Large-scale audio, video & motion film archives
Specialist digitisation for libraries, museums, heritage organisations, broadcasters, music archives and institutions. From individual legacy recordings to complex, multi-format collections, we help safeguard recorded sound, moving images and the stories they hold.
Large archive digitisation requires more than playing media and creating files. It calls for a planned workflow that can handle different formats, quantities, condition levels, output specifications, metadata and delivery requirements while maintaining consistency throughout the project.
Oxford Duplication Centre supports projects involving historic audio recordings, professional and broadcast video, cine and motion film, and mixed audio-visual holdings. We work with clients to establish the collection scope, identify media formats, agree priorities and define the digital outputs before processing begins.
Preserve music, interviews, oral histories, radio programmes, performances, lectures and institutional recordings from ageing analogue and legacy digital media.
Transfer legacy video recordings so historic programmes, interviews, productions, events and organisational records remain accessible beyond the life of the original tape.
Digitise moving-image collections that may include institutional films, documentary material, historic events, promotional films and personal or community histories.
Our work spans corporate, music, broadcast, library and heritage environments. We are proud to work with organisations including the Bodleian Library, Warner Music, the Ashmolean Museum, Blenheim Palace, Jersey Heritage and All Souls College.
These relationships reflect the breadth of contexts in which digitisation is needed: from safeguarding unique historical recordings and supporting research, to preserving audiovisual assets and making collections easier to access and use.
Each collection has its own history, handling requirements and intended audience. We work with clients to develop a suitable approach rather than treating every tape, reel or film as interchangeable.
A well-designed project workflow helps keep a large collection traceable from arrival through assessment, digitisation, quality assurance and final delivery.
Review inventories, sample media and identify formats, quantities, priorities, condition issues and any special handling or access requirements.
Identify the recording format and playback requirements, flag damaged or unstable items, and agree a suitable treatment or transfer route before work proceeds.
Use suitable playback equipment and capture workflows for the media type, with consistent naming, tracking and project-specific output settings.
Apply agreed checks to confirm that files are present, named correctly and usable, and that any exceptions or problem items are recorded for review.
Align file names and folder structures with the agreed inventory or collection identifiers so outputs can be matched back to source items.
Supply files on agreed storage media or by online transfer, with an organised structure and clear notes on formats and deliverables.
Ageing magnetic tape and motion film can deteriorate, and some media may be at risk during handling or playback. We assess condition and format before deciding how to proceed. Where appropriate, treatment, repair, cleaning or specialist preparation may be needed before digitisation.
Digitisation can greatly improve access, but it does not repair the original or remove the need for good storage and digital preservation practices.
Whether you hold hundreds of audio tapes, a broadcast video archive, a motion-film collection or a mixed-media heritage archive, we can help scope the work and establish a practical route from original media to usable digital files.
To help us assess your project, please share an approximate item count, known formats, any inventory you have, the condition of the media and the output or access requirements.
