Paying gigs in super 8

[jaxshooter]

I would like to hear from folks who have managed to score some paying gigs in super 8.I haven't done a paying gig in S8 in 25 years.In fact,haven't done a 16mm gig in about 12 and did one 35mm gig about 8 years ago.The fact that forums like this exist tells me it's not dead as not of all of the work I hear about are complete labors of love.If you do lower budget film gigs in super 8 or 16mm for that matter,I want to hear about it.I want to know what kind of gigs you're doing and what type of clients you have and why they aren't asking for video since everyone seems to be concerned about cost.I'm curious also to know when was the last time anyone on here did a 16mm gig for a 16mm print with an optical track.For me the last time was around 1981.

[Mogzy]

I did one of these recently for the University I am at which put on a production of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew".

I must admit most of the gig was on Mini DV but they also paid for me to buy £100 ($150) of Super 8 film, mainly Vision2 500T and Tri-X to film to shoot from the wings and edit into the final production to provide some contrast.

In addition, a friend recently showed me a DVD of a white stripes concert filmed entirely on Super 8, so it is still done.

[etimh]

Yo, check it out:

http://www.reel60.com/

Ain't love grand? Make sure and watch the "sample movie." Probably lots of companies starting to get this idea. This one's in the UK, I guess.

Tim

[CToTheH]

I rented my 814xls for 45 dollars a day and made over 250 dollars!!

[Mitch Perkins]

Yo, check it out:

http://www.reel60.com/

Ain't love grand? Make sure and watch the "sample movie." Probably lots of companies starting to get this idea. This one's in the UK, I guess.

Tim

My main paying S8 gig is with a production co. here in Toronto. I know they would like to be producing many different types of films, but the darned weddings are just so lucrative...it's tough. ~:?)
The weddings are mostly captured on MiniDV, with 12 or so rolls of S8 mixed in the final product for...well, we all know what for.
It's nice, cause I get to concentrate on all the more artsy-type shots, no sound worries etc. Plus everyone's so happy, if a little stressed...

Mitch

[Rick Palidwor]

I made 9 music videos for a band in Toronto and they paid me for the last batch of 4 (I did the first batch for free because they are friends). The deal was usually "I shoot for nothing" (since it was just a question of collecting footage and otehr shooters were contributing footage) and then I got paid to edit them, but still a "paid gig" and all shot on super 8.

I also recently shot and edited a 6 minute short on super 8 (which is playing at a big festival in Winnipeg next week! - if anyone is out there it is at the NSI's "Film Exchange" and it's called "Carded") which I was paid for. Not a lot (it was for a friend) but it was a "paid gig".

Also I teach anywhere from 6-10 super 8 workshops every year and I get paid for those, if that counts as a "paying gig", which I think it does.

I also got paid to source a quiet camera for Bruce MacDonald's latest feature "The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess", which was shot about one-third on super 8 (I found them a Nizo 3040), and I got paid to supply super 8 props for Don McKellar's last feature "Childstar", if these count.

Rick

[audadvnc]

I work in a rental company, and think the best way to make money shooting Super 8 is as an added feature of a video or 35mm production package. The wedding example above is appropriate. As we've seen in features, Super 8 isn't a very desirable primary capture medium, but it makes a very effective contrasting format to add texture. You can even sell yourself as a camera operator for 2nd unit pickups, but likely you'd want to list yourself as an equipment delivery & maintenance item.

[Mitch Perkins]

As we've seen in features, Super 8 isn't a very desirable primary capture medium

Obviously, I never "saw" that. With the neg stocks and a good story, feature away, I say...

Mitch

[audadvnc]

As we've seen in features, Super 8 isn't a very desirable primary capture medium

Obviously, I never "saw" that. With the neg stocks and a good story, feature away, I say...

Mitch

OK, how about if I add "with the notable exception of a very few extremely talented, ambitious and sexy forum posters here ..."

But, really. Wouldn't it have been easier to make "Sleep Always" in 16 if you could afford it? The equipment, the infrastructure, the film stock keycodes, etcetera - 16 is geared for production in ways Super 8 never was.

[Mitch Perkins]

As we've seen in features, Super 8 isn't a very desirable primary capture medium

Obviously, I never "saw" that. With the neg stocks and a good story, feature away, I say...

Mitch

OK, how about if I add "with the notable exception of a very few extremely talented, ambitious and sexy forum posters here ..."

That's more like it. ~:?)

But, really. Wouldn't it have been easier to make "Sleep Always" in 16 if you could afford it?

Okay but that's kinda like saying, "wouldn't you have more money, if you had more money?" ~:?)

The equipment, the infrastructure, the film stock keycodes, etcetera - 16 is geared for production in ways Super 8 never was.

