100-Plus Years of Paramount History Are Under the Care of This Archivist

Charlotte Barker Paramount Pictures

It’s been called “The House Adolph Zukor Built.” Although Paramount was created from a combination of myriad companies, it’s been known by that single name for over a century. Anyone who has been on the lot can feel the history. Walking past the old writers’ bungalows is a particular treat. The names on the buildings and streets range from past to present. The iconic water tower. The ocean sky backdrop flanking the main parking lot that can be flooded for a water set. And the gate, my favorite piece of history that we saw William Holden walk through in Sunset Boulevard.

Who better to highlight the historical processes on the lot than someone who knows the space likely better than anyone else? Charlotte Barker is the current director of film restoration at Paramount Pictures, where she’s worked since 2005. Recent projects have included the restorations of Chinatown (1974) and Sunset Boulevard (1950). If you follow Charlotte on social media, you know she’s become a VistaVision evangelist. As she gears up for some classic film festivals, Barker offered The Hollywood Reporter some insight into her archival work.

The Bronson Gate at Paramount Studios as seen in Sunset Boulevard. Everett

For those who aren’t familiar with what archivists do at a major studio, how would you describe your role as director of film preservation and restoration at Paramount?

I often describe my role as one of the caretakers for the studio’s history, but also someone who helps advocate for the archive and film restoration.

At Paramount Pictures, my role is to oversee both the preservation of our film elements and the restoration work that allows those films to be seen today. On one side, that means making sure original materials, such as original negatives, prints, sound elements, are properly stored, tracked, and protected. On the other, it’s guiding restoration projects so that when a restored film is re-released, it feels true to how it originally looked and sounded.

Restoration is a very collaborative process. We’re working with artists and technicians, but also relying on historical research and documentation to make informed choices. Every project is a little different, so a lot of the job is figuring out how to balance what’s technically possible with what’s historically accurate.

You’ve been active on social media recently showcasing the role of restoration in a number of projects. What has the response been to this kind of outreach, both online and at film festivals where you present?

The response has been really encouraging. There’s a real appetite for behind-the-scenes looks at restoration and archiving. People are curious about how films are preserved and brought back to life. When you show parts of the process, it helps demystify something that would otherwise be invisible. Also, I’ve found that when people don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes, they tend to assume the worst. Rumors abound that things are being changed or lost without care. Part of why I share snippets of work in the archive, is to show that there are real people who care deeply about these films. Our job isn’t to reinvent them, it’s to protect them and preserve the legacy of the work that already means so much to people.

At film festivals, it’s a more immediate response. People come up and thank me for doing my job all the time. It’s fun talking to people as they realize that what they’re watching didn’t just survive by accident, it took a lot of intentional work.

Setting the record straight is important. I’ve noticed that many film history fans can easily become a pessimistic, assuming what hasn’t been previously released in a modern format has been lost. Anyone who has spent time in the archives knows that heroic work is being done to preserve Hollywood history on the lots, museums and archives around the world. How would you describe the historical significance of the Paramount lot?

The Paramount Pictures lot really holds the full timeline of Hollywood in one space. It’s significant not just because of what’s been made there, but because of how long filmmaking has been happening on these exact grounds. Before Paramount moved in, the lot already had a rich history. It was originally Paralta Studios, then Robert Brunton Studios, then United Studios, before Paramount bought it in 1926. By the time Paramount arrives, it’s already been through multiple lives as a working studio.

What I love about it is that it’s still very much a working lot, but you can also still see pieces of those earlier eras if you look closely. The original Marathon address is still on one of the buildings, and there are still little traces of RKO on the west side of the lot that haven’t fully disappeared.

It’s also surprisingly beautiful. It’s lushy landscaped, and full of these quiet, green pockets that sit right next to active stages. It gives you this surreal feeling at times.

