Case Study: University of Bristol Theatre Collection

Last updated: 18 April 2007
Published in: Managing a project | Finding and using digital media
Tags: case studies | delivery | digital collections | digitisation | workflow

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Summary

How the collection digitised its documents and photographs.

Prepared by the Theatre Collection

Theatre Collection website and search facility.

Contents

1. Aims and objectives of the digitisation project
2. The process
3. The Visualising Theatre Project
4. The Grand Designs Project
5. Illumination: The Magic Lantern Slide Project
6. Project funding and acknowledgements

1. Aims and objectives of the digitisation project

Since its foundation in 1951 the University of Bristol Theatre Collection has become a fully registered museum and research centre dedicated to the study of British theatre history, holding a vast collection of original documents, photographs and artefacts from theatres, actors, designers and much more.

The Collection’s acquisition policy focuses on British theatre history and a large proportion of the holdings come from donations and bequests from enthusiasts and professionals who share the desire to preserve a record of theatre in Britain.

The key aim of the Visualising Theatre Project was to unlock various collections within the Theatre Collection’s archive using digital technologies to provide an accessible online picture library for educational use.

Building on the success of the existing online catalogue and search facility, this project has digitised a selection of the visual holdings (photographs, designs, artwork etc.) so enabling students and other users to view these items via the internet.

Researchers of many disciplines have benefited by having easier access to an important resource for education and research uses.  This online resource has been made be available to promote inter-departmental discussion, facilitate greater use and encourage new research projects.

Following the success of the Visualising Theatre Project which enabled over 1000 images to be displayed online, two additional projects were developed: Grand Designs and Illumination, all of which are covered in this case study.

2. The process

The workflow of the digitisation project was carried out as follows:

1. Retrieval of collection boxes from archive strong room
2. Material layout
3. Selection of material
4. Notes made (references, dates, content)
5. Scanning
6. Optimisation
7. Saving digital versions
8. Re-insertion of materials back into boxes and the archive
9. Copying files for web using catalogue database

A number of different collections within the archives were selected for digitisation. The decision to choose these specific collections was based on a number of factors, which included:

• Whether the Theatre Collection owned or could easily obtain copyright for online publication
• Whether it would be of interest to wide range of researchers
• The size of the collection given the time allocated
• The quality, format and media of the images

Via Adobe Photoshop CS2’s import option scanning was carried out using Epson Scan software in professional mode to ensure control over all settings. Various adjustments (such as cropping, rotation, tonal and contrast levels, and sharpness) were then carried out and versions saved to make the image ready for web delivery.

Diagram 1. Screenshot of the Epson Scan scanning software - click image for larger version

Three versions of each image were saved during the digitisation process:

• A master of the original scan with no edits made other than cropping and rotation to ensure optimum file sizes (TIFF format -longest edge 3600 pixels). This acts as an archival copy of the image for use by Theatre Collection Staff or researchers visiting the Theatre Collection. It can also potentially be supplied to publishers; hence the need for a high resolution scan.
• A display image - this would be the highest quality copy available to users on the web. Adjustments to make it as close to the original as possible could include: cropping, rotation, adjusted tonal and colour levels and sharpness (high quality JPEG - longest edge 500 pixels).
• A thumbnail image - a smaller, lower quality version of the display image (medium quality JPEG - longest edge 150 pixels).

The decision not to save a high quality optimised TIFF image was made based on the following factors:

• Space - Saving two large files per item on the faculty server would take up twice the server space
• Future use - Publishers and researchers requesting the image for use would more than likely apply their own settings to match their own requirements, there was no point in second guessing this.

The existing searchable online catalogue (text only) was used to deliver the newly scanned and formatted images. The access database which held the active information for each item was expanded to include an image data entry section. It was set up to search for the formatted thumbnail image which appeared on the database page. Copyright information and reference details were entered (e.g. the image description field holds the full catalogue reference number) and then both the thumbnail image and display image get copied from the faculty server over to the web server.

