8mm Forum: Missing Members- Where Are They?

This is topic Missing Members- Where Are They? in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on September 11, 2015, 12:31 PM:

Having been a member for eight years I do not now seem to read any replies from a large number of members who were all once regular contributors to this Forum.

Where have they all gone, and why have they deserted us?

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 11, 2015, 12:50 PM:

It might well be that they have either passed on, (very sad) or worse yet, passed on they're collections to others (extremely sad) and having done so, think that they have nothing to add to the conversation, which is entirely not true, as there is a wealth of film knowledge that they may well have that no one else may have! [Frown]

Posted by David Guest (Member # 2791) on September 11, 2015, 12:57 PM:

as osi says they could have passed away. hope the older members last a bit longer would be a shame to miss northwest film fair at blackpool

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 11, 2015, 04:01 PM:

Maurice

I don't think they have passed away...most likely.. bought a "video projector" [Big Grin]

Posted by Douglas Warren (Member # 1047) on September 11, 2015, 05:20 PM:

I've been a member for a number of years but wasn't active in the hobby for a very long time.Been back in it more seriously for about a year now. I think many sign up but remain lurkers.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 11, 2015, 05:45 PM:

Douglas makes some very valid points.
Lots of people join this forum but few actually contribute anything.
Also there are many members here who admit to not having a current interest in owning either films or projectors now.

i wonder just how few still regularly buy films now?
not many i am guessing out of 4600.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on September 11, 2015, 06:19 PM:

I doubt there are a hundred really active members on all the forums. You keep running into the same people over and over again whether it's on the forums, at the conventions or in publications.

Even when I buy on E-bay I keep getting "Hi Steve!" when I complete an auction.

Posted by Joe Vannicola (Member # 4156) on September 11, 2015, 08:05 PM:

A friend of mine got out of collecting 16mm fifteen years ago to concentrate on collecting DVDs,and when I was telling him recently that I was still actively in the hobby of films he remarked,"Your a dinosaur, Joe." My reply was," Well,as long as I knock down a few building and eat some people, I'm happy." [Big Grin]

Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on September 12, 2015, 03:27 AM:

Well I guess this is "Jurassic World" then! [Smile]

As we all know.. there is just something about lacing up a projector, hearing the film advance, having to focus, adjust the sound. Its just an involving experience that is so different..so addicting.. and different than putting on a DVD or Movie file. We are a strange breed. All hatched from the same egg! [Smile]

Yes.. we know this is an expensive hobby, we know that in many many cases our films are scratched, faded, cut.. but those are like the fingerprints of the film. My brother doesn't understand it either. When I told him how hard it was to get the full length "Jaws" on Super 8 he said...."Just get the Blueray..."

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on September 12, 2015, 06:46 AM:

-yet nobody travels a couple of hundred miles and rents a hotel room to spend the weekend watching Blu-Rays with like-minded folk like we do.

The video formats were designed to be cheap and easy to use, and they are excellent for that.

As a hobby, once you are all set up they make you a lot more like the people out in the seats than the projectionist up in the booth. There is even nothing wrong with this: there are times we just want to be the audience too, it's just not something I can be passionate about.

One of the things I love about this hobby is when I was a teenager I messed around in electronics purely for the fun of it. Later on I did it for a living and the fun became kind of a side effect.

-now I can take the things I've learned in thirty years in between and have some fun again.

You don't build anything for the silver disk, you just buy. When it breaks you buy again instead of fixing. It's all black box stuff: not only don't you understand what's going on inside, but the patent and copyright folks really, really prefer it that way!

The Forums will continue. People will come and go for various reasons. It's a lot like life itself.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on September 12, 2015, 07:27 AM:

I also think some of the past arguments and attitudes that have been taken (see thread about whether there should be a video section on the forum) may have put people off posting or even lurking. Some are more thin skinned to that than others and just not be bothered to continue.

Those who caused past disagreement may also have gone but the ones put off may not know things are better now.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on September 12, 2015, 09:08 AM:

Hello -

Not that any of this refers to me, but I want to be clear about one thing-

I HAVE NOT bought, or have any plans to buy, a video projector! [Smile]

Not that anything is wrong with that at all. My nephew has one, and I've enjoyed watching the occasional movie on it. Its just that, for me, putting on an old cartoon, a Little Rascals short, or an odd reel of "Barracuda", relaxes me in a way that digital does not. Of course I have a DVD player, a VHS, and I even rent movies from Red Box [Wink]

. We enjoy all these things, but film has its own special place, and stands alone on its own.

And family and friends enjoy the uniqueness of watching film some times. Its just something different that can't be replaced by a digital format.

As far as this forum goes, I still enjoy it very much. I visit at least once a week. I haven't been able to contribute like I used to. I retired from one career last year and started a new one three months later. Honestly I haven't had the time to do reviews & start topics lately. The priorities in life have a tendency to take the place of "fun" things [Frown]

.

I'll bring this to a close (I don't want to ramble). But I want to thank Doug and the other moderators for their wonderful dedication to this forum. Its still probably the friendliest forum around. I have noticed a little more bickering lately amongst the members, and I hope this will decrease. At the end of the day, we're all human, and make mistakes, but lets try to be mindful of one another.

Hopefully I will be able to contribute more in the coming months!

James.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on September 12, 2015, 11:58 PM:

I think one factor that doesn't help is that here are more film collecting forums nowadays. I discovered another quite new one recently that I hadn't heard of previously and thought "why on earth create yet another forum that basically just duplicates what's on the ones that already exist?

I fully respect the right of anyone to set up a forum, but I think the reality is that some reflect people having disagreements and not wanting to associate with others on a particular forum. But if you monitor more than one, you'll often see collectors posting exactly the same thread on more than one forum, so wouldn't most people prefer it if there was just one major 8mm-focussed forum, in the same way that there's one major 16mm one?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on September 13, 2015, 02:11 AM:

Adrian
I too have discovered that new Forum and see where some of our old members are now to be found.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2015, 03:11 AM:

Yes, it's a breakaway forum of which I am a member.
As I have always maintained, this is THE best film forum imo.

For some, they grew tired of the relentless discussion surrounding digital technology, which quite frankly, there are far more appropriate forums with greater numbers and by and large, greater in depth knowledge, if that's your bag.

The other forum differs from this one in that the moderators will not tolerate any digital talk whatsoever.

For some, they may feel this is a little extreme, but for others it does guarantee that whatever you are reading in whichever film gauge section interests you, chances are, the topics will be of interest as it is solely concentrating its efforts in giving the film collector all the necessary tools to equip themselves with.

It includes film covers from the original distributor, equipment manuals, tutorial posts, old film catalogues, film logos for artwork etc etc etc.

By keeping it purely "film", it avoids the inevitable digression that often takes place surrounding a film being discussed between the film itself and its digital counterpart.
This suits many people I suspect who want to join a film forum.

For those who enjoy and participate in both technologies like myself, that's fine. But just speak only of your interest in film and associated equipment and related topics when visiting "the other" forum.

Try joining it, alongside this one, you may just find it very interesting!

Posted by Antoine Orsero (Member # 41) on September 13, 2015, 09:29 AM:

I own a large collection of movies super8, 8mm, 9.5 mm and 16mm as well as multiple projectors!

I also own DVDs I watch with pleasure especially for American comic cinema of the silent era.

But there are not any DVD then in on film there has been lots of old films that were edited..

But I prefer the theater on film because you can see the images through the film while in a DVD we see nothing!

More I love the sound of the projectors!

