Are you also collecting super 8mm packed films?

[winbert]

OK, here is not a too serious question.

I am a long-time member in the 8mmforum: http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/ and I have been collecting films for almost 25 years now.

If I measure between "shooting" vs. "collecting", I would say that 80% will be in favor for collecting.

Now, every time i raised a similar question in the collecting forum "if yo are also shooting 8mm", the answer almost 90% will say "YES" either for occasional or causal shooting as well as go to more serious business (film makers, wedding photograph, etc).

(ps: I knew long time members here like Ugo and Joerg are "yes" but I want to hear from someone else who does not show up in the film collecting forum)

So I would like also to raise the same question here, "do you collect pre-packed films"?

It does not mean always hundreds of collection, but it can be a tiny collection as long as you love them as much as you do with film shooting.

thanks,

[slashmaster]

For me it's about 50/50 with super 8 with my shot films increasing. I prefer prepacked in 16mm. I still have yet to shoot any 16mm but am about to.

[8mm]

I first started shooting Super 8. When I began using ebay a few years back began buying Super 8 prints of among others Disney Cartoons from the UK to show on my Super 8 sound projector. And now I actually have more Super 8 and Standard 8 films as package movies than I have of films that I've made myself. Most of these package movies are still of high quality as regarding to color and sound compared to 20 years package video, I've been told about DVD's that have gone bad after just ten years, but the Super 8 package films can still be enjoyed after 30 years!

[Angus]

I have a few pre-packed films on super 8mm including some TV episodes and complete features as well as cartoons and shorts.

[Charlie Blackfield]

I wouldn't really call myself a collector, but I did buy a few 8mm and Super 8 film prints that I occasionally watch. My favourite is a Regular 8 print of Buster Keaton's Blacksmith that is in superb condition. Interestingly, a couple of scenes on the VHS version I've got of this film were obviously taken from a damaged 35mm print (or negative). These scenes are perfectly okay on the 8mm version.

I've more or less given up buying packed films now, because I don't seem to have much luck with projectors, although hopefully one of them will be back in action soon.

Charlie

[Angus]

I think my favourite is an 800' reel put together by somebody (not me) containing trailers for most of the Star Trek movies up to Nemesis.

At Christmas time it is nice to have The Snowman and It's A Wonderful Life (complete feature).

But I think my favourite, being a Sci Fi nut, is The Quatermas Xperiment.

[Will2]

I collect 16mm movies but not Super 8. I actually contacted a manufacturer of educational 16mm prints and was able to purchase about 10 brand new prints of films like "Volcanoes" that would have been shown in elementary schools in the 70's. They had them laying on a shelf for about 25 years. The kids love them even though they are a little hokey and out of date.

I'm ashamed to admit that I don't even own a Super 8 projector (*gasp!*).

I transfer all my Super 8 and regular 8mm film and edit digitally. Wish I had the time to do more with projectors and editing film but I barely have time to edit what I shoot digitally.

[Angus]

I've been working in the same school since 1999, and on my first day I discovered two Eiki 16mm projectors being 'stored' in the toilets. I restored one to working condition but there are no films at the school and nobody could remember when the projectors were last used. I was told back in 1999 that they'd recently dumped a few super 8 projectors, unknown make and model.

Back when I was learning German at school (mid 1980's) our teacher had a lovely B&H 16mm projector and showed us some German educational films as a way to help us hear the language with some visuals to aid understanding. For me, it was always a treat to see a projector set up and used. We had one or two films shown in the school theatre, I remember a terrible propaganda film on vegetarianism.

There are probably still stacks of educational film reels gathering dust in schools and colleges. I am just unlucky that somebody dumped the film reels where I worked.