Film Deterioration - MyMovieTransfer.com

We are one of the few transfer studios in the country that can handle film in advanced stages of deterioration.

So if your film is exhibiting some of the signs listed below, it may not be too far gone. Time is not on your side, though, so make sure to move quickly to try to transfer the film. There is no charge for an evaluation to see if the film is suitable for transfer.

If you're unsure of whether or not your film is beyond transferring, feel free to give us a call and we'll be happy to go over your prospects.

Movies deteriorate because of chemical breakdown of the film stock. This process is commonly referred to as “vinegar syndrome,” referring to the unmistakable vinegar smell the film takes on throughout the process. Even though all film is subject to this syndrome, improper storage will greatly accelerate the process. This is especially true if your films are sealed in an airtight canister. Film is made of acetate and will eventually begin emitting acetic acid. If a film is locked in an airtight canister, this acetic acid will have nowhere to disperse and will eventually begin eating away at the film, speeding up degradation.

What to look for: If you detect the distinct scent of vinegar – especially when you first remove the reel from its canister – your film has begun the process of chemical deterioration. This vinegar smell is one of the earliest signs of film decay, so if your film isn't showing any of the physical signs listed below, your film is in early stages of decay. If coupled with any or all of these symptoms, your film is in later stages. No matter which stage, though, definitely take these immediate steps: remove your film reel from its canister and let it breathe, store it in a cool, dry place and start planning to digitally transfer your film.

If you root for an SEC school, take note: Film curling is most often caused by humid storage environments, and the majority of curled film that we see is from the southeast. Film curling makes transferring the film incredibly difficult. If the film won't lie flat in the scanner's gate, parts of the frame will be out of focus. If a film is too curled, it won't be able to be transferred at all. If you live in a humid climate, store your films in the coolest and driest spot in your house. Your film will be most comfortable in the room where you are most comfortable.

What to look for: This one is obvious. If you unspool the film from its reel, lay it flat on a clean surface. If it lies flat, you have no film curling. If it rises or dips in the center, your film is curled. If continued unabated, film will curl all the way around on itself to form a tube, so your film's decay is farther along the closer your film gets to forming a complete circle. Film curling usually starts on the outside of the reel and works its way inward, so your film may be in better condition further in the reel.

Like curling, film shrinking can be greatly accelerated by humid storage environments. It's a little more difficult to detect, though, especially if you do not have another full size film to compare it with. Shrunken film makes it much more difficult to scan since scanning gates are designed to fit the exact width of the film. A little shrinking makes a big difference. If your 8mm film shrinks just one millimeter, it's a full 1/8 smaller. If a film doesn't fit in a scanner gate, the image will bounce around and appear to roll as it is being digitally transferred.

What to look for: The easiest way to check for film shrinkage is to measure the width of the film with a ruler. If your 8mm film measures 7mm, your film is undergoing shrinkage. Another way to tell is by comparing the film itself to its leader (although in some cases, the leader may shrink while the film itself retains its shape).

This symptom goes hand-in-hand with film shrinking. Film is comprised of a base (made of acetate) and an emulsion (made of gelatin). The emulsion helps give film its specific characteristics. Since a film's base and emulsion have different chemical properties, the base shrinks faster than the emulsion. When this happens, the film's emulsion begins to crack, thus irreparably damaging the film's images.

What to look for: For a healthy reel of film, you will not notice any separation between the emulsion and the base. For a reel that is in this stage of degradation, you will certainly notice that the film has two separate layers. The emulsion may appear to be lifting off the image, it may begin to physically crack, or it may start to bubble up in parts. Whatever the case, it is important to try to salvage what remains on the film by transferring it to digital.

Brittleness is one of the most serious symptoms, in that there is very little variability. Film is either brittle or it isn't. If it is, it is almost certainly too late to digitally transfer.

What to look for: Film is is more durable than you might think. It should have the strength to withstand the tension from the pull of a take-up reel. If you want to test for brittleness, unspool a small amount of film and apply a very small amount of tension. If it breaks immediately, your film may be too brittle to be transferred. Like some of the previous symptoms, the outside portion of the reel may be more brittle than the inside of the reel, though the outside of the reel may have to be destroyed to access the interior of the reel. In the most extreme cases, the film will be too brittle to even unspool it from the reel.

The dreaded hockey puck. This is the most extreme form of film deterioration, with the film solidifying around itself so that the end result looks like, of course, a hockey puck. If the film can be unspooled, it can't be done without completely breaking apart. Once film reaches this state, it becomes impossible to transfer or restore.

What to look for: When you go to pull the film off the reel and you are having difficulty find where the film begins, that is a troubling sign. If you start to pull film off and it breaks every couple of inches, that is also a pretty clear indication that the film is beginning to solidify around itself.

The hockey puck is the terminal step of film deterioration. This is why it is absolutely critical to transfer your film to digital now, even if the film appears to be in great shape. Film is made of chemicals, and chemical invariably break down. Your film won't look as good tomorrow as it does today. But when you digitize your film, you lock it in its current quality and protect it for the future.

MyMovietransfer.com 1-800-865-7172

A QUICK GUIDE TO FILM DETERIORATION

VINEGAR SYNDROME

CURLING

SHRINKING

EMULSION CRACKING

BRITTLENESS

HOCKEY PUCK

MORE LINKS

LOCATION

CONTACT

DEBENHAM MEDIA GROUP copyright 2025