Vitaphone panel

AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Recent Discoveries and Preservation
Efforts for Sound-on-Disc Films
Ron Hutchinson, Vitaphone Project
Ken Weissman, Library of Congress
Bob Heiber, Chace by Deluxe
Carla Arton, Library of Congress
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Vitaphone
What is it, who knows about it,
and where can I get one?
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Ron Hutchinson
Founder, Vitaphone Project
[email protected]
(732) 463-8521
www.vitaphoneproject.com
“Who
the hell wants to hear actors talk?’
--- Harry Warner, 1925
“ I don’t think the talking moving picture will ever be
successful in the United States…. The American
people do not want it and will not welcome it. We are
wasting our time ..”
--- Thomas A. Edison, 1927
Sound Motion Pictures
Before
Vitaphone
Challenges
• Recording before the microphone
• Synchronization
• Amplification
• Resistance of theatres to invest
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Edison – 1893
Gaumont Chronophone 1902
Oskar Messter 1903
Cameraphone 1907
Lauste 1907
Kinetophone 1913
Kellum 1920
August 1926 - October 1927
The
Sound Revolution
Really Begins!
Synchronization
Perfected
The
Microphone
and
Electrical
Recording
Electrical
Amplification
• “Canned vaudeville”
• Rental $5 - $10 a day
• Program / library approach
• Acts paid $150 - $12,000
• Nearly 1500 produced
• 1926 - 1930
BROOKLYN STUDIO DUBBING SYSTEM
ON THE CHEAP…….
“CANNED
VAUDEVILLE“
GEORGIE PRICE
in
“DON’T GET
NERVOUS”
1929
• Began in 1991
• Unique partnerships
• WB, UCLA, LoC, Collectors, Funders
• Focused on shorts
• Film --- but no disk
• Inventory / Fund / Restore / Exhibit
THE
RESTORATION
PROCESS
THE PLAYERS
PRIVATE
COLLECTORS
• 120+ ‘26-’31 shorts restored
• Supported 10+ feature
restorations
• Over 4000 disks located
• >$350,000 funding raised
Vitaphone Project Database
What’s In
The
Restoration Pipeline?
• 53 1926 – 30 Vitaphone
shorts
• 6 1929-30 Columbia Victor
Gems
• 2 Colleen Moore Vitaphone
scored features
• 3 1929-30 Technicolor
musical shorts
• Over 300 mute Vitaphone
picture elements missing
disk
• ~125 disk, but no film
• Still ~40 restorable after
current 53 now in pipeline
Recommended Reading….
• “The Talkies” by Donald
Crafton
• “Vitaphone Films” by
Liebman
Roy
• “The First Hollywood Sound
Shorts, 1926-1931” by
Edwin Bradley
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Vitaphone
The Picture
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Ken Weissman
Head, Motion Picture Conservation Center
[email protected]
MBRS, Library of Congress
VITAPHONE FILMS - TECHNICAL CHALLENGES:
the Picture
• or…Oh yeah, there is that…
• Duel system formats: Picture on film, sound on a record
have their own unique technical requirements – we will
talk about some of those!
Special thanks go to:
Carla, Ron, and Bob
As well as the AMIA Conference Committee for accepting
this panel proposal!
Film Preservation at the Library of Congress
Film Preservation at the Library of Congress
Primary technical issue with the picture:
Where do we put the sound track?
Traditional academy sound negative
So how do we deal with this?
Conventional “Film to Film” Vitaphone workflow – assumes start from OPN
Film Preparation
(extensive)
Timing/Grading
Clean
Print FGMP
(full aperture
contact)
Developing
Conventional film to film
workflow
Video transfer
for audio
rerecord
Send to Chace
Print dupe
negative (optical
resize and
reposition)
Developing
Print composite
print (contact with
both new picture
and sound
negatives)
Quality assurance
review
Magic
happens
New track neg
From Chace
Quality assurance
review
Timing/Grading
clean
Quality assurance
review
Done!
Film-Digital-Film Vitaphone workflow – assumes start from OPN
Film Preparation
(limited)
Send files to film
recorder for new
DI negative
Clean
Quality assurance
review
Scan/CC
Developing
Quality assurance
review
Quality assurance
review
Send files to
Chace
Timing/Grading
Done!
