Shooting in the desert(Las Vegas)-What filmstock is best?

[guylewis30]

In a couple of months I'll be in Las Vegas on vacation where I'm planning to shoot super8 film for the first time ever.I need some advice on what film stock to use.My prime objective is to capture the Las Vegas desert landscape.I'll be shooting on broad daylight,probably between noon and 4 pm.I want to get the look of Oliver Stone's "U Turn" or "Leaving Las Vegas" in terms of grain and sharpness.

With the limited film stocks available for super8 what would be the best to shoot with?


Thanks very much guys!

[audadvnc]

In terms of grain and sharpness? LLV was shot in Super 16, not Super 8. Don't go into an expensive shoot with Super 8, because you will probably come out disappointed. Use the right tools and save yourself the pain down the road.

But if this is more home movie Supe 8 stuff, consider the Vision 2 200 and 500 negative stocks, also the Pro 8 50D, which is a cut-down 7201 stock. Negative, particularly the 7201, is much more forgiving than reversal of the high contrast light ratios you'll run into in a desert setting. Note that negative stocks cannot be directly projected; they are intended for transfer to video via telecine.

Also consider the time of day you shoot. Generally, midday is very contrasty, and the sun is too high for handsome filmmaking. Think the grittiest VHS prints of old spaghetti westerns; black silhouettes of actors against a bleached white sky. Early morning and late afternoon to evening shots are lower contrast, with more secondary reflected sky light on your subjects.

[T-Scan]

I shot in the desert outside Vegas this time last year.. (and lived there for 10 years) it can be overcasty this time of year as it was for me, as it was in NBK. shot K40 S8 and 16mm 100D reversal. K40 was a little bland and muddy (but so was the desert), the 100D looked nice but maybe too clean for your plan. I'd go with 64T in the sun or TriX B&W if overcasty... depending on your camera, TriX would look cool sweeping past scrub using a narrow shutter.

[guylewis30]

audadvnc, I wasn't thinking of anything expensive really but rather a home movie thing. I'm actually considering reversal because like you said its cheaper in the sense that it doesnt need to be transfered later on in order to be projected. So,if I had to use reversal would you suggest early morning or afternoon shooting? What filmstock would you recommend then--I only saw 2 B&W reversals on Kodak.com--don't they offer color reversal stock?

Thanks again for your input!

[guylewis30]

Thanks T-Scan!

[audadvnc]

Sorry, I didn't read your first post closely enough. Here are the available Kodak reversal stocks:

Black & White: Plus-X looks great when properly exposed; it will give you a look close to the classic B&W westerns, which were shot in Plus-X negative. Tri-X is probably too sensitive for mid day shooting, but works great early and late, and it has a pleasing, toothy grain which fairly screams "film!".

Color: You can still find 3 reversal color stocks, though only one is in Kodak's current catalog; 7240 (VNF process), E64T (E-6 process), and Kodachrome 40. If you haven't shot Kodachrome you owe it to yourself to try some before it's all gone.

Time of day is a lighting technical issue. When you're ready to worry about it you'll know. Meantime, just shoot film and enjoy it.

[guylewis30]

Thanks again audadvnc !