USMC PARACHUTIST 16MM FILM PRESERVATION

[USMC RAIDER COLLECTOR]

Hello fellow collectors..I need some help with an old film. I have an early USMC Parachutist film titled "FROM SHIPS OF THE AIR". It is an early training/recruiting film made by the Corps. From what I have seen it appears to have been filmed at Lakehurst, New Jersey. I would like to have it put on DVD.Has anybody had this done with an old film ? How much does it cost ? I had one fellow tell me to run the film on a projector and simply use a DVD camcorder. I am not sure what kinda results you would get. I dont want to run this film a whole lot if I can help it. I would like to get it transfered while it is still intact. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[bigredone]

I'd check to see if it isn't already on dvd somewhere. Maybe the US Marine Corps Archives.

 

The rules can be funny about old film prints. Often, owners of old prints can own some degree of rights over the title if the print is exceptional. The studio can have a print, but if a person has a better print, they could get a piece of the action if the studio really wants a copy.

 

I've met old guys who have collections of silent movies, who started collecting them back when the prints were being discarded. Since most silent movies are lost, these guys are essentially owners of the movies they have.

[teufelhunde.ret]

Prices vary w/ quality and lenght .15 - .75 per ft is the range. A friend used: http://www.digitaltransfersystems.net/ last year, used the hi-def transfer, I was very impressed w/ result. s/f Darrell

[Bob Hudson]

Hello fellow collectors..I need some help with an old film. I have an early USMC Parachutist film titled "FROM SHIPS OF THE AIR". It is an early training/recruiting film made by the Corps. From what I have seen it appears to have been filmed at Lakehurst, New Jersey. I would like to have it put on DVD.Has anybody had this done with an old film ? How much does it cost ? I had one fellow tell me to run the film on a projector and simply use a DVD camcorder. I am not sure what kinda results you would get. I dont want to run this film a whole lot if I can help it. I would like to get it transfered while it is still intact. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

 

I have been spending lots of time lately transferring old 16mm film to digital video and the basic process is indeed sort of "run the film on a projector and simply use a DVD camcorder." I actually use an HD camcorder, but while the concept is simple, the execution is a bear and even with more than 30 years experience in video and media production, it has been challenging. I have been working with films dating from World War II on up to about 1960, but mostly from the WWII era and the films are all in pretty good condition.

 

 

You do have what may be a very rare film print. Because it was produced by the government, it is public domain and you could make and sell DVD copies and it might be worth your while to have it professionally transferred. A DVD is a low resolution form of digital video and I would want to have to transferred to High Definition video for archival purposes (in case the print became unplayable, the HD video would be a high resolution master). You could also have a DVD made and then whenever you sell a copy you clone the original using some inexpensive software and your computer's DVD burner (and for $50 or so you can get a Casio printer that prints a professional looking black text label right on the DVD).

 

Again I think you have a very rare film: do a Google search and only two items come up, one of which is a listing showing it playing on New York TV in April 1942. There seems to be no copies of this film or videos or DVD's out there.

 

[Bob Hudson]

One more thing: 11 minutes of 16mm sound film equals about 400 feet of film. Some places charge by the foot, some by the time and prices can vary a lot, but so can quality. The best method actually captures the movie one frame at a time (there are 24 frames per second in 16mm sound movies) which provides the best image quality. The cheaper method shoots the movie in real time as it is playing.

[camopara]

Sounds interesting!! Would love to see it...

[teufelhunde.ret]

You do have what may be a very rare film print. Because it was produced by the government, it is public domain and you could make and sell DVD copies and it might be worth your while to have it professionally transferred. A DVD is a low resolution form of digital video and I would want to have to transferred to High Definition video for archival purposes (in case the print became unplayable, the HD video would be a high resolution master). You could also have a DVD made and then whenever you sell a copy you clone the original using some inexpensive software and your computer's DVD burner (and for $50 or so you can get a Casio printer that prints a professional looking black text label right on the DVD).

 

DITTO... hi-def is the way to go, and for pennies more too.

[Bob Hudson]

Since I have spending lots of time working with old 16mm film, this topic certainly has my interest and I checked out the transfer place listed above. I am impressed by their options and they do a very good job of explaining them at http://www.digitaltransfersystems.net/tech...comparison.aspx

 

You could get an excellent HD transfer from them starting at about $360 base price for a 20 minute movie, with the movie captured one frame at a time. For half that price you could get it captured to HD in realtime. They also have a process listed there called "Spirit Transfer" and it looks like that could be reasonably priced for a 20 minute video - they only list the price per hour, but if they prorate that, it would be the best option.

[USMC RAIDER COLLECTOR]

Thanks for the suggestions and information. I think I will try to make this my winter get it done project. I have thought about selling copies of it to help offset the cost of having a high quality transfer done. The high definition digital frame by frame sounds like the best route to persue. I have looked for other copies of this already on a VHS or DVD format with no luck. I purchased this one on Ebay a couple of years ago.

[USMC RAIDER COLLECTOR]

if it makes any difference it is also a sound motion picture. I wonder if they charge extra because of the soundtrack ? I guess these are all good questions for them to answer. I think I will try an email the digital transfer folks you guys have suggested..

[Bob Hudson]

Thanks for the suggestions and information. I think I will try to make this my winter get it done project. I have thought about selling copies of it to help offset the cost of having a high quality transfer done.

 

I'd suggest looking around online for companies that seem to be producing and selling lots of military DVD's and contact them to see if they want to partner with you or license the HD master from you after you have it made: they could pay you a flat fee or a percentage of future DVD sales for the right to make DVD from the HD master. If is was me I'd open negotiations by asking for a flat fee (maybe double what I paid to have the master made) and then a royalty for each DVD sold.

 

If you know how to produce DVD's, you can do them at home and perhaps charges $15-20 per DVD, which would make you a profit of perhaps $13-18 per DVD. You would not have to sell a lot to get back you investment in making the master. I used to be a consultant on DVD production and am a big fan of "on demand" production where you burn a copy whenever you sell one instead of paying to have hundreds of copies made at once (that works if you know you will sell a lot in a short period of time). I do something with with a book on-demand. It's users manual for a shortwave radio that you just cannot program without a manual: I scanned one I had and assembled it as PDF file I print, staple and fold so it is nice booklet like the original. Once or twice a month I sell one for $10 and print them out as I get orders. This same business model works just as well for DVD's and CD's.

[Bob Hudson]

if it makes any difference it is also a sound motion picture. I wonder if they charge extra because of the soundtrack ? I guess these are all good questions for them to answer. I think I will try an email the digital transfer folks you guys have suggested..

 

Sound should not affect the price.