Sound Striping in the USA

[Rodney Bourke]

This Youtube Video by Dream Catcher Films, on Super 8 Sound Striping is a very helpfull Doco, 10 mins.
Written by Peter Axford & Carl Brandwood. With thanks to Richard Read, Adrian Simmons, Ged Jones & Derann Film Services.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBQ0_tOAyJQ&t=1s

[Philip Hamilton]

Adam - Last year (and back to your original question) I called I think 4 separate companies about striping here in North America. All of them said no - one said they used to about 30 years ago! I then always asked -- if not them - then WHO? No one seemed to have a clue - one said they thought this could be done in Europe! So they know about the striping done across the pond.

These were all reputable film services companies that develop 35mm 16mm and Super 8mm.

I did speak to one guy who had been at this one company out in LA since the heyday of Super 8mm and we commiserated about the lack of any services stateside.

On another note I have recently received new Super 8mm prints - all striped n Germany and all of them are just fine! The two 600 foot digests ( JAWS and STAR WARS sound and look great!). Great EDITS I would like to add...

I have some digests that were done by Movie Magnetic in Italy. They all sound good too - but yes - the business plan is strange for sure by requiring striping AND recording. It pretty much drives the price way up unnecessarily. I don't see how that is sustainable as a business model. But when you are one of a very few number of players....

By the way there is another source in Italy - Cinetecnica Marino that will produce Super 8mm on LPP with sound striping and recording for a fraction of the price charged by others. Turnaround is a bit slower though. I have one 200 foot JAWS print from there - also a good edit with the sequence involving Ben Gardner's severed head.

[Osi Osgood]

Good to hear, Adam! I am still stunned that we even have had this rennisance in Super 8, even with new, fantastic, brilliant low grain super 8 film today. The image quality is at least Derann and in my personal opinion, even better.

[Adam Deierling]

I really do admire all you guys that are producing new super 8mm prints but I think soon they will become unaffordable to produce and to buy. I have really supported these releases buy buying a few but I have had a few issues with some of the prints, I never ended up with a super 8 Jaws print as the first had the streaky lines and the replacement had a weird judder, these were obviously issues with the lab, Dave gave me a refund but I would have still loved a print. I purchased Lees latest release but it has a scratch on the far right of frame with is probably caused by the current striping issue. I'm hanging onto it as I can frame it so it does not show. To me if the new striping system is damaging costly prints which will soon becoming even more costly with Kodak introducing a 17% price rise in march, would it not be simpler to go with Albertos striping and recording, it may be a bit more expensive but his is a tried and tested system that I have never had any problems with.

Let's not get discouraged here. Yes new prints are expensive, but its real film. All of us releasing these prints are lucky to break even with all the costs involved. It's you guys who benefit the most by having a nice new digest in your collection.

I do all my own sound recordings. Anyone who has had me re-record a print can testify for the quality. If we were to rely on Alberto to stripe and record the sound I would then have to rely on someone else to provide a quality of work that I would deem acceptable. Not to mention, going with Alberto we would have to increase the price of new prints to over $500. Now that would kill new releases for sure.

Andec has this issue under control. Please don't be discouraged from ordering new prints. We are working with the lab to make sure these issues are resolved. The last batch of prints I have seen are much improved!

Please stay positive...

[Lee Mannering]

Still using my Rexette Graham 

Only thing that'll stop things here will be ongoing health issues. Grr.
Collectors who have partaken seem to enjoy the sight of a new movie as indeed do we here.
Price wise they are actually good value and sure everyone will have seen just one old trailer selling on fleabay, sorry ebay well over £50 only last week.
The majority from this side of the pond have some very good extras as well including rare daysets, Cinema idents and no less than 4 trailers all for £135 new.

Never thought I would be able to buy new movies with the digital onslaught but it's sure a thrill!

Enjoy your Super 8 old or new

Ps. Trailer on ebay at the moment 285117249469
Might be of interest to someone.

