R3store Studios

What R3store Studios does

R3store Studios is a London-headquartered specialist film restoration and digitisation studio founded in 2016 by veterans of the BBC's restoration and archive division, serving film archives, broadcasters, entertainment distributors, sports organisations and cultural institutions. Its core offering is a proprietary 10-step workflow — covering identification, inspection and repair, ultrasonic cleaning, scanning, grading, picture restoration, audio restoration, quality control, storage and despatch — delivered on high-end equipment including the DFT Scanity HDR scanner for 16mm and 35mm up to 4K, MWA Choice for small-gauge formats up to 2K, Digital Vision Nucoda grading suites, Digital Phoenix for automated digital restoration, and Cedar/Pro Tools for audio. Notable technical differentiators include sprocket-less scanning for damaged or fragile film and custom XML delivery programs per client.

The business is project-based professional services with quote-based pricing; clients include BFI (Unlocking Film Heritage covering over 10,000 titles), BBC Archives, Arrow Films, AP Archive (over 1.7 million stories in scope), AELTC/Wimbledon, IMG, Northern Ireland Screen, Yorkshire Film Archive, Tate, Imperial War Museum, Natural History Museum, Royal Geographical Society, Nestlé Heritage, meemoo and the Irish Film Institute. Revenue streams span film digitisation, film restoration, tape digitisation and duplication, managed LTO5/6 archival storage, and the R3el footage licensing sub-brand, which monetises rare 35mm content including Index Film and TV archive material and what the company describes as NASA's largest footage collection.

In April 2024 R3store Studios and R3el were acquired by Underground Vaults & Storage (UV&S), a Hutchinson, Kansas-based secure storage provider for the film and entertainment industry with facilities in the US, UK and France, vertically integrating physical storage with digital services. The US studio in Wichita, Kansas became fully operational in January 2025 under directors Shawn Rhodes and Shane Dillon, and in October 2025 R3store was appointed a Framework Partner for the BFI, with an expanded audio suite added in November 2025. Jo Griffin continues as Digital & Restoration Director; Dean Monahan is Group Managing Director for UK UV&S operations.

Name

R3store Studios

Legal name

R3store Studios

Website

https://r3storestudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

R3store Studios is a London-based specialist film restoration and digitisation studio serving archives, broadcasters, distributors, sports bodies and cultural institutions worldwide with 2K/4K scanning, grading, picture and audio restoration, and archival storage, now operating under UV&S with a US studio in Wichita, Kansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Restoration and Digitization Services

NAICS

Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Sound Recording Studios (512240)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Restoration & Remastering (4K/8K Scan, Image Stabilization, Dirt/Scratch Removal) (MPADAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Film Scanning & Digitization (Telecine, Frame-by-Frame, Metadata Capture) (MPADAMAE), Audio Restoration & Remastering (Noise Reduction, De-Click, Re-Mix) (MPADAMAD), Color Restoration & Grading for Legacy Content (HDR/SDR Remaster) (MPADAMAC), Format Migration & Media Refresh (Tape-to-File, File-to-File, LTO Refresh) (MPADAMAH), Access & Distribution for Archives (Restored Masters, DCP Creation, Screening Deliverables) (MPADAMAJ)

Keywords

• Film restoration services
• Film digitization scanning
• Archive preservation services
• Post-production grading
• Video tape digitization

Headquarters

HQ city

London (Stratford)

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Film Digitization Services: Project-based film scanning services for archives and entertainment companies, converting analog film to digital formats from SD/HD through to 2K/4K resolution.
2. Film Restoration Services: Professional restoration services including picture restoration, audio restoration, and color grading using specialized software and manual frame-by-frame work.
3. Tape Digitization & Duplication: Conversion and duplication of video tapes to digital formats.
4. Content Licensing (via R3el): R3el is the footage licensing branch offering digitized and restored stock footage to filmmakers and commercial enterprises.
5. Digital Archive Storage Services: LTO5/6 backup services and digital asset management with MD5 checksum verification for long-term preservation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

R3store Studios provides professional film and video restoration, digitization, grading, audio restoration, and digital archival storage services to archives, broadcasters, studios, and cultural institutions. It operates a proprietary 10-step workflow handling analog film formats (8mm, 9.5mm, 16mm, 35mm) up to 4K resolution, complemented by tape digitization, DCP/DCDM creation, LTO backup, and a footage licensing arm (R3el).

Product overview

R3store Studios is a film restoration and digitization studio offering a comprehensive suite of services to preserve and restore analog film archives. The company's core offering is its 10-step workflow that includes: Film Preparation & Cleaning, 2K/4K Film Scanning (using DFT Scanity HDR and MWA Choice equipment), Grading & Colouration (via Digital Vision Nucoda), Film Restoration (combining automated Phoenix software with manual frame-by-frame work), Audio Restoration (using Cedar/Pro Tools), Transcoding & Encoding, Quality Control, Tape Duplicating, DCP/DCDM Creation, and LTO Storage solutions. The subsidiary brand R3el provides footage licensing for the digitized content. The company operates from London (UK) and Wichita, Kansas (US), serving archives, film studios, broadcasters, and cultural institutions worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• R3el: Footage licensing platform showcasing rare 35mm film footage, including aviation, exotic locations, NASA footage, and Index Film and TV archive content

