Large film archives tend to store their films in vaults and ideally monitor and maintain a cool and dry environment.  Unfortunately these conditions are not necessarily always available to artist filmmakers or even galleries but this does not mean that the principles behind them should be ignored.

The first part of this section gives information about how a film should be stored as a unit and the second addresses the best conditions and environment for storing films in a non-purpose space, whether at home or in a gallery.

Cores, reels and cans
It’s a good idea to store your films on cores.  This avoids the plastic of a reel and allows them to breath a little more.  3inch cores are preferable over 2 inch as the wind is not so tight but in either case be careful the core does not pop out of the centre. If you want to want to project a film on a core you will need a split reel.  If you do leave your films on reels, make sure the reel is in good condition and not rusty, broken or bent.

Films should be stored in purpose built cans, either plastic or metal, or archival cardboard boxes. Before putting the film away, it should wound evenly and with the emulsion side facing outward.  Ideally the film should be stored tail out to necessitate its rewinding before a screening.  This gives it a chance to breath and a chance for you to check for any weak splices or deterioration.

Nothing should accompany your film once it is put in a can, including a bag for the film.  These other materials may have deteriorating elements, most paper is acidic for example, but they also restrict air -flow.  This in its self can contribute to decay.  For the similar reasons, you should not seal up a can with tape.  This isolates airflow within the can from the air outside. 

Film-cans should be stored flat and piled no higher than 12 inches.

Environmental storage
Film is susceptible to decay whatever the material, but it can be slowed significantly by storing it in a cool and stable environment.

The British Standard recommendations for the storage of back and white safety film is at 16° C and 35% humidity, while colour, which fades far more easily, is recommended -5° C and 30% humidity. 

To translate this to an optimum storage in the home and gallery, you need to find a space that is isolated, dry and cool.  Films that might be used regularly should be kept somewhere with a stable environment. They should be stored away from heating, electrical equipment, drafts, chemicals, windows, sinks and pipes.  Attics can warm in the sun and basements can be very humid: neither is suitable for storage.

If you're not intending to show your films for a few months, you could put them in a purpose only freezer.  You could also do this with your negatives and other master material.  If you do think about freezing, this filmforever website link gives step-by-step guideline s.

www.filmforever.org/chap8.html#chap8_2

This instructs you to seal the film can with tape, place it in a heavy duty zip-lock bag, making sure to get as much air out of the bag as you can, seal the bag and then put it in another bag again, seal that and then place it in your purpose only freezer.   

If you freeze or store films in a stable cold environment, you should really make a stable acclimatisation space too.  The change in conditions can affect the chemical structure of the film.  An acclimatisation space provides a chance for this to happen slowly.  With a frozen film, the acclimatisation temperature should be around halfway between freezing and room temperature.  In this case, failure to do so can lead to problems of condensation.

Sometimes filmmakers leave their original materials in the lab in which they were processed.  If you have done this, or are going to do this, you should question the lab about their facilities and keep a tab on them.  If the lab closes or moves, you could very easily lose your material.