Our Work and Unique 10 Step Workflow - R3store Studios  

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  3. Our Workflow

Our unique 10 step workflow to producing exceptional results

Our work enhances, invigorates and preserves historical archive footage. Using techniques that combine leading edge technical resources with the gentle reverence of experienced film craftsmen, every piece of film is fastidiously restored to emphasise the contours and details of its message.

Working with some of the world's leading film archives, R3store's processes are more than simply capturing and digitising moving images. Exploring the nature and relevancy of the content is crucial to the work, dictating the fine use of colour grading and restorative techniques.

The final results are delivered to the collection's curators in digital formats, granting them the ability to broadcast the glory of their film archives to a new audience without fear of damaging or degrading their original resources. This way, R3store breathes new life into footage once considered almost too valuable to view.

The Process

Click or swipe through our process steps to find out more about each stage of our unique workflow.

    Identification, Monitoring & Storage

    As soon as the film (master material) enters the building, it is barcoded and logged into our Farmers Wife scheduling system. All further movements within the premises are then logged according to the department to ensure that any particular asset can be made available when required. All materials are stored in a secure library awaiting next stage of the process. At the end of process materials are returned to the secure library awaiting despatch .

    Inspection & Repairing

    Once the master material has been identified and logged it undergoes physical inspection and preparation ready for scanning. This includes checking to ensure there is enough leader at the head and tail of the film to ensure it can run through the equipment and also to repair any loose film joins and sprocket damage.

    Cleaning

    All material is run through our ultrasonic film cleaner to remove any surface dirt which prepares the material ready for scanning. If the master material has already been prepared and cleaned we will supply direct to the scanning department in a suitable condition.

    Scanning Picture & Audio

    We use state of the art equipment, the Scanity HDR & MWA Choice. The Scanity allows us to scan 16mm & 35mm from 0.25K up to 4k DPX files. The MWA Choice allows Super 8mm, Standard 8mm, 9.5mm up to 2K. During the scanning process the chrominance and luminance will be set to ensure that each DPX file will conform to the required limits of luminance and that any obvious colour casts will be corrected. As the picture scanning takes place in real-time it is possible to ingest the audio from a combined optical, a combined magnetic, or a separate magnetic track simultaneously to the film transfer; separate optical tracks would need to be ingested subsequently. 

    Grading

    The DPX files produced from the Scanity are then picked up in Nucoda Grading suites for final grade during which the chrominance and luminance will be adjusted to produce a 'fully graded' set of DPX files

    Picture Restoration

    There are two processes to Restoration. Manual and Automated. We use the digital phoenix software to carry out the automated work, this includes stabilisation of the image as well as removal of dirt, flicker and scratches. We can also remove grain if required. We also hold the video tools option which allows us to restore material that has originated from tape. After the automated pass we will then go over each frame by frame to manually remove anything the automated pass hasn't.

    Audio Restoration

    Any WAV audio file captured will be synchronized with the final graded DPX files and will then be encoded to any file format requested. At this stage the audio can be restored if required using Cedar software within Pro Tools. This is an extremely effective way to remove any hiss and clicks from the audio.

    Storage & Support

    Our LTO back-up system supports the reading and writing of both LTO5 & 6 tapes, in LTFS Format. To enhance productivity, all media management takes place prior to the copy to LTO. We can work with a client specific folder structure and file naming conventions or alternatively, we can provide clients with a recommendation based on asset types. To verify all assets have transferred to LTO with no data loss, we generate a MD5 checksum prior to transfer to LTO. This contains a unique code for every file found on that tape. The MD5 checksum is then supplied on the LTO, so data verification can be performed.

    Every LTO generated is logged into our asset management system for asset tracking purposes. A record report for each LTO is generated in this system. This record report provides a list of every asset stored on the LTO. A copy of the report is provided with each LTO for client review. All LTO? are given clear and concise labelling for quick and easy differentiation between tapes. This includes information such as client name, tape number, batch, Client ID? etc. Due to the complicated nature of client folders structures and file naming conventions, the LTO? are checked by a second operator to verify no mistakes have been made.

    Client Review & Sign Off

    Clients are invited to our studios to review, quality check and sign off work in advance of despatch. If required and requested, we can supply low res files for remote client quality check and approval.

