Young man uses artificial intelligence to restore historical films and photos

This young man used artificial intelligence (AI) to restore historical documents, with the hope of helping the younger generation love history more and appreciate the value of peace .

Once an information technology student, but in 2020, Vien Hong Quang (28 years old), living and working in Hanoi , became involved in the path of restoring images and old documentaries.

Quang started restoring from the simplest images. "The first product I restored was a black and white photo of a family. It took me 3 weeks to research and complete. After that, I gradually optimized to produce photos with good quality and high completion," the young man recounted.

Quang started restoring from the simplest images.

NVCC

In addition to knowledge of historical context, image processing techniques are also extremely important. Despite the support of AI, Quang said that processing film footage is not simple. It is necessary to increase the sharpness and frame rate to make the film move most realistically. However, Quang said that the most difficult problem is still the financial issue.

But with a strong love for historical films , this young man has more than 1,000 restored products including images and videos . Quang shared: "When I really want to and seriously spend time on it, there will definitely be results. I don't think about the difficulties but just focus on what I want to do, when I fall, I get up and move forward."

The images and films restored by Quang have great historical significance. Giving historical documents a new look is a bridge between the past and the present.

After 3 years of researching and restoring, one of Quang's most favorite products is the interview in French of President Ho Chi Minh in 1964. After being posted on social networks, the film attracted millions of views. This is the film that made Quang's name known to many people.

Besides documentary films about Uncle Ho, this young man also created realistic and sharp images for famous names such as: General Vo Nguyen Giap, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong...

Recently, Quang's biggest project in 2023 and also his pride is the movie Parallel 17 - People's War. This is the longest movie (nearly 2 hours) that Quang has ever restored.

Thanks to the extremely realistic and vivid colors and sounds after restoration, when the film was shown in Vinh Linh District (Quang Tri), it brought tears to many viewers. In front of those images, the young man emotionally shared: "I am very happy because the product created touched the emotions of the viewers. Although I am not a director or cameraman, I am still very proud to have contributed to bringing the film closer to the audience."

After watching the film restored by Quang over 50 years ago, writer and director Nguyen Thi Xuan Phuong, a witness and member of the film crew, commented: "The images of the fierce battle in Vinh Linh were recreated clearly and sharply. I was really surprised and moved by the film that Hong Quang restored. From the sound to the facial expressions of the characters appearing in the film, everything was very clear and bright. This film clearly shows Hong Quang's patriotism as well as his hard work."

Thanhnien.vn