Jakarta, IO – Firdaus, 52, and Budi Ismanto, 40, carried out maintenance on film reels or celluloid at Haji Usmar Ismail Film Center (PPHUI) building, HR Rasuna Said Street, Jakarta (18/12). They dedicate themselves to preserving the precious heritage. With the rapid development of film-making technology, from the analog to the digital era that can be accessed via mobile devices, many do not know how the films were made and maintained.
Celluloid films, made from celluloid tape through a chemical process and displayed through projector, once dominated the film industry. However, with the development of digital recording, the use of celluloid film tape is now increasingly rare. Firdaus and Budi try to preserve this legacy by caring for thousands of rolls of celluloid film stored in the Sinematek Building.
Read: Turning Cow Manure Into Biogas
Their job is not only to ensure the physical preservation of the film, but also to understand the historical value of each reel. In the digital age, analogue film caretakers like them also play the role as custodians of history to ensure that these invaluable works are not lost to time.
(IO/Faisal Ramadhan)