EP man receives Emmy for software used to digitally restore TV shows

Kevin Manbeck of Eden Prairie is part of a team that received an Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy on Oct. 23 from the Television Academy. Manbeck, chief technology officer of MTI FILM, and others were honored for the development of the DRS Nova film and video restoration software.

The digital restoration software, according to Brian Gaffney, MTI FILM’s vice president of product, is used for restoring TV shows back to their original form and sometimes remastering them from standard definition to ultra-high definition for viewing on modern television sets. Television shows which have been restored using this software include the “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” stop-motion animated special, “Seinfeld,” “Bewitched,” “Star Trek: the Next Generation,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Married with Children,” “The X-Files,” “Outlander,” “NYPD Blue,” and “Columbo.”

The software is used by film labs, post-production facilities, and archival facilities for tasks such as restoring aging film stock, enhancing visual quality, and preparing content for television broadcast, streaming, or Blu-ray distribution.

In its press release regarding the 76th Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards, the Television Academy stated, “By empowering professionals to achieve their creative vision while maintaining the integrity of the original content, DRS Nova has played a pivotal role in preserving cinematic heritage and elevating the quality of visual storytelling across various platforms.”

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Also listed on the product award, which is limited to four people, were Stuart German, John Mertus, and Michael Braca. MTI FILM CEO Larry Chernoff also received a statue and certificate.