8mm Forum: Conventions

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Posted by Dave Alligan (Member # 800) on October 19, 2007, 11:58 AM:

Seeing as we are in the hight of the convention season, it got me think about the first convention that I first went to, this was the home screen scene at the Rembrandt Hotel in london, it was in 1979, I also went to all the BFCC's at Holborn Central Library, the hall in Red Lion Square (cant remember the name of the building), Watermans Centre, Top Hat Club and Ealing and not forgeting Blackpool, my first was in 1982 at the Gables Hotel,then it moved to the Cliffs Hotel in 1985 and Then the Savoy Hotel in 1995 plus during the year was Tadley,

Come on fellow collectors can anybody tell me how far back their first convention was that they went to.

Dave

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on October 19, 2007, 12:39 PM:

THE TRI-STATE FILM COLLECTOR'S SHOW AND EXPO, in Cherry Hill NJ, operated by Barlow, back about 1980 - Used to sell there also.et alot of long-term friends - Place was a capacity ballroom with nothing but film, projectors and accessories and it is this very environment that I will recreate someday - Before the Tri-State shows, there were the trades and small film groups and such that we would meet - I was at the height of collecting Blackhawk and others at that time in both 8 and 16 - Shorty

Posted by Dave Alligan (Member # 800) on October 22, 2007, 08:36 AM:

No one else going to relive their first convention memories, perhaps you all newbies to conventions.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on October 22, 2007, 12:07 PM:

Dave. You have started a very nostalgic thread for me and although I am still very active with film and do try to support just about anything film event wise it is always nice to drift back and reminisce. The danger of reminiscing of course is that we all wind up all nostalgic and do nothing about participating in the cine hobby today which would be a great shame. I will however chance the bullets with my last comment as we do have a great love of film.

Strangely my earliest recollection of attending a Film Convention was in Rochester Kent which is where I lived before I moved to the northern part of the country. A local camera shop which I used to frequent just about every day in the late 70’s wanted to get a photographic event underway at Chatham but could not find a suitable event at that time so as young as I was I was asked what I thought. I vaguely remember suggesting Gillingham but they eventually landed the event in Rochester at the Civic I think it was. Bare with me as this is some time ago..

The event attracted all manner of photographic suppliers including the usual big boys such a Canon. Upon arrival in the massive hall I soon spotted a large number of Cine equipment distributors & manufacturers which included Eumig and Noris. These key players had excellent displays and you were able to get your hands on all the latest kit. Newly arrived was the Eumig 810D and they had just about sold out I remember half way into the day. Elmo were also on show, but I had little money at this time so dared not look at these very expensive machines. Drooling was enough and Dad went halves with me on a Eumig 807D and that was me set up for the screening of 8mm sound films. Just to show how bad I had the bug that machines gate was cleaned very other day and we had at least 3 or 4 film shows a week watching the same films over and over which were, “Soggy to me” and a George Formby short.

At the Photo event you also had good supplies of Super 8mm films from the likes of Walton and it was here that I discovered Derann Films as the camera shop which organised the event had a couple of the films they supplied on display. Walt Disney super 8 films were just about everywhere as the Disney machine knew how to market its product very well. I collected every 8mm catalogue I could find including Barry Wiles Film who was based at Sittingbourne and I was pleased to get to know Barry very well and he was the kindest of people to me helping me with my new interest no end. Barry primarily had a sponsored film library where you could loan free films on 8 and 16mm, but he also had a commercial film hire facility which meant I could in time show longer films. It wasn’t far on my moped to his shop and a brew and a very warm welcome always awaited me and other film fans. In time Barry went the way of Betamax and VHS Video, but he still retained some cine and if anyone went in asking for a film or two his eyes lit up.

The Photographic/Cine event in Rochester very much a one off I think but it is my earliest memory of attending a Cine event where films were shown, could be bought, along with projectors and possibly one of the rare times manufacturers shared the same venue to show what they had to offer. Later I found out about young Mr Wiltons event and then my favourite Blackpool based Northern Film Collectors Convention. Eventually I even moved to the North as I loved the people so much and also the friendliness of Northern folk.

