
in the manufacturing of this solvent after 1995. Some suppliers
can still be found, but access to the solvent will soon dry up.
Instead, the film community will have to look for other nontoxic
solutions, or rely on the PTRs (particle transfer rollers) and
web cleaners used in local cinemas to clean theatrical release
prints.
One collector thought that encasing a vinegar print In 3M's
Photogard process might stop it from emitting the acetic gas.
(Photogard is an expensive process that coats a protective layer
around the film to prevent it from being scratched.) But just the
opposite occurred. "Labs would routinely put it on their dupe
negatives and release prints," admits Harwood, "but, from an
archival standpoint, it's not used if at all possible on unique
masters or original negatives. It's almost like encasing the
film, or laminating it, and what [this particular collector did]
was to trap in the off-gassing that was occurring within the
print. He was suffocating the film. But as to whether or not it
causes vinegar syndrome, I don't think Kodak has done any tests
on it."
Remember that vinegar syndrome is autocatalytic; safety film
needs to breathe. It's meant to be run, not Placed on a shelf
like a book. This is why archives tend to spend their time
rewinding prints from heads to tails and vice versa at least
every six months. Kodak recommends that a reel of print film be
maintained in an emulsion-in orientation (tails-up for most 35mm
theatrical release prints) from the time it was originally
processed. They claim that the projected image is greatly
improved, as there is less focus drift or tendency toward
flutter. But some disagree with this, believing it is best to
occasionally reverse the wind to allow the film to curl
naturally.
Some archives prefer a large, well-ventilated space for
storing film material. The rolls are kept on cores in cardboard
containers which allow the film to breathe and any acetic vapor
to escape into the air. Last July's SMPTE Journal on the
"Stability of Cellulose Ester-Base Photographic Film
"-demonstrated that film will show greater stability if the acid
is allowed to escape. When film was incubated while free-hanging
in a 90`C, 50% RH oven, lower acidity values were obtained. This
allowed easy evaporation of the acetic acid, thereby reducing the
autocatalytic effect. When freely exposed to air for a week, film
with an acidity level of 5.4 dropped to 1.7. This simple test
illustrated that the higher air-to-film ratio afforded easier
escape of the acid from the print, slowing degradation.
Others argue against the idea of open-air storage. The big
problem with this method is that it leaves the film susceptible
to external elements that might come along -- water damage,
chemical contamination by air pollutants such as ozone and
nitrogen dioxide, smog, carbon monoxide, fire, etc. In companion
tests, Kodak discovered that open-air storage of film can lead to
attack by atmospheric contaminants that damage both the film base
and the dyes that form the image. But the IPI Storage Guide for
Acetate Film counters that "pollutants originating from storage
enclosure materials have a very strong effect on silver and dye
images, although they are not usually a significant factor in
chemical deterioration of film bases." The guide points out that
"real-life storage may involve more opportunity for the acid to
escape; if that is the case, it will take longer for vinegar
syndrome to occur.
Since a real-life scenario for motion picture film usually
involves a changing environment rather than a steady one, the
Institute has evolved a "Time Out of Storage Table" detailing the
effect of changing climatic conditions on acetate film. The table
reveals that removing a print from a vault for 30 days for
exhibition can decrease the time in years it will take for the
print to reach 0.5 acidity. Although dyes fade when exposed to
bright light, the brief amount of time when the film is projected
inside a hot film gate -- even when it is shown hundreds of times
-- is probably not a significant factor.
The guide recommends that film be stored inside containers
that are "chemically inert" toward the components of film. It
points out that much damage has been done by reactive,
poor-quality papers, adhesives and cardboard. Tin shipping reels
and rusted metal shippers should be avoided for the storing of
film. The metal reels bend easily, thus scraping the film on feed
or take-up, and the metallic bits can flake into the print,
damaging the emulsion irreversibly. Rusted metal can also act as
a catalyst in the furthering of vinegar syndrome. Alien and Edge,
in their Photographic Science papers, observed that still film
degrades faster in a tin-plated iron container than in an
aluminum, polyethylene or glass receptacle. Plastic reels and
cases don't share these problems, but the jury is still out on
whether or not the material can react harmfully with the film.
