NEW SUPER 8 FILM RELEASES Things to remember when ordering 2021

[Lee Mannering]

No doubt about it girls and boys, we are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to buy new films for our home screens on Super 8 sound film today.

Most of us are perhaps a little unaware of the love for S8 film and dedication those who are making the magic happen are putting in to make these films available to us let along the large amounts of money they are stumping up never to be recouped. Perhaps then we are a bit more than just lucky to have the opportunity purchasing new prints instead of old used ones which will have done the rounds for years and I'm not knocking the second hand market.

The guys are up against it at the moment tackling Customs which seem intent of being very difficult and delaying movement of boxes in and out of Germany. My own experience of this started January when I tried to get a delivery into Germany just after we left the EU over this side of the pond.
To give you a clear example how much delay they have caused it took me nearly 2 months to get them to release my parcel into Germany and I did feel sorry for UPS who were given such narrow windows to collect from them. If they missed the collection slot the parcel went back to the customs store to go thru the fiasco again! All this is affecting many things of course including material supplies I am guessing as well.

When we order new films you may experience a delay due to the difficult circumstances at the moment which will improve I am sure in time, but at the moment things are just a little different.

Reel Image have a great lineup this year as does Dave Baker both being dedicate to Super 8 of course. It's really best to pay when ordering as if you are waiting a few months for manufacture, delivery and chances are laboratory costs will be going up in the mean time so you wind wind up possibly paying more otherwise.

I look at it this way.. OK new film deliveries may take a bit longer to arrive but for me it just builds the excitement of a brand new S8 print arriving. I know when Jurassic Park arrived after a few months we sad down and watch it 3 times over, it was like a uncontrollable need to be amazed owning such a unique new film and love it we do and with those new prints for Steve'O.

We should also keep in mind the hard work of the wonderful laboratory and these new films do not suddenly pop out of a printer, onto a spool and boxed. It is a lengthy process to prep a master, make a negative, test print, get the OK, print, sound stripe a film and record a sound track en mass.

So what does the future hold for those of us who purchase and support the new films? PLENTY! You are in for some REEL treats and will love the Christmas Trailers with extras #2 plus much more.

Enjoy our hobby, love the film and treat yourself to some FilmGuard to protect them.
God bless and keep well.

[David Baker]

Thanks , Lee , for posting this information .

[Phil Moors]

It’s very interesting to see what goes into producing a new 8mm print, but I doubt they are losing large amounts of money doing it. Why would anyone set out to lose money? And at £300 for a 26 minute cutdown it appears to have been priced to recoup expenditure.

[Osi Osgood]

Actually, there's very little profit margin. It's for the love of the hobby. Dave can, of course, speak for himself, but I'm betting that he releases monster flicks because, well, he loves the subject! I release (when I do release) ads or trailers because I love them, but I never thought for a minute that I would make a profit doing so.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Phil,

Realistically, the very best you can hope for when releasing a film these days is to break even. The expenses are high since there are only a handful of places that do the work. These releases do not sell in the numbers that generate profit. As Osi said, it's for the love of the hobby and I'm grateful that there are people willing to do it.

[Philip Hamilton]

Absolutely correct - "for the love of the hobby". We are all participating in a niche of a niche of a niche hobby with relatively LOW numbers to market to. I would love to do a JAWS and HORROR OF DRACULA S8 Sound digest in Color. The setup costs are pretty HIGH. I love editing and so it would be an interesting challenge to create the digests for sure and a lot of fun. But printing Super 8mm copies won't make anyone money. You do it because you LOVE it.

Still...I would love to have beautiful S8 prints of these movies with NO COLOR FADE!

Here's a sample of my editing - RETURN OF FRANKENSTEIN - a non existent digest from HOUSE OF DRACULA...

[Lee Mannering]

Have a go at your own release Philip :-) The hardest part for your choice of titles will be finding a good master for you to cut to a digest.

