•  What is the difference between and "I" item and a "P" item?

An intermediate (I item) is a copy of an original archival film from which client copies may be made.   A "P" or preservation copy is an original archival film. In order to minimize damage to these original films and videos, P copies may only be ordered and transferred once.

If you order a preservation item, you must agree to pay for two transfers: a transfer to digital betacam NTSC for NARA to have for its use and a transfer to your desired format for you to use.   (This digi beta NTSC copy becomes the intermediate and is then available for future NARA clients to order.) For this reason, P transfers are more expensive.   Transfers of preservation items take longer not just because we must make two copies but also because it may take up to a week for them to be pulled from the cold storage facility in Lenexa, Kansas, and sent to the NARA mailroom in College Park, Maryland, for pick up.

•  Are all intermediates on video?

No. Intermediates may be on film OR video.

•  Can you transfer reference copies?

No. Reference copies are not available to vendors. They are strictly for the use of researchers at NARA.

•  Can you match the time code on the reference copy I saw at NARA?  

No. This is not possible due to the fact that we will be likely be duplicating a different copy of the requested item and it will come to us in a different format than the copy that served as the source of the reference copy.

•  Will the copy you provide be of good image/sound quality?

We will provide the best quality possible given the condition of the material supplied to us by NARA.   Please see the NARA web site's disclaimer about quality: http://www.archives.gov/research/order/film-sound-video-dc.html#quality

We can provide 16mm liquid gate transfers upon request.

•  Are the films and videos in NARA's collection copyrighted?

This question must be directed to NARA staff members (email: mopix@nara.gov , tel: 301.837.3540; fax: 301.837.3620).   Some items in the collection are donor-restricted, and NARA will require you to obtain a written copyright release from the copyright holder before you are permitted to order a broadcast quality copy. You will have to submit a new IARL form to NARA for any donor-restricted items once you've obtained a release.

•  I have an old IARL. Can I still order from it?

NARA will not allow us to order intermediate items from an IARL that is more than 12 months old or preservation items from an IARL more than 60 days old. You will need to submit a new IARL approved by NARA in order to proceed.

•  I have an approved IARL but I only want to order a few of the items on it.   Do I need to obtain a new approved IARL?

No. Simply cross through the items you do not want to order and we will provide an estimate for the transfer of the selected items only. But note that NARA will not, under most circumstances, allow you to order from an IARL more than once.   Therefore, if you decide to order half of the material on your IARL, you cannot at a later date order the rest of the items on that IARL. You would then have to submit a new IARL request for the remaining items.

•  Do you offer research services?

No.   You are responsible for doing your own research or hiring a researcher.   A partial list of researchers for hire is available on-line at: http://www.archives.gov/research/hire-help/motion-pictures.html . We would be happy to give you the names of researchers we recommend.

•  What video formats do you offer?

In NTSC we offer: VHS, S-VHS, 3/4", 1", BCSP, Digi Beta, Mini DV, DVCam, DVC Pro, D2, and DVD.   In PAL we offer: VHS, BCSP, Digi Beta, Mini DV, DVCam and DVD.

•  Do you offer HD?

Yes, we can offer HDCAM, HDCAM SR, HDV, or recording to a client-supplied hard drive.

•  I have your film to tape/tape to tape price list but I don't understand it. Can you break down the costs that will apply to my order?

For orders of P items, you will pay a $17.25 per item usage fee. You'll pay a per-minute transfer fee for the total number of minutes for both the Digi Beta Intermediate and for your own copy. One minute is added to the run time of each item for the Digi Beta transfer to account for colorbars and an electronic slate. You will pay for tape stock for the Digi Beta intermediates (each item must go on a separate tape) and for your own copies (several items may be compiled onto one tape). A $15.00 reel change fee for each reel after your first reel will apply to your transfers.   A $2.50 fee will apply to each item will a separate soundtrack.

For orders of I items, you will pay a $17.25 reel usage fee for each item, a $15.00 reel change fee for each item after your first item, a bulk fee (inclusive of the costs of tape stock) for your total number of film-to-tape minutes, a bulk fee (inclusive of the costs of tape stock) for your total of tape-to-tape minutes, and a $2.50 fee for each item with a separate soundtrack.

A $40.00 round trip courier fee will apply to all orders.

•  Can I supply my own tape stock to keep costs down?

Yes. You may supply tape stock for your order of intermediates and for your client copy of preservation items.   Colorlab must supply the tape stock for the NARA digital betacam intermediates. If you supply your own tape stock, we will deduct the costs of stock from your bill (if you are ordering intermediates) or simply not charge you for tape stock for your client copies (if you are ordering preservation items).

•  What information do you need to process my order?

We will need the following information:

•  do you want drop frame or non-drop frame time code (for NTSC transfers only)
•  at what time code hour the transfer should start
•  what the userbits should read (if applicable)
•  your billing and shipping addresses
•  your Fedex, DHL, or UPS account number (if available)
•  your credit card information (including account number, expiration date, postal code on billing address, and the three- or four-digit number on the back of the card)

If you do not wish to pay by credit card, you may pay by check or money order in USD drawn on a US bank or by wire transfer.   Note that there is a $40.00 wire transfer fee. Payment must be received prior to shipment of your order.

•  Do you offer film-to-film duplication?

Yes. When you submit an IARL to NARA with the intention of making film copies, you must write "FILM" in column 3 ("order copy format"). To give you a quote for a film-to-film job, we will need you to provide us with the following information: Do you want 16mm or 35mm? Estar or acetate stock? Color or black and white stock?   Do you care about wind?   How do you want sound (if available) duplicated?   What aspect ratio do you want? Do you require step printing to slow down motion originally shot at 16 or 18 fps?

•  How can I pay for my NARA order?

You may pay with a check in USD drawn on a US bank, a money order in USD, credit card, or wire transfer. Note that we charge a $40.00 fee for accepting wire transfers. Payment must be received before the order is shipped to you.

•  How long will my order take to complete?

Standard turn-around time is ten business days from the day Colorlab receives the films and videos from NARA. Orders of more than 20 items may take longer. Orders with many preservation items may take longer. Shipping will take an additional one to two days--or longer if you've chosen UPS ground, Fedex Express Saver, or US Airmail as a shipping method.

•  What might cause my order to be delayed?

It is not uncommon for completion of an order to be delayed. A reel may be at another vendor, temporarily lost, permanently lost, at the NARA lab undergoing work, or stored in the wrong can.

•  What if I need my order in less than ten business days?

Rush service (defined as completion of the order within five business days from the day the films and/or videos are received by Colorlab) is available for an extra charge, but note that we will not guarantee delivery dates under any circumstances.   If you have a specific deadline, please inform us in writing when you place the order.

•  What shipping methods do you use?

Usually, clients will provide us with their DHL, UPS or Fedex account number, and we will charge the shipment to their account.   If you do not have an account with a shipping company, we will use Colorlab's shipping account and add the costs of the shipment to your bill.

•  I received my tapes but I did not receive an invoice. Can you send me an invoice?

We do not send invoices with shipments because they are processed at a later date by our accounting department.   We can send your invoice by fax, mail, or email upon request.   When you request an invoice, you'll need to tell us your company name, the NARA order number, and/or the work order number.

Useful links:

How To Order Broadcast Quality Copies (from the NARA web site):

http://www.archives.gov/research/order/broadcast-quality-film-dc.html

List of NARA researchers:

http://www.archives.gov/research/hire-help/motion-pictures.html

last revised on 11 July 2007