8mm Forum: State of the Hobby?

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Posted by Paul Zenisek (Member # 3939) on June 23, 2014, 03:52 PM:

Hi all, I'm still pretty new at the hobby, but have had decent luck finding low price titles on ebay. Not too much luck finding films in "the wild" at garage and estate sales, but am able to find projectors sometimes that way. It seems ebay, or trading on this forum seems to be the biggest spot for a lot of you to add to your collections.
I had my own garage sale, and sold a couple digests to random people who either bought titles like the Star Wars digest or some Batman serials from a collector standpoint, and only one person who had a projector at home who had never ran film through it, so they bought a small Disney film to test through it. I was hoping to drum up more attention by standing there and talking to people about it, but not many were interested.
I guess this isn't really a question post, more of a spot I'd love to hear people's take on the state of collecting at the moment.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 23, 2014, 05:38 PM:

If you know where to look, it's almost TOO easy to find films!

There were four in the mail from Paul Foster when I got home today. It was about 6 last month at CineSea.

Back when I was a teenager when Super-8 was still commercially common this may have been one or two every couple of months.

The difference is back then you had a catalog with a hundred titles in it: you picked out the one you wanted the most with the knowledge the other nienety nine would wait until you were ready. Today if you see five you really want you are prone to grab all five while you can.

As far as films and equipment available through regular channels, it pays to remember that back in the day 8mm film was a specialty market and sound films were a small portion of those. 20 years after the fact we're talking such am oddity that someone not in the know might not think anyone would want to buy it.

-I've never seen anything film related in a rummage sale. I bet that which might have goes in the dumpster all too often.

Posted by Ernie Zahn (Member # 274) on June 23, 2014, 06:37 PM:

I do usually find films at thrift shops, estate sales, and flea markets but they are usually nothing highly sought after and most are regular 8.

Once and a while flea markets will have really good stuff.

Actually I met Tom Stokes at a flea market. He writes Sproket Chatter for the Reel Image. He's how I found out there was still an active community and how I eventually found my way to this forum. Funny enough this year is my 10th anniversary here I think.

Posted by Paul Zenisek (Member # 3939) on June 23, 2014, 06:46 PM:

I'm a big fan of the "thrill of the hunt," so when I do find stuff in the wild in person it's always kind of fun. As someone who's just getting in to it within the last year, eBay has been my best friend for finding stuff on the cheaper end of the spectrum. My best estate sale find in the film realm was a large collection of Kodak Magazines, one where they made it quarterly, and gave some shooting tips, but was mostly a big ad for other shooting products. Someone beat me to the sale and had boughten all of that persons' films in bulk, about 300!
That's a great point Steve, I'm 32, but a TV editor, and one of the last people to go to school where I learned to shoot and cut on film. I'm guessing there are many people like those in the group who have been collecting for years that aren't giving up their collections! Either way I'm enjoying myself so far.

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on June 24, 2014, 06:30 AM:

I'd say the state of the hobby is "hanging in there". Steve Osborne tells me there are more and more new people getting into the hobby....more and more new subscribers to his magazine...and more people making their first purchase of projectors. While there are far fewer companies in the business, those that are are still giving us new releases ...and the used market for desirable titles is very competitive and active. So ..maybe I'll change that "hanging in there" to "gathering momentum again" after a downward ride for several years.

Posted by Guy Taylor, Jr. (Member # 786) on June 24, 2014, 09:37 AM:

You need to try to make it to one of the shows Paul. The nearest one to you would be the one in Columbus Ohio - The Cinevent held each year on Memorial Day weekend.

The Cinefest in Syracuse New York is another excellent show; several dealers and a great four day showing of rare films. It is held in mid March.

Of course the Cinesea in Wildwood New Jersey is a great gathering of film collectors. A great eclectic film show and film dealers and/or collectors only. Held twice a year in Spring and Fall.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 24, 2014, 11:07 AM:

Gary, another sign of the interest for the films and materials is the fact that prices increase a lot.

Posted by Dave Velazquez (Member # 3009) on June 26, 2014, 05:12 PM:

I've been a Super 8 hobbyist for about 3 years. I love it. I wish I had more time and money to spend on it. I have every intention to continue the pursuit of full features wherever I can get them.I wanna get to one of the gathings someday. I want to eventually shoot and edit not only Super 8 but 16mm as well. I honestly love it. It's definitely a group of enthusiasts on the smaller side but that doesn't matter.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 26, 2014, 08:06 PM:

-The Few, The Proud!

(All due respect to the Marine Corps...)

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