White specs/scratches on film?

M

Mark-P

Well-known member
Not really sure if this is a cinematography question, though I wasn't sure where else to post. I have always been curious when watching films either in the theater or on DVD/Blu Ray you sometimes see little white specs/scratches that seem to jump from frame to frame when the screen is black, like on title screens. I can understand why old transfers of movies may have scratches or specs, though why do new movies have this, and why would these specs/scratches or whatever they are get transferred to the DVD or Blu Ray versions of new films?

Thanks.
 
It's typically dust. You'll see a lot more of it on older films, obviously, but even brand new films can't be 100% dust-free on every frame...
 
I just watched a couple of new movies that were just released on DVD that had this issue. Why is there dust on opening title screens for movies that were just released a few months ago? I do not understand the workflow for making these titles and transferring them from film to DVD, though it just seems strange to see this in 2012. Aren't titles created digitally? How does dust get on them?

Thanks.
 
Mark-P said:
Not really sure if this is a cinematography question, though I wasn't sure where else to post. I have always been curious when watching films either in the theater or on DVD/Blu Ray you sometimes see little white specs/scratches that seem to jump from frame to frame when the screen is black, like on title screens. I can understand why old transfers of movies may have scratches or specs, though why do new movies have this, and why would these specs/scratches or whatever they are get transferred to the DVD or Blu Ray versions of new films?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Could be many things... dust is one. Static electricity is another, but usually much more pronounced and interesting. Many factors for impurities in film. But I do love film... sometimes for that reason.
 
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