Video producer Steven Martin has announced the development of a new, cost-effective “wet frame” film restoring process that dramatically reduces the visual effects of scratches and other damage to motion picture film.  According to Martin, the new process, dubbed WetFrame™, leaves film cleaner than when it first leaves the developing lab. In addition, it visually eliminates “film crystallization” —that dirty snowflake-like appearance.  “WetFrame™ should be of particular interest to filmmakers, historical organizations, libraries and video transfer labs,” notes Martin, “anyone that is planning to transfer irreplaceable motion picture films to digital media, such as DVDs”.

 

Steve Yankee, founder of the Video Business Advisor and a long-time supplier of film transfers comments “I looked at the before-and-after film clips supplied by Steven Martin, and I’m amazed at the difference. The improvements in film ‘readability’ are obvious, impressive and exciting.”

 

WetFrame™ is a proprietary, seven-component chemical application.  It can be a time consuming process, sometimes requiring multiple applications, depending upon condition of the film being treated. It was developed primarily to remove the effects of film crystallization—gray snowflake-like deterioration to the clear film base.  Crystallization apparently forms due to an improper developing process.  “It is unstoppable,” says Martin, “but our new process renders it invisible.  It also removes the visual effects of many scratches and cleans off most dust and other types of debris from the film surface.”  WetFrame™ gives results much like wet-gate processing; an expensive film treatment typically used by major motion picture companies when transferring their films to DVD.  Now, consumers can obtain similar results for far less cost. 

Some additional benefits: