Author
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Topic: Mark Sylvesters Bootlace Forum
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted July 09, 2004 12:28 PM
Just popped over to Mark Sylvester's Bootlace Forum -it's all gloom and doom about his forum and the sad future of 8mm over there. I think the mistake Mark has made, on his otherwise excellent forum, is not requiring people to post using their real names. Sorry, but I can't get enthusiastic about responding to names like "Rosebud" and "The Nuts are Loose" - it's so silly and impersonal. Brad has it right to insist on real names, and that's why this forum is so successful. As for the bashing of 8mm on Mark's forum, I find this very puzzling. If people are not into Super 8 collecting, why are they even bothering to go there. And the last thing I need to hear again, is about the superiority of DVD.
-------------------- The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection, Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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Steve Klare
Film Guy
Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted July 09, 2004 01:40 PM
Ah!,
As I see it, he's yielded to the temptation we sometimes encounter here to broaden the appeal of this group by becoming more general interest. The problem with that is that the people in the vast majority drown out the folks in the minority, and the smaller group loses it's place.
Another problem is that the more general interest you make something, the more groups there will be doing exactly the same thing you are trying to do, and you'll wind up being just another ant in the anthill, and not particularly interesting. (Try starting a group called, "folks who breathe air", and just see who cares enough to join!)
By sticking to it's original intent, this forum keeps itself worth being a part of. It's not for everybody, but it's good for us!
-------------------- All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...
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Mark Todd
Film God
Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted July 11, 2004 06:18 AM
Well I`d like to say I think Marks forum is great, not least for the amount of work he has put in doing very interesting stuff. I think the term "Anorak" is more likely apt to people who pursue a very narrow line of interest and get all stuffy and funny should someone dare to suggest its not as they think. Mark does quite a bit for the hobby as many will know, he`s introduced people at a local collage to super 8 anew and there has been interest from people coming to his forum who would likely never have come accross film and hes helped people to tool up as it were and still himself enjoys watching films. The reason I really like it there is the broader appeal, the hobby needs to broaden out a bit at least if its going to survive , you may remember a while ago I was all fired up to do an article and place an add in a mainstream mag about super 8 to get it out there and I`d have put up a good % of the cash myself but the interest from other super 8 ers was almost nil so I let it go. Dealers don`t of course because there is no way film can compete but I liked the idea of showing a few people who hadn`t heard of it what its all about. I love film and always will but for me it has to become a part of the whole film watching thing with the mainstay probably video projection, plenty of people registered here do both and some mainly or only watch the video as it happens. I think its a shame to slate Mark and his efforts as he has put not only his time and money in but also some thought and the really great thing is that you can say what you like. Its only building up slowly and after all this forum was already well established and the numbers interested in super 8 are very small just over 200 members here from all over the world, there was a time you could manage that in a large town itself. Its a fact that film will continue to down size and any dealer will appreciate that and prices will continue to fall on many films, even 16mm in the US is sliding fast as once people have seen what video can do now and very cheaply many think well why bother, and get away from the projector goings on and the rip offs etc. There will inevitably always be a band of serious filmies with me included but I can`t put my head in the sand about super 8, deraan still do a great job and Phil and Denise have put one hec of a lot of effort in and cash.And we all know the late Derek`s opinion on the future of 8 !!!!! But don`t worry there will always be films and machines about to mess on with so you can get away with saying the future of super 8 is small and a niche. So in all I say thank you to Mark and others who put some effort in and give us room to talk and discuss anything and say what we feel and Marks very very good forum is a great place to do it. best Mark.T. PS by the way my name on there is Mark, and The nuts are loose becuase mine most definately are and I don`t think for a minute that what I say about anything is nessecarily right or wrong or I know anything better than anybody else but I do like a chat and a laugh amd sometimes a disscusion.
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted July 11, 2004 02:52 PM
Ooops, i certainly never try to upset anyone and anyone who sets up a forum to do with reel film has my full support, i wasn/t refering to the gent who runs the forum at all, i just gety a little frustrated at anyone who slags off film, 8 or 16mm. After all, if some people believe film is dead or dying and want to move on thats fair enuf but because something better or improved comes along i dont think thats a good excuse to down talk film, after all, film is where it all began, i do agree its going to downsize just as vinyl did after cd's, My little opinion was aimed at the critics not the forum host, as you said, the way its done shows a lot of time and effort but it does have its big share of people who slate film, seems an odd thing to do on a forum put out for film, love and hugs Tom
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted July 11, 2004 05:16 PM
Well it's been a wet afternoon here in Orlando, so I have spent a couple of hours on the Home Theatre web pages , reading some user reviews of current video projectors. I had assumed that the problems with video projectors had been resolved by now, judging by the glowing reports on this and other film forums. Apparently this is not entirely the case, many reviews of current projectors speaking of " visible rainbow effects", ' screen door effect was visible even 15 ft away from the screen", " annoying vertical bars visible on bright scenes", " lost pixels", "dust on the LCD requiring the projector to be disassembled and cleaned every month", " color variation across the screen" and so on. And these are all current state of the art projectors. I am not here to knock video, but it certainly sounds like video projectors have a slew of problems which film is mercifully free of, and that the picture quality of home video projectors has been overstated.
-------------------- The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection, Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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Mark Todd
Film God
Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted July 12, 2004 07:44 AM
I`m afraid thats clearly not the case at all, my very meagre sony CS2 does awesome pictures up to 7.5 feet and way beyond any film I`ve had, never mind up to that size, over 12 feet or so not even a hint of a pixel and machines now are far beyond that quality wise.I sit at 7 eet or so and its superb, can`t sit that close with my smaller cine picture. I know someone who has lately bought a bang up to date DLP machine, incredible picture and contrast, no pixellation at all, amazing performance like 35mm at least, £500 brand new. There are ineviatably problems with any format but on the whole video proction now has to be seen to be belived at the price its now down to, most people get superb and solid problem free viewing and it just getting better. Its no use comparing the picture as such as video will win now hands down, thats not what the fun of cine is about and we don`t need to be scared of video at all. Film will not stand or fall if we say, wow video is really is good now. Cine is more of a hobby in many fun ways but you need to be realistic about it. I suggest people here go and see a moderate up to date machine and you will be amazed, then come home get out the old elmo and have a good old proper film session as well, great fun and all that but the people who like myself will say how good video proecjtion is now have seem both and believe me can talk from experiance, the two are ideal bedfellows and its just possible cine may attract the odd soul who does video projection but it will be an uphill struggle and I believe that now as I have said I think we collectors and enthusiasts need to back up our love of the hobby with some cash up front. Best Mark.
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted July 12, 2004 12:21 PM
I do see the points and agree that dvd/video projection has definatly come along way, as you rightly say cine is a hobby and in all our views,(i'm sure) an excellent one, there is nothing that can beat true cine projection for the experience, i'm talking about the quality but the actual hobby of cine,(real film) projection. Even now when i show a cartoon to a child or even a normal film to an adult in my little film den they are always silent and amazed at the true film image, but definatly agree that dvd/video projecton is today very good, but back to the original point,, its a bit of a scilly exercise comparing film to digital and visa versa, they are both hobbies in there own right with digital being more convienient and in the case of the films themselves a hell of a lot cheaper with mega amounts more choice, remember cd Vs Vinyl, the showman ship of cine wins hands down for me and one day i will venter into the realms of dvd projection, but i wouldnt sell my collection of 8/16mm to get it.
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