Magic
happens
New track neg
from Chace
Clean
Print composite
print (contact with
both new picture
and sound
negatives)
Film Preparation
(extensive)
Timing/Grading
Clean
Print FGMP
(full aperture
contact)
Developing
Video transfer
for audio
rerecord
Send to Chace
Print dupe
negative (optical
resize and
reposition)
Developing
Print composite
print (contact with
both new picture
and sound
negatives)
Quality assurance
review
Magic
happens
New track neg
From Chace
Quality assurance
review
Timing/Grading
Film Preparation
(limited)
Send files to film
recorder for new
DI negative
Clean
clean
Scan/CC
Quality assurance
review
Developing
Quality assurance
review
Quality assurance
review
Quality assurance
review
Send files to
Chace
Timing/Grading
Done!
Done!
Magic
happens
New track neg
from Chace
Clean
Print composite
print (contact with
both new picture
and sound
negatives)
And now for the really interesting part…the “magic”
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Vitaphone Discs
Technical Challenges for
Audio Restoration
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Robert Heiber
Deluxe Media, VP Audio
[email protected]
Chace Audio
Examine variables
Examine variables
Organize - Expectation Matrix
Examine variables
Organize - Expectation Matrix
The Process
Examine variables
Organize - Expectation Matrix
The Process
Results and Conclusions
Vitaphone Disc
Variables
Disc Manufacturing
Condition of Discs
Recording Method
Expectation Ratings
Condition
Recording
Method
Manufacturing
Manufacturing Variables
1
2
3
Physical Condition
3
6
9
Catastrophic Failures
Image, Reconstruct, Erase Noise, Etc.
Recording Method
1
Direct to Disc
2
Optical to Disc
Rating Analysis
Expectation Matrix
Manufacturing Method
3
C
o
n
d
i
t
1
2
3
4
5
6
i
o
6
7
8
9
n
9
10
11
1
Direct to Disc
2
Optical to Disc
+
12
Lowest Score = 5; Highest Score = 14
Direct to Disc Recording
Unrestored
Optical to Disc Recording
Original Optical Track
Unrestored
Examine variables
Organize - Expectation Matrix
The Process
Results and Conclusions
Transfer
Tone Arm Equalization
Tone Arm Analysis
4A Tone Arm
Modern Tone Arm
Tone Arm Analysis
4A Tone Arm
Modern Tone Arm
Tone Arm Analysis
4A Tone Arm
Modern Tone Arm
Inspection and Cleaning
Transfer
Synchronization
Audio restoration
“Bacon Frying” Anomaly
Original Transfer
Restored
“Cyclical Noise” Anomaly
Original Transfer
Restored
Examine variables
Organize - Expectation Matrix
The Process
Results and Conclusions
Understand variables
Understand variables
Set Expectations for Restoration
Understand variables
Set Expectations for Restoration
Apply Appropriate Restoration
Technology
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Technical Challenges for Audio
Restoration
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
The Home Talkie
Sound-on-Disc Market
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Carla Arton
Recorded Sound Processing Technician
[email protected]
MBRS, Library of Congress
Why a Home Market?
Radio
Theatre
Social Activities
Advancements in Technology
1928
Lip-synching movies
1928
DeVry 16mm unit
1929
Home recordable
phonograph
1930
Pathe Home Talkie
9.5mm unit
1933
Sound on film starts
taking off
The Small Gauge Talkie Market
• Advertising
• Education
• Churches
• Entertainment
• Amateur
Filmmaking
Marketing Strategy
Installation & Portability
Ease of Use
Rental Libraries
Cost
Marketing Strategy
Pathe Home Talkie Machine
Installation
& Portability
Portable
Projector
Ease of Use 9.5mm
16mm
Rental Libraries
1930
$135
$78
2013
$1,893
$1,094
Cost Projector w/Pooley cabinet
9.5mm
$199
16mm
$142
$2,790
$1,990
Optional amplifier
$60
$841
Pathegram films
Purchase
Rent/night
$12/24
>$1.50
$168/336
$21
Home-Talkie Machine
Cine-Tone
Filmophone
Home-Talkie Machine
Animatophone
Formats and Speeds
Size:
12-inch, 15-inch and 16-inch turntables
9.5mm, 16mm, 35mm
Speed:
33 1/3 rpm or 78 rpm
16 fps or 24 fps
Who wanted in on the action?
Ernest Adams Collection
Library of Congress
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Questions?
AMIA Conference 2013
Richmond, VA
Recent Discoveries and Preservation
Efforts for Sound-on-Disc Films
Ron Hutchinson, Vitaphone Project
Ken Weissman, Library of Congress
Bob Heiber, Chace by Deluxe
Carla Arton, Library of Congress