Pro8mm super 8 competition.

[David M. Leugers]

It's embarrassing that the filmmakers themselves also have to underwrite the contest.

Just about every film festival has entry fees which are not that cheap. What is that for? And they have paying audiences... Here you have a chance to win either film or a great camera system and have your film screened at a big to-do in LA. The requirements are well explained and frankly, understandable. What benefit to Pro-8mm would it be for someone to make a film shooting non-Pro-8 stock and transferred by non-Pro-8? The reason for the event is to showcase Pro-8 and to maybe get more filmakers interested in their products and services. Botton line is play if you want to, don't if you do not. I think any event or promotion which draws attention to S-8mm film is a good thing.


David M. Leugers

[lostinspace]

Look, the bottom the line is, for Pro8mm to use an "amateur" contest to shamelessly promote their products and services is downright deploreable. dishonorable & despicable. If you know anything about the way they operate, you'll see this for what it really is, and that is nothing more than another money-making venture for them, as well as a sly promotional scheme.

have your film screened at a big to-do in LA.

.

Lol...Come on, get real! We're talkin' "Shakey's Pizza" or maybe "Joe's Chicken Shack" for dinner here folks.

The biggest celebrity you'll probably spot there is Gary Coleman if you're lucky.

[jpolzfuss]

What I don't get is:
* Do I have to film at 18fps, 24fps or e.g. cristal-sync'ed at 25fps?
* Will the resulting DVD be in NTSC or PAL?
* Would I be allowed to use an anamorphot?
* ...

The price would be okay, if the result would be a HD-DVD or Blueray-Disc. (Not to mention that an AVI-file using the DV-codec would have a better quality than a Video-DVD,... )

[richard p. t.]

it dawned on me comming home tonight that part of what Pro8mm felt they had to grapple with in putting together a competition that showcased them and their product is that their normal cost is about $35 for film and developing then who-knows-what for transfer. If they made the entry say $35 and you got your film back with a transfer, that would be a good subsidy for your next film. You could shoot 20 rolls and get transfer for free. That might be part of what they were thinking might happen. But they could make it one per customer ... or you get the original back, but if you want the transfer the cost is ... extra. or something.

[Guy Bennett]

Just about every film festival has entry fees which are not that cheap. What is that for? And they have paying audiences...

I don't mean to make more out of this than it really is (and apologies if I'm doing just that by responding again), but the argument that "everybody's doing it" is a weak argument. There are also plenty of festivals and screenings that have no entry fee, Flicker being the one that most readily comes to mind.

What benefit to Pro-8mm would it be for someone to make a film shooting non-Pro-8 stock and transferred by non-Pro-8? The reason for the event is to showcase Pro-8 and to maybe get more filmakers interested in their products and services.

I agree with you 100%: the reason for the festival is to promote Pro-8 products, and the filmmakers have to pay to do so. This may not seem that objectionable in a world where people regularly pay a premium to buy clothes with the manufacturers' logos prominently displayed on them, thereby paying to advertise the products that they are buying, but when you think about it, why should you pay to promote somebody else's product, especially when you are already paying for filmstock and processing, and putting the time, energy, and money into making the film?

I think any event or promotion which draws attention to S-8mm film is a good thing.

FWIW I think there are plenty of ways to do just that without charging the filmmaker for it.

[Evan Kubota]

Why is there even any debate about this? A 'contest' run by a company that requires you to use their transfer service and film is about as legitimate as a USSR election circa 1971.

[Guy Bennett]

A 'contest' run by a company that requires you to use their transfer service and film is about as legitimate as a USSR election circa 1971.

Or an American election in 2001 or 2004. ;)

[bulion]

A 'contest' run by a company that requires you to use their transfer service and film is about as legitimate as a USSR election circa 1971.

Or an American election in 2001 or 2004. ;)

Don´ t forget the Krauts, I mean German election 2001 and much better, 2005.