Caitlin Hammer, University of South Carolina Libraries, Summer 2011, IMLS
As an intern at the University of South Carolina’s Moving Image Collections (MIRC), I gained hands-on experience in traditional nitrate and acetate 35mm film preservation techniques while learning state-of-the-art film scanning practices. Under the supervision of curator Greg Wilsbacher I undertook a mini film-to-digital restoration project for an orphan film from 1922. Starting with the nitrate print, I inspected, cleaned, and repaired the film and then scanned it using the Kinetta 2K color scanner. I then preformed preliminary digital restoration work and created reports on digital preservation issues to supplement my understanding of the lifecycle of the digitized object. This experience allowed me to apply many of the principles that I have learned in the MIAP program in real-life scenarios while pushing me to explore new avenues of inquiry such as the developing technologies of film scanning and digital restoration.
