Technical codes

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Technical codes are used to describe a component in a form that can be sorted and handled by a computer. Tech Codes vary from archive to archive. The following codes are in use at the NFSA. Most codes can be used with combinations of prefixes and suffixes.

Some codes will only be validated by the MAVIS database when used with the appropriate suffixes.
 

 

Prefix Meaning Explanation
C composite A composite of image and sound.
D dupe Made principally to allow further copying, not for projection.
M master Similar in meaning to dupe. With an image code it means fine grain stock, and in a sound code it means the signal has been electronically re-recorded.
MAG magnetic Sound stored by magnetic signal on film which has a magnetic coating or stripe. Also used for audio tapes.
N negative Negative image. Tones are the reverse of the original scene.
O original The film, exposed in the camera, after processing.
P ..picture Image only. Any applicable sound is recorded elsewhere.
..P positive Low contrast positive image with or without sound. For printing/duping purposes only, or
..P print Projection contrast positive image with or without sound.
R reversal Film has been developed twice to achieve an exact copy, whether b&w or colour, of the tones in the original scene.
S sound Optical sound track either alone or combined with an image.
SE separation A set of b&w images used for colour separations, each representing partial colour information : usually red, green and blue. They are printed together to give a complete colour record.
./A type Refers to the wind of a film i.e. whether an image is read through the base or the emulsion. Also ./B
(A) roll Refers to the particular roll in a sequence of two or more. Used in a checkerboard cutting : a method of assembling film as alternate scenes in (A) and (B) rolls to allow prints to be made without visible splices.

 

 

 

Film code suffixes and additions

Warning! Some codes can only be validated by MAVIS if used with the appropriate suffixes and additions. Please see list below of all valid code combinations if problems occur.

../A A-type, eg. {C2}PRP/A 16 mm
../B B-type, eg. {C2}PRP/B 16 mm
../T Trial print, eg. CP/T All
../W Work print, eg. CP/W All
(A) A roll, eg. ORP 16 mm
(B) B roll, eg. ORPNB. one can also use © and (D) etc. 16 mm
../FF Full frame, eg. PP/FF 35 mm
../AF Academy frame, eg. PP/AF 35 mm
.(AM). Understood (As Mute)eg. C(AM)DN All
.(AC). Understood (As Composite)eg. S(AC)P All
.(I). Intermediate, eg. PR(I)N All
.(HT). Hand tinted b&w positive image, eg. O(HT)P 35 mm
.(ST). Stencil tinted b&w positive image, eg. O(ST)P 35 mm

 

Film colour process prefixes

There are four groups of prefixes which are ranked according to the relative stability of the individual processes. The appropriate code should preceed the basic element eg. {C1}PP/A or {C2}ORP.

 

Prefix Stock or Process

{C1}
Agfa
Deluxe
Eastman
Ferrania
Fuji
Gevaert
Kodak
Metrocolor
Orwocolor
Pathe (Pathecolor)
Technicolor (Eastman or Kodak)
Warnercolor All 35 mm CRI material (eg. {C1}PR(I)N)
All 16 mm CRI material (eg. {C2)PR(I)N&{C2}PR(I)P)

{C2}
Agfachrome
Cinechrome
Ektachrome
Fujichrome
Gevachrome
Kodachrome
Pathe (Reversal)
Panachrome

{C3}
Lenticular colour process
Dufaycolor
Pathe (hand tint)
Pathechrome (stencil tint)
Solarchrome Technicolor (separation process)

{R},{G}&{B} Separation prefixes for Technicolor
eg. {R}SEN/AF, {G}SEN/AF, {B}SEN/AF etc.

Valid MAVIS Technical Codes

Listed below are all the technical codes which MAVIS will recognize as being valid. You may perhaps find that occasionally another code will be needed – please refer your request to preservation@nfsa.gov.au.

