8mm Forum: Film Storage

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Topic: Film Storage

Roger Shunk
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 604
From: Phoenix, AZ
Registered: Nov 2011

posted December 15, 2011 02:00 PM

What is the best way to store your 8mm films? In an upright position or flat?

Thanks,
Roger

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted December 15, 2011 02:15 PM

The gripe I have with storing them flat is if they are in a pliable container the reels will tend to get squished (and distorted)from things piled on top of them. It gets especially nasty when you have a feature with multiple reels in a box and the last reel is partially empty and on the bottom.

In a rigid case (like a Gepe or Bonum) it's fine, but then again if you pile them one on top of the other it's pretty easy to start a film avalanche when you want one near the bottom.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Joe Taffis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1592
From: United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted December 15, 2011 03:37 PM

Both ways works for me. Never had any problems the last 45 years or so.... [Wink]

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Joe Taffis

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Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted December 21, 2011 03:53 PM

Film in cans I store flat and all others are library style (upright). I don't store anything without a box or a can. I'm too o.c.d. for that.

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Bradford A Moore
Master Film Handler

Posts: 272
From: Provincetown, Ma
Registered: Jul 2005

posted December 21, 2011 05:24 PM

I would go with flat too. Don't store in metal cans! Best in original cardboard boxes, or plastic reels with plastic cans that have air holes. Films must breathe! Also try and keep your films tightly wound to help prevent warpage.

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William Mouroukas
Film Handler

Posts: 49
From: Sydney - Australia
Registered: Oct 2011

posted December 21, 2011 11:00 PM

Thanks for the advice on this as I was also thinking to ask.

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Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted December 22, 2011 05:57 AM

I expounded on this before, and my strong counsel is to store such films vertically, whether box or can - Now, I have some that are stacked (4 at most), but that is an exception - The idea of horizontal is that cans and boxes get undue pressure resulting in a toppling over and damage thereof - I've found this works for me many years and my oldest films still run fine. This applies to old LPs, and such recordings, books, even comic books; Vertically all the way - Shorty

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Bradford A Moore
Master Film Handler

Posts: 272
From: Provincetown, Ma
Registered: Jul 2005

posted December 22, 2011 06:39 AM

A record absolutely should be vertical, but film stacking vertically can help with warping, and baggy syndrome. Keeping a film flat, and tightly wound should keep the film tighter longer. Having it horizontal will loosen the winding faster than not.

I keep my feature films in there original boxes if possible, and stack them about 4 or 5 features, which depends on the reels, which is usually 4 to 5 400ft reels. The lesser ones with two or three should go on top not on the bottom. I find using a old unused wooden book case works well too.

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William Mouroukas
Film Handler

Posts: 49
From: Sydney - Australia
Registered: Oct 2011

posted December 22, 2011 04:05 PM

Okay so tight winding is clearly important. Interesting to hear the case for vertical. Not long ago I saw on You Tube a story that included the film vault of a major studio, Disney I think. They had all their masters in cans horizontal on individual brackets / shelves, no cans resting on another.
None of my projectors do what I'd consider a tight wind so it looks like I need some manual winders.

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Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted December 23, 2011 08:06 AM

I'm not on for tight-winding, as this causes breaks - Prefer loose film on the reel and tamped down (by hand so it is even all-around, sort of feels like a smooth wave when you run your hand across - Sounds odd, but I've had no troubles doing this procedure for years - Vertical storage (save for a few), like books (you would never stack a series of 'Radio Boys' or 'Dick Kent', stories, these are collector items too), LPs and comic books, amd those Famous Monsters, well, those cherished magazines MUST be vertically aligned with backing boards and sealed - Same with films, though not as rigid - Metal cans as opposed with plastic - Shorty

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted December 23, 2011 12:19 PM

Upright is my pick as a general rule!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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