Golden days and I must thank my Dad for introducing me to the world of cine which has been a big part in my life ever since.

And now for a few photos I have dug out of the archive.

At Watermans where Star Wars was shown on 8mm with Dave Prowse present. I loved this event.
Here we see Ian O'Riley on the left and those legs!

Whos this good looking bloke in the Watermas projection room?

All sat sitting ready for the big show!

A visit to a Derann Open Day. How we miss Derek...

Rochester Cameras came along in later years and they do still sell some Cine even today. Ask for Tony who was a wizz at servicing the GS1200.

My Son right who is thinking "Why does my dad still dress up as santa for every Christmas film show"

In the 90’s it was a real pleasure to be asked to play the Compton for a silent film screening and this was taken at the dry run.

Cine today is still as much fun for me as when I started out and as always attending film events is a real treat and gives you a refreshing boost to do even more..
Thank you to Keith, Derek and everyone who has put so much effort in staging them for us.

Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on October 22, 2007, 01:06 PM:

Lee, fantastic pictures! Have you got any more like that?

I didn’t get into Cine until really quite late on; in fact I think 1997 was the first time I ever attended the BFCC. But the funny thing is that being into stills photography from a very young age I can remember attending the Photo Expo exhibitions in London during the 70s and seeing the cine gear and films there. I certainly looked over them because I can remember now seeing the Elmo and Eumig brand names, the equipment though looked far to expensive and complicated for me and I didn’t even consider going down the cine route at that time. Though I do remember being fascinated on one of the stalls seeing Elmos synchro sound recording system which included the Elmo 110R camera cassette recorder and ST 1200 projector, all linked up with loads of curly cables! Little did I know then that I would have this set up myself 20 years later and use it to make sound films with my own GS1200! [Big Grin]

I think expense was the main factor that put me off; I can remember seeing a display of films on which the Towering Inferno took pride of place (when would that have been?) and seeing the price thought this must be a hobby for millionaires! I think I also assumed that it would be the full-length film for the price that was being asked, it didn’t occur to me that that little box only contained 400ft and about 18mins of film!

It would have been a friends Star Wars extract, probably the 200ft release that was my first real contact with super 8. He was a total Star Wars addict and bought that first short at about the time the film was released, the guys from the 5th year piled round to his house on many an occasion to watch Star Wars (over and over again) and a number of other short films he had access to, some of which I think his Dad might have got from a mail order company in Amsterdam. [Wink]

Mike

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on October 22, 2007, 01:26 PM:

Mike. I did discover a photo of me in the Stars Wars t-shirt I wore at the Waterman’s screening, but I look so much younger and slimmer I haven’t got the heart to post it!
Glad you liked the images and it was nice to dig them all out again. I must get them sorted and in a large frame or something.

Couple more pics.
John Pendred of Buckingham Movie Museum. Such a nice guy and we miss him very much.

More from Watermans. That was a class event and just about everything you could ask for.

1970 and the 9.5 Get-Together.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on October 22, 2007, 03:32 PM:

Wow all of these are fantastic Lee Keep em coming Please.
Best Mark.

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on October 22, 2007, 04:51 PM:

Lovely pictures Lee,

I feel Ive missed out so much on these early cine conventions. Although I shot my first super 8 film in 1993 and collected a few films from charity shops and junk shops, I didnt actually attend a convention until 1998 when I was introduced to two future friends at a local cine and video club.

To me these conventions are like heaven and I'm just glad there still going today. Like arnie says "Ill be back" for the next one and the next one. [Smile]

PS: On the last 9.5 pic, who is the bloke at the front?

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on October 22, 2007, 06:34 PM:

Just completed the spool down after tonight’s show. Crumbs, looking through these pictures makes me feel old and although my enthusiasm is still as strong lifting this GS1200 on and off the stand is a caper my audience delight in watching now.