Whilst scanning was in process (for larger detailed colour items this could take up to 3 minutes) a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used to note the information about each file - original catalogue reference, photographer / artist, production title, any queries regarding artist or photographer. This spreadsheet was then later used to copy and paste details needed to accompany the image on the web; it was also useful in checking numbers and highlighting errors.

Extensis Portfolio was used as a visual cataloguing system to keep track of the number of items scanned and allowed for an easy to access filing system. Through Portfolio we also added metadata to each image which was used to search for specific files, e.g. the number of photographs taken by Desmond Tripp. The metadata is not currently in use in relation to the web delivery but it has been retained for future reference.

Diagram 2. Screenshot of the Extensis Portfolio cataloguing system - click image for larger version

The final stage of the process was to use Microsoft Access to enter image details into the Theatre Collection catalogue database and copy across the display and thumbnail image versions from our faculty server (where the master TIFF file is held) to the web server. The process is complete when the image appears, successfully linked into the online catalogue on the Theatre Collection Web site.

Diagram 3. Screenshot of the Theatre Collection Web site’s Search Results page - click image for larger version

3. The Visualising Theatre Project

The Visualising Theatre Project digitised a selection of photographs, prints and artwork from the following collections:

• The Bristol Old Vic Company
• The Richard Southern Collection
• John Elvery and Frederick Crooke Design Collections

The Bristol Old Vic Company

With this collection of production photographs we aimed to show the breadth and variety of theatrical productions spanning from 1946 to 1986. This was achieved by choosing one photograph from every production over the 40 years totalling over 780 selected images; ensuring that within each yearly season the key elements of performance were covered, i.e. stage design, costume, actors, lighting, and atmosphere. For the digitised collection to be of most use to the greatest number of researchers it was important to have a range of key elements featured. Above all the chosen image had to portray the ‘essence’ of each production.

We were fortunate in that the collection contained photographs taken by only two photographers, but challenges faced during selecting and scanning included:

• The different photographers styles
  Photographs by Desmond Tripp (1946-66), contain fine detail, subtle lighting and are more often than not staged images with close-up portraits of the lead actors, thus providing less variety to choose from. The scans of these images needed relatively little tonal or sharpness adjustment.

Production Photograph - ‘Volpone’, Bristol Old Vic Company. Black and white photograph by Desmond Tripp (BOV/P/000104)

• In comparison, photographer Derek Balmer (1963-86) took high contrast images that had very little tonal variation between the pitch black and pure white, but he provided more variety in the type of shots, most of which were of the live production. For these photographs the tonal adjustments needed to replicate the original as closely as possible: this took a lot of concentration and time as the scanner’s levels tended to further increase the contrast of the image.

Production Photograph - ‘It’s A Two Foot Six Inches Above The Ground World’, Bristol Old Vic Company. Black and white photograph by Derek Balmer (BOV/P/000271)

• Time
  Selecting 786 images to digitise from a collection of over 11,000 photographs within a time frame of 6 weeks required a clear and organised work schedule which was broken down into a cycle: retrieval, laying out, selection, noting references, scanning, optimisation, saving digital versions and re-insertion of the photographs back into the archive. This cycle was repeated twice a day resulting in the digitisation process averaging as 15 minutes per image.

The Bristol Old Vic Company: Scan details
Format:	Black & white photographs
Size:	A6 (105 × 148mm) - A3 (297 × 420mm)
Image type:	8-bit grayscale
Scan resolution:	300dpi
Scan target size:	3600 pixels on longest edge

The Richard Southern Collection

This collection documents the history of theatre and is particularly strong in the areas of 18th and 19th Century theatre architecture and backstage information. It includes about 22,500 plans, photographs, cuttings, as well as scenery and costume prints. Our aim was to provide an example of each type of catalogued material, particularly those with unusual or rare elements; this might include very well preserved 18th century prints, hand coloured one penny sheets, autographed cabinet cards or original lithographs.

