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How it works

Ten touchpoints, in order, with realistic timing.

What to expect when you send a collection to Film Preservation Lab. Every email, every page, every decision you’ll make. We’ve mapped the whole flow so there are no surprises and no points where you’re wondering whether something’s stuck.

Typical turnaround
3–5 weeks
Quote sent
Instant
Charged
At the end
Approvals
Before scanning

Looking for the operational depth — what we do at each phase, what deliverables come out, the technical detail behind each step? See Inside the lab →

01 · The pipeline view

Where your order sits, at a glance.

The same seven-step pipeline tracker appears on your order page from the moment you submit. Active step in green, completed steps with checkmarks, upcoming steps muted. No login required to see it.

PipelineStep 4 / 7·Approved
  1. Quote sent
  2. Inbound shipping
  3. At the lab
  4. Approved
  5. In production
  6. Billing
  7. Returning

Above: example for an order in the “Approved” stage. The same component renders for every order; the active step shifts as your order moves through the lab.

02 · Customer touchpoints

Every email, every page, in order.

Ten distinct moments where you'll either hear from us or take an action. Below each card: where the moment happens, how long it typically takes, and what you'll need to do (if anything).

  1. Step 0101

    You submit an estimate

    Wizard at /startUnder 2 minutes

    You answer six short questions about what you have — film footage, tape count, photos, scanning tier, output format. The wizard produces a structured estimate with every line item visible. You enter contact + address details and submit. No payment is collected at this step.

    Your moveSubmit the wizard. You land directly on your order page.
  2. Step 0202

    Order-received email arrives

    Inbox · /orders/[your-id]Within seconds of submitting

    A confirmation email lands with your reference number, a magic link to your order tracking page, and a summary of what you submitted. The link is signed and time-limited. Bookmark it — no login required.

    Email subjectEstimate received — FPL-2026-XXXXXX
  3. Step 0303

    You pack and ship

    Email + tracking pageWithin one business day, you have the prepaid label

    We email a prepaid FedEx or UPS label and packing instructions. The order page tracks where things stand: label sent, in transit to the lab. You drop the box at any FedEx or UPS location.

    Email subjectYour prepaid shipping label — FPL-2026-XXXXXX
    Your movePrint the label, pack per the checklist, hand off to the carrier.
  4. Step 0404

    We confirm receipt and start inspecting

    Email + tracking page status updatesSame day your package arrives

    We log every reel, tape, and photo, photograph anything that warrants documentation, and start the per-item inspection. Your order page status shifts from "in transit" to "at the lab."

    Email subject(Status only — no email until the report is ready)
  5. Step 0505

    Condition report arrives

    Email + interactive review on tracking page3–5 business days after receipt

    A per-item report with our findings: format confirmation, measured footage or count, any issues we found, and any proposed surcharges (damaged media, additional cleaning, etc.). Each surcharge has a plain-language reason and a price.

    Email subjectCondition report ready — FPL-2026-XXXXXX
  6. Step 0606

    You review and approve

    Tracking page · per-line approve/decline14-day response window

    Click through to the tracking page and approve or decline each proposed surcharge individually. Decline any line and we return that item unprocessed at no charge. If we don't hear back in 14 days, we continue with the standard scope so your order isn't held up — surcharges become negotiable at final invoice time, not auto-applied.

    Your moveApprove, decline per-item, or do nothing — we proceed either way.
  7. Step 0707

    Scanning and post-processing

    Tracking page status updates1–3 weeks

    Frame-by-frame scanning at the resolution and color depth you ordered, then color correction, audio sync where applicable, quality checks, and final encoding. The pipeline tracker on your order page shows progress through each stage. We send a midpoint update if it tracks past three weeks.

    Email subjectScanning has started · then ready-to-ship update
  8. Step 0808

    Final invoice from Stripe

    Email · Stripe-hosted invoiceWithin one business day of work completion

    A proper invoice with measured charges (not estimates) plus actual return shipping cost. Sent from Stripe, paid by card via their hosted page — we never see your card details. Your tracking page shows the same total and a link to pay.

    Email subjectYour final invoice — FPL-2026-XXXXXX
  9. Step 0909

    You pay and your files release

    Stripe checkout · Vault accessFiles release immediately on payment

    Pay the invoice. The Stripe webhook flips your order to paid, your Vault access goes live, and your originals are packed for return shipment with insured tracking — same-day shipout.

    Email subjectFiles released — Vault access for FPL-2026-XXXXXX
    Your movePay the invoice. Watch your inbox for Vault access.
  10. Step 1010

    Originals come back

    Carrier tracking · email confirmation2–4 business days from invoice payment

    Your originals arrive back via insured, tracked shipping. Delivery confirmation closes out the order. Your Vault access stays live for the included Y1 period; renew to keep it active longer.

    Email subjectYour originals are on the way back
03 · Realistic timing

How long does this actually take?

Your mileage will vary with collection size, format mix, and how quickly you respond to the condition report. Here's the realistic range for a typical mid-size order.

  1. 0–1 dayQuote → label sent
  2. 2–4 daysIn-transit to the lab
  3. 3–5 daysInspection → condition report
  4. 0–14 daysYou review the report
  5. 1–3 weeksScanning + post-processing
  6. Same dayFinal invoice → you pay → files release
  7. 2–4 daysOriginals shipped back

Most orders complete in 3–5 weeks end-to-end. Larger collections or rush jobs shift the scanning window. The condition-report response window is the only point where the timeline depends on you, and even then we auto-continue after 14 days so nothing sits indefinitely.

04 · Common questions

Quick answers to the questions most people ask.

A short FAQ scoped to the customer experience. Full FAQ — pricing edge cases, technical specs, institutional workflows — lives at /faq.

  • When am I charged?

    Once, at the end. The estimate at submission is the ceiling — your final invoice reflects measured charges (not estimates) plus actual return shipping. You pay before files release. No deposits, no upfront card collection.

  • What if my actual reel count is different from the estimate?

    We measure at intake and email you the adjusted total before any chargeable work begins. Differences typically come from miscounted reels — common, not a problem. You approve the new number before scanning starts.

  • How do I know where my order is?

    Every email links back to your tracking page. The page shows current status, the 7-step pipeline tracker, your line items, the condition report when it lands, and shipment tracking on both directions.

  • What if I lose the email?

    Reply to any prior FPL email or write to hello@filmpreservationlab.com with your order reference (format FPL-2026-XXXXXX). We resend a fresh tracking link.

See full FAQ →

Get your estimate in under two minutes. No card up front, every line item visible.

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