How to Archive French Cinema Music

Throughout the last century, films have evolved from grainy, silent vignettes to elaborate, multi-million dollar productions. The music used to accompany these films has undergone a similar growth process. In the second half of the 20th century, major production houses commissioned popular music composers to produce orchestral scores for their productions. Several French directors produced large bodies of work, regarded as masterpieces of cinema. The images and dialogue are often accompanied by equally unforgettable soundscapes and songs. By following a few simple steps, film enthusiasts and historians can successfully archive these masterful music compositions.

• 1

  Research the films whose music you wish to archive and determine what formats carry the film (i.e. video tape, DVD). If the film is available on both DVD and video tape, purchase the DVD format. If it is unavailable on DVD, purchase the video tape.

• 2

  Open the film on your computer using a movie editing software package. If you do not own the necessary software, you can purchase several packages at reasonable prices that will easily accomplish the tasks you require. Consult with a sales representative at any major software vendor to determine what product will work best with your computer and budget.

• 3

  Extract the audio from the film using the software you have purchased. This is a common process that can you can acomplish quickly using the documentation packaged with your software.

• 4

  Save the audio as an mp3 file and repeat Steps 1 through 3 with all of the DVDs you have purchased. If the film is stored on a videotape, follow the instructions provided with the VHS to DVD converter to quickly convert the film into a digital format. If the film is in a less than perfect condition, expect flaws in your digital copy. Bob Hudson, a columnist at the video technology vendor Sign Video, states, "No matter which method you use, you need to ensure that the analog video has the highest quality possible: flaws in the original video may be greatly magnified when you encode it to MPEG-2 and convert it to DVD."

• 5

  Create a folder on your computer and store the audio tracks you have created inside. This method of archival will allow you to instantly access the music you are seeking.

• 6

  Catalog important information about the film, such as the director and music composer, using your word processing application. Storing this information on your computer will eliminate the possibility of misplacing a physical copy.