(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- This week's Made in Chicago feature might make you nostalgic for the old days when not everyone had a video camera on their phone.
The staff at the Chicago Film Archives on West 18th Street works on thousands of old movie reels, many of them home movies that captured a moment in the history of the region. A trip into the climate-controlled film vault is a walk through a gold mine of amateur films of birthday parties, parades and picnics.
The goal here is to preserve the content by digitizing the images.
“I would use the word ‘authenticity’ for what we’re trying to do. We’re focusing more on preservation than on restoration. So, we’re just trying to make it look like a true digital facsimile,” said Olivia Babler, the director of film transfer operations at the archives.
Much of the material would never again see the light of day, if not for the archival operation.
“Even if you don’t think it’s going to have a life outside of your own home, they created a really important little piece of history, and we’re excited to help people access that,” says Rebecca Hall, director of communications and operations.
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram