Before digital video recording devices were introduced, people were capturing memories by shooting home videos on film reels to be viewed on a projector screen. Advancement in technology now allows us to film special moments using digital cameras and store them on hard drives, DVDs or other digital optical disc storage systems. Converting old movies in film to digital storage formats allows us to preserve memories without having to keep bulky and very fragile film reels.
Today, many companies offer film conversion services which digitally transfer old film footage into digital formats. If you are planning to send your old footage to one of these companies to have them converted, here are some helpful tips on how to properly pack and ship film reels.
With gloved hands, carefully place each film reel inside a plastic bag. Avoid touching the film as its surface is very fragile and can easily get scratched.
Label or number the reels if you want to have them converted in a certain order.
Stack the reels one on top of another and bind them with rubber bands to keep them from moving. Wrap each stack in a couple of layers of bubble wrap. For large shipments, divide the film reels into separate packages to keep the weight down.
Get a turdy shipping box and line the bottom with padding such as bubble wrap. Avoid using packing peanuts as their dust and loose particles may harm the film. Carefully lay the stack of film reels horizontally on top of the bubble wrap. Fill up any empty spaces inside the box with more bubble wrap or air bags. Make sure that the box is packed and the contents do not shift or rattle.
Close the box and seal all openings with packaging tape. Address and label the package and take to a reputable shipping company.