Washington State University Intercollegiate Athletics Football Films, 1940-1989

The collection consists of small accessions of film from WSU football games; unlike earlier collections, much of this film was unlabeled and thus identifications here are frequently partially incomplete. A number indicate footage spliced together perhaps from different games. Note that often the "splicing" consists of masking tape. Consequently viewing of the film will require care.

In films not labeled, identification of teams and dates was made by looking at about a dozen feet of the film on a light table, if possible recognizing team uniforms, and sometimes then being able to assign a date for the opponent based on WSU schedules for the 1970s. Assumed is that the reel contains footage from the same game, but that was not confirmed.

Because undated films shared many similarities with dated film including the 16 mm film format and WSU uniform style, they presumably also originated in the same period as the identified ones, the 1970s. Estimates of film length were based on film footage while conclusions regarding audio were based on whether the film was perforated on one or both sides of the image. Double-perforated film does not allow for audio although a separate magnetic track sound reel may be available. Single-perforated films allow for an optical sound track.

The 1984 "highlight" items are 16 mm A and B rolls in their original metal case. A and B rolls are used to create effects such as fades and dissolves by alternating scenes back and forth from one roll to the next and back. For example, the A roll may have the even-numbered shots with black leader film between them and the B roll the odd-numbered ones. The metal case housing the A and B rolls includes the 4x6-inch cards with instructions for the processing laboratory (Alpha Cine Lab in Seattle) about how to edit the two rolls together along with a paper data tape with more information to sync the rolls in post-print production. The A and B rolls and the sound track are run through the contact printer in three passes to create a negative. The separate sound track is missing.

In contrast to the 16 mm film, the digital video copies are clearly identified games played from 1940 to 2006. But unlike the WSU produced 16mm films, the copyright for the DVDs may not be held by WSU.