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7. STORAGE PREPARATION

7.1 CORES
7.2 SUPER/8MM
7.3 CANS & BOXES
7.4 LEADER
7.5 LABELING

Preparation for storage means that the film is packaged using archival materials for internal protection, and is structurally protected from the outside environment. Archival cans and cores made of an inert plastic that will not chemically react with the film. Archival metal cans are coated with an inert coating that is additionally rustproof.

7.1 CORES
For 16mm and 35mm, it is better to store your film wound on cores than on reels, as reels can rust, bend or break and damage your film. 3" diameter cores are preferable to 2" cores, since the wind of the film at the core is not as tight, and not as prone to curling. You will need a split-reel and a rewind bench in order to use cores. The wind should be of an even tension - not too loose or too tight and should be consistent and flat so that edges don't stick out where they could be broken. A roll of film on a core should be wound tight enough so that it forms a solid disc. Be careful not to "pop" the core (detach the inner core from the outer roll of film), as this will result in a spiral mess of film. It is preferable to not handle the film at all, but instead to use either cans or split reels as platters to hold the disk of film. Before you put your important film on a core, practice a number of times with some junk film. Film on cores can be tough to handle, and you don’t want to find out the hard way that you needed more practice.

If the film is one you will be accessing fairly often, you may wish to leave it on a reel. Make sure the wind is consistent and flat, so the edges will not be broken or bent. Make sure the reel is in perfect condition, not rusty, broken, or bent.

7.2 SUPER/8
Although there is no chemical or physical difference between 8mm/Super 8 and other film gauges, its smaller size gives it some storage problems of its own. Some archives make their own 8mm cores by using a band saw to slice 35mm cores. Because 8mm cores are so difficult to handle, however, it is a better idea to leave 8mm film on plastic reels. If you only have the original 50 ft. reels you should consider splicing them together onto larger reels for storage. There are several sizes of Super/8mm reels; 200 ft. and 400 ft. reels are recommended. The smaller the hub (solid center) of the storage reel, the more likely it is that the film will become curled. If you do build up several reels, be sure to either keep the original boxes or copy down any information that might have been written on them. Keep this information with the newly created reel. Also, you should splice leader between reels, labeling what each one is. Don’t use audiotape reels because they tend to be styrene, which is not stable for long-term storage. They are also generally not usable for projection.

7.3 CANS & BOXES
The film should be stored in clean archival plastic, archivally treated metal cans, or new archival cardboard boxes. It is important that the can or box is not airtight, and should not be sealed unless stored in freezer. A closed can is fine, and will not be airtight. However, a can that is taped shut is not fine. Cold storage is the best for the chemical stability of the film and is discussed in the following sections. Films should be stored tails-out so you will have to rewind them before projecting. You should always inspect the film before projecting.

The cans should be stored flat (horizontally), with nothing heavy stacked on top that would weigh down the lids and not allow air to circulate into the cans. It is acceptable to stack the cans on each other, but store nitrate cans only 2 high.

7.4 LEADER
Dirty or damaged leaders should be removed and replaced. Plastic leader tends to shrink at a different rate than acetate film, so it is advisable to purchase acetate or polyester leader from FPC, a Kodak company. Be sure that both the head and the tail of the film have enough leader to wrap around the reel several times. This will protect it during storage, as well as during projection. The majority of the damage done to projected films occurs at the beginning and ends of reels.

7.5 LABELING
Labeling your film is very important. Each reel of each film needs to be labeled (on the leader) with the title, reel number, and whether it’s positive, negative, camera original, track only, etc. It is also a good idea to label leaders "HEAD" or "TAIL." Use archivally inked pens, which are available at art supply stores, and make sure you pick one that won’t rub off. If your film has special concerns (hand painted, for instance), note this on the film leader as well. Needless to say, the cans or boxes the film is stored in should also be labeled. It is always a good idea to label every film container and to document every change you make to a film. Keep track of what you have and where it is. A simple list (typed or on a computer) will come in handy. Retain paperwork that goes with your films (timing sheets, etc.). A coherent labeling system will be of benefit to anyone who comes into contact with your film, including you, labs, archivists, and later generations who inherit your film.