    Despatch

    Once client sign off is received all master materials can be despatched or collected by prior arrangement together with our finished restored Digital Files on LTO tapes.

    VIAA is an archive striving to make digital heritage accessible to the publice. They are currently engaged in the preservation of audiovisual material in Flanders. VIAA digitise analogue material, and preserve original digital material on their servers. This is done in a sustainable way, so that future generations have access to the past.
    IWM Short Film Festival is a showcase of imaginative and challenging films inspired by our collections and our role – to explore the causes, course and consequences of war and conflict, and its impact on people’s lives. R3store are proud to sponsor the 'Best Documentary' category in 2017.
    FIAF, the International Federation of Film Archives, has been dedicated to the preservation of, and access to, the world’s film heritage since 1938. It brings together the world's leading non-profit institutions in this field.
    R3store helped Cinemageddon at Glastonbury 2017. We were lucky enough to have worked on 2 of the films shown there with revered UK filmmaker Julien Temple and Michael Eavis. Rock on!
    Arrow’s global reputation as one of the finest labels in the world is for its high quality product and focus on fan-based products. This includes a major investment on restoring original material through modern techniques - and R3store Studios are proud to have graded & restored feature films for them previously.
    We have been working with the BFI on the Film Forever, five year strategic plan for 2012-2017 to support UK film. The plan covers all our activities and is based around three priorities – education and audiences, support for the UK film industry and unlocking film heritage. Click the logo to find out more about the BFI >
    Nucoda colour grading and mastering solutions have been used on many of the best known films, commercials, documentaries, music videos and television programs around the globe and that's why we choose to use Digital Vision in our editing suites at R3StoreStudios
    The Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries (FOCAL) International is a professional not-for-profit trade association formed in 1985 and is recognised as one of the leading voices in the industry
    DFT have been at the forefront of film scanning technology for over 75 years providing solutions for film post production, archive and restoration markets with a range of high quality, leading edge products and services.
    The Yorkshire Film Archive finds, preserves and provides public access to moving image made in or about the Yorkshire region, they also hold collections held by the North East Film Archive (NEFA), and we are pleased to be working with them
    Northern Ireland Screen is the government-backed lead agency in Northern Ireland for the film, television and digital content industry, driving global growth through boosting our economy, celebrating our culture and enhancing our children’s education.
    Film London is the capital's screen industries agency - it connects ideas, talent and finance to develop a pioneering creative culture in the city that delivers success in film, television, animation, games and beyond. We're proud to be associated with them.
    We're proud to have worked on some nationally important archive films for The Royal Air Force Museum. Its hangars house some 130 aircraft and the films show footage which has never previously been seen before outside of the MOD, of many of these aircraft in operation and combat.
    LUX is an international arts agency that supports and promotes artists' moving image practices and the ideas that surround them.
    The AP Archive is the film and video archive of The Associated Press, one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent news gathering. The collection includes over 1.7 million global news and entertainment video stories dating back to 1895.
    The Archives and Records Association is the lead professional body for archivists, archive conservators and records mangers in the UK. R3store are proud to be an approved supplier of the ARA.
    IMG are one of the biggest global sports, entertainment and talent management companies.
    Tate is a family of four art galleries in London, Liverpool and Cornwall known as Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. Tate art museum houses the UK's collection of British art from 1500 and of international modern art.
    The Natural History Museum in London is a treasure in every way. The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections.
    We have been working with The International Tennis Federation to restore their extensive archive, which dates back to the 1940s
    R3store have collaborated with AELTC and IMG to digitise and restore a huge amount of AELTC archive material including some historic Wimbledon moments and interviews with legendary players.
    BT Sports is a group of sports television channels provided by the BT Group in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
    Specialists in digital film storage & archiving, Film Locker are one of our trusted partners.
    Meemoo is a non-profit organisation that, with help from the Flemish Government, is committed to supporting the digital archive operations of cultural, media and government organisations. Together with our partners, we bring the past back to life and prepare it for the future. We safeguard their archive content digitally, and make it accessible and usable.
    Wellcome Collection is a free museum and library that aims to challenge how we all think and feel about health. Through exhibitions, collections, live programming, digital, broadcast and publishing, we create opportunities for people to think deeply about the connections between science, medicine, life and art.
    The Home of Film in Ireland, with a mission to Exhibit, Preserve, Educate. V