Besides the most obvious task of carefully handling sometimes rare and fragile items, we also found challenges in:

• Textured surfaces
  A good example of an item that was important to digitise accurately was a well preserved penny plain sheet that had been ‘tinselled’ (decorated with small shiny elements) sometime between 1835 and 1850. The high resolution scans we were using to make our master copies ensured the detail was captured effectively and can therefore be used to view the item on screen, preserving the original for longer.
  
  
  Print - Twopence coloured portrait print entitled Mr [Thomas Potter] Cooke as Goyoneche in ‘The Warwoolf of Tlascala’. Published by M & M Skelt. Image as displayed online (RS/A31/0019)
  
  
  Detail of tinselling from TIFF file
• Moiré patterns
  Moiré patterns, more usually associated with scanning items created with modern printing techniques, have previously posed a problem in relation to scanning some of the etchings and engravings in the collection. These interference patterns are caused by the scanner’s fine sampling grid registering the halftone (or finely etched) pattern in the original image. This can be recognised by chequered or herringbone patterns appearing across the image.
  
  Areas of crosshatching were so dense and fine that moiré patterns would have appeared had we not treated the prints using de-screening.
  
  
  Print - Line Engraving entitled Mrs [Charlotte] Goodall as Sir Harry Wildair [in] ‘The Constant Couple’ Act V, Scene 1. De Wilde (pinx), Leney (sculp), 1792. Image as displayed online. (RS/A32/0041)
  
  
  Image displaying moiré interference pattern
  
  
  Detail from TIFF of engraving cross hatching

The Richard Southern Collection: Scan details
Format:	Black & white and colour photographs and prints
Size:	A7 (74 × 105mm) - A3 (297 × 420mm)
Image type:	8-bit grayscale/24-bit colour
Scan resolution:	300dpi
Scan target size:	3600 pixels on longest edge

John Elvery and Frederick Crooke Design Collections

The John Elvery Collection contains original artwork for costume and set designs for over forty productions, including set models, production photographs, as well as personal photographs. The Frederick Crooke Collection is a comprehensive set of original theatre designs, illustrating his work for London Old Vic, Sadler’s Wells and touring productions. In making these designs accessible on the web, our aim was to demonstrate the range of media and techniques employed by Elvery and Crooke in their work.

The key challenges we faced in digitising these 2 collections were:

• Scale
  Some of the pieces were larger than the A3 flatbed scanner we used for the project. Whilst we had the option to photograph the larger pieces, we were concerned we would not get the same level of detail that we had so far achieved with the other collections. We undertook a test to see how scanning the larger formats in 2 parts and digitally stitching them together would work. This method of overlaying the two scans and matching them up along a common line worked well enough to display the whole image online whilst retaining the detail in the master TIFF file.
  
  
  Scanned in 2 parts arrows indicate joining point, Costume Design - The Alchemist (John Blythe as Subtle) by John Elvery, Leeds Playhouse.  Image as displayed online (TCD/C/000541)
• Colour
  Some designs were drawn or painted onto a variety of coloured paper and card. Due to subtle shades and textures, the scanner had trouble balancing the tones for an accurate digital copy particularly for those papers with a yellow hue. A lot of time was spent adjusting the colour and tonal contrast using the curves and variations tools whilst referring to the original archive item to make a more truthful representation of the design.

Top half of image after adjustments, bottom half as originally scanned. Set Design - ‘Something’s Afoot’ (staircase) by John Elvery, Bristol Old Vic. (TCD/S/000453)

John Elvery and Frederick Crooke Design Collections: Scan details
Format:	Black & white and colour drawings and paintings
Size:	A6 (105 × 148mm) - A3 (297 × 420mm)
Image type:	8-bit grayscale/24-bit colour
Scan resolution:	300dpi
Scan target size:	3600 pixels on longest edge

4. The Grand Designs Project

As part of the Grand Designs Project a selection of photographs, artwork and documents were digitised from the The Julia Trevelyan Oman Archive.

