Preserving working dog home movies

Inventory before editing

List each reel, tape, disc or file and give it a stable identifier. Photograph labels and associated notes before rearranging anything. Record who holds the originals and what they remember about the contents, including uncertainty over dates or people. Preserve that account separately from later research conclusions.

Seek suitable preservation advice

The NFSA’s home-movie collection shows the historical value of everyday amateur footage. For older or unfamiliar media, ask an appropriate archive or preservation professional about handling and transfer rather than repeatedly playing a fragile original. Do not assume a consumer playback device is suitable just because the format appears to fit.

Create a scene index

After a suitable transfer, work from a viewing copy. Note time references, locations, dogs, handlers and tasks, distinguishing confirmed identifications from suggestions. Keep silent footage separate from later commentary so a new voiceover does not become confused with an original soundtrack or contemporary account.

Agree access and publication

Ask contributors how copies may be shared and keep permissions with the catalogue. A family’s ownership of a physical reel and the rights required for public reuse need clarification. Keep an unedited preservation master, document any restoration and maintain backups. A short social edit should remain traceable to the original sequence and its historical context.

Record who performed each transfer and when.

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• NFSA: Home movies collection (opens in a new tab)

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