This is topic Introduction to an amateur Super 8 project ! in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.
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Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on November 30, 2015, 10:40 AM:
Hi everyone, I just discovered this forum and it's good to look at a community with such aa knowing of Super 8 and its technical specificities ! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
First, excuse me for my French-English writting... But I wanted to ask you some help about a Super 8 project that I just began (after thinking about it for a long time !).
The project is named Super8ThisPlanet, and is quite simple but ambitious at the same time : to capture the essence of every capital cities around the globe during some years, with only one Super 8 cartridge for each. I just did a very brief introduction video in order to explain it : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAvezPlDw0g Super8ThisPlanet Introduction
You'll quickly see that I'm not a native English speaker (...) but mostly that, even if I recently fell in love with Super 8, I don't have enormous skills about it yet.
So I wanted to know : 1) What do think about the project ? 2) What advices would you give me at the beginning ? As I tell it in the introduction video, I did shoot in Prague and Amsterdam for the moment, but I didn't see the result yet
Thanks a lot, really !
Pierre
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on November 30, 2015, 11:47 AM:
Bonjour (Hello) Pierre ! Bienvenue (Weclome) to this forum. You have a great project and I wish you a lot of fun doing it. I'm not sure I really understood the kind of advice you're looking for as you seem to know how to use a cam :-) How many cities do you plane to shoot ?
Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on November 30, 2015, 12:21 PM:
Welcome to the forum Pierre! You're English is pretty good, better than many people in the U.S. This sounds like a very ambitious project and judging by you're introduction video I'm sure you will do it justice. I think the biggest challenge you will find shooting one cart per city is that you need to really think about what you are going to shoot on that precious 3.5 minutes of film. Take time to plan out your shots.
What film are you shooting on? Whatever you choose stick with it throughout the project for consistency. If you are shooting on reversal film it won't have much latitude so make sure you have good lighting. Negative film will give more latitude. I always shoot reversal because I like to view it on my old projectors. If you are going to have it scanned and don't plan on projecting it then negative is the way to go.
Hopefully your camera is in good working order but you may want to carry a spare just in case. It sounds like you are investing a lot into this so the cost of another camera is cheap insurance. The cameras are very old and can break down. You will find out if the meter is working properly when you get your first few rolls back. Bad meters are a common problem with the old cameras.
When you get your first few rolls back don't be discouraged if you don't like them, you can learn a lot from your mistakes. Good luck and feel free to ask more question here. Another great source for advice is the Filmshooting Forum.
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 02, 2015, 04:17 PM:
Which filmstock are you using, Pierre ?
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 02, 2015, 04:32 PM:
Thanks a lot to both of you
Dominique : You'll may probably take me for a idealistic Young person, but I would like to shoot as much cities as possible (even through an entire life). So, fingers crossed...
Bryan : What's the difference between negative and reversal exactly ? ("The very amateur question, Part 1"... haha)
By the way, I did shoot Prague with a Kodachrome 40 cartridge, but I recently learnt that this could only be developped in B&W... So I used a Kodad Vision 3 (500t) in Amsterdam
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 02, 2015, 04:48 PM:
Pierre, I think your project is wonderful. The difference between reversal and negative is that reversal will give you immediately a picture that you can project with a super 8 projector. A negative film is only used if you want to digitalize your film (so you cannot project it with a super 8 projector). The same difference between diapositive film (you can project it) and negative still photo stock (you need to have a paper picture print). Kodak vision 3 is a negative film, so only useful if you intend to digitalize your film rather than using a super 8 projector. It is not impossible to have a reversal copy from a negative one but it is very expensive.
Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on December 02, 2015, 11:50 PM:
Pierre, you should stick with the Vision 3 stock if you plan to digitize it. Like Dominique said, the image on the film will have the colors reversed but it's easy to make it a positive in your editing software. You just "reverse" the colors, most software does this.
The Kodachrome 40 can be developed as a black and white negative but you will not get a very good image.
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 03, 2015, 03:19 AM:
All right, now I understand... thank you very much
Yes, I just received the K40 film yesterday and the quality is quite primary indeed. Anyway, still the magic of real moving images through film ! Feeling like an eternal kid everytime the film is rolling... and I guess it must be the same for each of you ?
Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on December 03, 2015, 04:09 AM:
Chouette projet. Bienvenue sur le forum.
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 03, 2015, 04:10 AM:
Sure, Pierre. Do you use a cine projector to watch your films ?
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 03, 2015, 08:37 AM:
Merci beaucoup Jean-Marc !
Dominique yes, I actually got a Magnon Duomatic projector
Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on December 03, 2015, 10:42 AM:
Pierre, you can get color reversal film from Wittner in Germany. That way you can watch it with the projector. Wittner: Chrome 200D is the only color reversal film available right now. A company called Ferrania in Italy is in the process of re-starting a film factory and the first film they make will be color reversal. Hopefully they will start production early next year.
Wittner: Chrome 200D
Ferrania
I think most people on this site will agree, the best way to watch film is with a projector.
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 03, 2015, 11:45 AM:
To complete Bryan's message, it is possible to get Kahl films here : http://www.cine-super8.net/index.php?pg=produits&prod=Films+Super8 We are all waiting for Ferrania :-) N'hésite pas à nous poser toutes les questions que tu veux (Don't hesitate to ask us any questions you like).
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 04, 2015, 09:36 AM:
So great, thanks to both of you for these links ! Always so nice to hear about persons or small companies trying to preserve the magic of moving images
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 04, 2015, 09:56 AM:
Pierre; as you are French, I hope you heard about the 9.5 gauge which was invented in your country. The Ciné-Club 9,5 de France has a basic website : http://cine9.5mm.free.fr/
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 04, 2015, 11:41 AM:
Another thing that I didn't know at all... merci beaucoup Dominique !
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 04, 2015, 11:53 AM:
Avec plaisir (with pleasure), Pierre ! If you have any question about 9.5, there is a 9.5 section on this forum, otherwise, you're welcome to send me pm in French :-)
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 06, 2015, 01:31 PM:
Super, c'est noté Dominique ! Thanks a lot one more time
Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on December 08, 2015, 03:30 AM:
Goodmorning Pierre,
Welcome in Super 8 world, I am new member too.
Your project is great !!!
I had the opportunity to shoot few reels on Super 8 (During Holidays in California on 85 ....approx) with a Beaulieu movie camera.(2008 or 4008 , I don't remember exactly). Result was pretty good due the super quality lens of the Beaulieu.
May be you know this web site : http://fiston.production.free.fr/
this is very well done and helpfull to choose the machines.
Encouraging you !!!
Phil
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 09, 2015, 03:05 PM:
Yes indeed, this website is quite complete about cameras and projectors to use Merci Phil ! I didn't know there could be so much stuff made by fans of film format, that's so great !!
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 09, 2015, 04:12 PM:
You're not au bout de tes surprises (there are still surprises in store), Pierre !
Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on December 10, 2015, 11:51 AM:
High Pierre,
Just to suggest, considering the volume you intend to produce with your camera, considering each film is unique, pay particular attention choosing your equipement.
This is not equipement which is expensive, but the tapes, treatments, sound, etc, ....... unfortunately.
When you buy second hand equipement, choose something in perfect condition,(properly ventilated for projectors) without missing parts. Reject something "noisy" (like a sewing machine) or "doubtfull". Test it with a brand new tape: if dammages appears on the tape, reject the machine....
Kind Ragards
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 10, 2015, 12:00 PM:
Phil, we don't use "tapes" but filmstock. Tape (bande in French) is used for audio or video. You shoot on filmstock (pellicule in French)
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 12, 2015, 07:15 AM:
Thanks for the advice Phil, I'll find as much informations as I can before buying new equipment. Anyway, I definitely hope that the first films of this project will be acceptable to watch and feel the atmosphere of Prague and Amsterdam...
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 12, 2015, 09:10 AM:
To which lab do you send your films for process ?
Posted by Pierre Beuzat (Member # 5139) on December 12, 2015, 10:33 AM:
To Super8france, based in Armentières (near Lille). Right next to you Dominique ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 12, 2015, 11:21 AM:
Not far away, indeed :-) I send my films to this lab in The Netherlands as both labs are for me abroad and I don't save postage choosing one instead of the other : https://www.super8.nl/english/e_index.htm
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