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