Animated Film Trauma Center:
Here is a technical one from the email bag. This came in response to my blog on films I am trying to help preserved. It came by way of Steve at the Archives, which makes sense. And I have answered it directly because of the importance of the issue but also feel some good would be served to post this information in case others have the same problem.
Hi Larry
Next time you speak to Kausler, could you ask him if he knows anything about...
B.M. Powell
Getting In Dutch
Laff-Trip Novelty
MCMXXVI
A reader of the blog sent me a message saying that they have a 16mm print of it with a strong vinegar smell, and they wanted to know if it was important or not.
Thanks
Steve
Steve,
First off, Mark Kausler had not heard of this film. That in itself makes me think that it may be rare. There are big problems with Kodak`s so called safety stock. Here is what Kodak says about it.
Long-term storage of film has been an industry concern since the beginning of motion pictures. Moisture, temperature, acids and vapors from the atmosphere that surround stored film have an impact on the life expectancy of motion picture film.
"Vinegar Syndrome", is a term used to describe the chemical reaction that goes on during the deterioration of cellulose triacetate film support. When cellulose triacetate begins to decompose, "deacetylation" occurs and the acetate ion reacts with moisture to form acetic acid producing a vinegar odor when a can is opened. Once the reaction is started, it cannot be stopped.
Molecular Sieve is a promising new technology developed by Eastman Kodak Company, that has the ability to retard the vinegar syndrome reaction.
Simply stated, the inclusion of Molecular Sieve with processed motion picture film in a sealed container has the ability to extend the life of the dye images
and film support beyond that which is currently considered normal.
There are a number of steps needed to help extend the life of films showing signs of Vinegar Syndrome.
- It needs to be stored in a cool temperature, but that in itself is not going to help with a film showing signs of Vinegar Syndrome
- Get the film off of its metal reel. Re-spool it onto a plastic core. The metal needs to be removed from the chemical equation.
- Get a product from Kodak called a Molecular Sieve Acid Scavenger. As I understand it Molecular Sieve Acid Scavenger is a kind of desiccant blanket that the film is wrapped it. This will slow down the deterioration in some cases. Here is the link to where the Molecular Sieve Acid Scavenger can be purchased.
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/technical/molecular.jhtml?id=0.1.4.15.12.6&lc=en
This is not going to be the final answer. The film needs to be copied or it is going away. It is all a mater of time.
- If the Vinegar Syndrome is advanced, (and after you have taken all of the other steps) freeze the film while waiting to get it copied.
Animation always gets the short end of the stick in film preservation programs and animation from defunct studios that are not going to donate money to the program are even lower on the pecking order.
These guys are fighting a ongoing losing battle and have to think on levels of the greater good and how they can save the largest number of films. It is a political nightmare like a giant film ER trauma center in a 365 day a year natural disaster.
Good luck with your film. Being 16 mm you can take it out to DVD at a private company that transfers home movies. Not the best plan as DVDs are not archival but it is better than playing the film and setting up a camcorder on a tripod.
The waiting list at a film preservation programs is killer, we have had Mark`s copy of the nitrate
The Bees at UCLA for almost a year and it is just coming up to the top of the list this summer. And ASIFA is paying for the film processing. There is no chance of getting a film preservation program to come up with the funding, they don`t work that way. And here at ASIFA we have limited funds and, counting
The Bees, five films in the hopper ahead of this film.
So I fear that you are on your own. Good Luck with your project and welcome to the fun world of film preservation.