We felt Super 8 had a look that suited the story. I felt Super 8 had a look that suited *any* good story; it looked better than many old movies that desperately need re-transfer; the eye doesn't complain if the brain is suitably engaged. Even 35mm projected onto a huge theater screen often looks quite grainy and even soft, especially wide shots at night. So five minutes into a S8 movie on a TV screen, and you're basically looking at the same thing, only smaller.
Add to that the fact that we could have shot @ 24fps, and been more particular about lighting - it would have looked even better. Don McKeller, a local "real" director here in T.O., assumed the film was shot in Super16.
Now, with the negs, any S8 project properly shot is going to look just fantastic.

As for keycodes etc., I wouldn't have used them anyway; I like the approach of going out with knowledge of your main character, (the skin around the idea), a solid theme, a visual approach, and a "blueprint", and then collecting "coloured pebbles" for a mosaic, or "bits of coloured glass" for a stained glass window, and allowing them to come together during the edit. The best natural high there is, and if you know your theme, the thru line forms itself - the thru line is you, (the director), and your idea. Plus we had the telecine, cameras, and other gear, so we created our own support infrastucture.

Finally, it's only people shooting features on S8 that will promote the building of an infrastructure for said activity. So let's go, people!

Mitch

[jaxshooter]

But, really. Wouldn't it have been easier to make "Sleep Always" in 16 if you could afford it?

OK someone help me out here.All things being equal here,how is super 8 that much cheaper than 16mm.I mean,I have access to an ArriS,an Auricon set up with a Nagra 3 and some lights,so I wouldn't have to rent anything.Let's assume the project is to be telecined and edited via NLE and released on video.

Let's do the math here....400 feet of 16mm,what,around 120 bucks USD?

200 feet super 8 neg about 120 bucks USD ?

What am I missing here?How is super 8 cheaper?

[audadvnc]

As for keycodes etc., I wouldn't have used them anyway....

How do you keep track of your takes? When I get a 16mm reel back I'm able to label scenes and takes with footage codes, otherwise I have 5 almost exactly alike takes that have no unique ID?

Perhaps the issue is more important when editing workprint off a flatbed, and you intend to sync your workprint to original camera negative when conforming. When you use an NLE your video copy becomes your original.

[Mitch Perkins]

[quote="Mitch Perkins]As for keycodes etc., I wouldn't have used them anyway....

How do you keep track of your takes. When I get a 16mm reel back I'm able to label scenes and takes with footage codes, otherwise I have 5 almost exactly alike takes that have no unique ID?[/quote]

Simultaneous VHS dub w/timecode during telecine capture. Stream in only the good takes by punching TC numbers into NLE program. Don't leave the room; no matter how "automated", it will screw up the second you're out the door.

Actually, I don't recommend it (simultaneous during xfer); the superimposed TC and "16 bit" blah blah blah info farts up the monitor contrast-wise, and can hide a dirt speck on field lens/mirror. Make the TC dub after the xfer, though there might be issues with generating such.

Personally, I name the shots - "fred lies down 01" etc. Impoosible for a pro editor w/multiple projects on the go - easy for one's own labour of love feature.

Perhaps the issue is more important when editing workprint off a flatbed, and you intend to sync your workprint to original camera negative when conforming. When you use an NLE your video copy becomes your original.

[/quote]

Absolutely, my friend, absolutely. Kinda makes the "live with it for the rest of your life" xfer a white-knuckle affair.

Mitch

[mattias]

400 feet of 16mm,what,around 120 bucks USD?

no, it's more.

200 feet super 8 neg about 120 bucks USD ?

no, it's less.

processing is cheaper too. telecine is the same or more expensive. in the end it doesn't add up to any huge savings so i tend to agree with you. unless you're shooting reversal and transferring on a workprinter or similar of course. which is what most people who shoot super 8 to save money do.

/matt

[Mitch Perkins]

400 feet of 16mm,what,around 120 bucks USD?

no, it's more.

200 feet super 8 neg about 120 bucks USD ?

no, it's less.

processing is cheaper too. telecine is the same or more expensive. in the end it doesn't add up to any huge savings so i tend to agree with you. unless you're shooting reversal and transferring on a workprinter or similar of course. which is what most people who shoot super 8 to save money do.

/matt

Except that my prices for neg are almost the same as others' for reversal. Important to note, I haven't "proven" myself yet, I freely admit, (might as well, eh?) Hence pics to come...

Bottom line: you gotta look at what you have, what you need, how much what you need will cost etc. Each project is unique - I actually *wanted* to shoot a feature on S8...now with the negs I want to again -

It's a film about a fork on a table...nothing happens...6 hours long...I'm trying to get George Clooney...he won't even have to appear on screen...

Mitch