Combining Regular 8(Standard8) with Super 8

[Dominic3]

Is it possible to have footage shot on Regular 8 included with Super 8 footage in a final film? ( at moderate cost?)

I have numerous footage shot with a Bolex P1 that I would like to include in a film....( P.S Matt P,It's not a "high art - arty farty" film).




[This message has been edited by Dominic3 (edited September 25, 2001).]

[MovieStuff]

I guess it depends on how you want to display the final product. If you wanted to show it on a projector, then the answer would be "No" you can't splice super 8 and regular 8 together and run it though a projector. However, if you transfer it to video or blow it up to 16mm, then that would work fine. The Video WorkPrinter I build transfers both super 8 and regular 8mm, if you're interested.

Roger

[Dominic3]

Roger, thanks for your reply.

Yes, I understand that Super8 and regular 8 can not be spliced together but I just hoped there was some sort of technology out there that I had not heard of, that enabled the two formats to be combined as "one". I am however interested in hearing more about your "video work printer". You build it? that's great!

The only problem in the past for me is that some of the unique qualities of 8mm are lost when transferred to video. Is this always the case?




[This message has been edited by Dominic3 (edited September 26, 2001).]

[MovieStuff]

Here is the link for the WorkPrinter page:
http://www.afterimagephoto.tv/workprinter.html

The biggest issue for transferring super 8 to video is contrast and color, I think. We sort of accept the notion that it won't have as much resolution as the original. The problem I see when people have their film Ranked is that there is no "real time" reference for the original color. In other words, when transferring, it would be terrific to see the original film on a small projection screen next to the video monitor in synch with the transfer. Then the video color signal could be adjusted so that the image on the monitor looks as close to the projected image as possible (assuming that's what you want.)

I have recently experimented doing that very thing with the WorkPrinter and it makes a big difference. I set up the WorkPrinter on a piece of Epson Ink Jet paper as a screen and put a small calibrated Sony monitor next to this paper screen. I ran my Ikegami broadcast camera through a color correction TBC and adjusted the color of the video signal so that the image on the Sony monitor looked virtually identical to the original projected image.

Having the screen and the monitor next to each other made color correction super easy and quick. Granted, the picture isn't as sharp as a Rank, but I believe the color was more satisfying overall because it matched the original film almost perfectly.

Of course, having access to a broadcast grade camera makes all the difference. Transferring using a single chip home camera will never look as good, unfortunately, even if you could shoot right off the film and avoid projection.

I hope this answers some of your questions.

Roger

[Dominic3]

Thanks Roger.I checked out your webpage....Wow, Roger that is a great idea. ( I also checked out your image/special effects page they were great too!).

Unfortunately I am a Mac user and it would be tricky and expensive to ship over to England.... Do you offer a long distance service if I needed it? Payment by PayPal?

In the meantime I will check out the video transfer places in London.

Thanks again for the information.


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[Regular 8 Freak]

Hey Roger,
I seem to remember you saying that the workprinter can be used to make dupe prints of super 8 films by filming them frame by frame with a super 8 camera off of the workprinter. Couldn't we in theory make a dupe of a regular 8 print using a super 8 camera and then edit that together with our super 8 footage to combine formats for projection. Only thing is the difference in frame size. But I also remember you saying that we can capture more of a regular 8 frame with the work printer than is possible with normal projection. I hope this makes sense. What do you think?


Man, I am beginning to want a workprinter more and more

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[MovieStuff]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Courier, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Regular 8 Freak:
Hey Roger,
I seem to remember you saying that the workprinter can be used to make dupe prints of super 8 films by filming them frame by frame with a super 8 camera off of the workprinter. Couldn't we in theory make a dupe of a regular 8 print using a super 8 camera and then edit that together with our super 8 footage to combine formats for projection. Only thing is the difference in frame size. But I also remember you saying that we can capture more of a regular 8 frame with the work printer than is possible with normal projection. I hope this makes sense. What do you think?


Man, I am beginning to want a workprinter more and more
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Get em' while their hot!

Yes, this is absolutely correct. Ideally, you would use a condenser lens array, like that found in a standard multiplexor for telecine work. A good 4-6 inch Bosch and Lomb magnifying glass will do the trick as well. Then you would need a camera like a Canon 1014 electric or an Elmo 1012SXL or the like that has a single frame that can be fired using a remote socket and not a cable release. Then you would align the camera with the projector/multiplexor using a mirror (to reverse the image) and hook the camera to the WorkPrinter via standard RCA cable. Focus, turn on the WorkPrinter and it does the rest for you automatically. You can also copy by just projecting onto some ink jet paper, but the multiplexor would be much sharper.

And yes, the frame is shown when running regular 8mm because they simple have an oversized gate. You can even see the sprocket holes!

Roger

[#Pedro]

A few years ago, I had the same problem. I wanted to include some old Reg8 szenes in a S8 film. I made it very simple: I let the Reg8 footage copy to S8 in a lab and spliced it in. The quality of the copy was great, it was not a contact print as S8/S8 but a optical full frame print in a beautiful sepia tone, as the original was bw. So it combined wonderful with the color S8 footage.
And it can be projected....
Pedro

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[Dominic3]

Thanks Pedro.

Can you give me the name of the lab you used? Perhaps I can contact them and arrange the same procedure.

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[#Pedro]

hi Dominic,
Andec film Belin has it in it?s price list:
optical print reg8 to S8: DEM 5.- /meter.
Look at http://www.andecfilm.de/
Site is in English and German.
But if u are in GB, you can also contact Deran.
Good luck,
Pedro


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[This message has been edited by #Pedro (edited October 04, 2001).]