Certainly plastic burns very easily in a fire. FPC, the "sales
arm" for Kodak, sells metal film cans which have been treated
with an inert, non-reactive paint designed exclusively for the
storage of contaminated film. They also sell -- and use, in the
PRO-TEK vaults -- molecular sieves.
Explains Ken Knaus of FPC: "Molecular sieves were recently
developed by Kodak scientists and represent a real breakthrough
for film preservation. They are like small chemical sponges which
minimizes the effects of vinegar syndrome. The sieves, which are
inserted into the film cans, absorb moisture and other
contaminants released during the natural aging of the film. This
new technology will significantly extend the life of films."
Molecular sieves belong to a class of compounds known as
zeolites, some of which can selectively absorb water, acetic acid
and methylene chloride. The sieves resemble silica gel packets
shipped with cameras and electronic equipment. When placed in
water, they absorb moisture and become very warm. Five to six
packets are generally placed with every 2,000-foot roll of 35mm
motion picture film, and each will last for several years,
depending on storage conditions. For Kodak's research, a
specified sieve compound in polypropylene packets was placed
within sealed film storage cans and tested using accelerated
aging techniques.
"We can significantly slow the degeneration of motion
picture film by controlling temperature, moisture, acids and
vapors from the atmosphere surrounding the film," adds Harry D.
Heuer, manager of special markets for Kodak Motion Picture and
Television Imaging. "The molecular sieve is the tool used in
conjunction with current recommended storage practices to achieve
that control."
Whether or not the sieves will actually help a print already
infected with vinegar damage is too early to predict. But Kodak
is quick to point out that sieve technology provides added
protection and is not a replacement for industry-accepted
archival storage recommendations.
But one thing upon which everyone seems to agree is that
storing a harsh-smelling print inside a closed container
alongside fresh film is like signing the new film's death
certificate. The autocatalytic behavior will likely cause faster
deterioration in the good film. Sandwich experiments conducted in
the same SMPTE Journal indicated that "undegraded cellulose
triacetate base film will absorb acetic acid from adjacent
degraded film, and that physical contact is not necessary for
absorption to occur." It's Probably better to isolate the vinegar
film in a cool, open-air environment where it can release the
odor without causing harm to other prints, or discomfort to
people. The technical paper went on to suggest that film vaults
be designed to either absorb acetic acid, or allow its free
release. Continual air monitoring to detect the presence of
film-base decomposition by-products may be one way to achieve
this. Unfortunately, IPI's A-D Strips do not function well as
room monitors, because the acid detectors change color over time
by the absorption of carbon dioxide in the air, forming carbonic
acid and giving a false reading of acidity. Even fresh film will
turn the strips blue-green, since all acetate film has a
measurable acidity level immediately upon manufacture.
Freezing the film is one way to seriously halt the
phenomenon (as well as to stop dye fading). In an August 1985
SMPTE Journal, "Freeze/Thaw Cycling of Motion-Picture Films," the
paper maintains that the act of thawing and re-freezing film does
not harm it. However, there is still concern within the
preservation community regarding the freezing of film, since
frost buildup and condensation upon improper removal can lead to
damage.
A former editor of American Cinematographer, Richard
Patterson, detailed the recommended procedure for the storing of
color film in the July and August 1981 issues of the magazine. He
points out that sealing the film inside a moisture-proof
polyethylene bag in a relatively dry environment eliminates the
need for humidity control in a vault or storage facility. Concern
over the possibility of chemical reaction taking place between
the bag and the film is discussed, as well as the use of
moisture-proof tape to seal film cans (which can likewise be
purchased from FPC.)
