August 2011 Newsletter

The Power of Super 8 Film Virtual Boot Camp is now available on DVD and to Download!  

Missed our live Power of Super 8 Film Boot Camp? Now you can learn everything you need to know about Super 8 filmmaking from the comfort of your own home! With 3 in-depth technical sessions by Phil Vigeant (recorded live at the March 2011 boot camp)  "The Power of Super 8 Film Virtual Bootcamp" is an essential guide for any filmmaker!

The Power of Super 8 Film Virtual Boot Camp is available to download or on DVD!    

The Power of Super 8 Film Virtual Boot Camp: Introduction by Rhonda Vigeant

Click the links below to order!  

The Power of Super 8 Film Virtual Boot Camp DVD - $38.88

The Power of Super 8 Film Virtual Boot Camp Download - $38.88

Or get both the download and DVD for $48.88!

Part 1: The Super 8 Camera

The history of Super 8 cameras, all basic camera features and functions; Lens options; ultra wide, telephoto extenders, C-mount vs. fix-mount; Filters; Focus; Exposure; Transport; Off-speed shooting; Anamorphic; Max8; Stabilization; eBay cameras; Specialty cameras; Back-up; Light meter; Testing before shooting; Sync sound, 18 vs. 24 fps, 85 filter.

Part 2: Super 8 Film and Processing

Types of Super 8 Film Stocks - Fuji vs. Kodak; Color temperature - tungsten vs. daylight; Alternative processing methods - DIY hand processing, Cross processing, Skip bleach, Push/pull; Custom film; Regular 8; 200 foot loads; Double Super 8; Prep.

Part 3: Scanning and the Digital Workflow

Different types of scanners pros and cons of each - Rank Cintel Mark 3 digi 4,Y-front Ursa Diamond, Millennium 2,Spirit, Projected on the wall, Frame by frame; Color Correction - Scene by scene vs. one light; What are the P.E.C.s?; Gamma correction;  HD, SD 444, 422 ProRes, 1080i vs.1080p.

"Phil's presentations were very informative. Not only does he know his subject matter but also presents very professionally. Not a dull moment what so ever! Loved it!" - Zaven Baghdanian - Boot Camp Attendee

"I enjoyed every aspect. It was all inspiring and Phil speaks with perfect clarity for those entirely new to Super 8 filmmaking as well as those already familiar. " - Ashton Reese - Boot Camp Attendee

"Phil and his passionate technical explanation of the entire process was superb. Every filmmaker, no matter the experience, should use this boot camp for their own creation and artistry." Miles Marshall - Boot Camp Attendee

"I came away believing -maybe I could do it! I loved Phil's ability to break down complicated data into everyday imagery and language. There is nothing I would have changed." Laura Chick - Boot Camp Attendee

Our Next Teleseminar is Shooting National Brands with Super 8 on August 3rd!

Today more than ever big national brands are forced to recreate their image and reconnect with their customers in more intimate, engaging and organic ways. Many companies are now focusing on personal story telling to re-focus on individual contributors as opposed to corporate culture. What better way to do this than with Super 8 film? 

Our next teleseminar, on August 3rd, will feature  D.P. Laura Merians who shoots personal campaigns for Whole Foods using Super 8.  

Laura and Pro8mm's Phil Vigeant will be talking about how and why some very hip campaigns for companies such as Roxy, Billabong, Whole Foods, Swiffer, Ford Automobiles and hundreds of other national brands for food, beverage, clothing, sports teams, fast food resturants and more use Super 8 Film to tell their story. 

Laura Merians is a cinematographer and director based in Los Angeles and New York City. She started her career in lighting after receiving a degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley.  Laura has worked on projects for Discovery, MTV, VH1, Fox and Sony well as shooting music videos and short films. Her work has been featured in American Cinematographer, Studio Monthly Magazine, Videography Magazine and Digital Cinematography.  She recently finished shooting and directing a series of shorts for Whole foods on urban farming called THRIVE and a new series featuring the grown up Mowry Twins for the Style Network titled Tia and Tamera; she used Super 8 on both projects. http://www.lauramerians.com 

Laura's Whole Food's Campaign: THRIVE  

 Please join us for Shooting National Brands with Super 8 Teleseminar!

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011, 4:30pm to 5:30pm Pacific (7:30pm to 8:30pm Eastern).

