The analysis, detection and correction of flicker and stain artifact in degraded motion pictures

Abstract

When I have finally arrived at the last section of this thesis that I have been writing, my feeling is mixed. Like a sailor who has set sail for a solo seafaring adventure and finally reached the destination, there is only one word that ca~best describe how I feel at this very moment: RELIEVED! Over the years, metaphorically, I have traversed over immense spans of water spaces and sailed through many treacherous waters, at times with ocean waves rising as high as mountains. I have also sailed into numerous stormy weathers, with days as dark as nights and the sun was no where to be found to give me directions. On the more smooth-sailing part of my journey, I have visited bays of breathtaking scenery, seen a kaleidoscope of unnamed faunas and floras, and have also collected from different. shores pebbles of extreme beauty. I am grateful to have gone on this wonderful trip, and it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction that I have the chance to take back some of these beautiful pebbles to share with you. These pebbles are actually the collection of all the flicker correction and stain removal algorithms that have come out from the work of this thesis, which I feel is most aptly likened to a seafaring adventure, with all the elements of unknown throughout. Now is the time for me to say thank you to a number of people, who have in one way or another, helped made my trip possible. I would like first to thank Dr. M.N. Chong, the person who took me to a boat one day many years ago, pointed his finger to the far horizon and told me to set sail into the then unknown world of "motion picture restoration". Despite the rough voyage, I am still grateful to him for opening up a new world to me.