Happy Holidays from the staff at Pro8mm! 

2011 was another amazing year for the Super 8 film format. While every year brings us new and interesting projects, we can't help but share our  excitement around some of the Super 8 highlights from 2011  that we have been honored to be a part of.

Our year was off to an incredible start with the world premiere of "It's About You," a 90 minute documentary shot entirely on Super 8 film by Kurt and Ian Markus. During the 6-week tour across America, Mellencamp performed live and recorded his new album, "No Better Than This." Kurt and Ian shot over 400 rolls of Pro8/19, Super 8/63, and Super 8/85 with several 7008 Super 8 cameras, which we modified for Max 8 and crystal sync. Following the premier at SXSW in Austin, which Mellencamp attended, the film continued to screen at all of John's live concerts in venues around the country and throughout Europe. What an amazing experience to see our Super 8 workflows on a 40-foot screen. Tens of thousands of  people have seen the film.  It is the most seen theatrical Super 8 project ever done. The DVD and Blu-ray release are expected in early 2012.

We also worked with Bad Robot on one of this summer's biggest blockbuster films, Super 8.  What a remarkable film by J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg, who have been Super 8 filmmakers since they were kids, and in essence what they launched their careers with. Their comments about 8mm on the DVD release are priceless and inspirational for all artists that aspire to make movies. For this film, cinematographer Larry Fong shot with one of our Classic Pro cameras for the Super 8 scenes, all processed and HD scanned at Pro8mm. There were also several Pro814 cameras purchased. You can see some of J.J's original films as well as other key creative people on the project in the bonus feature of the Super 8 DVD. All of these original Super 8 films were digitally mastered at Pro8mm. 

EVENT is a word you have probably heard from us a lot over the course of the year. We launched our first teleseminar series in early 2011, covering both technical and applications for Super 8 filmmaking. We have had an overwhelming response from all around the world by people who have enjoyed learning about the many facets of Super 8. Additionally we hosted many live events, including The Power of Super 8 Film in NYC, Philadelphia, Tampa, Harrisonburg, and Hollywood. We also hosted our second Power of Super 8 Film Boot Camp in North Hollywood in March, which is now available as a virtual boot camp. Our popular "Do A Shot" programs were held 3 times as co-branded event with Kodak. We put Super 8 cameras and film into the hands of over 300 people! Our ability to educate the next generation about Super 8 filmmaking has been an overwhelming positive experience this year, and you will see many more educational activities from Pro8mm in 2012!

Additional honorable mentions in 2011 that have used Pro8mm film, cameras, processing, and scanning workflows include:

• Steven Tyler: Does the Noise Inside My Head Bother You?
• Cirque du Soleil
• The Super Gr8 Festival
• The My Super 8 Movie Contest
• Katy Perry's performance with music video at the Grammys
• James Franco's "Grease" for the Academy Awards
• HIDE, a TNT film made for TV
• Commerical campaigns for Roxy, Salomon Snowboards, Target, Swiffer, Billabong, Whole Foods, and Ford 
• TV work for Law and Order: SVU, Justin Bieber, The Buried Life, American Idol, Tia and Tamera and the NBA
• Metallica

It has been an amazing year for Super 8 film and we are excited to bring you some new and exciting things in 2012!

James Chressanthis uses Max 8 in TNT's Mystery Movie Night: HIDE

Last week TNT premiered HIDE, a made-for-tv movie based on a thriller mystery novel by Lisa Gardner. The film was directed by James Gray and beautifully shot by cinematographer James Chressanthis, ASC.