One of the greatest things about this forum and the old much loved one is the years of love you can read from contributors about film. Pretty fair to say we have a passion for it and I've been working in the Video/Media world for too long 😲
Film of course is a good escape from everything and we can enter a different world for a couple of hours.

Its' a small miracle if those who put in the months of work break even as we know, but for those of us who buy new Imports we are extremely grateful for all the magic they make happen.

I find the best way to buy or afford new films is to have a saving pot, something I have done since the 1970's and works well for me. Brand new trailers for instance cost around $33 £24 UK so these are a good starting point for anyone looking to enjoy New Film Collecting. I have a couple of collectors near me who have started in the hobby and they have been buying trailers shortly to buy longer new films as well.

Another way to help with costs is to group your orders together with someone you know. Its particularly handy to order projector spares, Film Guard and a couple of films for instance buying from REEL IMAGE in the US to help save of shipping to one single address.

Enjoy these new prints and the hobby.

[Osi Osgood]

Phillip, I would highly suggest that you do a major search for a good color print of the JAWS 2x400ft digest! There are still great color prints to come by, mostly found in the UK.

[Simon McConway]

Based on the cost of 600' of raw Super 8 film, without processing striping, recording, shipping, the price of this film isn't even half that cost! It's often about more than cost, it's about value. The value of owning it on Super 8, the value of supporting new releases, the value of the pleasure it brings. The quality is still being appreciated long after the cost is forgotten.

[Lee Mannering]

So true Si.

[Phil Moors]

I stand corrected. Happy Screenings.

[Philip Hamilton]

Phillip, I would highly suggest that you do a major search for a good color print of the JAWS 2x400ft digest! There are still great color prints to come by, mostly found in the UK.

I think I saw one of these prints for sale on eBay but it reportedly had faded like most. Finding a vintage movie WITHOUT major color fade is a bit like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack or so it seems.

Not sure where to specifically look for these prints - there are a few websites and of course eBay. If there is a Super 8mm film clearing house in the UK where collectors list their wares - please advise. (I do check out what is on this forum too).

[Tom Photiou]

I'm no expert but you need to be a bit realistic when trying to jeer people up to buy every new release,
If i am not mistaken, once you find a source of film to make a negative,(and that alone costs for the material, unless someone loans you one) it costs around a grand per 200ft to make a negative, then there's printing costs, sound stripping and recording etc, so buying new releases isn't like buying sweets. JP is a very good title and its a landmark movie from Spielberg as well as being all action so its a very desirable title and very well chosen by David for his debut release. Jaws, for example, (while a great film), has already been done so unless its a different edit which includes the "head jump" scene i cant see too many collectors forking out all over again for a title thats been around for 40 years on 8mm just to replace fading ones. The full feature turns up on 16mm for reasonable sums.
As Simon said, "The value of owning it on Super 8, the value of supporting new releases, the value of the pleasure it brings. The quality is still being appreciated long after the cost is forgotten" is very true, but for long term collectors like me, if i had a choice of spending a grand on films, the choice is easy, a decent amount of good colour or b/w second hand 8mm/16mm prints, or a few 600ft cutdowns, then realism begins to creep in.

Dont get me wrong, i am supporting the hobby as Mr B can confirm, (thats as KA as i'm getting )
The staff at Derann told me they had to sell around 30 copies of a film to break even, it only takes a few releases NOT to sell so well before it becomes a very expensive loss, David is wisely being very choosey with the titles he's releasing and will hopefully do well.

With no new projectors being made, lets hope there's an abundant supply around to keep showing the films, with Bill now retired there isn't many who can keep them working as they should and without scratching expensive films, Dave Guest use to say, its ok having loads of films, but if there isn't any decent projector's to keep showing them, then there's no point in having them.

[Brian Fretwell]

I have a feeling that that 30 prints to break even was when they used an existing 16mm negative, earlier PM Films said they would release a new title if they had at least 50 people wanting to buy.

[Tom Photiou]

I think you may be right Brian, and of course there were many many more collectors back then.