What Is a Telecine Machine?

A telecine machine is a device for converting unstable celluloid film (the 'cine') to an electronic signal (the 'tele') that can be preserved on videotape or DVD. They are an important piece of equipment for film archivists and purveyors of stock footage.

Design

• Telecine machines are compact units composed of a projector, an optical system and a video camera. Many are easily upgraded with better video cameras or brighter light bulbs for the projector.

Use

• To use a telecine machine, you must first hook it up to a television with a video cassette, MiniDV or DVD recorder. Some can also be hooked up to computers. Thread the film that you wish to transfer through the reels, and make sure that the picture is in focus. The projector projects the film inside the machine, and the picture is then captured by the digital video camera, which in turn transfers the image to the television or computer.

Importance

• Celluloid film, especially pre-1950 nitrate film stock, is chemically unstable, combustible and relatively quick to decompose if not kept in ideal conditions. Transferring these films to videotape using telecine machines is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to preserve them.