My Mom Jayne is a poignant documentary directed by accomplished actress Mariska Hargitay exploring the personal journey into the legacy of her mother, iconic actress Jayne Mansfield. Known widely for her role as Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Hargitay brings profound depth and sensitivity to the project. The film presents an intimate portrait featuring extensive archival materials, blending personal and public histories to universal themes of family and identity.
The film's editor, JD Marlow is known for his meticulous storytelling and skillful handling of archival content. His notable credits include One of Us (Netflix), Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (PBS American Masters), Endangered (HBO), and Stephen Curry: Underrated (Apple TV+).
Video editor JD Marlow leveraged both Topaz Labs' Photo AI and Video AI to upscale and refine archival assets for My Mom Jayne.
Due to the extensive use of historical footage and images, Marlow faced significant technical challenges."Topaz was a big part of [My Mom Jane]" explained Marlow. Topaz Labs’ tools became instrumental in restoring a large amount of archival assets for a modern, 4K viewing experience.
Challenges Overcame
Comprehensive Archival Assets
With over 1,100 archival items, more than half of which were historical photographs, maintaining visual quality and consistency was paramount.
Mixed Media and Inconsistent Quality
The archival footage varied widely, from pristine 2K film scans to degraded standard-definition videos, many with problematic frame rates and outdated formats.
Quality Demands of 4K Production
Even high-resolution scans needed additional refinement to match the film's delivery requirements, especially when re-framing or digitally zooming into photos and videos.
Solutions Used: Topaz Photo and Video from Topaz Labs
Marlow leveraged Topaz Labs' AI-driven solutions extensively to significantly streamline his post-production workflow and ensure visual consistency.
Topaz Video for Footage Restoration
Topaz Video played a vital role in enhancing standard-definition archival clips, often initially received with complex frame rate issues (such as 2:3 pulldowns). Marlow detailed the workflow: "There was a fair amount of clips that went through pulldown removal, then passed through Topaz Video to at least get it to HD. Those Topaz clips were then scaled up to 4K in the online edit. In every instance, we gave the online editors the original SD version and the Topaz HD version. They ended up using all of the Topaz upscaled assets."
"We also used Topaz Photo to upscale and reframe photographs. Even if we had a 1200 DPI scan, I still used Topaz to sweeten and push into that image for 4K. Super useful and we were very happy with the results."
Fine-Tuning and Control
Marlow emphasized the importance of having granular control in Topaz tools: "We played with the settings quite a bit. Different footage required different AI model profiles, and that’s where we started getting the best results possible."
Results and Benefits
Cost-effective Workflow
Topaz enabled Marlow’s team to handle the diverse and extensive archival material in-house, avoiding costly external services and allowing ongoing adjustments: "Even five years ago, that wouldn't have been possible. It just would have been too unwieldy doing it the old way."
High-quality Visuals
The tools significantly improved image and video clarity while retaining authenticity: "One thing I relied on heavily in Topaz was adding a little grain because a tell of a bad up-res is that plastic, over-sharpened look. Topaz allowed us to keep it feeling authentic to the source."
Efficient Handling of Complex Material
With Topaz’s flexibility, Marlow and his team efficiently managed rolling archival deliveries, quickly adapting to different source qualities and ensuring consistent visual standards.
"Both Topaz Video and Topaz Photo became tools we relied on quite heavily."
The experience of JD Marlow on My Mom Jayne highlights how Topaz Labs' AI tools effectively address the challenges of working with archival-heavy sources. Topaz not only enhanced visual quality but also empowered the filmmakers with greater control, flexibility, and efficiency, ultimately contributing to the documentary's powerful storytelling.
My Mom Jayne is streaming now on HBO Max.