  Click Here to Read More and to Register!

*Remember, even if you can not attend live, anyone who registers will receive a link to the live recording for free. But you must register to receive the recording.  

Winners of the "My Super 8 Movie" Contest! 

We are very excited to announce the winners of the My Super 8 Movie Contest! Our winners are: 

Spooky Movie 2010

Brian Lonano - Spooky Movie 2010: Brian from Brooklyn, NY made this film in 2010, using a Beaulieu 4008ZM 2, and shot on Fuji Eterna 43-160T. This film was the Official Promo for the 2010 Spooky Movie Film Festival. It theatrically premiered at the AFI Silver (Silver Spring, MD) opening night of the 2010 Spooky Movie Film Festival and was the official selection of the International Super8 Film Festival by Milano Cinema in Milan, Italy.

Ms. Marvel's Day Off

Ruckus Skye - Ms. Marvel's Day Off: Ruckus of

Atlanta,GA made this film in 2011, using an old Super 8 camera he found in his basement! It is shot on Pro8-13 (Kodak's Vision 3 200T film.) The film is about Carol (Ms. Marvel) and how she spends her free time when she's not saving the world or the Avengers from themselves. Ms. Marvel's Day Off has received a very impressive, 80,000 hits from you tube!    

The Adventures of the Girls from Ditty Trailer

Taylor Whitney - The Adventures of the Girls from Ditty Trailer: 

This film was made by Taylor Whitney and Susan Patrick of Falcon Films and Home Movie Classics in Rochester, NY.  This is just the trailer for the film, (the original is about 30 minutes) which was filmed, directed, and edited in 1967 by a then teenage filmmaker, Susan Patrick. In 2007, the film was transferred and restored by Home-Movie-Classics, a division of Preserving The Past, LLC and screened for family and friends 40 years later. The complete movie is available by contacting info@home-movie-classics.com. The exact camera and stock is unknown, but it was shot on Kodak film.  

COCHRAN

James Gannon: Cochran: Cochran was shot by James Gannon, also of Brooklyn, NY.  James made this film in 2009 on a NIZO S800 and shot with 64T. It was an official selection at the SXSW Film Festival in 2009. Cochran was shot by James Gannon, also of Brooklyn, NY.  James made this film in 2009 on a NIZO S800 and shot with 64T. It was an official selection at the SXSW Film Festival in 2009.   

A Prayer for Cool

Marc Bencivenga - A Prayer for Cool: Marc of Santa Rosa, CA shot A Prayer for Cool in 2010 on a Kinoflex windup camera. It is shot on Super8/65 ASA 100 B&W Reversal Film. The film is about Foo man Lou who is flustered by the presence a smooth biker named "Smokey." Foo Man Lou attempts to kick start his new chopper. Frustrated with Foo Man's failed attempts and lack of finesse, Smokey has just about had it until a visit from the divine changes Foo Man Lou forever.  

Neil Capolongo - Nuclear Nightmares:  

Neil Capolongo of Huntington, NY

Nuclear Nightmares

made Nuclear Nightmares in 1990. It was shot on Super-8 Kodachrome 40 sound reversal film using a Nizo 6080 Super 8 Camera. This film is a 10 minute segment of this originally 45 minute film, taken from a VHS dub (film to     Beta SP to VHS ) with some tightening on iMovie. The project was originally double-system edited on film. The camera's original was cut using a PGP 6 plate Super-8 flatbed editor-incorporating the "Super-8 Sound" sync sound system: Mag IV fullcoat recorder and Elmo GS1200 projector. The film's magnetic track was used, at first, during the Rank Cintel telecine; but the sound on the Beta-SP dub was later re-recorded using the fullcoat master. A reel-to-reel safety master was also made.

 

Demolition Derby

Kevin McCarthy - Demolition Derby: Kevin McCarthy of Watertown, MA made Demolition Derby in 2006 using a Kinoflex camera. This experimental documentary short combines silent Super 8mm film, shot on Kodachrome 40, with a mix of sounds recorded on location but separately from the picture. This disjointed melding of sound and space emerges in a familiar but disorienting explosion of mud, exhaust fumes, and carnival sounds. 

