The beginner's guide...

[Sir Trefor]

Actually, I don't have it, I need it [img]confused.gif[/img] .

I REALLY want to get into the world of Super-8, so I need to know what is nesassary for me to start my journey.

I am confident that I can handle the sound recording and editing; as I am already a home studio tech; but I know nothing about Super-8 equipment.

I'm obviously not going to go out and spend several hundred dollars on my first camera; where do I begin? what is the standard entry-level camera? what type of film is the "best"(obviously, that's subjective opinion)? Editing and splicing!? This is stuff I need to know!

Thanks to all who took the time to read my post,

Trevor

[Alex]

Basically, most Elmo Super-8 cameras are good starting points. You can find these on eBay.
Do a search on eBay with the terms Elmo camera.
Review several dozen ebay Super-8 auctions by typing Super-8 camera and read the descriptions, these can prove very educational.

Kodachrome 40 is also a good outdoors film stock than you can project and edit with. The other world of super-8 involves transfering the film to video and doing all of your editing on the computer.

The Idea of Super-8 versus Video is that the various film looks from Super-8 cameras and film stocks are different than what you get with video. The filming capabilities are different than what you can do with a video camera.

It's important to realize that since Super-8 film costs something like a hundred times more than video to shoot, process, and transfer to video [img]graemlins/handcuffs.gif[/img] , you visualize your shots ahead of time.

But just because video is cheaper doesn't make it better, many projects are plagued from too much shooting and the endless wading through of the footage effectively prevents the project from ever being finished.

Super-8 man has a website with different camera explanations.

Super-8 man's camera descriptions

[Sir Trefor]

Thanks so much for the reply, Alex!

An old buddy of mine who used to be a projectionist at a theatre in New Jersey has an Elmo Super-8 projecter that he uses to hold little fim festivals for kids; he thought that Elmo was just great.

AS far as Kodachome 40 goes- how is it at indoor filming? I have several photgraphers in my family who have professional lighting equipment, if that helps.

Also thanks for the tip on pre-visualization of shots. I am becoming more proficient at still photography (which, although I am not experienced at all, I believe every film maker should have SOME experience in) and furthering that into moviemaking only seems natural. The biggest problem that I will need to get over is the concept of non-linear film-shooting and production.

Thanks again,

Trevor

[Alex]

Kodachrome 40's indoor ASA is 40, so it's considered a slow film in terms of sensitivity. One approach that is taken is to bounce light off of a white wall in the room.

If you are shooting indoors during the day and light will coming in from outside, you'll need to put a blue gel on your lights to match the outdoor light, and then use the camera's internal 85 filter.

Or you can put an orange gel on the windows that will be letting daylight inside so that it matches the indoor lighting and then you don't need the 85 filter.

Just take care to not put the light too close to the wall or any flammable surface, make sure the lights can't be easily tipped over and remember to not leave them on when no one is around.

[Sir Trefor]

I went to kodak's OS, and noticed that they still make several types of Super-8, including black and white. How does Kodak's b&w film rate in terms of picture quality?

-Trevor

PS- Thanks for everything thus far!

[Alex]

The Black and White film is SPECTACULAR!

I've seen Plus X transferred to video and blown up in very large movie theatre, it looked fantastic.

One could easily make a black and white feature film in Super-8 and distribute it both in the movie theatres (assuming it was good enough in story content) and for the home video market.

[Sir Trefor]

Excellent! I love b&w... good to know [img]cool.gif[/img] .

Thanks!

Trevor

PS-Just got an Elmo 240S-XL camera; supposedly never used, still in box; off ebay for $48. Now all need is a screenplay