Blue Cloud Video HD Film Scanner
The Blue Cloud Video film transfer system, produces a true one-to-one frame scan from film formats including 8mm, Super 8, and 16mm film.
Designed to handle very old, brittle film, we gently guide your film and use an HD camera to take digital images of each and every frame of your film. To fully understand the process, take a good look at your film and you will see that it is made up of a series of tiny still photographs - usually around 18 images for each second of film (18 fps or 'frames per second').
Your little 4 minute film roll is made up of around 4300 still images which, create a moving picture when shown right after each other. You can understand the need to digitally scan each of these cells individually, in order to authentically recreate the film, at perfect speed with no flickering or interlacing.
Perfect Speed
The biggest benefit of our frame by frame capture method is, no matter what speed you shot your film at, the Blue Cloud Video system creates a smooth, flicker-free film running at a perfectly natural speed. For example, if you shot your film at 18fps (frames per second), we need to turn that into 29.995 fps to work on your TV set. To do this, our software creates the missing frames for us.
High Definition Film Transfer
"Is my 8mm film worth scanning in HD?" This is a very common question from our customers, so we thought we'd try to answer it for you here. Yes, 8mm film benefits from high definition scanning. It may look like a tiny little picture, but your 8mm film holds a surprising amount of analog data. 8mm cine film is not just equivalent to HD but it is higher than HD - sounds unbelievable I know, but it's a fact. If we were to scan it at standard definition (SD), we would actually disregard a lot of information resulting in loss of fine detail and colour. When we scan 8mm film in high def, we capture all the information that the camera originally recorded, resulting in not just a sharper picture, but much clearer, finer details, and more colour information creating a richer picture.
This example below is SD using a 1CCD old cinema system transfer vs. a frame by frame 3CCD camera.
Figurine resized 300% - note the doily and the profile of the face. You can also see the grain of the film in blue cloud video's transfer.
If you have had your film transferred to VHS years ago, look at the difference we can make.
This is why you shouldn't throw your film away. Technology improves!
Draft Copy service
I don't know what is on my films!
We offer the "draft copy" service to help you organise your reels into the right order and choose appropriate names for the chapter headings. First, we transfer all your reels to DVD, making each reel it's own chapter - so if you have 12 reels, the DVD will have 12 chapters. At the start of each chapter, we tell you which reel you're about to view, and there is an on-screen display of the time counter, so you don't have to worry about how to get your TV to display this info for you. The timecode is ever-present so you always know exactly which reel is playing, making it super-easy to tell us how to re-arrange your films for you.
Film to an Image Sequence
What is an Image Sequence?
This exciting format utilises our frame by frame scanning method to it's fullest by giving you the individual cells of your film as individual photographs or 'images'. If you look closely at your cine film, you'll see it's made up of thousands of photographic cells - a small 50ft reel of 8mm film contains approx. 4300 cells!
When we transfer your film, we scan each of these cells individually, and we're now able to give you these as separate image files.
We offer a choice of two styles for you to choose from which are explained below.
Why should I order the Image Sequence?
Because you will have an individual image file for every cell of your film, meaning you can extract any special moment from any point in the film, and use it in any way you choose...
Email them, print them, make a photo album - the possibilities are endless... and the quality is astounding!
In HD the image size is 1920x1080pixels
In SD the image size is 720x480pixels
In addition you can drop the image sequence into ANY editing software to build your own movie! This future protects your film - you never have to get it transferred again!
What is available:
Silent 18 frames per second (progressive or interlaced) for Super 8mm film
Silent 15 frames per second (progressive or interlaced for Regular 8mm film
Super 8mm Magnetic sound at 18 fps or 24 fps sync'd with progressive frame by frame transfer in a separate process
Hard drive archive of .AVI files available (Which Hard drive? Good Article)
Image sequence available
1080p HD AVI files available
Free SD color correction
Custom titles, custom editing, film preview packages - so you can edit it right
Stunning 1920x1080p High Definition film transfers now available for Super 8mm and 8mm film!
