I recently began a project of pulling the cartoons off my DVDs and restoring them to their original film frame rates of 24 fps. When I mentioned this in the shoutbox yesterday, I was shot down and told I was basically an idiot for not undertsanding how the "NTSC" format works. Nothing could be further from the truth as I have done extensive research on the subject, not to mention having over a decade experience working with film. The fact of the matter is, these cartoons WERE shot on film and THEN transferred to the NTSC format. I've created a web page explaining the process with both example pictures and two short video demonstrations.

 

G1 Cartoon Film Restoration Project Explained

 

To sum up what's going on there, you'll notice the end result in the video demontrations is a MUCH superior version of the cartoon when it is processed back into its original film format. Take a look and see for yourself.

Just want to add that Windows Media Player does an excellent job of on-the-fly frame interpretation, so you may not notice much of a difference between the two examples. The corrected file, however, has the advantage of being universally correct in any media player, and has less frames to compress for file viewing. If you try using the VLC media player for example, the difference is much easier noticed.

wow that's interesting. do you plan on doing every episode? Once done what do you plan on doing with your new hotness?

Too bad the cartoon wasn't animated at 24 fps :( but it does look nice (DVDs suck)

Too bad the cartoon wasn't animated at 24 fps :( but it does look nice (DVDs suck)

 

:argh

 

 

you've prompted the same argument that made me claw my eyes out yesterday

I'm sorry, did I say something?

 

I only meant that the animators didn't draw 24 separate frames of animation per second... otherwise the animation wouldn't be so jerky. Compare Transformers to (say) Steamboat Willie or anything like that and you'll see what I mean.

I'd just like to mention...these were likely mastered to some sort of NTSC videotape (1" reels, if I recall from the special features), meaning that the video, at the least, is 29.97 fps and always has been. So its not so much a restoration as it is an enhancement.

I recently began a project of pulling the cartoons off my DVDs and restoring them to their original film frame rates of 24 fps. When I mentioned this in the shoutbox yesterday, I was shot down and told I was basically an idiot for not undertsanding how the "NTSC" format works. Nothing could be further from the truth as I have done extensive research on the subject, not to mention having over a decade experience working with film. The fact of the matter is, these cartoons WERE shot on film and THEN transferred to the NTSC format. I've created a web page explaining the process with both example pictures and two short video demonstrations.

 

G1 Cartoon Film Restoration Project Explained

 

To sum up what's going on there, you'll notice the end result in the video demontrations is a MUCH superior version of the cartoon when it is processed back into its original film format. Take a look and see for yourself.

That is cool.

I'd just like to mention...these were likely mastered to some sort of NTSC videotape (1" reels, if I recall from the special features), meaning that the video, at the least, is 29.97 fps and always has been. So its not so much a restoration as it is an enhancement.

 

The inverse telecine process is be definition a restoration, so its not an enchancement. I'm restoring the original animation frames back to their 24fps format. You have to read my web page that explains all this and about the process of converting the film to the NTSC format for telelvision viewing. I'm reversing that process, thus, restoring the animation back to its original film form.

 

 

I'm sorry, did I say something?

 

I only meant that the animators didn't draw 24 separate frames of animation per second... otherwise the animation wouldn't be so jerky. Compare Transformers to (say) Steamboat Willie or anything like that and you'll see what I mean.

 

Why is it so hard for people to understand that YES, these cartoons WERE drawn at 24fps? Hell it even describes this on the friggin DVD extras! Shall I upload a video of that?

A question... how do you know that the masters were film and not video?