Tiny Scratches Belong to Movies: Perception of Digitally Cleaned Films (dataset)

This dataset contains mixed-methods data collected to investigate audience perception of digitally restored films. The data is composed of two primary types collected from <b>17 participants</b> (12 male, 5 female): (1) quantitative eye-tracking data (n=17) and (2) qualitative transcripts from semi-structured interviews (n=12). Demographic data (age, film consumption, audiovisual education) were also recorded.<b>1. Stimuli:</b> The stimuli used to elicit data were 16 video clips, comprising eight unique sequences from seven classic Czech films (sourced from Národní filmový archiv, Prague). Each sequence was presented in two versions:<b>"Raw":</b> An unrestored HD transfer reflecting the film's state before digital restoration, containing a spectrum of material flaws (e.g., scratches, splices, dust).<b>"Clean":</b> The corresponding sequence after it had undergone professional digital retouching and color grading.<b>2. Methodology and Techniques (Quantitative Data):</b> Data was collected in a controlled laboratory setting.<b>Apparatus:</b> A stationary <b>Tobii Pro Spectrum 300 eye-tracker</b> (sampling at 300 Hz) was used to record eye movements. Stimuli were displayed on a 23.8-inch Eizo EV2451 monitor (1920x1080px). Participants were seated approximately 60 cm from the monitor.<b>Procedure:</b> After a standard calibration procedure, participants viewed all 16 clips (8 pairs of clips). To mitigate order effects, the clips were presented in two different counterbalanced timelines. The dataset includes the metric files from Tobii Pro Lab, from which the primary metric of <b>total fixation count</b> per trial (per participant, per clip version) was extracted. This data was statistically analyzed using a paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test.<b>3. Methodology and Techniques (Qualitative Data):</b><b>Procedure:</b> Immediately following the eye-tracking session, each participant took part in a <b>semi-structured interview</b>. Interviews were audio-recorded. They began with open-ended questions about the viewing experience and became more specific, probing for awareness of visual flaws or differences. An emergent follow-up question concerning "authenticity" was added for participants who spontaneously mentioned the topic.<b>Data:</b> The dataset includes manually reviewed transcriptions of all 12 interviews. This data was systematically analyzed using iterative thematic coding (combining deductive and inductive approaches) in MAXQDA software.<b>4. Ethical Considerations:</b> All participants were volunteers. Upon arrival at the laboratory, they were fully briefed on the experimental procedure and subsequently provided <b>written informed consent</b> prior to their participation in the study.