How do I prep my film before sending?

Before sending in your film, it may be a good idea to follow some of these preparatory steps. 

Prepping your film starts by ridding your media from decades worth of dust bunny infestation. The best way to do this is to blow off your film with a can of compressed air. Don’t just physically blow on your film because your saliva can damage it.

If dusting doesn't quite do the trick, then you can grab a lint-free cotton cloth to wipe away any oils or fingerprints.

If you’re still not quite there, then a little cotton swab of 98% Isopropyl alcohol can help. But don’t try cutting corners with a lower grade alcohol – it could leave streak marks and the water content might not evaporate as quickly, possibly damaging your film.

After you’ve cleaned your media, you need to make sure it’s in an area that’s properly ventilated. Ideally, somewhere a little cool so that the alcohol can evaporate.

Once you've followed these steps, you're ready to send in your film to be digitized! 

Comments

1 comment

  • Comment author
    Rick Reid

    I have quite a few reels of 60 year old 8mm and super 8mm film.  Can you process reels that might have splicing issues or breaks?

    0

Article is closed for comments.