Getting High on Super-8... (The Super-8 Frame of the U.S. Flag)

[Alex]

Since this topic post is being created on July 04, 2002, I will keep the Super-8 image of the American Flag as the forum masthead for a few weeks.

The story behind how I got this Super-8 shot is somewhat interesting. It all started with me volunteering on this guy's Hollywood project. He wanted to film time-lapse footage of the creation of the BW Bo Jackson Mural that was being painted on the side of a really large building. The mural would be something like 8-12 stories high. (this was back around 1992)

I ended up supplying myself and three of my Super-8 cameras for his project. To my chagrin, he also wanted shots way up high of Hollywood. I was, (and probably still am) afraid of heights.

It was with great reservation that I went onto the roof of the Taft Building in Hollywood. That was bad enough.

However, when it rains, it pours. This producer's friends thought nothing of venturing onto the elevated overhang that would put one face to ground with the street, 12 stories below.

Because others would going onto the overhang one at a time and look down below and marvel at the shot, I too grudingly took my turn on the overhang.

Over the course of three days of filming with a tripod from the overhang, I went from feeling as if my stomach were in my throat, to being quite comfortable being on the roof. I would only occasionally get on the overhang to check the framing of the shot.

My filming experience ended up having a somewhat unsatisfactory result, I was not paid for that time, and I only saw a portion of the footage, nor was I given a copy of my efforts. On top of that, one of the producers "helpers" could not differntiate between the dark brown lunch bag containing 3 cartridges of exposed film, and trash.

Yep, he threw away three cartridges worth of Exposed Time-lapse Super-8 film! [img]confused.gif[/img]

The producer did get me a job on a low-budget 16mm music video that he was directing, I did some second unit camera work, in, blech, 16mm!

I heard that the Desert Storm Parade was going through Hollywood, and that the Biggest U.S. Flag ever made would be carried down Hollywood Blvd by approximately 80-100 hundred military personnel. I remembered this roof top and wondered how the American Flag would look as it glided down the street carried by of our own military personnel.

I set up different cameras at different locations the day of the Desert Storm Parade. I had some friends watch over the Super-8 gear that was filming time-lapse at the corner of Highland and Santa Monica Blve.

I headed to the roof location, got on the overhang twelve stories up, leaned over, and with my Canon 1014-XLS camera, I filmed as the flag passed on by below.

I was even able to film with Kodachrome SOUND FILM! Yes, I was fearful of falling onto the flag below, but I was even more fearful of accidentally dropping the camera on someone's head! I used the trusty wrist strap that can be attached to any super-camera for extra support.

I definitely don't recommend anyone trying something like this nowadays. As you can see, I got NO BENEFIT from this adventure for the next 8 years, and of course, endangering your life is never worth it.

After 911, a client of mine wanted to make a Pro-America statement, and wanted to film a "God Bless America" greeting with an American Flag in the background.

I found the D-2 Transfer of the Super-8 footage that I had transferred at the Post Group in Hollywood Ca 10 years earlier, had it transferred to Beta-Cam SP, and showed it to him.

He liked the marching flag footage, and has been running a "God Bless America" commercial on his weekly leased access cable show that depicts the American Flag as it moves down the street, ever since.

Well, I guess another benefit is I get to write about it 10 years later! [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 22, 2002 07:07 AM: Message edited by: Alex ]</font>

[Mike Buckles]

Awww..I thought by the subject line you had found a new "medicinal" use for super 8 film...(ha ha)....great story, I was looking at the pic, trying to figure out what was around the flag! Looks like a cool film you made. You're right, they should have at least given you a complete copy of the film, working for free and all. mike

[Alex]

Mike, Super-8 does have medicinal purposes [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Did you notice how the stars on the side-walk are alongside the stars on the flag....?

I planned that. [img]wink.gif[/img]