Excuse my bad English

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on September 13, 2015, 12:34 PM:

Andrew - That's fair enough and I should stress that I wouldn't dream of discouraging anyone from visiting any forum they wish - and it's good if some have unique features that can't be found elsewhere. I know that one or two have previously folded, so if the one you mention is doing OK, it's clearly doing something right. I take it you don't mean the BFCC Facebook page (which I do contribute to)? I was thinking of a new non-Facebook one that I came across by chance recently, that I'll look for again with a view to dropping in, although limited spare time means I have to mostly limit my engagement to what I've long considered the key 8 and 16mm forums, although I appreciate that others will have their own favourites.

But to help my understanding of the incentive to launch new ones, I'd just like to ask:
a) When the "breakaway" forum was proposed, was it felt that neither Dan's or Kevin's forums fitted the bill as alternatives?
b) In terms of the digital issue - and I rarely contribute to any such threads myself - was this so contentious that it wasn't felt sufficient to simply avoid the part of this forum and any threads exploring this? (If you feel this is too sensitive to answer here, please feel to email me direct if you're willing, because I may have missed something that gave an insight into this.)

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on September 13, 2015, 01:11 PM:

Personally, I only post when I have something to say, or reply to...
Just because a member doesn't actively post, or as is referred to "contribute", doesn't mean we aren't fully engaged in the hobby. I could honestly say I read this forum every single day, and have been since the beginning. I'll reply or add to something if I could, but most of the time I'd just be repeating what has already been said about a subject or problem. As far as the other forums go, joining them doesn't necessarily make you a dissenter of this one...my two cents [Wink]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2015, 01:33 PM:

i completely agree Joe. Adrian you would have to ask the individuals concerned

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on September 13, 2015, 01:52 PM:

I will stay here....I am curious George and my main projector is "jap crap" (not my description)

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on September 13, 2015, 02:21 PM:

Andrew - I can't do that as I don't know who the individuals were. I guess in these situations certain discrete invitations go out and you're either 'in the know' or you're not!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2015, 02:23 PM:

And certainly not my words either Bill.

Furthermore nobody is suggesting for anyone to switch forums or leave this one.
Just perhaps use them all if they all offer something different.

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on September 13, 2015, 02:42 PM:

Bill!! Jap Crap you surely don't mean Elmo. That used to be a hanging offence round here

So let's see we have the e l m o Forum which you can't see unless you are member. You have Dan's Forum which looks like this except it must be different. You have the Jubillee forum which is open to everything but again you have to be a member to join. You have the 16mm forum which as the name implies no puny 8mm here big muscles or hernias are required. Now you have reel cine (famous five )which is no digital or yak just cine but soundtrack lps photos seem to be a big winner. Open at present but was thinking of going underground last week.

Confusing isn't it!!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2015, 03:26 PM:

Just lke the 70's American sitcom "Soap!".....
"Confused..you soon will be!" [Wink]

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on September 13, 2015, 03:36 PM:

SOAP you do miss a simple comedy like that. Andrew I saw the episodes upto the alien baby arriving can you fill in the missing storylines after that. Take as many words as you may need [Confused]

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on September 13, 2015, 04:26 PM:

I'm still here, and i have answered the "jap crap" item, can't have that. Politely though [Wink]

