From Grain to Pixel: The Archival Life of Film in Transition

448 Pages·2019·4.57 MB·English

by  Giovanna Fossati

GIOVANNA FOSSATI
FRAMING
FILM
FROM GRAIN TO PIXEL
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In From Grain to Pixel, Giovanna Fossati analyzes the transition IO
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from analog to digital film and its profound effects on filmmaking
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and film archiving. By reflecting on the theoretical conceptualiza- N
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tion of the medium itself and posing significant questions about the
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status of physical film and the practice of its archival preservation, F The Archival Life of Film
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restoration, and presentation, Fossati proposes a novel theorization
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of film archival practice. in Transition
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From Grain to Pixel attempts to bridge the fields of film archiving T
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and academic research by addressing the discourse on film’s
ontology and analyzing how different interpretations of what film is
Giovanna Fossati is the chief
affect the role and practices of film archives. F THIRD REVISED EDITION
curator of Eye Filmm useum R
Almost a decade after its first publication, this revised edition and professor of Film O
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covers the latest developments in the field. Besides a new general Heritage and Digital Film

introduction, a new conclusion, and extensive updates to each Culture at the University of G
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chapter, a novel theoretical framework and an additional case study Amsterdam. A
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have been included. N

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Giovanna Fossati’s From Grain to Pixel has been an immensely valuable source for theories
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and practices of film digitization and restoration since its first publication in 2009. The new I
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updated edition considers the changing requirements of this extremely dynamic, evolving E
field. Thanks to her double expertise as a film scholar and a curator, Fossati is able not only to L
provide deep insights into current approaches and advanced tools, but also to integrate them
into her highly reflected theoretical framework, thereby providing a state-of-the-art reference
for research and teaching.
Barbara Flückiger, Professor of Film Studies, University of Zurich
When From Grain to Pixel appeared, it was the first motion picture study to fully engage with
both archival practice and film theory, thus setting a high standard for the emerging area
of film heritage studies. After nearly a decade, Giovanna Fossati’s book still stands alone –
fascinating, visionary, and provocative. Remarkably, the updates in this revised edition make it
even more essential today.
Jane M. Gaines, Professor of Film, Columbia University
Giovanna Fossati does more than simply give the most thoughtful, thorough and up-to-date
account of the transformation in motion picture archiving over the last decades. She forces
us to reconsider the nature of the moving image and prepare for a new era of communication
and preservation.
Tom Gunning, Professor of Art History, Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago
FRAMING
FILM
AUP.nl
9 789463 725002
EYE FILMMUSEUM
from grain to pixel
FRAMING
FILM
framing film is a book series dedicated to
theoretical and analytical studies in restoration,
collection, archival, and exhibition practices in line
with the existing archive of Eye Filmmuseum. With
this series, Amsterdam University Press and Eye aim
to support the academic research community, as well
as practitioners in archive and restoration.
series editors
Giovanna Fossati, Eye Filmmuseum & University of
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Leo van Hee, Eye Filmmuseum
Frank Kessler, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Patricia Pisters, University of Amsterdam,
the Netherlands
Dan Streible, New York University, United States
Nanna Verhoeff, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
editorial board
Richard Abel, University of Michigan, United States
Jane Gaines, Columbia University, United States
Tom Gunning, University of Chicago, United States
Vinzenz Hediger, Goethe University Frankfurt,
Germany
Martin Koerber, Deutsche Kinemathek, Germany
Ann-Sophie Lehmann, University of Groningen,
the Netherlands
Charles Musser, Yale University, United States
Julia Noordegraaf, University of Amsterdam,
the Netherlands
William Uricchio, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, United States
Linda Williams, University of California at Berkeley,
United States
GIOVANNA FOSSATI
FROM GRAIN TO PIXEL
The Archival Life
of Film in Transition
THIRD REVISED EDITION
amsterdam university press
Published by Eye Filmmuseum / Amsterdam University Press
Cover illustration: Amour et science (H.J. Roche, Éclair, France, 1912 – courtesy of
Eye Filmmuseum)
Cover design and lay-out: Magenta Ontwerpers, Bussum
ISBN 978 94 6372 500 2
e-ISBN 978 90 4854 352 6
NUR 674
First edition 2009
Second edition 2011
Third revised edition 2018
Creative Commons License CC BY NC
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0)
G. Fossati / Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 2009, 2011 and 2018
Some rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above,
any part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise).
to gloria and matilda

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 9 | 7
Introduction to the Third Revised Edition 13

Framing Film (in Transition): an Introduction 21
part one
practice and theory of (archival) film 39
1 Film Practice in Transition 41
2 Theorizing Archival Film 145
part two
theorizing (archival) practice 195
3 Film Archival Field in Transition 197
4 Restoration Case Studies: Theorizing Archival Practice 271
A New Mindset for (Archival) Film in Transition: a Conclusion 325
Conclusions to the Third Revised Edition 331
Notes 339
Notes to the Third Revised Edition 363
Glossary of Technical Terms 379
List of Illustrations 385
Filmography 387
Bibliography 391
Index 411

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would first of all like to thank Frank Kessler and Nanna Verhoeff at Utrecht | 9
University and William Uricchio at Utrecht University and Massachussetts
Institute of Technology who have encouraged and supported this project from
the very beginning. Their stimulating input has added greatly to the substance
of this work.
This book has also benefited from the advice and the fruitful suggestions by Tom
Gunning (University of Chicago) whom I would also like to thank for his support.
The research for this book has been made possible by the support of the Neth-
erlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).
Special thanks also to Eye Filmmuseum (formerly known as the Nederlands
Filmmuseum), and in particular to former Director Rien Hagen and current
Director Sandra den Hamer, who believed in this project and have made it pos-
sible for me to carry it out.
Among the people who have helped me at Eye Filmmuseum, I would like
to especially thank Mark-Paul Meyer, not least for all that he has taught me
since I started working in the film archive in 1995. His comments on this pro-
ject have been of great value.
Many thanks also to my colleagues Leontien Bout, Andreas Busche, Cath-
erine Cormon, Guy Edmonds, Anne Gant, Irene Haan, Rixt Jonkman, Nico de
Klerk, Annike Kross, Simona Monizza, Ad Pollé, Emjay Rechsteiner, Geke Roe-
link, Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi, Frank Roumen, Jan Scholten, Dorette Schoote-
meijer, Walter Swagemakers, Ronny Temme, Frédérique Urlings, Jeannette
Verschure, and to my ex colleagues and friends Eef Masson (Utrecht Univer-
sity) and Claudy Op den Kamp (University of Plymouth).