The Reel Problem with Digital: The Challenges of Preserving Motion Pictures in Digital Formats

Film preservationists have been able to find methods to preserve traditional film stock for at least 100 years. However, with the rise of digital cameras and effects in films, preservationists have yet to find a stable and reliable way to preserve films long-term in the digital format. Hardware or obsolete software have forced archives to constantly migrate digital files to new tapes every few years, a process that is more than ten times more expensive than the traditional preservation practices on film stock. This study attempts to find a long-term solution in preserving digital files by exploring new technologies, such as the color encoding system software ACES 1.0, developed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Finding an affordable and efficient method of preserving digital files long-term would benefit not only the film industry, but also public archives, government agencies, scientific and medical organizations, as well as average consumers in their personal digital archives