The most amazing little super 8 film

Post by **zetetick** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 12:53 am

...and let's not forget some super-8 films become pretty famous. Guy Maddin's "Heart of the World", Derek Jarman's "The Last of England", etc. Super-8 films which are well known in thier own circles.

And if you will forgive the footnote, I photographed two super-8 films recently (in Quarz Chrome and Tri-X) which screened at the Newport International Film Festival this year. It can be done!

Post by **FILM-THURSO** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 7:27 pm

Well there you go! I have some plans to play with Star Wars too although I was thinking more in terms of spoffing up original footage using Film-Thurso's PIP system to add new charactors into the shots. Should be a lotta fun seeing a new version on super 8.
I saw a funny little bit on another site, can't remember which, but it was a video of a kid getting a light saber for christmas as granny sat in the chair behing him. As a voice off camera says, "careful with it", the boy switches it on and playfully swings it about instantly cutting granny's upper torso and arm off! It's yet another example of why aliens will never (want to) conquer Earth- we are to weird!

Post by **MovieStuff** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 7:59 pm

What does "Film-Thurso" mean?

Post by **FILM-THURSO** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 1:21 am

Film speaks for itself and Thurso is the northmost town on mainland UK. We make our films in (and around) Thurso.

Post by **MovieStuff** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 1:23 am

FILM-THURSO wrote:Film speaks for itself and Thurso is the northmost town on mainland UK. We make our films in (and around) Thurso.

Ah! Now I understand.

Thanks!

Roger

(Film-Houston)

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 6:14 am

mattias wrote:
Actor wrote:It's legal to do so as long as you don't distribute the film.
there's a difference between something being legal and not getting into trouble for doing it, and i wouldn't advice anyone who's not a lawyer to tell people what's legal and what's not unless it's obvious. *that* could get you into trouble.

/matt

You can't get in trouble for mimicking anything (except perhaps using underage actors without parental permission or being a public nusiance or menace while making the project), it's only if you try and distribute the project that trouble may follow.

Post by **mattias** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:37 pm

Alex wrote:You can't get in trouble for mimicking anything

actually i said giving legal advice without being a lawyer could get you in trouble. mimicking/remaking/copying a film probably won't, but it probably isn't completely legal either. people always claim that you can do whatever copyright wise as long as you don't distribute, but there's no real legal grounds for that. there are several (four?) copyrights and copying/distributing is just one of them.

(i'm not a lawyer either, thus i won't try to tell you how to interpret the law, just how not to)

/matt

Post by **jean** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 2:16 pm

without being a lawyer at all, i can giva the advice that it does not matter at all if anything is legal or not, the mere fact that a corporation starts to get after you will break the neck of any single individual, even if he is quite wealthy.

It's the costs - should a restaurant chain sue me because an ad of them is discernible in the background of a frame, they will claim damage to their brand (worth of course many millions $$$) and the mere cost of entering courtroom, if only to beg for mercy, will cost me more than a hard working human being will earn in his entire life. I would be unable to defend myself in court, regardless of the legal situation.

Mimicking a film will get you into trouble, if the copyright owners of the original want to do so. Legal or not is completely irrelevant, except if you happen to be George Soros.

Post by **mattias** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:00 am

jean wrote:Mimicking a film will get you into trouble, if the copyright owners of the original want to do so.

very good point. i agree that's probably all there is to it. and that's also the reason you usually won't get in trouble -- they probably won't care at all.

/matt

Post by **MovieStuff** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 4:05 am

mattias wrote:
jean wrote:Mimicking a film will get you into trouble, if the copyright owners of the original want to do so.
very good point. i agree that's probably all there is to it.

I agree. I have found that no one cares until someone either makes money or costs someone else money or embarrassment. The whole "you can't get in trouble if you....." notion is usually based on what someone wants to believe but doesn't take into account how other people really act. I can sue anyone for anything, if I had a mind to. How far I get in court is not as important as how much money and misery my effort will cost the other person. Lawsuits are rarely about "rights" and almost always about "I wanna fuck with you and cause you grief." Tell the person that's suing you what your rights are. They won't care, even if you ARE right. But you may have to spend every penny you have just to prove how right you are with no guarantee that you'll recoup a dime in attorney's fees. Something to think about in the real world.

Roger
http://www.moviestuff.tv

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 3:49 am

MovieStuff wrote:
mattias wrote:
jean wrote:Mimicking a film will get you into trouble, if the copyright owners of the original want to do so.
very good point. i agree that's probably all there is to it.
I agree. I have found that no one cares until someone either makes money or costs someone else money or embarrassment. The whole "you can't get in trouble if you....." notion is usually based on what someone wants to believe but doesn't take into account how other people really act.

Roger
http://www.moviestuff.tv

Well, if one makes money or causes embarrassment to another, then obviously the film has passed the mimicking stage and is being "distributed".

Post by **mattias** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 4:00 am

Alex wrote:
MovieStuff wrote:costs someone else money
Well, if one makes money

well, if you took some time to read before you replied it would all make more sense. :-) but sure, i agree. which brings me back to my original point: sure, go ahead and tell people that it's probably ok, but don't tell them it's legal.

/matt

Post by **MovieStuff** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 4:18 am

Alex wrote: Well, if one makes money or causes embarrassment to another, then obviously the film has passed the mimicking stage and is being "distributed".

So what's your point? That if it gets distributed you can't get in trouble? Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic, I'm just not sure what you're getting at. I mean, the issue isn't whether or not you can find distibution. The issue is whether or not you will piss someone off and they sue you.

Roger

Post by **mattias** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 5:06 am

i think his point is that this whole discussion started with whether copying is legal or not as long as you *don't* find distribution. i think we all agree that it's usually not legal if you do distribute your piece, it's when you don't that our views seem to differ...

/matt

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 5:16 am

It really depends who your intended audience is. Obviously, if its only for yourself, mimicking is a non-issue unless you use underage kids without parental consent or cause a public disturbance while making your film.

Generally, mimicking would not be a good idea because if you end up making a good film, you won't be able to distribute it and that would prove to be the gift of the magi.