[Osi Osgood]

Though I like these new releases a lot, and MAJOR KUDOs to Dave, Lee, Adam, Steve and possible others for they're steadfast work, but I can see the writing on the wall as well, and I think that this brave revival of super 8 releases maybe coming to an end. Still, I am quite thankful. Adam, just wanting to day that I am sorry to see your topic hijacked. Getting back to it, I still think that it would be possible to take an existing super 8 striper, that can only take up to 400ft, and replace the 400ft arm with a 600ft arm from a "parts" projector just sitting around.

[Phillip Campey]

I really do admire all you guys that are producing new super 8mm prints but I think soon they will become unaffordable to produce and to buy. I have really supported these releases buy buying a few but I have had a few issues with some of the prints, I never ended up with a super 8 Jaws print as the first had the streaky lines and the replacement had a weird judder, these were obviously issues with the lab, Dave gave me a refund but I would have still loved a print. I purchased Lees latest release but it has a scratch on the far right of frame with is probably caused by the current striping issue. I'm hanging onto it as I can frame it so it does not show. To me if the new striping system is damaging costly prints which will soon becoming even more costly with Kodak introducing a 17% price rise in march, would it not be simpler to go with Albertos striping and recording, it may be a bit more expensive but his is a tried and tested system that I have never had any problems with.

[Larry Arpin]

The optical track is printed at the same time as the picture negative. An applicant is applied to the film during processing. I wonder if Andec can print an optical track. Most of us have optical capability on a GS or ST Elmo. But maybe that is wishful thinking.

[Graham Ritchie]

Just curious

1....Are the mono striped tracks laminated on polyester?
2...Without a balance stripe, how do you compensate that one side of the film is most likely, to be more in focus than its opposite side in the gate? plus, how does the film look sitting on a reel? as years ago, balance stripe was used for that purpose and not for recording, that was to come later.

I did my home striping back in the 1970s on a Rexette on our "own" home movies, to this day the stripe is still ok, in saying that, the film stock was acetate not polyester.

Just a thought, could you not do your own striping?, its not that hard, however you will need to make up and "test" your own "very special" super duper bonding agent, for it to stick any laminated stripe to polyester.

This is the striping machine I used long ago. I sold my original one, but this photo from the internet its the same one, anyway best of luck with striping, history does show though that, its always been a hit and miss process.

[Osi Osgood]

It is possible Steve. From what I understand from all that has been put out there on the internet, there was an extra coating added on later optical sound prints, and this keeps the optical track from fading. There are earlier optical prints that have pinkish fade and, as I stated earlier, it would seem that those optical tracks, on earlier optical sound prints, would benefit.

[Steve Lee]

When a film print is produced with an optical soundtrack, the soundtrack is added to the film after the image has been processed. using a second chemistry to insure that the soundtrack remains black.
It could be that the colour retrieval chemistry practice removes or fades the optical soundtrack. leaving you with a mute print.

[Lee Mannering]

Hi Osi. I've had more than one optical print of Goldfinger that had been paste striped which fell away back in el day.

The German stripe was excellent but we have had a blip, it happened even to Derann God bless them. They will get it right I am sure. The last mail I had was they were not aware of any problems but I'm sure they are on the case now with returns happening to sort out.

Movie Mag have done some great personal striping for me always reliable. Sometimes things get lost in international translation perhaps. These services are valuable to us who use them.

Thankfully no one has asked for deposits back for a delayed box 2 of Reel Col Faves as they resolve the issue, but it will be worth the wait!

[Osi Osgood]

Well, that was my whole issue. I had no problem with they're actual color treatment, or ORS, but I never received an actual explanation as to why the mag striping was actually necessary on an optical print, as, if anything, it would seem that the ORS treatment would actually make the optical sound louder, at least in theory. If the optical track had faded to a pinkish color, ORS treatment would darken the optical tracks pink portions, returning the sound without as much hiss on the track. I agree with Brad, and I bear Alberto no ill will. I would honestly love to hear an honest, plausible explanation as to why the mag track was a necessary addition, and if so, it will certainly shut up the critics, as well as vindicate Alberto and his business.

[Alan Myers]

Certainly sounds like a company to avoid, with these practices a company cannot be defended.
why on earth would they insist on stripping an optical print when it was sent for treatment of fade?

[David Baker]

Remember also that people who have been burned by a company have the right and also a responsibility to warn others of a bad experience.

And that is exactly what I did .
Thanks Brad .