Super-8 to HD Transfer Facilities Around the World...

[Alex]

Here is a list of Spirit and Shadow Telecine units around the World that apparently can do Super-8mm to HD. Keep in mind these are not mom and pop shops and may have very expensive minimums, perhaps as high as $300-$500 or hourly minimums no lower than $300 dollars an hour or more! I have not price checked but keep in mind that we don't want to waste these facilities time if we have a $50 dollar or $100 dollar transfer budget.


Shadow facilities that have a Super-8 Gate include:

VRT in Brussels Brussels, Belgium
Ware House (aka Digtial Film Labs) in Copenhagen, Denmark
Photo Cinema in Rome, Italy
Technicolor in New York
Modern VideoFilm in Burbank, CA.
Flying Spot in Seattle, WA

Spirit facilities that have a Super-8 Gate include:

On Line Video, Zurich
The Farm, London
Prime Focus, London
VTR, London
Lab O Scene, Rio De Janiero
The Film Unit, New Zealand
Library of Congress, U.S.
Telson, Madrid

[Alex]

Well, I found out that Thomson, the maker of the Spirit and the Shadow HD telecine units don't rent the gates. They do this as a courtesy to those that purchase the gates from them so that they aren't in direct competition with their own customers.

The one place I contacted has a $350.00 gate fee charge PLUS room time, OUCH!!! The Shadow and the Spirit Telecine HD rooms can also transfer to regular standard definition formats.

I suppose the Shadow and Spirit telecine systems have dealt Rank Cintel a bit of a blow in the bigger scheme of things. I was told that the Shadow and Spirit do a better job of hiding grain than the Rank does, and I guess the Rank does not go to HD?

You can thank the Library of Congress who would not buy the HD transfer unit UNLESS it came with a Super-8 gate. It appears a few of the places that bought into the Shadow and Spirit Transfer systems insisted that it come with a Super-8 gate or they wouldn't buy the system!

Also, the Spirit and Shadow super-8 transfer systems are supposed to be more stable than the Rank Super-8 transfer system. I am really curious to see if my pin registered super-8 footage that I recently shot will stay rock steady when transferred on a Shadow or Spirit.

The "Super-Duper 8" widening of the Super-8 path is a very wise move if one is to consider going to HD.

[Alex]

Just thought I'd bump this topic.

[box]

Pretty much any post facility which has a telecine suite can provide super 8 transfer to HD, as long as you are willing to pay for it.

In most cases the telecine cost will have to cover the rent of an HD deck because certain sectors of the postproduction industry still can?t justify buying one when the demands for HD work are relatively low.

[Alex]

Just thought I'd bump this topic.