In the 9-5 image you can see a sprightly Huge Hale who for many years has worked tirelessly for Group 9.5. Huge up to recently produced his own 9.5mm sound films and also captured some nice location filming on 9-5 of commercial films being produced including Ryan’s Daughter I seem to recall. A fine film maker and 9-5 fan which I was pleased to spend some time with at the 9.5 International in Holland.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on October 23, 2007, 07:35 AM:

I'm sure my first was a BFCC at Holborn Library, almost certainly spring 1982. In those days, there was only one a year. It was a nice venue with a proper projection box, although most of the dealers were in the 'cinema' so they could not sell during shows! It was smaller than later venues and I'm not sure if there were many more people attending then compared to now. This was the time when S8 was seriously in decline, before the major revival started. I recall the last show finished with the Uinversal 2 x 400' of 'Xanadu' which I presume must have been released since the previous convention. Another memory is that I walked past the premises of Mountain Films in New Oxford St on my way there, and they still had some 8mm in the window at that time!

Dave: are you sure the first Blackpool convention at the Cliffs was 1985? My first Blackpool was the last at the Gables, which I thought was perhaps 1983, but I could be wrong.

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on October 23, 2007, 07:59 AM:

Blimey now let me think??? I think my first 8mm Convention was at the Rembrandt too in 1979,I was seventeen at the time,I then remember attending 8mm conventions on a regular basis over the years Kensington,Holburn Library,Watermans,Top Hat club etc.

Those were the days eh?,I used to take my dad along in the old days who helped out when an advance in pocket money was needed!!

It used to be great seeing all the boxes on display for the forthcoming releases from Derann,Major 8 etc.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on October 23, 2007, 08:41 AM:

Oh, those boxes, oh those films! Lee, it's wonderful - That is exactly the way our shows were in the TRi-State expo, which I long to bring back - Shorty

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on October 23, 2007, 11:09 AM:

Mark W..
You’re not like me and having to scratch your head what went on in the 70’s are you matey? Crumbs my memory is shocking also but we did have loads of fun and still are.

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on October 23, 2007, 04:25 PM:

Hi-Lee,

Yes I am really struggling to recall some of these events as it was such a long time ago,If I think hard enough the memories will come flooding back hopefully,the 70's were great weren't they,30 quid for a 400 footer was a lot of money in those days too wasnt it.

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on October 24, 2007, 02:49 AM:

My first convention was also like Dave's, it was the Home Screen Scene '79 at the Rembrandt Hotel in London. This was a 2 day event, and I went on the Sunday. I remember that they had a dealers forum, and a very young Derek Simmonds told everyone of his forthcoming WB's/U.A. films he had coming out, the audience were spellbound (I wonder if an expectant DVD audience would react that way nowadays, as we all know they will come out eventually). I remember that there were at least 2 screening rooms, with varied programs, all day long. The myriad of dealers is now mind boggling, together with Derann, I remember Walton Films, Fletcher Films, Powell Films, P.M. Films, Iver Films, Perry's Movies they were all there, plus many more I can't remember now. This being my first convention, I left thinking I wanted more, which is exactly what the organisers had intended, and I never missed a London convention since then, it took me a few more years to venture out of London (I did go to the P.M. Films organised event in Slough one year, just technically out of London, I suppose), and I am now a regular at Derann's Blackpool bash each year.

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on October 24, 2007, 04:10 AM:

'Home Screen Scene' at the Rembrandt Hotel was actually a BFCC with Movie Maker's support thrown in. If anyone doesn't already have it it's worth picking up a copy of 'Men Behind the Movies' (part 1) which has film from these conventions.

Photoworld '78 was the first convention type thingy I attended. After that I attended the Derann open days regularly but around 1983 I went to one and there were so few people there I mistakenly presumed film collecting was dead. Six or seven years later I found that Derann had survived and therefore took the hobby back up again properly - not that I'd ever stopped running my films of course.

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