What’s the oldest piece of footage you’ve restored?

Published in the UK on 6th July 2024

At Filmworkz, our passion for restoration runs deep, akin to the Pope’s devotion to Catholicism. We take pride in breathing life into forgotten pieces of history, transforming deteriorated images into restored cinematic treasures. Curious about the limits of restoration, we reached out to the experts at Filmworkz Academy to explore the oldest footage they’ve revived.

1. Koushik Bhattacharya – Six Kinetoscopes by Thomas Edison (1894)
   Working on footage shot by Thomas Edison was a remarkable experience. The Kinetoscope films were duplicated onto 35mm negatives, then scanned in 3K resolution using a custom-built film scanner. The restoration process was smooth thanks to DVO tools, though stabilizing the footage required meticulous frame-by-frame painting. Our efforts were supported by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, making this project truly memorable.

2. Gabriela Plazas – Operaciones del Doctor Posadas (1899)
   The oldest footage I worked on was a 10-minute film by Eugenio Py featuring Dr. Alejandro Posadas performing surgery in Buenos Aires. Only five minutes survived, but despite the severe flicker, color loss, and physical damage, we undertook extensive frame-by-frame cleaning to preserve this essential piece of audiovisual history. It was a rewarding challenge to restore it for contemporary audiences.

3. Michael Coronado – The Son’s Return (1909)
   This D.W. Griffith short, featuring Mary Pickford, was restored through a collaborative effort with UCLA Film & Television Archive. Utilizing the original 35mm nitrate negative, we tackled image stabilization challenges and repaired significant tears. The satisfaction of restoring such a pivotal piece of cinema history is a source of great pride.

4. Randy Fortunado – Japanese Glass Plates (1890-1912)
   I began my restoration journey with glass plate negatives from the Meiji Era in Japan. These historical portraits capture a crucial period of transformation in Japanese society. Cleaning and scanning these delicate plates was an emotionally enriching experience, as each image tells a story from a time long past.

5. Fabio Bedoya – Tacna & Arica (1925)
   This nitrate film about the annexation of Arica and Tacna presented challenges due to degradation and misalignment during manual scanning. However, the restoration process proved educational, particularly in stabilizing frames and reducing flicker, enhancing its significance as an early cinematic work.

6. Louie Soto – The Little Rascals Series (1930)
   Restoring the iconic “Our Gang” comedies for their centennial was exhilarating. Extreme warping and physical damage required careful attention, but the final product exceeded expectations, showcasing the charm and humor of these beloved characters in a quality never before seen.

7. Vincent Vardnoush – Somewhere in England (1940)
   This film’s initial poor condition was daunting, but restoring it felt like connecting with history during WWII. Each frame restored was a victory, and the final product allowed this piece of British film heritage to shine anew for future audiences.

8. Ahmad Hossam – Victory of Youth (Intisar al-chabab) (1941)
   Working with the 15 reels of this Egyptian musical-comedy was an incredible journey through time. The restoration challenges included extensive scratches and splices, but employing ultrasonic cleaning and specialized software allowed us to preserve this vital cultural artifact for generations to come.