There are also those who claim to have answers for the whole
vinegar syndrome problem. One collector suggested the technique
of running the infected film through a rag doused with one of the
fast-evaporating commercial brand cleaners, then heating the film
surface with a blow-dryer while slowly rewinding it.This, he
believes, will evaporate the moisture trapped in the base which
causes it to offgas. The late Tom Ogburn had a method called
Filmbrite which he claimed flattened a degraded print to the
point where it might run through a machine. Another treated his
film with a homemade concoction of camphor and citrus oil
derivative that has allegedly put a halt to the smell and the
degradation attributed to it for a couple of years. The citrus
works as an anti-acidic, and airing out the print for three days
did seem to get rid of the smell. But as to the trustworthiness
of these techniques, time will ultimately tell whether they are
just projections in the dark.
Perhaps when a film is in the early stages of vinegar
syndrome, one of these methods might be useful. But when it
reaches a state of 5.0 or 10 acidity level and is completely
wrinkled, these techniques become questionable. Most archivists
believe that nothing can reverse the syndrome. Once it has
started, one can only slow it down by cold storage, low humidity
and the various tools Kodak offers. These may merely be remedies,
and the real cure may be some ways off.
Recalls Harwood, "During the early days of 16mm, when
diacetate was introduced, many home-movie companies, such as
Kodascope and Universal Show-At-Home, would place chunks of
camphor in the can to help keep the film pliable and not let it
dry out. There might be something in this..."
Thankfully, polyester-based mylar film is not affected by
vinegar syndrome. Since it does not have an acetate base, it
cannot leach acid out of its stock. Mylar is more chemically
stable than acetate or nitrate and is said to last up to ten
times longer than these films under the same storage conditions.
Estimates of over 1,000 years of satisfactory life were gathered
from incubation studies of one to two years' duration by the
Image Permanence Institute. But polyester base has its own set of
problems. The softer emulsion makes it more susceptible to
scratches, and its tough base prevents easy tearing, making
conventional splicing difficult and a potential hazard for
expensive projector, printer or camera equipment.
"The best way to not have to go through expensive
restorations is to store your negative in a cool, dry
environment," concludes Harwood. "If the humidity is low enough,
this method will retard vinegar syndrome as well. Our facility
here offers climate-controlled vaults of 34 degrees Fahrenheit
and 25 percent RH. Fifty features on 16mm will cost about $40 a
month. Fifty on 35mm [averaging six reels per feature] will cost
around $120 a month. This may seem a small price to pay 50 years
from now, when it comes time to do color separations."
"Digital reconstruction of damaged motion picture films will
be possible in the near future," says Bob Bender, strategic
planning director for advanced technology products at Kodak.
Tools on Kodak's Cineon digital film system provide capabilities
for scanning film into a digital format for manipulation at an
image computing workstation. The digital pictures can be recorded
onto a high-resolution intermediate film without compromising-the
image quality of the original. The countless digital composites
involved in visual effects applications, such as the plate
backgrounds in Under Siege II: Dark Territory, Heat and Kodak's
own Cineon demonstration at NAB, Believing is Seeing, have
demonstrated many times over that this process really works.
Bender believes this technology can be applied to the
restoration of valuable films. Once the film has been digitized,
scratches and other artifacts can be repaired by an image
computing workstation, in the same way that dust was lifted from
eels during the restoration of Disney's Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs [see AC Sept.'93]. Also, missing image data could be
"cloned" from an un-damaged frame to produce a seamless
restoration, just as wire and rig removal is done in visual
effects applications. The corrected digital pictures could then
be recorded onto a high-resolution intermediate film, without a
trace of vinegar syndrome.
Reproduced from American Cinematographer June 1996
Film Preservation:
A Practical Guide
Key steps and suggestions on how
best to protect valuable prints.
by Karen Kalish
A discussion on film storage is not sexy, but neither is the
deterioration of a film in which you've invested your heart and
soul. Whether you're a cinematographer, director, lighting
designer, editor or a specialist in any other area, a little
piece of you goes into every film that you work on.
The intention of this article is to focus on storage -- the
preventive medicine for film preservation -- and to provide a
brief rundown of fundamental facts relevant to film storage; a
few cost effective, "financially-friendly" preservation
strategies; and key sources of information.