Value Translation
{B}SEN/AF Blue (B&W) Separation Neg Academy frame
{B}SEN/FF Blue (B&W) Separation Neg Full frame
{B}SEN/FH Blue (B&W) Separation Neg Full Height frame
{B}SEP/AF Blue (B&W) Separation Pos Academy frame
{B}SEP/FF Blue (B&W) Separation Pos Full frame
{B}SEP/FH Blue (B&W) Separation Neg Full height frame
{C}C(AM)DN Colour Composite (as mute) Dupe neg
{C}C(AM)MP Colour Composite (as mute) Master pos
{C}CP Colour Composite Release print
{C}CP/A Colour Composite Release print A-type
{C}CP/A/T Colour Composite Trial print A-type
{C}CP/B Colour Composite Release print B-type
{C}CP/B/T Colour Composite Trial print B-type
{C}CP/FH Colour Composite Release print Full Height frame
{C}CRP Colour Composite Reversal release print
{C}CRP/A Colour Composite Reversal release print A-type
{C}CRP/B Colour Composite Reversal release print B-type
{C}MAGP Colour Composite (Magnetic) release print
{C}MAGP/A Colour Composite (Magnetic) release print A-type
{C}MAGP/B Colour Composite (Magnetic) release print B-type/td>
{C}MAGRP Colour Composite (Mag) Reversal release print
{C}MAGRP/A Colour Composite (Mag) Reversal release print A-type
{C}MAGRP/B Colour Composite (Mag) Reversal release print B-type
{C}OCRP Colour Original Composite Reversal release print
{C}OMAGRP Colour Original Comp. (Mag) Rev. release print
{C}OPN Colour Original Picture Neg
{C}OPN Colour Original Picture Neg A roll
{C}OPN Colour Original Picture Neg B roll
{C}OPN Colour Original Picture Neg C roll
{C}OPN/AF Colour Original Picture Neg Academy frame
{C}OPN/FF Colour Original Picture Neg Full frame
{C}OPN/FH Colour Original Picture Neg Full Height frame
{C}ORP Colour Silent Orig. Reversal release print
{C}ORP Colour Original Reversal Print A roll
{C}ORP Colour Original Reversal Print B roll
{C}ORP Colour Original Reversal Print C roll
{C}PDN Colour Picture Duplicate Negative
{C}PDN/A Colour Picture Duplicate Negative A-type
{C}PDN/AF Colour Picture Duplicate Negative Academy frame
{C}PDN/B Colour Picture Duplicate Negative B-type
{C}PDN/FF Colour Picture Duplicate Negative Full frame
{C}PDN/FH Colour Picture Duplicate Negative Full Height frame
{C}PMP Colour Picture Master Positive
{C}PMP/A Colour Picture Master Positive A-type
{C}PMP/AF Colour Picture Master Positive Academy frame
{C}PMP/B Colour Picture Master Positive B-type
{C}PMP/FF Colour Picture Master Positive Full frame
{C}PMP/FH Colour Picture Master Positive Full Height frame
{C}PP Colour Silent Release Print
{C}PP/A Colour Silent Release Print A-type
{C}PP/A/T Colour Silent Trial Print A-type
{C}PP/A/W Colour Silent Work Print A-type
{C}PP/AF Colour Silent Release Print Academy frame
{C}PP/AF/T Colour Silent Trial Print Academy frame
{C}PP/B Colour Silent Release Print B-type
{C}PP/B/T Colour Silent Trial Print B-type
{C}PP/B/W Colour Silent Work Print B-type
{C}PP/FF Colour Silent Release Print Full frame
{C}PP/FF/T Colour Silent Trial Print Full frame
{C}PP/W Colour Silent Work Print
{C}PP/FH Colour Silent Release Print Full Height frame
{C}PRP Colour Silent Reversal Release Print
{C}PRP/A Colour Silent Reversal Release Print A-type
{C}PRP/A/W Colour Silent Reversal Work Print A-type
{C}PRP/B Colour Silent Reversal Release Print B-type
{C1}C(AM)DN Colour Composite (as mute) Dupe neg
{C1}C(AM)MP Colour Composite (as mute) Master pos
{C1}CP Colour Composite Release print
{C1}CP/A Colour Composite Release print A-type
{C1}CP/A/T Colour Composite Trial print A-type
{C1}CP/B Colour Composite Release print B-type
{C1}CP/B/T Colour Composite Trial print B-type
{C1}CP/FH Colour Composite Release print Full Height frame
{C1}MAGP Colour Composite (Mag) Release print
{C1}MAGP/A Colour Composite (Mag) Release print A-type
{C1}MAGP/B Colour Composite (Mag) Release print B-type
{C1}OPN Colour Original Picture Negative
{C1}OPN Colour Original Picture Negative A roll
{C1}OPN Colour Original Picture Negative B roll
{C1}OPN Colour Original Picture Negative C roll
{C1}OPN/AF Colour Original Picture Negative Academy frame
{C1}OPN/FF Colour Original Picture Negative Full frame
{C1}OPN/FH Colour Original Picture Negative Full Height frame
{C1}PDN Colour Picture Duplicate Negative
{C1}PDN/A Colour Picture Duplicate Negative A-type
{C1}PDN/AF Colour Picture Duplicate Negative Academy frame
{C1}PDN/B Colour Picture Duplicate Negative B-type
{C1}PDN/FF Colour Picture Duplicate Negative Full frame
{C1}PDN/FH Colour Picture Duplicate Negative Full Height frame
{C1}PMP Colour Picture Master Positive
{C1}PMP/A Colour Picture Master Positive A-type
{C1}PMP/AF Colour Picture Master Positive Academy frame
{C1}PMP/B Colour Picture Master Positive B-type
{C1}PMP/FF Colour Picture Master Positive Full frame
{C1}PMP/FH Colour Picture Master Positive Full Height frame
{C1}PP/A Colour Silent Release print A-type
{C1}PP/A/T Colour Silent Trial print A-type
{C1}PP/A/W Colour Work print A-type
{C1}PP/AF Colour Silent Release print Academy frame
{C1}PP/AF/T Colour Silent Trial print Academy frame
{C1}PP/B Colour Silent Release print B-type
{C1}PP/B/T Colour Silent Trial print B-type
{C1}PP/B/W Colour Work print B-type
{C1}PP/FF Colour Silent Release print Full frame
{C1}PP/FH Colour Silent Release print Full Height frame
{C1}PP/FF/T Colour Silent Trial print Full frame
{C1}PP/W Colour Work print
{C1}PR(I)N Colour Reversal (Intermediate) Neg [CRI]
{C1}PR(I)N/AF Colour Reversal (Intermediate) Neg [CRI] Academy frame
{C1}PR(I)N/FF Colour Reversal (Intermediate) Neg [CRI] Full frame
{C2}CRP Colour Composite Reversal Release print
{C2}CRP/A Colour Composite Rever