What Does It Mean to Digitally Remaster A Movie?

To digitally remaster a film means to create a new digital copy (or print) of the film from its original negative, typically for release on DVD or Blu-ray. The process of creating a digital copy of an older movie can be very involved, taking upwards of a year to complete at times.

The process begins with scanning the original film frame by frame at a resolution of at least 2K. Some films are scanned in at 4K, 6K, or higher resolutions to future-proof the formats available, however, scanning in at higher resolutions adds several days or weeks to the project and demands more storage requirements.

After the film is scanned, digital restoration operators use digital restoration software to remove scratches, noise, and dust. They also work laboriously to interpolate missing frames and restore or enhance colors that have faded.

The film’s audio is also remastered to remove distortion and background noise, boost dialogue volume, and even add surround sound to create an immersive experience.

Learn more about the process of restoring a film’s picture and audio in the following example by the Criterion Collection:

If you are looking for skilled operators to work on your next remastering project, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find experienced Nevada production crew and support services or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you offer production and film-related services in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

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