"Cinematographers who concern themselves with creating their
works on film should also be versed in what happens to that work
as it is stored over time," says Fred Murphy, vice president of
operations for the Paramount Television Group. "This way, they
can knowledgeably discuss with those responsible for maintaining
their negatives, the most advantageous storage financially
available, even if only on a frugal budget."
"Not everyone has millions of dollars to build and operate a
sophisticated preservation facility," Murphy concedes. "As a
major studio, we have sound business reasons to invest that
magnitude of money in our assets. An individual or small company
shouldn't throw in the towel, however, thinking there's nothing
they can do toward preservation on a small or non-existent
budget. Asset protection can in fact be tailored to the nature or
budget of the collection. Many people believe you must go 'whole
hog' to preserve your material, or it isn't worth even trying.
That's simply not true."
According to The Library of Congress/National Film
Preservation Board's 1994 report, "Redefining Preservation: A
National Plan," new research in film deterioration shows that
small, incremental changes in storage conditions, such as
decreases in temperature and humidity, can result in considerable
life extension for film collections. Even degraded film will last
longer under cooler and drier conditions.
In the years to come, film will be reproduced and
distributed by a variety of new technologies, some now available
(at high costs) and some yet unrealized. The key to future access
is to preserve the original long enough to be converted,
restored, and distributed in these new ways. Original films have
the maximum image and sound quality and will be the best platform
from which to create access copies in the future. It is important
to emphasize that digital restoration techniques will soon be a
part of, but not a substitute for, the preservation of original
film materials.
Determining the Archival Quality of Your Negatives
A 15-minute test can determine if your black-and-white print
films and sound negatives are of archival quality. If they are
found not to be of archival quality, they can be made archival by
rewashing.
Contact: Tom McCormick,
N.T. Audio,
1833 Centinela Ave,
Santa Monica, CA 90404,
(310) 828-1098.
Detecting Vinegar Syndrome; Storage Guidelines
The Image Permanence Institute has developed A-D Strips,
which can be used to objectively and accurately determine the
presence of vinegar syndrome. Their IPI Storage Guide for Acetate
Film, a four-part publication, includes a calculating wheel which
relates film storage to how long film will last, and explains the
relationship between temperature, relative humidity and vinegar
syndrome. Together, the Guide and the A-D Strips make a kind of
"do-it-your-self film preservation kit." One is a diagnostic
tool, the other explains what is going wrong with film and tells
how to extend its life through better storage. The IPI Storage
Guide costs $25.00 and includes detailed information on vinegar
syndrome. The A-D Strips cost $29.95 per package; each package
includes 250 detector strips and instructions for use.
Image Permanence Institute
70 Lomb Memorial Drive,
Rochester, NY 14623-5604
(716) 475-5199
fax: (716)475-7230.
Fighting Vinegar Syndrome with Molecular Sieves
Molecular sieves act like chemical sponges, minimizing the
effects of vinegar syndrome by lowering the moisture and
absorbing the damaging acid contaminants. To help prevent the
vinegar syndrome, films should be stored in clean, rust-free
metal containers. (The reason the cans must be rust free is
because oxide, or rust, is a catalyst for the vinegar syndrome.)
The sieves cost 25 cents each; depending on the size of your film
cans, three to six are suggested.
To obtain additional information, or the actual sieves,
contact FPC, 6677 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90038, (800)
814-1333.
Soundtracks with Vinegar Syndrome
The following process for handling vinegar syndrome on
soundtracks, as detailed by Universal's Sound Facility, begins
when the tracks are removed from their cans or boxes and placed
in a "stinkerator." This device is a large metal box with film
racks inside; after it is sealed shut, fresh air is drawn in and
across the contaminated film and evacuated to the outside. The
film is then inspected routinely for moisture and decomposition
content, and removed from this metal box when dry. A gentle
Kimwipe cleaning, splice and perf inspection and repair follow.
