Page 11 - RD_2000-12

H
Thcr'l' arc also m<my ways to lessen the odour, but these will not stop deterioration, and ultimately
the lilm may not smell so bad, but it will be guaranteed un-runable.

To date nobody has come up with a conclusive answer to repairing film damaged by Vinegar
Syndnunc.
What has to he: considered is finding a substance that acts as a plasticiser on Triacetate film base,
without clkctivcly laminating the whole film and making it un-showable because it can no longer
be l(lcuscd, due to the additional thickness of the film base caused by the plasticising agent

4 -1'rt'tllmenl
In several years or running a small film archive and theatre in Queensland, where temperature and
humidity vary dramatically, the Vinegar Syndrome problem was certainly prone to damage prints
easily. /\lthou~·.h cold storage was a viable option for us, it did nothing about keeping the film in a
useable condition.

/\Her much experimentation on film that had the Vinegar Syndrome and was not considered
valuable enough to preserve, a solution was found that not only halts the syndrome, but repairs the
damage done to the film as welL

Experimentation was limited to treating effected film with a substance that we were confident would
act as a plasliciser on the substrate, coupled with an agent to lessen the smell during the healing
prm:css.

The early work was prom1smg, but did not appear to be a permanent solution, with Vinegar
Syndrome re-appearing after some 4 to 6 months of initial treatment. Careful microscopic
investigali11n llfthc emulsion showed that although old holes caused by the acetic acid breakthrough
had healed, new holes had formed, seemingly next to the repaired holes.

Slight changes were made to the plasticiser base material, ensuring a higher degree of purity in its
manulitclurc.
Treatment is simple, effective and long lasting, although it is not a permanent solution, with some
prints reacting more favourably than others in terms of how long the treatment lasts. Certainly some
prints, in 1;1ct the vast majority, showing no recurring symptoms after periods of up to two years.

The treatment may be safely reapplied to films over long periods without any damage to the film
being caused by Liquid Film Plasticiser.
'I .iquid Film Plasticiser' is on the market in 25ml bottles fitted with an eye-dropper for ease of
application. Packed with full instructions, the Vinegar Syndrome Elimination Kit will have
sullicicnt 'Liquid Film Plasticiser' to treat about thirty full length 16mm features, or thirty 2,000'
spools or 35mm film. The cost of each repair kit is Australian $60.00 (US$40), posted to anywhere
in tht.: world, you can pay by International Money Order or Bank Cheque, or within Australia only,
by personal Cheque, Money Order, or C.O.D. Postage.

The kit is available only from The Redcliffe Picture Palace, 151 Sutton Street, Redcliffe,
Quccnshmd, Australia 4020. For further inquiries contact the co-ordinator, Peter Goed, on 617 3883
2392, Htx: 617 3283 1394, Email: petergoed@optushome.com.au.