Film storage, cataloging, organizing

[Alan Gouger]

I have film throughout almost every room of the house, in multiple different types of containers and boxes. I have so many films I have no idea what I have or where it is at. It is going to be a challenge to organize everything but the time has come to take on the challenge.
I prefer to organize everything using the same system. I prefer the white film box but do not want to use a one size fits all. Has anyone had any luck sourcing those white boxes that can be ordered in different sizes that work for both S8 and 16mm and for different reel diameters.
Curious as to how everyone else are organizing and storing your films.

[Steve Klare]

Hi Alan,

I only organize down to the level of general categories. For example, I have a shelf I call "Laurel and Hardy", and another called "Railroad 400 footers". I can't get any more militant about it than that!

(When my sister first got married, they organized their LPs alphabetically...and then the kids arrived!)

I used to have a spreadheet listing all my prints with these same categories. Every time I ordered some I'd add it to the list. I fell off the wagon years ago! The end result is I keep finding films I don't remember ever buying: it feels like they are free!

A real list is good for that, though. Even if somebody owns a thousand prints, they still get times of "I have nothing to watch!". At least with a list, you can thumb through it and say "Oh! -that one! I haven't seen that in years!".

Prints are all over the house, yet all hidden from view. One day a friend went to shove a hassock out of the way and he said "Why is this so heavy?!" It turns out about 150 200 foot reels of Super-8 starts to weigh something. One time I ran out of space, so I got my wife to buy a second hassock!

I find Steve Osborn is often helpful with boxes.

[Shane C. Collins]

For 7" white cardboard boxes you can also use this from Splicit. These boxes are for reel to reel audio tapes but work great for film. They are very durable and only $2.95 each. Here's a link: http://www.splicit.com/Audio-Reel-St...x-p/wrb007.htm
PS: They also have white cardboard boxes for 10" reels and would work for 16mm films. But these larger boxes also have a metal insert for the larger NABs found on 10" reel to reel tapes. Below is a photo of their 7" boxes.