Beginning in 2017, without any outside financial support, Vtape began a large-scale project to complete the digitization of our entire collection of titles that were produced and formerly distributed on analogue tape. These include formats such as U-matic, Betacam SP, MiniDV, and so on. Because our mandate is to keep all titles in our distribution catalogue in circulation and available for preview, exhibition, licensing and research purposes, it was necessary to digitize each and every analogue tape.

Using state-of-the-art file creation hardware and software, including lossless deinterlacing processing, all digital files are created using a Time Base Corrector in conjunction with a Teranex Processor to ensure the highest quality. We digitize each title in two file formats: ProRes 422 (very large, very high-quality files) and MP4 (smaller high-quality files).

Our goal is to represent artists’ work as intended, keeping in mind that display technologies have changed from CRT-based monitors to digital display methods, including flat screens and digital projection systems. Our files of their work are designed to look excellent on analogue or digital display technologies.

Files are housed at Vtape, and are backed up in two ways: on LTO cassettes (the international archival format standard for digital storage) stored off-site for long-term archiving, and on a disk-based backup system on-site. Our much smaller and lower-resolution preview files are housed in the cloud and backed up each evening. For additional security, we also retain the analogue tapes in our offices.

This digitization work has been overseen and carried out by Kim Tomczak, Co-founder and former Restoration & Collections Management Director; Dustin Lawrence, Technical & Collections Manager; and Alice Evensen, Digitization Associate from 2019 through 2023. Indispensable technical, infrastructure, and inventory support was provided by former Vtape staff members Mark Pellegrino, Madeleine Scott, and Brian Kent Gotro.