Nicaragua

Jason Scallo - Nicaragua: On A Yashica Super600 Electro using only 2 rolls of 100DSuper 8 film, Jason Scallo made his film Nicaragua. All the film was actually shot in Nicaragua. 

Filmmakers Spotlight

Our featured filmmaker spotlight this month is Ramona Rosales!

je ne suis

Ramona attended our March 2011 boot camp, and since then she has been hired to work with a team of photographers & filmmakers who are all working together on projects for national brands. The products require multiple platforms but one aesthetic. Ramona has been shooting Super 8 along side photographers and other filmmakers for projects like Puma, ESPN and Esquire. Everyone is capturing the same feel, but some shots are still and others in motion.  Ramona says its a seamless process since everyone is using different formats. Check out her website: The Departamento and her film above, je ne suis  http://www.thedepartamento.com

Welcome to Tech Talk! Tech Talk is a new feature on our monthly newsletters which will address many common technical questions related to Super 8 workflows.  

This month we want to address some of the most common questions related to media files, file formats and hard drives. Pro8mm started offering media file options only 3 years ago. Today, 95 % of all our work at Pro8mm is done to media file. Filmmakers like media files because:

• No more clunky tape deck, disc player or film projectors
• No more different players for  Pal or NTSC - its all one standard
• Easy editing with computer based software like Final Cut Pro or Avid. 
• Easy play access from your computer- where its onine, projected to larger audiences, connect to your flat screen, or even played on the ipad or iphone

One of the most common questions we get is: What file format should I output for editing on my computer? 

The different file format options handle data differently. Footage transferred at a higher quality format will take up a significantly larger amount of hard drive space than footage transferred at a lower quality format. It might be tempting to go for the best, uncompressed option, but this means that every minute of footage will take up around 12 GB of space. Most computers and hard drives are not currently able to handle this high rate of data, so it is best to make sure that your system can handle the format you choose otherwise you won't be able to use the footage. Most jobs we do are transferred using the 422 ProRes HQ option. Some go to ProRes 444 RGB. This is a very high-quality, visually lossless format that is within the threshold of what most up-to-date computers can handle. Most of the format options are best suited for Mac computers with the appropriate codecs. They work great with Final Cut Pro. These files will also work on PCs as long as the appropriate codecs are available for reading the files.

Additionally, a lot of customers ask: Why won't my hard drive open on my computer? 

A hard drive has to be formatted for Mac or PC. Mac formatted hard drives are not readable on a PC and will not play the files. Conversely a PC formatted hard drive may have difficulty on a Mac. When you select your media files and hard drove from Pro8mm, you must specify the type of formatting you require on the drive before the film transfer for a smooth workflow.

Pro8mm is authorized re-sellers of G-Tech and La Cie hard drives.  We sell drives from our retail and online store, saving you time and money on shipping your drive to us.   

Drive prices continue to drop, and it is always good to have a back up hard drive for your files.   Hard Drives From Pro8mm  

Do A Shot for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

 On September 17 & 18 in Santa Barbara, CA, Rhonda, Brittany & Jaclyn Vigeant will be walking 39 miles in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer,  helping to forever alter the lives of thousands affected by breast cancer worldwide. Together, we will unite with one purpose and one goal - to end this deadly disease. The money we raise will provide women and men the breast cancer screening, support and treatment they need regardless of their ability to pay. It will also help power leading-edge research teams across the country, fueling their quest for a cure - all because of you! Are you IN IT TO END IT?

We welcome and encourage our family of filmmakers to get involved with this amazing event. Pro8mm will be hosting our "Do A Shot" at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, filming the thousands of walkers who are fighting for a cure. For $25, you can register to "Do A Shot" at the walk, and we will give you a roll of film to shoot the event. You can borrow a camera from us our bring your own. All the film and the money will be donated to the Avon Walk Foundation. We hope you will be a part of this wonderful experience.  If you would like to register, please email Jaclyn@pro8mm.com

When: September 17 & 18 (Saturday and Sunday)

Where: Santa Barbara, CA - will will announce a specific location along the walk route to meet.   

If you are not around the Los Angeles area but would like to support the Pro8mm team, you can still donate to our team page. The Vigeant women, along with the millions of people affected by breast cancer, are very greatful for your donation. You can donate to one of us by clicking our name. All proceeds go to the Avon Foundation. 

The Vigeants Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Donation Page 

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