Abstract / topic summary
Preservation begins long before the scanner is turned on.
This presentation documents the physical realities facing Suspilne Mediateka — the open digital archive of UA:PBC, Ukraine's Public Broadcasting Company — as it works to identify, relocate, and digitize film collections from regional broadcasters across Ukraine, including institutions operating in or near active conflict zones.
We will walk through what we found: unlabeled, deteriorating 16mm and 35mm reels stored in conditions far from any archival standard, in buildings with uncertain futures. We will describe the logistical and institutional challenges of relocating these materials — the decisions made under pressure, the losses already sustained, and the improvised workflows that emerged when standard practice was not an option.
Against this backdrop, we present the digitization process itself: film scanning, physical inspection protocols, metadata creation for materials with incomplete or absent documentation, and the challenge of building a sustainable workflow inside a broadcaster that is simultaneously covering a war.
The films being digitized range from newsreel fragments to Soviet-era documentary and propaganda titles — among them The Incorruptible Truth of Life and Myths and Reality — materials that carry both historical and critical value precisely because they survived at all.
We close with an open question for the community: what does "good enough" preservation look like when the alternative is nothing? And what can institutions in stable environments do — technically and institutionally — to support archives working under extreme conditions?
Speaker summary
Oleksandra Osnach
Oleksandra Osnach is a film digitisation specialist at Suspilne, Ukraine’s public broadcaster, with three years of professional experience in audiovisual archival projects. Her work focuses on the preservation and digitisation of film materials, including the handling of fragile and damaged film, preparation of physical carriers, and the scanning process. At Suspilne, Oleksandra works with film archives to ensure that audiovisual materials are safely prepared for digitisation and preserved for future generations. She has contributed to optimising workflows for working with physical film carriers and improving the efficiency and continuity of the scanning process, helping to ensure that digitisation work can continue without unnecessary interruptions. Her professional interests include film preservation, archival workflows, the challenges of digitising fragile and damaged film materials, and the role of digitisation in safeguarding audiovisual heritage. Working in the context of Ukraine’s ongoing cultural preservation efforts, she is particularly interested in practical approaches to preserving film heritage and making archival collections accessible for future generations.
