The 2003 Singaporean feature film “Perth,” which was initially shot on Super 16mm film, has undergone restoration thanks to the use of Blackmagic Design’s Cintel Scanner and DaVinci Resolve Studio. The project aimed to bring the movie back to modern audiences, particularly after renewed interest from the Asian Film Archive.
Restoration Process
The restoration process was spearheaded by Shaley Brooks, a colorist at Iris Digital Post and longtime collaborator of director Djinn. The only available material for restoration was a 35mm release print used for screenings, along with a PAL Digital Betacam tape that served as the audio source.
Brooks utilized the Cintel Scanner provided by post-production house DigitalFilm Tree to digitize the film. According to Brooks, the scanner’s simplicity and compatibility with DaVinci Resolve Studio made the process efficient. He highlighted the CRI file format for its balance of quality and manageable data size.
Challenges Faced
Despite the smooth technical aspects of scanning, Brooks encountered several challenges due to the condition of the 35mm print and the audio source tape. The release print had missing frames at both ends of each reel, necessitating adjustments in shot speed to maintain synchronization.
DaVinci Resolve Studio's Role
In DaVinci Resolve Studio, Brooks leveraged various restoration tools to enhance the film’s quality. He relied on automatic dirt removal and deflicker functions to address common issues like scratches and flickering in the footage. The ACES workflow was also instrumental in achieving a desirable color grading for the restored film.
For more complex tasks, such as removing large scratches, Brooks used Fusion within DaVinci Resolve Studio. This tool allowed him to blend traditional color correction with visual effects techniques.