Respice Finem

Jan Špáta's films (plus bonus material) have been released in an exclusive collection of four DVDs, a selection of which is currently screening in Czech theaters. Each film has been provided with English subtitles to facilitate viewing for audiences abroad.

Process of Restoration

Image restoration
Until now, the works of Jan Špáta, Czech documentary filmmaking legend, have not been available on video to the public (except for a limited selection on poor quality VHS). Dozens of technicians and experts worked for over a year and a half to transfer and restore the films. Certain corrections were able to be carried out automatically using special software, but others had to be done manually, frame by frame. The result was the most extensive film digitalization and restoration project in the Czech Republic.

After negotiations with Krátký film Praha and the National Film Archive, the organizers of the project decided on a new image transfer from backup materials – the intermediate positive (IMP), which is the first backup copy of the original negative. It was necessary to make some of the intermediate copies because they did not exist. All intermediate copies were first chemically cleaned at a laboratory and then captured at 2K and recorded on HDCAM SR. This particular technology was selected because it is suitable for digital cinema as well as for all other common uses (HD TV, Blu-Ray). 4K technology is still not as widespread and it exceeded the project’s financial possibilities. The organizers wanted to create new masters of a quality that would satisfy the needs of all common current distribution methods.

Despite using backup materials for the transfer, these also revealed a varying degree of wear and tear or mechanical damage. Then followed the complicated and demanding process of digital restoration, which in the end required far more time than had been anticipated. The sheer number of films on various materials accounted for the delays, as did the many different kinds of defects and damage that were discovered. The project organizers greatly appreciate UPP studio for their willingness to enter these untested waters.

Sound restoration
Because the intermediate positive preserves only the image component and a working soundtrack, the sound had to be transferred from a used film copy. The starting point for the sound would have been the original 35 mm magnetic tape master, but this was not preserved for any of the films, thus the sound had to be transferred from existing copies. These, however, were damaged and often incomplete. The entire soundtrack had to be remastered: hiss and crackling were removed and the sound was synchronized with the image. All films were shot in mono and have thus remained that way.

The project organizers’ intention was to preserve the films in the same quality in which they were shot, therefore they did not alter the films in any other way: they merely restored technical defects and flaws which arose during the process or through mechanical damage. Sound restoration was carried out at SOUNDSQUARE studio primarily under the direction of chief sound engineer Václav Flegl.

DVD

Eighteen films by the master of Czech documentary filmmaking, Jan Špáta – digitally restored and transferred to HD format – are now available on four DVDs under the title Jan Špáta – 18 documentaries by a legend of Czech film

This unique DVD collection will please film experts as well as those who already know and love Špáta’s distinctive documentaries. In addition, his films provide a unique look at Czechs, their spirit and character, thereby allowing deep self-reflection for anyone willing to ponder his or her place in the world.

The DVD collection is rounded out with several valuable bonuses, including a portrait of Jan Špáta from the GEN series (dir. by Olga Sommerová), a personal photo archive, and unique footage of Špáta shot by his father, among others.