Archives hold original video recordings in a range of types, from media-dependent, carrier-based analogue videotapes to computer-file-based digital recordings. The appropriate preservation treatments for this array reflect the variation in the source recordings. For analogue videotapes, for example, digitisation is called for. Meanwhile, examples of digital file-based recording may require rewrapping into a fresh file “wrapper” or a combination of digital transcoding and rewrapping.
When complete, IASA-TC 06 will cover the full range of topics in the preceding paragraph, as well as providing advice on shooting ethnographic, documentary, and oral history video footage in a manner that maximizes its “preserve-ability”.
IASA-TC 06 is being disseminated in phases. At a high level, there are two dissemination phases:
- Initial edition, publicly accessible in early 2018: focus on the preservation of video recordings on conventional carriers. For the most part, this means the digitization of analogue videotapes, but it also encompasses the transfer of content from some types of digital videotapes.
- Expanded edition, access planned for in 2019: discussion of the preservation of digital-file-based video formats and the transfer of digitally encoded recordings in videotape form (which may entail transcoding and/or rewrapping). Additional sections are anticipated that pertain to metadata and the production of new recordings in preservable formats.