RESTORATION PROJECT

Il delitto della piccina

(Adelardo Fernández Arias, Arias Film, Torino 1920)

Specifications and processes

Original materials:

-819,5 m. Tinted and toned nitrate positive =

-43128frames ca.

-Length of single reels: R1: 301,1m., R2: 228,8m., R3: 289,6m.

Physical condition: Very good. BH type perforations, slightly forced. Very few perforations broken, almost all repaired. Some old cement splice opened and reattached with scotch. Reel 1 has also a break attached with masking tape.

Chemical condition: Again very good, although the blue toning begins to show some fading.

Color: The film shows a dozen color combinations, among them rose, red, lemon yellow, golden yellow, orange, mandarin, melon, light green and violet tinting, alone or combined with blue and sepia toning.

NOTES: the above original nitrate is the basic reference to reproduce the colors, a sample of which shall be made available by the Cineteca:

Tints: straw, lemon yellow, golden yellow, light green (titles), red, blue-green, turquoise, amber, rose, orange, mandarin, melon, light green and violet.

Tones: Blue, sepia, toning with light green tinting

The original nitrate is anyway available at the Cineteca premises for a viewing at the table.

Starting materials for the lab process to be done:

Dupe negative 1: bn 35 mm, nitrate; coming directly from the original nitrate; printed in 1951 at the late laboratory SPES in Rome; seemingly printed onto dupe AGFA film stock; good physical conditions, just a bit shrunk; photographic image duplication very good; chemical conditions (emulsion) very good.

Dupe negative 2: bn 35 mm, safety, this too coming directly from the original nitrate; printed in 1980 at the laboratory Studio Cine in Rome (ceased two years ago); good physical conditions; good chemical conditions and emulsion; photographic image duplication not bad, seemingly less good than the dupe 1.

NOTES: both dupes 1 and 2 correspond to the original nitrate print, none of them was graded that time to provide color prints. The number 1 should be the best to apply a Desmet process to print color prints today, as it shows a reasonable good photographic quality, seemingly better than dupe number 2. At the same time, this will require prudence and suitable equipments throughout the whole process, as it is anyway shrunk.

Foreseen/required process to be done:

Examination and evaluation, make up and wash of starting element(s)

Check print plus two color prints (onto triacetate filmstock) from starting bn dupe(s) printed throughout Desmetcolor system (twice printinting process) onto optical wet slow printer with adjustable registration for shrinkage.

The colors are those already listed above, and a sample will be sent by the Cineteca, directly scanned from the nitrate as already tolda bove.

STARTING BUDGET:(FORFAIT) € 17500,00 PLUS VAT

(THIS IS TO BE LOWERED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE; THE CHEAPEST LOWERED OFFER WILL BE CHOOSEN)

Deadline for good prints delivery : JUNE 20TH 2015 AS THE FILM IS GOING TO BE SHOWN AT THE FESTIVAL IL CINEMA RITROVATO IN BOLOGNA.

Mario Musumeci

Irela Nunez

Ufficio studi e metodologie conservazione e restauro

Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia – Cineteca Nazionale

via Tuscolana 1520, 00173 Roma

tel. 0039 06 72294399 /lab. 0039 06 72294372 / cel. 0039 320 1860149

skype: irelanunez