The demand for high quality, high resolution content is accelerating. With over 80 years of television archive available to be digitised and remastered in full 4K there’s never been a better opportunity to repackage this content for a brand new audience. At nulight we work closely with film and television production companies around the world looking for a fast and high-quality way to repurpose archive for broadcast.
Watch First
Discover what’s on your 16mm prints or reversal film with a fully-supervised viewing on our Steenbeck.
We offer this fully-supervised service for privately owned prints and reversal film. It may not be suitable for negatives, damaged film or film on-loan from archives. Get in touch for more details.
Scan Selects
Identify the clips you need on a film reel and we’ll only scan those.
This solution is ideal when an accurate reference copy of the film with timecode exists. Ask us about alternatives when the content of a reel is not known.
Scan Selects
Identify the clips you need on a film reel and we’ll only scan those.
This solution is ideal when an accurate reference copy of the film with timecode exists. Ask us about alternatives when the content of a reel is not known.
Fresh Ideas, Compelling Content
Our Process
Explore our custom workflow for television production and see what we can do for you
Inspect & Repair
Our team thoroughly inspects your film to identify any issues that could affect picture quality during the scan. This includes repair of weak joins, damaged edges and adding new leader. This preparation stage helps deliver a cleaner and more stable image as well as significantly reducing the time and cost of any subsequent restoration.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Film material from 8mm to 35mm is run through our Lipsner Smith ultrasonic film cleaner. Surface dirt is gently removed by ultrasonic waves in a warm solvent bath to prepare it for scanning. Ultrasonic film cleaning is the safest and most effective method to professionally clean any motion picture film including acetate, nitrate, and polyester.
Digitise Whole Reels or Just Sections
We use the state-of-the-art Golden Eye 4 archive film scanner which is both gentle on film and supports all standard plus many obsolete formats. Our best-light transfer process ensures every detail is captured at up to 4K and 16 bit colour. If only specific sections of the film are required and a timecoded picture guide exists it is possible to reduce costs by limiting scanning to just those parts. Nulight is the only professional film scanning facility to offer this option.
Auto-Restoration
Using Digital Vision Phoenix software we semi-automatically remove dust, dirt and sparkle. Where appropriate we will also remove image flicker, improve sharpness or manage grain structure. After auto-restoration is complete clients may opt to commission further manual picture restoration.
Sound Restoration
Our sound restoration process begins with a clean and noise-free digital transfer of magnetic, variable density optical and variable area optical formats. Our sound engineer uses a range of techniques with ProTools and other audio software to remove any unwanted noise such as high frequency hiss, pops and crackle whilst taking great care to preserve the original character of the sound.
Match Film to Video
We offer the possibility of matching 16mm and 35mm negatives to your digitally produced film. This very specialist process involves match the appearance of grain, clarity and many other qualities of scanned film with those of contemporary digital media for productions that seek to seamlessly intercut between the two.
Review & Approval
At any point it’s easy to review your films and suggest changes through our client portal. Larger, high quality files can also be sent using Media Shuttle. Alternatively, clients are always welcome to visit our facilities in person to review thier films on 4K monitors or our 2K projection suite.
Export and Delivery
Receive master copies of your films in either 10, 12 or 16 bit DPX files or other mathematically and visually lossless video formats including Quicktime, MXF, AVI and MKV. For theatrical release we offer a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) or for home entertainment a professionally authored DVD or Bluray master.
Client Testimonials
Nulight clearly have a passion for film and their knowledge, experience and attention to detail in every step of the process, from prep to digital restoration, is evident in the final product – our film has never looked better!
James Gibbs, Media Technology OfficerWorking with Nulight to restore our early 16mm films was simply a delight. The negative rolls were often in a delicate condition but Nulight took great care in ensuring that every detail was preserved and restored and beautifully graded. The results were simply staggering, suffice it to say I’d never seen these films looking so good, even when they were prints fresh from the laboratory.
David Sproxton, Co-FounderLUX has worked with Nulight Studios on a number of archival film scanning projects and we would recommend them highly, their experience, knowledge and care is truly unparalleled.
Benjamin Cook, DirectorAfter researching facilities, costs and recommendations within the industry, we approached Bristol-based restoration specialists Nulight Studios. From our first enquiry, their helpful approach guided us through all the processes and options, enabling us to find most creatively appropriate and cost-effective route to the restoration.
Ian Mackinnon, Co-FounderEven when working to tight deadlines, Nulight delivered to a very high standard. As producers, the workflow process was simple and easy, their staff a pleasure to work with and pricing estimates were always accurate. I highly recommend Nulight’s services.
Sarah Peat, Executive ProducerCommunication is excellent, you are kept informed of progress, can view the material online and request any tweaks which are dealt with promptly and efficiently. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Nulight to anyone looking to have their film scanned and restored to the highest standards possible.
James Gibbs, Media Technology OfficerWe wanted to re-transfer some footage from 20 year old broadcast neg. The reels were not properly logged and it could have been too expensive a proposition. Sam and his team worked out the simplest and most cost effective way to eye-match what we needed. They then processed our selects to produce stunning 4K quality images that absolutely stand up against the footage we shot on 6K cameras.
John Capner, ProducerNulight scanned our original negative at high resolution and carried out meticulous frame by frame restoration work before re-grading the digital files. Textures and details that had been lost and forgotten over two decades are now astonishingly vivid. I highly recommend Nulight – they have a very professional and supportive approach and their eye for quality has been amazing.
Ian Mackinnon, Co-Founder