I also have to add that this year is a big one for us: Paramount has officially been on the lot for 100 years. That kind of continuity is rare in Hollywood, and you really feel it when you’re here. It’s a place where layers of film history are stacked on top of each other.

It sounds like Warner Bros. in Burbank, which was First National before Harry Warner purchased the lot. The layers of history are endlessly fascinating. What is your favorite aspect of the Paramount lot?

I love the small surprises I still find. Even after working here for two decades, I still see details I’d never noticed before.

There’s a small fishpond near the west side of the lot, right next to the old nitrate vaults (which are empty). Those kinds of spaces remind me about how much history is physically embedded here.

Even alleyways have these magic moments. You’ll be late for a meeting, hurrying down an alleyway between stages, and then suddenly catch a really striking view of the water tower at sunset. It’s such an iconic image, but it still manages to take your breath away.

That’s a great way to describe a historic lot like this. Every time I see the Paramount water tower in real life, I feel the need to stop and think about all the people who’ve walked past. You’ve recently worked on the restoration of Sunset Boulevard. The film is my usual go-to when someone asks me about my favorite film, partially because of how the Paramount lot is a key character in the story. First, thank you so much for your role in making the 4K Happen. Can you describe what the process was like restoring this important film?

To start the 2025 restoration, we began by re-evaluating every available element. Sadly, the original camera negative is lost.

Our hero and best surviving element was a third-generation dupe negative, with a fourth-generation fine grain as a backup. Between 2012 and 2025, there have been many advances in digital restoration tools. For example, tools to help image stability have vastly improved and allowed us to correct subtle jitter and gate weave with even greater precision than before. As we compared every shot in the film to make sure that we always used the best element, we found something.

Or rather, we didn’t find something: Fourteen missing frames. Recreating missing frames has been done in restoration work for years. Frames were digitally reconstructed and the results were seamless. Don’t believe me? Try to find them! Fourteen frames in a two-hour film may not sound like much, but removing fourteen jump cuts? That’s a huge difference.

Regarding sound, Gloria Swanson’s voice had lost a little umph. It was subtle, but when you know the film as well as my colleagues and I do, it was noticeable. We didn’t want perfect; we wanted some imperfections left in. We had a mono track that retained all the warmth, air, and dramatic weight of the original, and we had that without that overpowering noise floor. With those isolated elements, we had a rare opportunity: We could create a discreet 5.1 surround mix.

It’s about giving a film the space to feel like itself again. With all the richness, strangeness, and texture that makes Sunset Boulevard so special. Restoration is always a collaboration, across departments, and sometimes across decades and across generations. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and we work with deep gratitude for what they accomplished. And we have tried very carefully and respectfully, to leave something meaningful for the future restorations to build from. We approached Sunset Boulevard with reverence for its artistry, its legacy, and for you, its fiercely loyal fans. Our goal wasn’t to modernize it. Our goal was to let it breathe again.

That’s fantastic. What a journey. A few years back I met a friend on the lot who was working in the Swanson building. I remember being directed to the location by security. My gushing about Gloria Swanson was met with confusion. Do you encounter many employees who don’t know the importance of the namesakes across the lot?

You do occasionally run into that, but I always try to remember this is a working studio first, so a lot of people are focused on their day-to-day jobs in production or post and not necessarily the history embedded in the buildings they’re walking through. Not everyone is into Hollywood history or old movies.

That’s what makes preservation so important on the lot. When you do share those stories, like who Gloria Swanson was, or after who a building is named, it usually lands really well. People are often interested and appreciate the knowledge. That’s great to hear. You have some events coming up. Where can fans of Hollywood’s Golden Age find you in the coming weeks?

Regarding the TCM Festival, on Saturday I’m giving a talk on Billy Wilder’s older brother, who was also a director, named W. Lee Wilder. It’s called “The Major and the Minor Wilder.” I’m also introducing the film Money From Home on Friday. For the San Francisco Silent Film Festival coming up in May, I’m introducing the film The Caveman.