Designer Julia Trevelyan Oman’s archive, which includes work for television, theatre, ballet and opera, provides us with an insight into a way of working that was thoroughly researched and highly detailed. This uniquely detailed archive gave us an opportunity to take an in-depth approach to the process of design. The ‘Merchant of Venice’ was chosen for its mass appeal; the quality and quantity of the supportive work and also it clearly demonstrated the design method.

Challenges faced when selecting and scanning designs for this production included:

• Variety of materials on any one item
  Getting the best digital copies of an array of materials ranging from subtle watercolours to fabric samples, fine pencil drawings to typewriter text required constant checking of the settings. The selection procedure included consideration of the visual quality of the material in relation to how it would eventually display on screen to ensure consistency when viewed as a collection online.
  
  
  Julia Trevelyan Oman, designer for ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (National Theatre): Original photocopy of design with fabric samples attached. Image as displayed online (JTO/016/001)
• Fragility
  Due to the way in which Julia displayed and mounted her designs the decision was made by the archivist to retain the original A3 design boards, staples, tape and all. Each of the boards were inserted into individual melinex pockets to ensure that the various attached elements would remain in place in the event of handling. Despite this precautionary measure, there were still instances where samples, photographs or sketches had come loose from the backing board and it was for this reason we decided to scan each image through the plastic sheet to prevent further damage.
  
  The result of this was the scanned images had a very obvious yellow hue. Through making various adjustments to the colour balance and saturation we were able to treat each image with the same settings to make it as close to the original as possible.

TIFF before adjustments (JTO/016/050)


After adjustments - Julia Trevelyan Oman, design for ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (National Theatre): mounted display boards showing watercolour for Jessica’s costumes and jewellery. Image as displayed online (JTO/016/050)

The Julia Trevelyan Oman Archive: Scan details
Format:	Black & white and colour drawings, paintings, photographs and text
Size:	A7 (74 × 105mm) - A3 (297 × 420mm)
Image type:	8-bit grayscale/24-bit colour
Scan resolution:	300dpi
Scan target size:	3600 pixels on longest edge

5. Illumination: The Magic Lantern Slide Project

Illumination: The Magic Lantern Slide Project digitised all of The Magic Lantern Slide Collection.

The magic lantern slide show was used to educate, entertain and mystify audiences in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.

The Illumination Project has enabled their conservation, cataloguing, digital preservation and created part online and part off-line access to this amazingly important visual resource. This project was funded by the Bristol Institute for Research in the Humanities and Arts (BIRTHA) and Arts Faculty Research Directors Fund.

The Theatre Collection archives contain 400 magic lantern slides which until now have been un-viewable. The slides within this collection cover a remarkable range of subject matter; drama and performance, history of art, classics, archaeology, geography, social history and theology.

Slides fell into two categories:

• Sets of story slides, mostly photographs that had been hand-coloured, dating from 1880 - 1900

Lantern Slide - ‘The Life Boat’. From life models. Produced by Bamforth. Hand-coloured photograph. Photographer: unknown. Image as displayed online (TCP/LS/000005)

• Black and white reference and lecture slides dating from 1910 - 1950

Lantern Slide - Celtic crosses in Kells and Monasteboice, Ireland. Possibly c.1910s Photographer: Unknown. Copyright holder: Untraceable, contact the University of Bristol Theatre Collection. (TCP/LS/000021)

The construction of a lantern slide consists of two sheets of square glass between which the photographic image is sandwiched. The glass is bound together by tape around all four edges.

To enable us to record the slides accurately we purchased a flatbed scanner that could scan both opaque documents and slides. Slide scanning was achieved by removing a panel in the lid of the scanner which contained a backlight for transparent image capture.

