The restoration, preservation and mastering of the Lantz Cartoons

This paper describes the workflow and approval process for bringing Lantz Cartoons from the Universal Pictures vault into a DolbyVision HDR workflow, and preserving film and audio elements as part of the Universal Pictures initiative to preserve and restore its 112-year-old library through digitisation. The paper describes the unique processes undertaken in accomplishing a request to master the films for a broadcast distribution deal and how the dedicated professionals used their technical knowledge, workflow expertise and understanding of library history to preserve, restore and master 139 short films to fulfil the sale. The paper details the challenges of creating a viable budget for the work and demonstrates the significance of technology in protecting historically essential films.