Conceptual Archival Scanning Approach
Film scanner were originally invented to enable digital effects on filmed works. In contrast an ideal archive film scanner is not at all a creative manipulation tool. An archive film scanner has to perform a trustworthy and well documented reformatting process. Today's film scanners are still hybrids; the film transport approaches support for archival requirements but the signal processing is still optimised for generating a pleasing picture by performing 'some proprietary magic'. Calibration-Inspector demystifies and documents each ‘creative’ deviation from ideal linearity and documents deviations on all relevant parameters, enabling archivists to preserve and protect the authenticity of the filmed records.
Archival ethics require a two step approach. First scanning into a raw, unaltered preservation master file for long-term preservation. In a second step a colour corrected and otherwise ‘improved’ production copy optimised for the required output device can be generated for access. Since the requirements on output devices are changing drastically over time, this step is best performed on demand, driven by the preservation master file including the Calibration-Inspector records. Whether you can follow these archival ethics or not, Calibration-Inspector adds archival value with a precise description of the details of the signal alterations performed by the film scanner.