DIY Film Telecine
Lots of us have old film reels stacked in the attic--memories of the days gone by, shot on an old 16mm or 8mm camera of children running around or birthday parties. The best way to preserve memories is to share them, and what better way than a video conversion of the film (known as telecine, a combination of the words television and cinema) to send over the Internet or share via DVD? Some companies, however, charge huge sums for a task you can perform yourself using a simple camcorder and darkened room.
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Things You'll Need
- Dark room
- Film projector
- Camcorder
- Tripod
- Sheet (if no white wall is available)
Instructions
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Find a plain white surface for projecting onto. The best option is a plain white wall, free from stains, marks or scratches. If this isn't available, hang a clean white sheet from the top of a wall, making sure it is pulled tight to minimize shadows.
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Make sure the room is dark to allow for optimum exposure and no interference from other light sources. For best results, perform the telecine during the evening to eliminate sunlight.
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Set up the film projector so it projects an image that is bright and strong, but allows room for the camcorder to sit along side it with a view that is not impeded.
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Set up the camcorder on a tripod at the same height as the projector. While the projector is running, use the zoom lens to fill the camcorder frame with the projected image. Check your camcorder focus to ensure the image is sharp.
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Stop the projector and rewind the film to the correct place. Begin recording on the camcorder before starting the projector.
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Monitor the telecine session for irregularities or equipment malfunctions.
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Tips & Warnings
To avoid interruption in the process, use a fully charged battery in the camcorder or plug it in to maintain power.
Sometimes the recorded image can flicker. This is due to the difference in frame speeds between the camcorder and the projector. There are pieces of software that can fix this effect for a more pleasing image.
References
- Photo Credit film reel image by Edward White from Fotolia.com
