Other great filmmaking discussion forums?

[Shenan]

Do you guys have any links to other great filmmaking message boards/mailing lists/forums/etc that you regularly frequent. I have searched high and low and have come to realize that forums like this one that are informative, active, and run on good software are very few and far between! Are there any others that you would recommend?

Thanks!!!

Shenan

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[Matt Pacini]

I would have to mildly disagree with Alex.
I frequent www.cinematography.com and occasionally, visit www.cinematography.net
for the same reason I read American Cinematographer.
I believe that there is more in common with 16mm & 35mm filmmaking, than there are differences.
If you agree with that, even partially, you can really learn a lot from these pro's, because issues of lighting, for instance, are quite relevant, regardless of what format you're shooting.
I've posted Super 8 questions on cinematography.com, and had lots of good response, even from the pro's shooting 35mm features.
I've gotten some good advice too, because these guys mostly started out on Super 8, or at least a lot of them did, and some of them still use it.
There are categories on lighting, 16mm, 35mm DV, movies, TV, and beginning filmmaking sections, etc.

Having said that though, they're not as user friendly as this board. Not that it's bad, it's just a different format they're using.

Matt Pacini

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[Alex]

Matt:

Glad to hear about your good experiences on other boards of this type.

I was presumptious in my position because ultimately I like the layout of this forum over anyother I've visited...so even if you find a decent forum, the odds are the layout won't be as good as this one. (I don't get paid to endorse this website)

But it's good to know that there are "higher-end" filmmaking boards that welcome questions from Super-8 filmmakers...

-Alex

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[Alex]

In re-reading the original post, I now realize your question was more general than I thought.

An excellent starting point is the following website by John Longnecker...
http://www.IndieFilmsOnline.com/Super8/DirectoryII.html

-Alex

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[8th Man]

I have yet to find a forum as good as this one on 16mm. That seems odd to me considering how many sudents and others shoot that format. Maybe it's too broad a subject like a forum on "cars" vs. a forum on "Mustangs".
I also find it odd how many people on these cinematography sites seem to bow down to the almighty mini dv camcorder but snicker at the pathitic lil' super8 thing.
Not all of coarse, there are also plenty of very helpful folks out there with pro experience willing to help.

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PRM

[Alex]

Very Craftily worded topic title!

The answer is no.

Here's why.

What gives this Super-8 Forum an edge it is the most intelligently layed out forum I have ever seen....

In 16mm and 35mm...the discussion will shift more to real intricate and detailed issues of lighting, film stocks, shooting on location...

....and the discussions are the result of shoots involving many people and lots of money...

Generally, the productions are much more high profile, so you just don't talk about every little thing like we do here.

What keeps Supre-8 popular in my opinion is that you can own more than one camera, or choose a camera that has the exact features you are looking for.

One Super-8 Camera shoots super-slow motion, another has a 10-1 zoom, a third does single frame, another does time-lapse, another has time-exposure...another has an F1.0 lens...another is super quiet...another has the most features ever put in a camera, another has interchangeable lenses...another has crystal sync.....

...and most Super-8 Cameras are affordable...

In 16mm and 35mm, the focus shifts more to issues related to the production value of the scene usually involving many actors rather than center around the multiple tools the cameras provide in Super-8 and which are the unique strength of Super-8.

In truth, I haven't looked for too many other boards...there is a cinematography board...and most boards nowadays revolve around digital video...either camera or editing.

-Alex





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[Shenan]

Thanks everyone!

Matt, I agree with everything you said. I had seen cinematography.com before but hadn't delved into it and didn't realize they had a forum. Thanks for the pointer! I have frequented cinematography.net and even signed up for the main mailing list at one point - I think that that is one awesome resource. I especially like how they have message threads that were particularly informative archived and catalogued by topic (see buttons on the left) - very good stuff. I was actually going to mention that site in my original post but figured I would see what everyone else said first.

Alex, I also agree with you on the layout. I think most of it has to do with the software they use here on Hostbard, UBB (see http://www.ultimatebb.com/business/business_ubb.html). I really don't understand why all message boards out there don't just use this software - it is so superior to anything else I've seen. I frequent a few other boards that use it (mostly car-related) and after you get used to it, it's usually just a turn-off to use most other bulletin board software. I have found a couple of other filmmaking forums that use UBB, however they are not nearly as active or informative as this one. Thanks as well for mentioning the link to the Super 8 directory - I've used it many times before but had forgotten they had links to many message boards.

One other link that I was going to mention was http://www.likeastory.com. I don't know if everyone is familiar with it or not. The forum no longer accepts new messages, but they still have all the old messages, and I remember reading lots and lots of great info on low-budget special effects. Everything from squibs to fake blood, SFX makeup, fake guns, fake glass, etc.

I also don't mind the DV forums - there's a lot you can there as well. If nothing else, they always have great links to cheap dollies, jibs, steadicam knockoffs, microphones etc!

Whew! Sorry for the long post!

Thanks!

Shenan

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