After re-labeling and re-boxing, the material is transferred to
both analog and digital protection masters. The original infected
units are saved, but isolated from all other uninfected track
units.
Two facilities that are equipped to handle soundtracks
with vinegar syndrome are:
Chace Productions,
201 S. Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
(818-842-8346)
and
Film Technology
726 Cole Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90038
(213-464-3456)
For information on how to care for picture elements afflicted
with vinegar syndrome, see listing of "Labs That Specialize in
Preservation" later in this article.
Treating Shrunken Film
A specialized treatment can restore shrunken film to "on
pitch" measurements, thereby allowing duplication of the film by
means of a continuous printer or the transfer of the film to
videotape. The cost for the treatment is 10 cents per foot for
films that are 10-12 years old, and approximately 25 cents per
foot for older films with vinegar syndrome.
Contact:
Amold Sheiman
Restoration House Film Group
12 Village Drive, Belleville
Ontario,K8P 4J8 Canada
(613) 966-4076.
Storage Tips for Those with Severe Budgetary Restraints
While the Paramount Television Group is not inhibited by
restrictive budgets when it comes to preservation practices,
Phil Murphy is well aware that most film collectors may not have
the fiscal resources to maintain state-of-the-art storage
facilities. However, his empathy for preservationists with
severe budgetary restraints has led him to offer the following
suggestions and guidelines with regard to the proper care of
optical materials.
"The worst condition of all is to leave a roll of film in an
attic or a warehouse with no temperature or humidity control,
[where it can be] affected by eliminate and weather of the
environment," says Murphy. "Subjecting the material to such
extreme changes in conditions over a long period of time is
damaging. If the best conditions you have available are warm and
humid, but at least consistent, you're better off than if the
conditions change from good to bad to good in cycles. Offices may
offer reasonably good conditions while they're occupied, but most
buildings turn off air-conditioning on nights and weekends, which
may result in large temperature fluctuations for the film. Stable
poor conditions are better than wildly fluctuating conditions."
The next best thing, says Murphy, is to maintain the
consistency at lower temperature and lower relative humidity. "If
you're an independent producer with a small collection and a
frugal budget, buy a used refrigerator with a frost-free freezer.
Should you choose to go this route, there's information later in
this article on how to contact the Smithsonian Institution for
their simple method of packaging film for this low-cost method of
preservation."
Considerable improvement can be made via some simple
preventative measures mentioned in the National Plan, namely:
-Lowering thermostats
-Shutting off heating vents
-Relocating collection materials within a structure
This plan also concurs with Murphy's suggestions that
household freezers can be a very successful storage approach for
some small collections. (They also provide protection from fire
and flood.) Listed below are some guidelines for the use of
refrigeration.
Cold-Storage Packaging for Conventional Freezers
The Smithsonian's Critical Moisture Indicator (CMI)
packaging method for conventional freezers has only recently been
developed in their lab, and the technology is being implemented
in a number of cold-storage applications at The Smithsonian
Institution. The simplest and least expensive embodiment of the
CMI method utilizes the common metal film can, low-density
polyethylene stretch wrap, the critical moisture indicator, and
silica gel packs. The total packaging material minus the film can
costs less than one dollar per 1000-foot roll of 35mm negative,
and the package can be easily assembled in about one minute.
For details, contact:
Mark H. McCormick-Goodhart
CAL/MSC, MRC 534 Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D.C. 20560
(301) 238-3700 ext. 114
fax (301) 238-3709.
Freezers
In addition to low-cost household freezers, mini walk-in
freezers are also available, with prices starting at $3,100.
Contact:
Norlake Scientific
Second and Elm Streets
P.O. Box 248
Hudson, Wisconsin 54016,
(800)477-5253.
Please note that nitrate requires a flammable material
storage freezer or an explosion-proof freezer. It's also
important to note that the freezer method is still a little
controversial within the preservation community, because if
instructions are not properly followed, damage to the film can
occur. Questions about this method can be answered by Rick Utley
at PRO-TEK (213-468-4450), David Wexler at Hollywood Vaults
(800-569-5336), or Mark McCoumick-Goodhart at the Smithsonian
(301-238-3700).
