TL;DR
Get movie-night favorites delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
A donor known as “TippettFan” has uploaded digitized contents from 90 non-duplicated discs acquired at an August auction of Tippett Studios material. The files are available through the Internet Archive, including some viewable clips and a larger collection of downloadable disc images; the full contents have not yet been catalogued or described in detail.
A digital collection of 90 discs from Tippett Studios’ archives has appeared on the Internet Archive after the Berkeley-based animation and effects studio closed and its material was auctioned. The donor, identified online as “TippettFan,” says they acquired a folder of discs at the August sale, digitized the contents and uploaded them for public access.
The donor says the collection contains 90 key, non-duplicated discs, made available as .ISO image files. The Internet Archive listing also includes several clips that can be watched online, according to Film Stories, including tests of computer-generated creatures and a 2008 interview with Phil Tippett. Most of the material is not presented as ready-to-watch video: accessing it means downloading disc images and examining the files inside.
Descriptions of files in the collection point to behind-the-scenes images from RoboCop and Starship Troopers, slides related to Tippett’s work on the original Star Wars, and publicity stills from Catwoman. Those descriptions offer an indication of the archive’s range, but Film Stories reports that the material is extensive and will take time for researchers and fans to review.
The uploader has not been publicly identified beyond the name TippettFan. The report says the folder was bought at the August auction for an undisclosed sum. The digital release makes the contents of those discs available online; it does not establish that every piece of material from the studio has been preserved or included.
What the Disc Archive Preserves
The upload offers a way to examine some studio materials that might otherwise have remained difficult to access after the closure and sale. The discs include material connected to productions spanning several decades of Tippett’s stop-motion and visual-effects work, giving film historians, artists and fans a resource to investigate without needing to own the physical discs.
Its value will depend partly on what researchers find in the files and whether the material can be understood, documented and shared responsibly. At present, the archive is a collection of digitized discs, not a fully indexed public catalogue. The distinction matters: upload availability does not mean every item is easy to view, identified or cleared for unrestricted reuse.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Studio Closure and August Auction
Tippett Studios was founded by Phil Tippett, the animator and visual-effects artist whose credits include Star Wars, RoboCop and Starship Troopers. Film Stories reported that the studio had been experiencing financial trouble before its closure and shut its doors on August 28. The same report described the closure as coinciding with Tippett’s retirement.
Props, memorabilia and artwork from the studio were sold in a two-day auction in August. The online archive came from one attendee’s purchase of a folder of optical discs, rather than from a studio announcement or a reported institutional preservation project. Film Stories also credited Brandon Sheffield with drawing attention to the archive on Bluesky.
““What you have here are .ISO image files of the 90 key, non-duplicated discs from Tippett’s archives.””
— “TippettFan,” in a statement quoted by Film Stories
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What the Upload Does Not Establish
The source report does not specify when the archive was uploaded, who the donor is, how much they paid, or whether the studio or rights holders were involved in preparing the online collection. It also does not provide a complete inventory of the discs or confirm that every file has been opened, checked or identified.
It remains unclear how much of the studio’s wider collection is represented. The auction included physical props, memorabilia and artwork, while this upload covers the contents of one folder of discs. The report does not establish whether other archives, collections or preservation efforts exist, or what permissions apply to downloading, reproducing or reusing individual files.
external hard drive for disc images
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Researchers and fans will need to examine and identify the files before the collection’s contents can be described in detail. The available online clips can be viewed directly, while the bulk of the material requires downloading and exploring the .ISO disc images. Film Stories said the collection may take weeks to comb through and indicated it would report back if it found material of wider interest.
For now, the next step is closer documentation of what the discs contain. Any further account of significant material, preservation status or reuse permissions would need to come from the archive’s examination, the uploader or relevant rights holders; the source report does not announce a timetable for that work.
video editing software for film clips
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What has been uploaded to the Internet Archive?
A donor known as TippettFan says they digitized 90 non-duplicated discs acquired at an August auction of Tippett Studios material and uploaded them as .ISO disc images. Some clips are also available to view online.
What kinds of material are described in the collection?
File descriptions point to behind-the-scenes images from RoboCop and Starship Troopers, slides connected to the original Star Wars, and Catwoman publicity stills. The full contents have not yet been catalogued in the source report.
Can visitors watch everything directly on the site?
No. The report says a few clips can be viewed online, but most of the collection is in .ISO image files that users must download and examine.
Does the upload contain all of Tippett Studios’ archive?
That has not been established. The upload covers the contents of one folder of 90 discs; the report does not say whether it represents the studio’s complete archive or what happened to other materials sold at auction.
Who uploaded the material?
The donor has identified themselves only by the name “TippettFan.” Film Stories did not report a public name or further identifying details.
Source: hn
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
