I need input from the forum regulars...

[Alex]

Chas-

I went to CSUN in the early to mid 80's.

I was a founding member of ACTION...the film and video production club of Cal State Northridge.

We were a renegade film-art group because the film program most of us majored in was regimented....

that was ok...what bothered a few of us was the uncaring approach the film department took about any progress or activity that could benefit the film students OUTSIDE of the classroom.

At some point in the 90's, the film department students brought ACTION! back to RTVF.

I don't know if ACTION! is still around.

My biggest coup was securing funds for an Elmo Xenon-Projector. Apparently it's still there...but the Film Art Department (I don't know if it's still called that) won't or can't let it off of campus grounds.

Pat....I'm actually pleased that Newbies have the guts to ask questions....I grew up learning as much about Super-8 as I could consume...it must be difficult to try and get into Super-8 now..with no type of magazine or new equipment support at all...

I hope we're not coming across as...(gasp)...super-8 snobs!

-Alex


[This message has been edited by Alex (edited February 16, 2001).]

[pcg]

Hmmm... I stand corrected.

And yet so many of the questions asked are already answered in so many easily accessible places.

...............................

I find myself pausing in search of some eloquent answer, some simple middle ground... Perhaps indexing the overall forum & treating it as an open data base remains the best long-term solution (?)

/Pat

[chas_ucla]

I think a lot of the questions that come round and round in every S-8 forum I check out are like these:
a. I just bought ____ S-8 camera and need a manual. Where can I get one?
b. the bulb to my ____ projector burned out. Where do I go?
c. I'm interested in S-8 -- where do I get a camera?
d. Is S-8 sound film still available?
e. where can I get Kodachrome processed?
f. are tape splices better than cement? Do they still make S-8 splicers?
g. I live in ____country. Where is the best place for processing?

And blah blah blah. You get the picture. I admit, when I first got back into S-8 about a year ago (after not having shot for a decade) I could be considered a newbie. I was in the Deja forum and, along with a couple other people was asking some general questions. Someone pointed out that we should read the FAQ (the one I think Baumgarten posted) and I did. Then I did a search on a meta-search engine under "Super-8 film" and read everything I could on Super-8 so I wouldn't ask stupid questions. Not everyone seems to be willing to go to these lengths it seems.

[Alex]

Chas and Pat have hit it on the head...the infamous FAQ (frequently asked questions) and or indexing would help.

It's still a trip that people would even know to ask about Super-8.

Perhaps inheritances are generating a whole new wave curious budding filmmakers.

Probably every day a different dozen people are trying to understand what this super-8 camera is that they have just recieved from someones estate.

[ptryk]

i have certainly been guilty of asking a question already asked.. but...

what i would recommend is first using the search that hostboard has (on my computer it hides just to the right of the webbrowser window so to find/use it i have to scroll over), and it works really well.

second, instead of answering the same questions again & again, just leave a link to the threads where it was discussed!? and new info people have can be posted to the new threads and soon you have an encyclopedia britannica on super8!?

..but how to deal with the fact that some very good threads are REALLY long.. i figure that the people who want the info will have to want it bad enough to read it!?

[chas_ucla]

I've seen some forum sites that have a box that says, "first time users click here" and it hyperlinks to an FAQ page. Maybe something like that should be done here. I mean, I'm not personally offended when I read some guy asking where in the U.S. can he get Kodachrome developed (for the 400th time) but it would be nice if the forum could be used for more pertinent questions and discussions.

[David17]

There are film collecting sites on the internet, where they spend hours with talking about their cup of tea, and so on. They are also talking about eBay, like they are spending their whole day there. Nothing for me. I have a lot of other things to do. I like forums like this one, great info.

David