Super-8: fine art medium? storytelling possibilities?

Post by **npcoombs** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:41 pm

steve hyde wrote:
The wetgate to DVcam looks pretty good, although I must confess I have not tried to project my wetgate stuff. CinePost in Atlanta is probably the cheapest place for a wetgate rank in The US. Perhaps someone in the UK or the United States of Europe have an answer.

Steve

At this price it would almost be cheaper to shoot double the number of rolls (including processing) and then send half of them to the USA for telecine.

Post by **steve hyde** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 5:08 pm

npcoombs wrote:
steve hyde wrote:
The wetgate to DVcam looks pretty good, although I must confess I have not tried to project my wetgate stuff. CinePost in Atlanta is probably the cheapest place for a wetgate rank in The US. Perhaps someone in the UK or the United States of Europe have an answer.

Steve
At this price it would almost be cheaper to shoot double the number of rolls (including processing) and then send half of them to the USA for telecine.

Could be.... If there are others in your collective group that want to shoot Super 8 you might be a candidate for one of those "Work Printers" since you have access to video cameras. I've seen some stunning WP transfers on Quicktime clips, but not projected...Check out the "Yo-Yo boy" clip in the archives. It's one of the best WP transfers I've seen.

Post by **mattias** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 6:43 pm

steve hyde wrote:Matt, are you saying that the one light transfer is not frame accurate?

no, of course it is, but fine scanning, the next step, flash to flash is cheaper than frame accurate alignment even though you have to transfer a few extra frames. the keycodes will still match and you then use your negative cut list database to conform the material.

/matt

Post by **audadvnc** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 2:45 pm

Are you going to have to resynchronize your audio after the flash-to-flash HD scan? If so you're going to incur additional costs in audio post to those you've already had in the offline edit. And where is the final mix stage? After HD-audio sync, in an HD equipped audio post house? The dollars just keep mounting...

So much for the storytelling possibilities of Super 8. At this rate, you might as well shoot 35, or (horrors!) HD video. Similar costs, fewer headaches. And no jittery frames.

Post by **mattias** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 3:22 pm

audadvnc wrote:Are you going to have to resynchronize your audio after the flash-to-flash HD scan?

no, the flash to flash scan is conformed to the edl so the result is exactly the same as a frame accurate transfer. it's just that you don't have to start, stop and align the scanner as often during transfer. i'm assuming that's what makes it less expensive.

/matt

Post by **Nigel** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:14 pm

I am with Mattias for the most part.

The camera size and ease of use is number one. The ability to move in a light and fast manner is great.

The grain issue whilst I once viewed it as an asset my tastes have changed and now I view it as a drawback in some cases.

Workflow can be problematic. And, in the end it may not be cheap enough to justify it over S16.

Super8 is whaat it is and nothing more. Use its look and feel or even make it hyper grainy and more out of focus. I don't think that it would be wise to shoot a feature on S8 or even a short that uses synch sound.

Good Luck

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 5:00 am

Nigel wrote:
Super8 is whaat it is and nothing more. Use its look and feel or even make it hyper grainy and more out of focus. I don't think that it would be wise to shoot a feature on S8 or even a short that uses synch sound.

Good Luck

A smooth flowing statement, but one that I disagree with.

The Super-8 cameras allow Super-8 to be more than, Super-8. Sync dialogue is easily done using a video camera for audio acquisition. The advantages are numerous, including have a behind scenes video being shot as well as the sound being recorded.

Post by **steve hyde** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 5:07 am

Alex wrote:
Nigel wrote:
Super8 is whaat it is and nothing more. Use its look and feel or even make it hyper grainy and more out of focus. I don't think that it would be wise to shoot a feature on S8 or even a short that uses synch sound.

Good Luck
A smooth flowing statement, but one that I disagree with.

The Super-8 cameras allow Super-8 to be more than, Super-8. Sync dialogue is easily done using a video camera for audio acquisition. The advantages are numerous, including have a behind scenes video being shot as well as the sound being recorded.

Alex, I'm not sure I understand anything you have said here. I think Nigel is talking about SMPTE timecode......

Steve

Post by BN » Mon Aug 01, 2005 10:21 pm

Just out of curiousity; what do most of you shoot with S8, 16mm, or DV? Dramatic movies (ei. shorts or features), home movies, experimental? Are most people here 'filmmakers' in the traditional sense?

Post by **tlatosmd** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:07 pm

Mostly personal memory shooter here which is a bit like home movies, though looking forward to shorts and experimentals (who says you can't combine the three? ;) ).

Post by **carlweston** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:24 am

Today's Super8 neg does looks better than 16mm neg did back in 1985..I've seen many great films shot and projected in s8...

Post by **Evan Kubota** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 8:39 am

"what do most of you shoot with S8, 16mm, or DV? Dramatic movies (ei. shorts or features), home movies, experimental? Are most people here 'filmmakers' in the traditional sense"

DV - sometimes documentaries, generally dramatic shorts.

S8 - experimental dramatic shorts ;)

16mm - nothing yet. Dramatic shorts, once I get my setup completed.