Automated Super 8mm Film Restoration (Grau du Roi) with Film9, Avisynth and Virtualdub

Short example of what is possible in film restauration with free software. Thanks to Film9 (kind of an Avisynth GUI) and Virtualdub2

Originally recorded 1980 on Kodak Super 8 mm film

Workflow:
2) Removal of duplicates (to restore the 18 fps Super 8 frame by frame)
3) First Processing with Film9 to remove grain and many scratches. At the same time Auto-White-Balance and interpolate to 25 fps for smoothness
4) Color correction with Virtualdub2 (Color Mill Plugin). At the same time Stabilize with Deshaker Plugin (2-Pass)
5) Second run with Film9 for a slight additional touch of sharpness (lowest possible setting)
6) Cutting with shotcut

Next time I will do the interpolation to 25 fps in the second run with Film9 because it introduces issues with motion sabilisation that could have been avoided.

It also shows the limitation of automated restoration: note the water dripping from the trees at 3:55 which can be seen in the original but not as good in the restored version. The fast moving drops are misjudged as "dirt" because the are not appearing in the previous and next frame at the aproximate location...

[remcostreng]

This looks really great! Thanks for sharing!
I have one question: in stead of converting from 24fps to 18fps in Avisynth would it also be possible to do this in virtualdub2? I see an option in the menu where you can change to FPS.

[atillart]

Hi, can you explain how you stabilize with "deshaker" on virtualdub please ? (And your parameter) thank you in advance !

[CZghost]

Nice work. However the stain in top right corner quite bothered me. No way to remove it?

[MGoudsmits]

it does not sound automated looking at all the steps in your description

[NostalgicTribe]

Film 9 wouldnt work on my computer. I have windows 10. I run editors all the time. But none of this type of software could I get to work. Always had errors.

[antonharboe_]

you said that you pyt the sharpening to the lowest possible setting. Does that mean that blur is on 0 and sharp on 1?

[Cedimedi]

How did you remove the duplicate frames? I have some rendered footage at 25fps, but it should be 18fps to restore frame by frame

[deedee_]

Can you put link to your film9 script?