Restoring Archival Interlaced Masters For 4K Delivery & Posterity

Part 1: Prepping a project to reformat archival interlaced footage

In this series on restoration techniques, we are restoring NTSC footage captured in the early 90s and reformatting it to progressive 4K resolution. In this first Insight, we will properly set up the project by reviewing the footage’s aspect ratio and frame rate.  We will learn optimal workflows for importing archived masters of projects captured in older (or obsolete) formats provided to us as a single self-contained movie.

DaVinci Resolve Scene Cut Detection Deep Dive

The key to my process is using Scene Cut Detection in DaVinci Resolve to split the single movie into individual clips that can be color-managed independently. In this Insight, you’ll learn all the details you need to know to perform Scene Cut Detection in Resolve. This includes using the Scene Cut Detection modal when importing the footage before it’s added to your Media Pool. You’ll also learn how to perform Scene Cut Detection in Resolve’s Edit page, directly on the timeline.

About this restoration project

Filmmaker Nicholas Rozsa approached me about upscaling and restoring his 1991 documentary, Anahola, about native Hawaiians attempting to reclaim their sovereign lands. The film was shot on Betacam and broadcast as NTSC (525, interlaced). It remained untouched until it was digitized several decades later. Rozsa wished to submit the film to the University of Hawaii’s historical archive – but with a 4K master for prosperity.

This series will focus on various workflows and techniques I used to upscale and correct the film while preserving the characteristics of its tape-based origin.

Key takeaways from this Insight

By the end of this Insight, you should understand how to:

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Questions or Comments?

Let me know if you have specific questions about restoring archival material! Also, if you found this helpful, have something to add, or need more questions answered, leave a comment. It helps us know what you like to see on Mixing Light.

– Daria