Super 8 Film touch-up

[sjmaye]

While previewing the film I noticed what looks like trash on the tops and bottoms of each frame. Don't know if it is film degradation or simply trash that was on the lens while my Dad was shooting. Is there any way I can touch up this stuff without going frame by frame with something like PhotoPaint?

[mkelley]

You could, of course, run a crop on the entire movie (cutting out the top and bottom) but it doesn't sound like you want to do this.

If the tops and bottoms have a regular pattern of noise (i.e. there was indeed something on the lens for each frame) you can try subtracting this noise from each frame using an XOR filter (um, Premiere isn't close at hand, but I do think there is a mode like this in there). You'd have to have a reference frame, ideally something where the frame is completely blank (white) with only the noise. Otherwise you may be able to apply some kind of cleanup filter on the tops -- check out your video editor and see what it offers (remember that filters that get rid of dirt also generally get rid of detail -- as with all things in life, there are tradeoffs).

[BJ_M]

you could also try using the delogo filter in v-dub if it is a somewhat consistant area