OTHER STORAGE OPTIONS
Depositing Films with Archives
Archives not only make films available for research, study,
and appreciation, but also provide secure storage -- often in
low-temperature, low-humidity environments designed expressly to
protect film. Many filmmakers, from D.W. Griffith to Andy Warhol,
are known today largely though works that came into the
safekeeping of these institutions. For active filmmakers,
archives often make special arrangements to allow continued
access to their material under conditions that ensure their
preservation.
These details are described in a section of The National
Plan titled "Depositing Films with Archives: Guide to the Legal
Issues." Eric Schwartz, one of the individuals who drafted this
document, can be reached at:
Proskauer Rose Getz & Mendelsohn, LLP,
1233 20th Street NW, Suite 800,
Washington, DC 20036-2396,
(202) 416-6817.
The Ideal Environments:
Full-service or Self-service Vaulting
Both full-service and self-service vaulting options offer
current protection techniques and technologies for optimum safe
keeping and preservation. The difference between the two is that
full-service vaults provide many services that include pickup and
delivery, inspection, retrieval and shipping. Full-service vaults
are only accessible during business hours and do not allow direct
access to the vault stacks. Self-service vaults do provide
clients with access to their individual unit within the vault 24
hours a day, seven days a week and offer direct control over the
inventory system, stored material, plus complete confidentiality.
By putting your negatives in a vault, you are ensuring the
protection of the negative and don't need to buy insurance. If
you do have insurance, often times you can get a cheaper rate by
telling the insurance underwriter that the material is properly
vaulted.
At the self-service Hollywood Vaults, the cost of a double
vault is less than 25 cents per can per month.
Contact:
David Wexler,
742 N. Seward Street,
Hollywood, CA 90037-3504,
(800) 569-5336.
At the full-service PRO-TEK Vaults, a 1000-foot can costs 35
to 37 cents per month.
Contact:
Rick Utley,
1017 Las Palmas Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90028
(213) 468-4450.
Film Labs That Specialize in Preservation
When you are ready to take additional steps, the following
facilities also offer help with preservation:
~ Cinetech
1900 West Burbank Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 840-1130.
~ Film Technology
726 Cole Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90038
(213)464-3456.
~ John F. Alien, Inc.
116 North Ave.
Park Ridge, NJ 07656,
(201) 391-3299.
(In Northeast PA,
John E. Alien/Cinema Arts, 717-676-4145.)
~ WRS Motion Picture Labs
1000 Napor Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
(412)937-7700.
~ YCM
2312 West Burbank Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91506
(818) 843-5300.
ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS
Association of Moving-Image Archivists
The AMIA promotes moving-image archival activities,
especially preservation, through meetings, workshops and direct
assistance. Their newsletter lists their networking events,
educational opportunities and information on the preservation of
both film and tape. At the group's 1995 Toronto Conference,
laboratories from across the United States and Canada
participated in a forum where they shared their preservation
experience.
Association of Moving Image Archivists
c/o National Center for Film and Video Preservation
The American Film Institute
P.O. Box 27999
2021 North Western Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(213)856-7637.
Mary Pickford Foundation
Keith Lawrence, who is managing director of the Mary
Pickford Foundation as well as an AMIA member, is currently
helping the AMIA to establish and coordinate a scholarship fund
for continuing education in preservation. Lawrence's goal is to
help make libraries accessible to the public; he's very open to
teaching individuals how to make money off the libraries they
have. The foundation also gives colleges and universities monies
for scholarships.
Mary Pickford Foundation
9171 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 512,
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 276-3523.
New York Women in Film & Television
New York Women in Film & Television founded the Women's Film
Preservation Fund in 1994 in association with the Museum of
Modern Art and American Movie Classics. This is the first step by
women within the industry to raise funds for archival
restoration. (The organization also has male members, two of
which, director Robert Benton and actor Dustin Hoffman, are on
the Honorary Board.) The mission of this fund is to preserve
films on which women played a major creative role. The group's
first preservation project was completed last spring, and was
shown at the 1995 Hamptons International Film Festival. Last
June, their first fundraising event generated enough money to
allow for a second project.
