Super 8 Film
RAJ
tenacious local 7,783 Posts
Anybody ever shoot with a Super 8 camera?The local thrift has a gang of them for like $2 / each. It seems like it could be fun.Worth the hassle?
Comments
For me, editing Super 8 was the most entertaining part of the process.
Film, editing tape, and the cost of developing are expensive, though.
I know there are programs where you can just use an 8mm-type filter for videos, but that's not quite the same. I'd love to get into it again, especially to be able to do that digitally and do some interesting things.
I did a quick Google search and I remember going through this site a few years ago:
http://www.littlefilm.org/
I'd still like to transfer some of my old skateboard movies to digital, back when I was 5 and 8 (also back when I could skateboard).
In other words, if you love the look of film and are serious about getting into it, do it. Cameras are a crapshoot since you don't know what you'll get until after the film comes in. If you do a sample shoot and it looks nice, then work with that.
http://www.pro8mm.com
that is the only place to get it. my brother filmed a movie on super 8 and got all of his film there. it is very, very expensive. but the client paid for it. i think there was a minimum and it cost about $1700 and that was for about 2 hours worth of film but also included the service of processing. still not cheap. anyway my brother knows all the sources for that stuff including repairs and so on.
pm me if you want to query him, he is always into nerding out about equipment. the film was just selected and screened last week at the marfa film festival he can tell you about that too.
a cheaper alternative is to get the $30 processed roll and then take it to a telecine transfer spot. if you can find one. i know echo park film center does it for like .25/ft minimum 100 ft (2 rolls). its substantially cheaper but prolly not as digitally crisp as the pro8mm transfer. there is likely a spot in someplace like philly if you check around.
this sounds like telecine.
Yeah, I think the only other way to transfer film to video is to use a film scanner? Not even sure if that's an option for super-8. The guy I'm thinking of is Skip Elsheimer, who does A/V Geeks:
http://www.avgeeks.com/
for hand editing youll need the editing tape, if you can find it. otherwise im sure clear plastic tape will work but test it because it may come apart from the heat of a projector tube. i use a super8 viewer to cut mines but if you have patience and a well trained eye, you could just eyeball where you want to splice. there are super8 guillotine splicers that are relatively cheap when available on ebay. this makes everything easier. i have a cache of super8 editing tape which is key cuz theyre already perforated and it goes on like a bandaid. and the last thing youll need is a projector. id say theyre around $40, not sure though. i dont have one.
Would be great to get into it again, and perhaps shoot some stuff in B&W.
that is all.