Challenges faced included:

• Scanning Object/Image
  When scanning a sample of the lantern slide collection for the first time using the newly purchased scanner with the backlight in operation we discovered that only the image as projected was captured. Whilst the image was good, it didn’t reflect the slide as an object. Magic lantern slides hold many clues in the way in which they are made, labels and titles adorn the glass, taping can vary from one collection to another and we wanted to ensure this information was recorded. The decision was made to take 2 scans of the hand-coloured slides; one using the scanner with flatbed panel in place, thus producing a scan of the ‘object’ and the second with the panel removed using the backlight (to shine through the transparent areas of the slide), giving a copy of what would be the projected image.
  
  The ‘object’ scan gave a clear idea of the slide’s construction, condition and labelling. However, the slide’s photographic image became fuzzy due to the scanner light penetrating the 2 layers of glass and causing a shadow effect against the panel in the lid.

‘Object’ scan of Lantern Slide - ‘Nellie’s Prayer’. From life models. Produced by Bamforth. Hand-coloured photograph. Photographer: unknown. Image as displayed online (TCP/LS/000006)

• The fuzziness was resolved and the image became clear when using the backlight to scan the slide.

‘Projected Image’ scan of Lantern Slide as above. Image as displayed online (TCP/LS/000006)

• In the cases of the black and white historical reference slides, as they were very similar to one another, we opted to produce 2 example ‘object’ scans for each run. Time restraints would not allow for the whole collection to be processed in the same way as the colour slides and there was nothing to be gained from this anyway, given the conformity of the slides and lack of labelling.
  
  The slides were kept in the same position on the scanner screen for both scans to ensure limited handling. Scanner settings were changed for every set of 4 slides and the panel in the lid removed and then replaced according to which scan type we were making.
• Vulnerability of the media
  Such is the construction and age of the magic lantern slides that additional precautions had to be taken to ensure the safety of the collection when scanning. Due to the size of the scanner screen slides could only be scanned in small batches of 4 using a film area guide. Archival gloves were used to handle the slides at all times, preventing further grease and dirt from building up on the scanner and slides. In cases where the tape had worn away, so exposing sharp glass edges (or indeed chipped / broken glass edges) we were concerned they would scratch the scanner screen. To avoid this we laid the slide down tape edge first, and wearing gloves at all times, gently rested the slide onto the screen.

‘Object’ scan shows worn tape exposing sharp edges. Lantern Slide - ‘Rare Metal: A Story of City Life’. From life models. Produced by Bamforth. Hand-coloured photograph. Photographer: unknown. Image as displayed online (TCP/LS/000004)

Unlike any of the other collections, the magic lantern slide files were batch processed to create the web display and thumbnail images. This was due to the fact that no optimisations were made, the very high resolution gave sharp copies and we left the tonal and colour levels as they were when scanned. Without a lantern slide to view a genuine projection of the images, we had no way of knowing whether the levels were true or not. Photoshop’s image processor script was used to batch process the files and therefore provided a timesaving shortcut to this part of the digitising cycle.

The Magic Lantern Slide Project: Scan details
Format:	Black & white and colour lantern slides
Size:	82 × 82mm
Image type:	8-bit grayscale/24-bit colour
Scan resolution:	300dpi
Scan target size:	3600 pixels on longest edge

6. Project funding and acknowledgements

The Visualising Theatre Project was implemented in 2006. It was funded by MLA South West Programme Development Fund, the University of Bristol Alumni Foundation, the Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fund and the Faculty of Arts Research Director’s Fund. The project was carried out as an Arts and Business skills bank scheme.

Vital input was provided by our project partners: Institute of Physics Publishing, particularly Kerry Hopkins’ contribution to the skills bank scheme, JISC Digital Media for technical and professional advice regarding digitisation and University of Bristol Information Services for implementation; without all of which the project would not be possible.

Theatre Collection website and search facility.

Last updated: 18 April 2007
Published in: Managing a project | Finding and using digital media
Tags: case studies | delivery | digital collections | digitisation | workflow

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