This is topic My First BFCC....! in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.
To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000860
Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on October 31, 2004, 06:45 PM:
Ok! I have finally made it back home and are back online!
I first want to thank everyone in the England chapter of the Super 8 collective for giving me such a warm and gracious welcome. Like Doug and Paul had said the best part of my UK trip was the people that I had met through this forum.
On my first night in England after getting very lost, I finally found my way to the Princess Louise. Now I knew what Kev and Mike looked like but I didn't know what anyone else looked like. They didn't know what I looked like so when i walked up to Kev he didn't know it was me! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I went to the restroom came back and approached Mike Peckham (the menacing looking one!) and introduced myself. Then the laughter began! They were expecting Alan Gouger, the tall blonde guy! I was the "other" Alan. The more compact darker one!
I had a great little chat with everyone there and Mr. Millman got me my first English beer! And it was good! Thank you Mr. Millman! After a bit we went to John Clancy's place which was around the corner.
I have to say his movie setup is nothing short of awesome. Great sound running through a 5.1 surround, Cinemascope and he projected a 35mm print of Star Trek. Really an incredible testament to the quality of Super 8 and what it is capable of. After talking much about equipment with Kev, John, Mike and others, it was time to get some rest and get ready for the BFCC next morning.
It was in this Chuch like looking building.
We arrived early and thanks to Keith Wilton and Mr. Clancy we were allowed in to the BFCC early and with a VIP pass! Very nice.
Now I didn't take any photos of the dealers room because to tell the truth I was in awe. I have never seen so much Super 8 in my life! Film upon film, equipment. I thought I had died and went to celluloid heaven! I got to meet Uncle Ian (very nice gentlemen!) and I asked him if he had the Muppet Movie 600fter!
Peckham and friend has the 8mm forum group booth. Nice booth with many things for sale! If it was my last day in Europe I would of bought the whole table. Nice selection!
And Phil had his copy of Spiderman out on the table. I kept walkin by and stared. If only I had won the lotto the week before...
Then I went to the BFCC screening room. Here was the legendary 24 foot screen.
It was an awesome sight to see Super 8 projected on it. The print of the 5th element looked really great. Lots of definition and very good sound considering they were using the prints sound stripe. It really was hard to believe that Super 8 could actually be blown up that large.
After the show there was a meeting of the minds. Clancy, Kev, son of Kev, and a mysterious stranger checking out the GS Xenon.
Afterwards my friend and I were invited to dinner at the Wilton home! The food was great and the conversation was even better!
Speaking to Wilton and his friends it was really a treat for me. Stories about the editing process of Phantasm and other films, about Wilton working with the projection of the William Castle films, and his wonderful tour of his home and his 2 screening rooms! Yes 2!
He played Fantasia on Super 8 with the Xenon and the sound was draw jopping! Truly incredible sound that he had re-recorded. Really impressive.
Then in the end it was time to leave and we were given a ride by one of the Keith's guests. Very nice gentlemen whom I cannot remember his name but will not forget his face. On the way to the station he told me stories of filming in Cinemascope and putting on shows for the retirement homes. A really nice person.
And then we made it back to the hotel.
The next day we went here, to the West End.
It was really great, my whole trip and my lady friend said she really loved the people that she had met. And she also said, "Hey, why don't you have a projection room like theirs? " All I could say was 2 words. New York.
Everyone should make it out to see the BFCC. I was impressed and loved it!
I will have to make it at least once a year. Great people keeping the hobby alive 8mm at a time.
Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on October 31, 2004, 10:20 PM:
Alan,
Sounds terrific! Of course, I'm not surprised you had a great time. How could it be otherwise?
I'll bet the gentlemen who gave you that ride was John Bird. He was kind enough to do the same for me after an evening at Keith's.
Doug
Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on October 31, 2004, 11:01 PM:
I'm envious! Maybe one day. Great photos. I know the guys were most hospitable just like on the forum. ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
P.S. Could there really be a "Son Of Kev"......"Mr. Elmo Junior". ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
[ November 03, 2004, 10:51 PM: Message edited by: Dan Lail ]
Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on November 01, 2004, 03:14 AM:
Excellent post Alan. Brought a tear to my eye! Perhaps next time yourself and Doug can travel from New York together. Then if that Mr. Adsett ever gets out of windy Florida again we could make it a real international get together.
Amazingly we had Italian, French, Belgian, and Greek collectors there too this time.
Now if I could just get FTP working to update the web site!
Posted by Agnello Guarracino (Member # 97) on November 01, 2004, 07:31 AM:
Another satisified visitor Johnny! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on November 01, 2004, 10:40 AM:
Aggers! I hope you're well. You grace us with your postings way too infrequently!
Doug
Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on November 01, 2004, 11:50 AM:
Alan
It was great to meet up with you and the other guys in the Princess Louise. We were privileged that you got to enjoy your first pint of English Bitter with us, was it warm enough for you? ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Like you, I enjoyed getting to see first hand Johns multi guage sitting room cinema, truely inspiring! It's great when you chaps make the effort to come over because it gives us the excuse to arrange a get-together, so make sure you come again!!
I like the photos by the way, funny thing is; I can see them ok at work but when I checked them out on my pc when I got home all I get is the unflattering close-ups of Brads nose. Is it just me that that happens too?
'til next time
Mike
Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 01, 2004, 03:24 PM:
Hi John,
Well I finally have a roof back on my house after hurricane Charly sat an 80ft oak tree on it. They are starting the interior ceiling and dry wall work next week, so hopefully my house will be back in shape in the next 2 or 3 months, so hopefully I will be able to attend the next BFCC!
Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on November 01, 2004, 04:28 PM:
Nice write up of your visit Alan. BTW yes that young lad on the extreme left of that shot is indeed Mr Elmo Junior. He is following in my footsteps and now has a rather nice compact Noris 512 fully auto 2 track machine. When I cant find one of my prints I know where to look.
Kev
Posted by Chris Quinn (Member # 129) on November 01, 2004, 04:35 PM:
Hi Alan,
great write up. I met you on the steps of the Town Hall, and suggested you visited Hampton court, did you get the chance to visit??
Chris.
Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on November 01, 2004, 05:05 PM:
Hello Chris!
We never made it to Hampton because the next day if I remember right it was raining! And raining so we decided to take in the British Museum, the Tower of London and we hit the West End. It was really a treat meeting you and the others.
Oh and we tried to make it to the London Ghost Walk..but alas..my bad little map of London placed us on the wrong side of town. The Circle Line was down so we tried to take the Picadilly and well.....I got lost!
Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on November 03, 2004, 01:08 PM:
John
Just spotted the pictures from Octobers BFCC on the BFCC website, very nice. Tell me, does Keith polish his Xenon GS1200 specially for the BFCC? It looks very smart there .
For anyone thats interested and wants to see what two more of the forum members look like [though I can't imagine any one really does ], on page three of the photos, second picture down is the stall that Rob Koeling and I had. Rob is standing to my right and Tony to my left. Tony has the stripey sleeved jumper on and is just about to say goodbye to his very nice GS800. I like to think I look a little less sinister than usual in that shot .
Alan, that's a nice shot of you in front of the legendary big screen, people will now understand how we didn't recognise you in the Princess Louise when we were expecting someone who looked like Alan Gouger .
Mike
Posted by Tony Milman (Member # 7) on November 03, 2004, 01:51 PM:
Mike
Oh Goodness I was hoping to remain anon so far as the projector was concerned!!!!! ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on November 03, 2004, 05:11 PM:
Alan,
Good to see that you had such a great time - but did you buy any films?
If you return to the UK some day, I'd strongly recommend that you time it to coincide with Blackpool, so you also get to experience the other of the UK's two biggest events.
Adrian
Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on November 04, 2004, 01:45 AM:
Here don't forget Tadley! A five week stay should suffice then you can do all three!
Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on November 04, 2004, 08:30 AM:
Believe it or not, with all the great films out there on display I only walked with one...Creature Comforts! A really great one. I think I want the Snowman in the globe that they threw on the 24 ft screen. What is that one called?
I would love to come out and do a longer stay but I may have to wait till the Dollar gets stronger. When I got my bank statement today... I just about fainted!
Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on November 04, 2004, 08:40 AM:
Alan, your "snowman in a globe", is it "Knick-Knack" from Pixar? Cool, I didn't know it was available on S8...
Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on November 04, 2004, 10:14 AM:
And is available from Classic Home Cinema. A wonderful release.
Posted by Tony Milman (Member # 7) on November 04, 2004, 10:56 AM:
Classic are out of stock at the moment and to ld me to expect new supplies in a couple of weeks. I have asked them to tell me when they are available but I bet anything they won't
Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on November 04, 2004, 12:26 PM:
Tony, if Classic do tell you when they are back in stock can you let us know? I would also like to order a copy.
Or, Phil, as you're reading this perhaps you could register and let us know your self. It would be great to hear from you on the forum, Classic has so much to offer it would be nice to hear some more about it .
Mike
Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 06, 2004, 09:38 PM:
I see John has now posted pictures of the October BFCC, including the sinister Mike Peckham (unfortunately without Rexette the stripper), and Mr. Elmo (Kev).
Great stuff.
Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on November 07, 2004, 04:05 PM:
Paul, I have to say that I thought I looked sinister too in that shot by the GS. Maybe it's the facial hair that Mike and I sport.
What say we have a shave Mike?
Seriously it was a good day and yes "Nick Nack" on the 24ft screen was very impressive and probably one of the best prints I have seen for a while.
John did that have a stereo soundtrack? I forgot to ask Phil that question.
Kev.
Posted by Tony Milman (Member # 7) on November 09, 2004, 04:05 PM:
Well,
They didn't let me down- email today from Classic saying that the pixar short knick-knack is back in stock again. Yipee! Nice one Classic! Have bought from their stall at the BFCC and tadley (sorry Ian and Derran) but not by post before! Happy to be proven wrong
Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on November 09, 2004, 04:18 PM:
Kevin, Knick-Knack is mono I believe. The German labs don't (as far as I know) have the ability to do stereo tracks. Good sound nonetheless. If you'd have looked to the projection area you'd have seen me doing a little jig to the tune!
Regards, Jivin' John.
Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on November 09, 2004, 04:35 PM:
Nice one Tony, I'll give Classic a ring in the morning and order a copy. I still haven't seen it but from what everyone says it sounds great, especially if it got John 'jigging in the projection area' now that I would like to have seen.
Mike
Posted by Tony Milman (Member # 7) on November 09, 2004, 05:15 PM:
Mike,
Jivin John? Your on your own mate! Now if we got Kylie to a BFCC boy I would PAY to watch her Jive
Anyway, I guess you chaps have already checked this out
pixar
Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on November 09, 2004, 05:53 PM:
John, I thought you were a bouncy sort of person. I really would like to have seen that.
Hope the copy I ordered at the BFCC turns up soon.
Kev.
Visit www.film-tech.com for free equipment manual downloads. Copyright 2003-2019 Film-Tech Cinema Systems LLC
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2