Putting It Into Practice

Evaluating Your Collections

Motion Picture Film

Motion picture film is found in several gauges (this refers to the width of the film) within collections: 35mm (commercial motion pictures), 16mm (home and educational movies), and 8mm (home movies). The 16mm and 8mm amateur films that record events of importance to an institution or person are those most commonly found in cultural collections.

Film is very vulnerable to physical damage due to projection and handling; this may include tears, damaged sprocket holes, and splices. Film can also suffer from mold growth, which begins at the outer edge and moves into the roll of film, eventually destroying the emulsion. Shrinkage of the film can occur due to low humidity, which may also make the film brittle.

Chemical damage may include evidence of nitrate or acetate deterioration and fading of the dyes used in color films. Evidence of chemical damage due to the deterioration of nitrate film may include yellowing, stickiness, and a nitric acid odor. Nitrate films that are in an advanced state of deterioration will be soft and may adhere to adjacent films or enclosures, or they may have partially disintegrated into a brown powder. Evidence of chemical deterioration of acetate film due to vinegar syndrome may include a vinegar odor, curling, or staining. Advanced deterioration will manifest itself through bubbles on the film and separation of the emulsion from the base. Nitrate or acetate film may sometimes be identified by edge printing (it will say NITRATE or SAFETY).