Preservation

Home > Preservation > NARA Internal Products and Services > Film Output from Motion Picture Film Source

Film Output from Motion Picture Film Source

Preservation Master:

If this product category is needed, the specification is determined by the characteristics of the physical motion picture film reel including original format, color and sound.

Desired Product Outcomes Product Scope Original Characteristics Product Name
Type of Original Color/Sound Condition

 

Customer needs:

  • Reproduce motion picture film elements (B&W and color) and related soundtracks for long–term preservation, generally when items are at risk for loss of information.

 

Product solution:

  • The final product should be at NARA-accepted quality levels and information capture standards that satisfy long–term preservation needs and retain the characteristics and integrity of the original film.

 
  • This product is placed in a cold storage (on or off site) environment and retained for the long term.
  • This product is created from the most original film copy.
  • This product could confidently take the place of the original record if the original record is no longer viable.
  • This product is not accessed directly unless the reproduction master is damaged, destroyed, or otherwise compromised.
  • This product is used to create reproduction master elements. It is never accessed directly by researchers and only sent to vendors under certain circumstances.
 Positive

B&W

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll

 Advanced Deterioration DNS/DNC

[MPA-P1]

Color

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll

 Advanced Deterioration INSK/INCK

[MPA-P2]
Negative

B&W

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll

 Advanced Deterioration FGMS/FGMC

[MPA-P3]

Color

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll

 Advanced Deterioration MPPSK/MPPCK

[MPA-P4]
Soundtrack Duplicate or Original Negative Track Advanced Deterioration MPT

[MPA-P5]

Master positive track, or

​Motion Picture Film Maximum Capture - Soundtrack Audio Data WAV [MPD-P6] (digital file)

Advanced Deterioration, or

Advanced Deterioration of digital file's source film element (if sync sound)

 DNT

[MPA-P6]

Reproduction Master:

If this product category is needed, the specification is determined by the characteristics of the physical motion picture film reel including original format, color, and sound.

Desired Product Outcomes Product Scope Original Characteristics Product Name
Type of Original Color/Sound Condition

 

Customer needs:

  • Reproduce 35mm and 16mm motion picture film elements (B&W and color) and related soundtracks at acceptable quality levels to improve access and minimize risk to the preservation element. The item is not at risk due to deterioration or obsolescence.

 

Product solution:

  • The final product should be at acceptable quality levels to satisfy limited risk and access needs when maximum quality levels are not needed.
  • This product is usually kept on site in a climate-controlled storage environment and retained as long as necessary to generate distribution copies.
  • This product is the next best physical condition copy to the preservation master; therefore this product may substitute for the original record if the original record is no longer viable.
  • This product can make distribution copies to satisfy most customer requests as well as to protect preservation elements from loss, theft, and mishandling.
 Positive

B&W

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll

 Stable Condition DNS/DNC

[MPA-R1]
Color

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll		 Stable Condition INSK/INCK

[MPA-R2]
Negative B&W

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll		 Stable Condition FGMS/FGMC

[MPA-R3]
Color

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll		 Stable Condition MPPSK/MPPSC

[MPA-R4]
Sound track Duplicate or Original Negative Track Stable Condition MPT

[MPA-R5]

Master positive track, or

Motion Picture Film Maximum Capture - Soundtrack Audio Data WAV [MPD-P6] (digital file)

 Stable Condition DNT

[MPA-R6]

Distribution Copies:

Theater prints must be made from a negative film source. The specification is determined by additional characteristics of the physical motion picture film reel, including color and sound.

Desired Product Outcomes Product Scope Original Characteristics Product Name
Type of Original Color/Sound Condition

Customer needs:

  • Produce 35mm or 16mm motion picture film prints (B&W and color) for projection.

 

Product solution:

  • The final product should be at an appropriate quality level for projection.
  • This product is always a derivative or duplicate from a higher quality preservation or reproduction master copy.
  • For sound films, a composite theater print is created.
  • This product satisfies requests for film projection.
 Negative

B&W

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll

 Stable Condition FGMS/FGMC Theater Print

[MPA-D1]

Color

Silent, Composite, or with Separate Sound Roll

 Stable Condition PPSK/PPCK Theater Print

[MPA-D2]
Top