Sample HD Film Transfer:
Sample Film Screen Shots from 8mm Film
Transfer your 8mm (R8 and S8) film and 16mm film to DVD with blue cloud video today
Film Restoration Process:
Film is inspected and cleaned (if required) and splices are fixed
Small 50 ft reels will be put onto archive quality plastic reels with free cans (unless request to return on original reels)
Film is transferred frame by frame with HD video cameras (even if SD is ordered!)
If you have sound super 8mm film, sound is transferred in a separate process and manually sync'd to ensure perfect frame by frame transfer.
Film custom edited removing black sections, leaders and other film issues
Accurate DVD markers are created for your DVD menu at each reel, or custom
Color correction is applied and manually edited to ensure perfect results
Titles will be added if ordered
Music is added if ordered
Film is rendered to DVD format - preparing for DVD creation
DVD's are custom edited
DVD's are burned and printed with custom titles and descriptions or photos
DVD's are placed in high quality JewelBoxes
Your original film (small reels will be spliced and spare reels will be returned) is returned to you,
You will be contacted to verify payment and pickup
Payment is collected
Order is shipped, or picked up
Enjoy your movies!
Packaging your Memories
Since we started in 2002, we have been searching for the perfect DVD packaging system for your memories.
We have tried clear jewel boxes, DVD cases from office max, and other places but nothing matched the importance of your memories.
Then we found Jewelboxing.
We loved this system.
Each project can be custom made. They are durable and will stand out on your shelf.
Each film transfer order gets the jewel box system customized to your order.
Your small reels are spliced onto larger archive quality reels with free film cans.
Archive with your film reels
Do not throw out your old films! Original film/slides/negatives are the best way to archive media.
Store them in a cool dry place after your DVD's are created. Your DVD's should only be considered a 'viewing medium' not an archive.
If you ordered a hard drive or HD films, or an Image Seqence, that is considered an archive since it is uncompressed footage. Just make sure you protect that hard drive and/or put the files in multiple locations.
Do not store your films in ziploc bags. The films need oxygen to prevent breakdown of the emulsion.
You may get your films back in plastic bags, but this is just to protect and organize them during shipment.
We will splice your loose 50 ft reels onto new Taylor ReelTM reels. Specifically designed to be archive quality.
If you do not want this service, please let us know and we will return your film on your small reels prior to shipment at a low additional charge (if it is a large order).
We also give you plastic cases to protect your film after we splice; An extra that we are proud to provide!
16 mm films are returned to the original reels when possible.
Ordering information
Click here for an offline order form (Excel).
Click here for an offline order form (PDF).
More Information
DVD's are not suitable for future editing. DVD's are used to view your films.
You can get the video files off of the DVD by renaming the .VOB files to .MPG files, but you should use AVI files if you are to create your own project. (Add AVI or MiniDV transfer to your project for only $35/order). All orders include a DVD. AVI files are purchased as an additional service.
Please number your reels in the sequence you would like them transferred as we will splice them onto larger archival reels.
Super 8mm film approximate lengths. About 24 50ft films will fit onto one DVD with minimal compression.
50 ft reel (3 inches) = 4 min
100 ft reel (4 inches) = 8 min
200 ft reel (5 inches) = 16 min
300 ft reel (6 inches) = 24 min
400 ft reel (7 inches) = 32 min
Click here to open a film calculator from Kodak
Guarantee:
We clean most footage prior to transfer using Film Guard. However, as you know, film is very unforgiving when it comes to even the smallest amount of dust and it may be impossible to remove embedded debris from the emulsion. If, upon inspection, you feel that we missed correcting or adequately cleaning some critical footage, simply isolate the necessary footage onto a single roll and return to us with specific written instructions from you. You pay for all associated shipping costs but we will provide additional cleaning and the re-transfer for free. Such re-transfers are limited to a single event per project so you should edit your project first and then gather the necessary footage that needs to be re-transferred. This helps to keep the cost of transfers down for everyone as it uses the least of our time per finished screen minute.
Turnaround Time
2-3 week turnaround time. Expedited orders are available for 50% more