Products and services

• Film Preparation & Cleaning Physical inspection and preparation of incoming film materials, including identification, monitoring, repair of loose joins and sprocket damage, and ultrasonic cleaning of the film surface prior to scanning. Used by film archives, studios, and broadcasters to ready delicate or damaged originals for digital capture.
• 2K/4K Film Scanning High-resolution film digitization using DFT Scanity HDR for 16mm and 35mm film up to 4K resolution, and MWA Choice for Super 8mm, Standard 8mm, and 9.5mm up to 2K. Sprocket-less scanning capability enables digitization of the most delicate and damaged materials.
• Grading & Colouration Colour grading and luminance adjustment performed on Digital Vision Nucoda grading suites, producing fully graded DPX files for downstream mastering and distribution.
• Film Restoration Picture restoration combining automated Digital Phoenix processing (image stabilization, dirt, flicker, and scratch removal) with manual frame-by-frame restoration for severely degraded material.
• Audio Restoration Audio restoration using Cedar software within Pro Tools to remove hiss and clicks, with final tracks synchronized to the graded DPX files.
• Transcoding & Encoding Encoding of WAV audio files synchronized with graded DPX files into any requested distribution file format.
• Film & Tape Quality Control Quality control review of film and video materials to ensure compliance with delivery standards prior to despatch.
• Tape Duplicating Tape duplication services for analog and digital formats for broadcasters and rights holders.
• DCP and DCDM Creation Digital Cinema Package (DCP) and Digital Cinema Distribution Master (DCDM) creation for theatrical distribution of restored catalog titles.
• Film & Tape Transfer Transfer of film and tape content to digital formats for clients requiring additional digitization services beyond the core workflow.
• LTO Storage & Backup Long-term digital storage and backup using LTO5 and LTO6 tapes in LTFS format with MD5 checksum verification for long-term preservation.
• R3el Footage Licensing Footage licensing platform licensing over 90 hours of rare 35mm film footage, including aviation, exotic locations, NASA's largest footage collection, and Dirk Bogarde's personal collection, to filmmakers, documentary makers, and commercial enterprises.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 film titles restored as part of the BFI's Unlocking Film Heritage project
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Underground Vaults & Storage (UV&S)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2024In April 2024, UV&S acquired R3store Studios and its licensing branch R3el. UV&S is an industry leader in secure storage solutions for the film and entertainment industry, operating from salt mine facilities 650 feet underground in Hutchinson, KS, with locations in US, UK, and France. This acquisition enables UV&S to expand into digital services supporting their film/entertainment storage clients.
• Digital VisioncoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital Vision provides Nucoda colour grading and mastering solutions used in R3store's editing suites. Nucoda is used worldwide on many well-known films, commercials, documentaries, music videos, and television programs.
• DFT (Scanity)coreTechnology or IntegrationDFT has been at the forefront of film scanning technology for over 75 years. R3store uses DFT's Scanity HDR scanner for high-quality film scanning for post-production, archive, and restoration markets.
• Film LockerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm Locker are specialists in digital film storage & archiving and are one of R3store's trusted partners.
• BlissTek / Bliss IPflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlissTek operates as parent company with three branded divisions: Digital Vision World, R3store Studios, and R3el, vertically integrated across software, services, and content sales. Bliss IP is also creative force behind Everyman Cinema chain.
• FIAF (International Federation of Film Archives)coreOthersFIAF has been dedicated to the preservation of, and access to, the world's film heritage since 1938. It brings together the world's leading non-profit institutions in this field. R3store is an approved supplier of the ARA (Archives and Records Association).
• FOCAL InternationalcoreOthersThe Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries International is a professional not-for-profit trade association formed in 1985 and is recognised as one of the leading voices in the industry.
• Archives and Records Association (ARA)minorOthersARA is the lead professional body for archivists, archive conservators and records managers in the UK. R3store is an approved supplier of the ARA.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FotoKem: US-based post-production and film services company with film restoration, scanning, and archival capabilities. Comparable as a North American direct competitor, particularly relevant given R3store's US expansion into Wichita.
• L'Immagine Ritrovata: Bologna-based film restoration laboratory, founded by the Cineteca di Bologna. Directly comparable as a high-end film restoration and digitisation house serving archives, studios, and distributors worldwide, with similar specialisation in handling damaged and rare film elements.
• Cinetech: UK-based film and broadcast post-production house with film restoration and archive digitisation services. Directly comparable as a UK competitor serving archives, broadcasters, and independent producers with film scanning and restoration.
• Prasad Studios: Indian film post-production and restoration services provider serving both Bollywood and international archives. Comparable as a global film restoration peer with scanning, grading, and archive-grade digitisation capabilities.
• Colorlab: Maryland-based film laboratory offering film processing, scanning, and restoration services. Directly comparable specialist handling 16mm/35mm and archival work, serving US archives and independent filmmakers.
• Cinelab: UK-based film laboratory offering film scanning, restoration, and post-production services. Directly comparable as a domestic competitor to R3store in the UK archive and remastering market, with overlapping film and tape handling capabilities.
• Haghefilm/Digitaal: Dutch film restoration and digitisation laboratory affiliated with the EYE Filmmuseum. Directly comparable as a European archive-focused restoration house with extensive experience handling delicate and damaged film elements.

Emerging players

• SonicPool: US post-production facility offering film and tape restoration, digitisation, and audio services. Comparable as a smaller commercial restoration peer serving broadcasters and content owners, with overlapping audio restoration capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Deluxe (now part of DNEG): Global post-production and media services company (formerly Deluxe), offering film restoration, colour grading, and asset management. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping restoration capabilities, though operating at far greater scale across multiple service lines.
• Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging: In-house film scanning and restoration unit of Warner Bros., handling the studio's catalog remastering. Comparable as a large incumbent offering the same core film restoration and 4K scanning services, but as part of a major studio's internal pipeline rather than as a third-party specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/r3storestudios
• Facebookfacebook.com/R3storestudios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/r3store

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about R3store Studios