Super 8mm Transfers from Moviestuff

[Manuel]

Just got back the first 6 rolls of transfers of our short film "Walk the Walk" from Moviestuff in Houston. I have to say I was very impressed with the quality of the transfer. We shot over 40 rolls of Plus-X for this film. I was very nervous about even doing the project when I had originally priced out the cost of transfers at several telecine houses. Roger's equipment produced an excellent, rock-solid image on miniDV for me, and it brought my budget back down into the realm of the possible. Despite the "jittering" cartridge problem that plagues Kodak right now, the footage looked quite good.

We're getting pretty excited right now. I am confident we'll have a great looking film for the Sacramento Film Festival this October.

http://www.sacramento.org/film/news020610.html

-Manuel

[bfjames74]

I'm glad to hear the good feedback about moviestuff. I'm about to start shooting some tests for a short that will be shot in August and am hoping to use Moviestuff for the transfer.

Is there anybody who has used both Moviestuff and Pro8mm for transfers who could offer a comparison?

Thanks,

Bruce

[MovieStuff]

Just got back the first 6 rolls of transfers of our short film "Walk the Walk" from Moviestuff in Houston. I have to say I was very impressed with the quality of the transfer.

Thanks for the kind words, Manuel. Let me return the favor and say, here and now, that your footage was probably the best looking super 8 black and white footage I've ever seen and had the pleasure to transfer. Just perfect. Super, squeaky clean from the first frame to the last. I am just too swamped right now but will be posting some stills from the transfer very soon on the site.

Roger
http://www.moviestuff.tv

[Manuel]

Just perfect. Super, squeaky clean from the first frame to the last.

Thanks, Roger. Just to share a technical comment regarding cleanliness with the forum:

Everyone who shoots movie film should own a bottle of film cleaner/lubricant. It's cheap and available at any good photography store (I get mine at Pardee's Cameras in Sacramento). I couldn't resist the urge to watch my films when I got them back from the lab prior to transfer, but I made sure to minimize the damage projecting them might incur. This is my process:

1) Splice reels together. (6) 50' rolls per (1) 400' reel with white leader breaks between them.
2) Soak a lintless cloth with film cleaner and SLOWLY wind the film through it, turning the cloth often and making sure it dries before takeup.
3) Lubricate ALL parts of the movie projector that come into contact with the film with film cleaner(the entire film path).
4) Preview the film.
5) Rewind the film, again through a cloth soaked in film cleaner.
6) Send it off for transfer...I don't project it again.

Yes, it takes a long time, it's tedious and annoying. But then again, it is my ONLY master. Since we are making this movie for final screening from DV, I don't need to project the film ever again. For home movies that I watch over and over, I still lubricate the film after every viewing. At least that way I know that it will be around for my children and grandchildren to watch.

-Manuel