In fact here's what i said, i make no secret,

i have to say i will always stand up for Elmo, they are one of the biggest selling projectors and we have three, all ST1200HDs, two of them with optical sound as well as eumig 810 702 nd 822 sonomatic, we got rid of the 940 soon after it started going wrong.
Yes i have to admit i understand they can and do,(especially if never serviced and cleaned properly), scratch film.
They are sturdy, you can easily remove the film at any point very quickly and there sound is top notch. The rear guide is purely for auto take up on the 800 foot reel, when pushed in out the way this is obviously for using the 1200 foot spool, another plus on the Elmo 1200, a decent size spool capacity so no need for extra equipment to put on an hour show.
In fact until i started using film guard a few years ago i never had any problems with wow and flutter, then i realised with help on the forum that i was using too much. I have since removed all the guides and rollers, cleaned them all, put it back together and it's perfect again. And one thing that is recognized with the Elmo is that they can always be repaired. Although not the quietest machine, (and it's far from the noisiest), the use of metal parts rather than plastic will give it more life. Only if serviced properly.
The picture frame line on the 1200 is also very good compared to many machines, when its in frame it stays in frame and whole edge is nice and sharp.
Many of you will now know that i am now a proud owner of a Bauer T610. I gave it a lot of thought and due to one or two of my movies having the far right "Elmo" black scratch i thought it time to get a machine that is kinder to the films.
over £400 later and only one month into ownership my Bauer is being returned under the warranty because track two does not work, all i get is a loud rustling through the speaker. Crappy plastic sliding switches like the ones on the Eumig s940, ((which we also owned before) always suffer like this,they need cleaning because they are so open to dust and at present i still think the good old Elmo is a very very solid reliable projector with a longer future than most i think, the sound they reproduce is definitely a winner. The fault by the way isn't just that the switch needs cleaning, it looks quite more serious. i am just lucky it's happened before the warranty ran out.
so for me, over 30 years of elmo's, (the same ones), hours of use every single week, they are all still going strong, easy to service, the Bauer goes back after only a month. not a great start and spares seem quite pricey from what i see. was it worth over £400? i now have to be convinced. Elmo is still my number one. As yet none of them have ever chewed up any films on threading. As long as they are clipped properly it should be fine like any machine. I think to be fair there's probably a lot of machines out there,of all makes, that just aren't cleaned thoroughly and rarely greased and lubed. Anything mechanical is going to wear out at some point, how quickly depends on the quality and materials used in the mechanisms.
I always avoided the GS because they were so over engineered. ideal if all you want to do is record but too many things to go wrong.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on September 13, 2015, 04:53 PM:

Thanks Tom...I like my Elmo too.

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on September 13, 2015, 05:07 PM:

Elmos best projectors in the world just very temperamental.
The 160 180 and 800s were fine. As Tom says ST 1200 were good but I could never find one hadn't had five previous owners or wasn't clapped out and the GS 1200 well great when they work but somehow every collector I met always had them with some wee man getting fixed. They were also very heavy remember carrying one to the boot of the car and was hung by the time I got there.😁

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2015, 06:43 PM:

Tom has so far been unlucky with his new machine. These projectors with much of their electronics fastened to the underside of the machine dont tend to travel well using our wonderful courier services

I am certain Tom will be both delighted and impressed once he has had an oppertunity to see the benefits of using one of these over a prolonged period of time

I rate the T610 overall as the kindest, quietest and most reliable sophisticated Stereo projector money can buy.

[ September 14, 2015, 02:22 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on September 14, 2015, 02:14 AM:

A reminder....No discussion of other film forums, please.
I hope they are all successful and bring pleasure to their participants, however past experience has proven this is a fine topic to stay away from.

Doug

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 14, 2015, 02:21 AM:

[Wink]

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on September 14, 2015, 05:29 AM:

Peace is the word...

Back to an early post on this thread it is truly sad to hear of our movie comrades passing on as I am sure we all have heard from time to time. Anyhow this particular forum has given me some great entertainment and we all continue to share our experiences and learn.

Best to all! [Cool]

Posted by David Guest (Member # 2791) on September 14, 2015, 11:21 AM:

I hope they are still here for blackpool in novemeber in fact any who turns up over the age of 90 gets free admission and a free film ,don't forget you proof birth certificate

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 14, 2015, 12:46 PM:

Personally, I LOVE running into the same ole people over and over again! It's fun to share you're cine passion with like-minded "dinosaurs"! [Smile]

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on September 14, 2015, 12:59 PM:

Could'nt agree more Osi. One of the greatest pleasures of this hobby for me has been meeting 'old friends' on this forum for the first time, both at the BFCC and Cinesea. You find you can talk for hours!

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