Motion Picture Preservation Lab
The goal of the Motion Picture Preservation Lab is to provide appropriate film-based and digital products to ensure access to the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA's) motion picture film collections, as well as to provide the needed services and expertise to assist NARA staff and other stakeholders in dealing with film collections at the technical level. The Motion Picture Preservation Lab supports analog-to-analog and analog-to-digital reformatting workflows for both preservation and distribution purposes. The Motion Picture Preservation Lab has the capacity to reproduce a wide variety of film elements and Lab staff also serve as subject matter experts in identifying film element types, evaluating physical condition of accessioned records, and digital conversion issues specific to film-based media. Selection of appropriate preservation actions, including reformatting, is a collaborative process between archival and technical staff.
In addition to the products produced, Motion Picture Preservation Lab staff also provide a variety of essential services and expertise, which support the archival process across NARA and the broader community.