Pro8mm

[Rigo]

Hi to everyone. First I?d like to say that this is great to find a place where people share experiences with super8.

Ok, I started reading through the posts especially interested on the results of transfering S8-to video-to 35, and suddenly I?ve found this Super8 Sound controversy.

I can?t talk about the quality of Pro8mm stock that I suppose it has to be good, but I can tell you my experience when working with Pro8mm telecining k40.

I had a beautiful visual project to be shoot in k40, and I was about to start filming. Right before production started I just realized that there was no facility in Spain where we could make a good transfer. We went and called everywhere, but the answer was always the same.. "noone does have a telecine for S8". Even talking with the kodak labs in Switzerland the answer was the same. Then I really thought that S8 was dead.

But when checking on the internet as a last resource I was amuzed when I found a company that not only had a Rank for super8, but also was improving the creative chances of this format by splicing negative stock. It blew up my mind.

I got in contact with the London facility of Pro8mm and the person answering the phone was Giles Musitano himself (the guy who wrote the "add" in American Cinematographer and the guy who wrote the book edited by Focal Press).

Some of you living in LA have said that employes of Pro8mm don?t even say thanks. My experience with Pro8mm Europe is quite different. I could talk to Giles after office hours hearing a hard background subway train.

My film was done in time to be in the European short film festivals thanks to this kind of extra help.

In short: Great transfer, great service, and great commitment to make a bigger this small format. Next time I?ll tell you about the stock.

Great people in this forum too.

[Nigel]

So how much did they pay you for that????

[Rigo]

I still don?t understand this adversity towards Pro8, that?s why I posted my message.

It wasn?t a nice thing to say to a fellow Nigel, but just answer your question: half of my budget went to telecine. They just did their work more than right. It was worthy.

Anyway, as long as I plan to keep working with them everytime I use super8 I?d appreciate any advice from you.

[Alex]

Well Nigel, you can use Pro-8mm afterall, just go to Europe!

On another note, I enjoy this forum because the posts are timely all the time!

No topic really ever goes out of "style", & having all the responses together for easy reading, combined with all the stories and characters on this site, makes this a really neat site...and you can even "correct" a post after the fact...yet you can't do it secretly...hehehehehe

And,.... any topic from any page can be brought back to the top by just reposting to it, I'm surprised that very few forums have incorporated ALL of these features into one forum.

It's neat to hear new posters (such as Rigo) appreciate the forum the way the regulars do.

-Alex

[AlexGfromUK]

I'll be using them very soon to get a plus X cartridge kindly donated by Hanthx (thanks Scott) processed. obviously I'll be dealing with the UK service, so I'll let you all know how successful or not my experience with them is. they claim a turnaround of three working days for plus and tri X films, which sounds pretty good to me!!

[Rigo]

Thanks Alexgf. I?d love to get any information possible about S8 in Europe. I have a good script that I thought filming it in S16.. I still don?t know if filming in S8. Knowing anything you can tell me would be great.
----------------

And Alex, how would you go for a 35 print? Editing in video and blowing it up or getting a 35 workprint?

[Alex]

If the digital quality is high enough, it would be far more tempting to edit on a Computer, than take the computer output and make a print to 35mm.

it is currently being done with mini-dv, but super-8 may have to be handled slightly differently...

Within a year, I hope to do a test.

-Alex

[pineapplefilms]

Just to give you an additional opinion. I've used Pro 8MM for a rather large and expensive short film and I loved them. And in case any cynically driven individuals are wondering I have received NO FORM OF COMPENSATION WHAT SO EVER From PRO 8MM or as they were formally known; SUPER 8 SOUND. They called me (LA to NYC) to verify my tape format instructions and other printing/film issues and were friendly and professional. That was my experience with them. True, they are not cheap and my company spent a good amount of money with them, but I was and am, very satisfied with their work,I believe it is very difficult to tell(well shot)negative SUPER 8MM from 16MM on video. Or at least that is true in our case. But they are NOT cheap. They offer professional services at(unfortunately) professional prices. But, one can do some great work on a great format without them. They are an alternative(and a good one) to most people that work predominately in the SUPER 8MM format. As in any area of business that involves celebrities they probably make most of their income from non-famous individuals and companies. But they rely on the celebrity user to provide recognition and credibility for their product, ie; Restaurants and Clubs do the same thing. From a satisfied PRO 8MM user that does not use them exclusively, thanks for allowing me my opinion.

[pineapplefilms]

Oh, by the way Nigel, younever emailed me when you were going to be in NYC. Sorry I missed you.

Lionel @ Pineapple films

[Alex]

Nigel missed your post, I remembered your post and reposted on that thread, but Nigel didn't see it until he was leaving the next day from New York....

I wish you guys could have met...Nigel is Mr. Anti Pro 8mm, and you are Pro 8mm....an encounter worth filming.

-Alex