Abstract

Until recently, filming has been an analogue process; it requires a mechanical process to record and view, and the source material itself is prone to decay & abrasion [1]. Film is expensive to store, and prohibitively expensive to restore. All footage - historical, documentary or entertainment – may completely degrade over time. While many archival films stocks are currently being scanned and further damage thus prevented, the digital copies are far from the quality of the original. The types of aberrations found are varied, from frame jitter and line scratches to dirt and sparkle. It is the detection of the latter two (which are frame based abnormalities) that will be examined here.