New York Women in Film & Television
274 Madison Avenue
Suite 1202, New York, NY 10016-0701
(212)679-0870.
International Documentary Association
The IDA is devoted solely to Promoting non-fiction film and
video and supporting the efforts of documentarians. A
preservation seminar was held at the 1995 International
Documentary Congress; preservation discussions are also offered
during the year. The IDA Documentary Center at the AMPAS Film
Archive, the only center devoted exclusively to the collection,
preservation and study of documentary film, was established
jointly by the IDA and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences.
IDA
1551 S. Robertson, #201
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 284-8422.
A Few Words on Videotape Preservation
William T. Murphy will soon be coordinating "A National
Study of the State of Preservation of American Television and
Video Materials" for The Motion Picture Broadcasting and Recorded
Sound Division of the Library of Congress. The format will be
similar to the study completed in 1993 for American film.
Fact-finding hearings were held in March. Completion is expected
by end of 1996.
For more information contact: Steve Leggett, project assistant,
or William T. Murphy, project coordinator,(202)707-5912.
For Videotape Information: VidiPax, a videotape restoration
service bureau specializing in old, damaged and obsolete
videotapes, provides a toll free help line, (800) 653-8434 (the
group's web site, www. panix. com/~vidipax, offers articles on
video restoration and preservation, and provides links to other
preservation resources).
VidiPax, 920 Broadway,
New York, NY 10010
(president: Jim Lindner)
Vidipax's West Coast affiliate has a list of "Do's and
Don'ts of Video Tape Care." Contact Jim Wheeler via e-mail:
JimWheeler@aol.com.
Additional Published Information
"Redefining Film Preservation: A National Plan" includes
information on film storage and depositing films with archives.
Film Preservation 1993 -- Vol. 1 includes information on the
Technicolor and Eastman color printing processes, film bases, and
the fundamentals of preservation.)
Complimentary copies are available from:
Steve Leggett
Motion Picture & Broadcasting Division Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
fax (202) 707-2371.
Publications from the Society of American Archivists
This organization is known for supplying publications that
focus on archiving and preservation. Their Publications Catalogue
lists over 100 titles.
Society of American Archivists,
600 S. Federal, Suite 504
Chicago Illinois 60605
(312) 922-0140.
National Film Preservation Board Information on the Internet
Gopher site address:
gopher://marvel.loc.gov:70/00/research/reading.room/motion.picuture/nfpb.
World Wide Web homepage: http:// Icweb.loc.gov/ film.
Handling Nitrate
YCM Labs has put together a list of suggestions for handling
nitrate that is sent to their clients. To obtain this list write:
YCM Labs
2312 W. Burbank Ave,
Burbank CA 91506.
A FEW CLOSING WORDS
To Cinematographers:
"Because restoration is done without consultation with the
cameraman, it is all the more important to try to be faithful to
what they were trying to do. I have been shocked by the poor
timing (grading as we call it) in some recent work. And today's
cameramen ought to pay attention to restoration -- because their
future reputation depends on it!"
-- Kevin Brownlow (Film historian, restoration producer of
Abel Gance's 1927 Napoleon).
"We must remember that it is not just old films we have to
worry about, we should think about preservation right now, for
our recent films. This is serious!"
--Film editor Thelma Schoonmaker, ACE (Raging Bull,
Goodfellas, Casino)
"If you find out that one of the films you've worked on is
being restored, try to be there for some indelible transfer, ask
if you can be present -- offer to participate, to watch the
timing. I offer my time if it's in New York, and if my airfare
was paid to go to L.A., I'd offer my time there. It's hard for
other people to guess what the intent of the cinematographer
was."
-- Gordon Willis,ASC (The Godfather, Annie Hall)