Vision 200T results anyone?

[trevorbr]

I've sifted through the archives for Vision information and I'm still wondering about a few things.

1.Whay labs have been used and how were the results? Cost?

2. I read one of the posts stating that 200T was used to shoot Gladiator and Sleepy Hollow. Is the film stock alone responsible for the rich color or is this achieved in post production? Can super 8 Vision 200T look that good albeit grainy and super 8? (please...it would be fantastic for stop motion)

3. Are you pleased with the results you have had with the film?

Thanks in advance for the input. I am hoping to perform my own tests soon. I just want to have an idea of what to expect as well as find the best lab for processing. Does cinelab do a good job with Vision? I'm on the east coast and would prefer to keep my film on this side of the continent.


-trevor

[jocko]

I love vision 200T..and vision 500T...and Pro45..I use them all for the music video's I shoot..I use Super-8 sound..I know some people don't like them..but I think they are great...It's all they do(super-8)..their lab is great...and their rank transfers are great(not price wise) 200T looks real nice...500T suprised me, very nice..Pro 50D..is for ext: daylight filming..looks great..only thing I can say is..before people bash the film...shoot a test roll..you'll never go back to reversal.I won't...what people don't like about super-8 sound is that they expect their customers to be Pro's..they are trying to bring super-8 to a new level..and film hobbiests..feel left out, price wise and by the staffs attitudes..that's why they should stick with kodaks reversal stock..I like being treated like a pro..instead of going to local camera shops.and asking for film...and the clerk says"kodak stopped making super-8 film long ago...Or .."they don't even list it in their catalog"..Or my favorite."why don't you just shoot video"...I'm sticking with Negative stocks..cause when kodak comes out with a new stock in 35mm...super-8 sound starts slicin...and we have it...I like that!
Neil
JOCKO FILMS

[Matt Pacini]

Well, Jocko, I'd have to disagree with you about Super 8 Sound.
I have shot an entire feature on Super 8, at a $25,000 budget, so I think I would qualify as a more sophisticated user.
I've dealt with Super 8 Sound for about 8 years, until I finally got fed up.
They are snobs, who pretend that they have a monopoly on Super 8, which they do not.
As far as having to either buy stock from them, or deal with ignorant camera shops, perhaps in your haze of "professional Super 8-ness" you failed ot realize that you can buy Kodak stock directly from Kodak?
They also sell Vision 200T neg stock, and their price for K-40 is under $11.00 a roll.
When I was ready to telecine my feature, I called the Super 8 sound literally for three months, trying to get some questions answered by the colorist running the telecine machine. They were always to busy, and nobody ever returned my messages. So in my frustration, I started calling all the pro post production facilities in L.A. that do 35mm telecine, and guess what? Almost every one of them will do Super 8, (many cheaper than at Super 8 Sound), and every single one of them had someone on the phone right then, answering my questions.
So if bad service, and people acting like snobs, looking down their nose at you makes you feel like you're a pro, then go for it, but I'd rather get my questions answered, so I can have a smooth experience.
By the way, I bought stuff off and on in their Burbank store, in person over about a 7 year period, like 10 times, and every single time, they never said thank you. they would just hand my my stuff, and walk away. And this is different people every time, not the same person. It was a real DMV experience.
If you want a great telecine experience, go to Sunset Post in Glendale, CA.
It's nice to go to a place that does movies like the Titanic, Cast Away, etc., treat you like a REAL pro. The owner even came in and was really interested in what I was doing, and thought it was cool that I shot a feature on Super 8.
This whole idea that S8 sound is the only place taking Super 8 seriously is a myth that they have created, and is being propogated by you guys who have not had any experience elsewhere.
I would love to use them, I really would, but I will not do business with someone who charges OVER retail price for everything, then is rude to me.
Sorry Phil (president of S8 Sound) you're a nice guy, but you're employees aren't, and you aren't the only game in town!!!
Matt Pacini

[trevorbr]

Matt,

What was the cost of your transfer? Does Sunset Post have a minimum transfer cost?


-trevor

[jocko]

Matt..I'm not trying to come off as a pro
super-8 groupie..what can I say.other than I have had great service from them..from answering all my questions..to my transfers...I have alot of experience with other post houses..in 16mm..and my experience is that they do not like to do s-8 transfers..have I used all transfer houses in the U.S.A...of course not..super-8 sound is not the only game in town..I do order film from kodak and from film emporium..and I use Yale..for processing and transfers..as well as other labs and post houses..but like I said I personaly have never been treated badly by the people at Super-8 sound..are their prices high...you bet..and I hope more businesses comes along so they lower their prices..as for your feature, good luck..I admire you for taking on a large production in super-8..but just because you don't like super-8 sound is no reason for others not to use them..I'll try the place that did your tranfer.if it's cheaper and they do a nice job I'll use them..I'm not opposed to saving money.
good luck with your future productions.
Neil
JOCKO FILMS

[HH3]

I've just used Super8sound for the first time and I had a good experience with them. The big advantage with using them is that they offer all of the negative stocks. I'm shooting something in a few weeks and I want to use the 50D stock and they're the only place that has it.

It's also much easier to buy their stock and have them process and transfer it, all at once, rather than have them send it back, then send it off to another lab for Rank transfer.

Hey Jocko, could you link to some mpegs of your work? Would like to see an example of the 200T and other Pro8 stocks.

[jocko]

if you could look at my e-mail you would see I am on the lowest of the food chain...Webtv.. what I know about computers could fit on a postage stamp(I am training to operate the AVID editing systems..need to save that editors fee)...Your going to love Pro45..I am in the middle of a shoot using 45 for day ext:...and vision500T for the bands performance..in a old church..have you asked for super-8 sounds demo reel..they will give it to you free..and If I remember right they have a demo on their site..but I can't play it on this webtv crap..so I don't know whats on it..
good luck withyour shoot.
Neil
JOCKO FILMS

[This message has been edited by jocko (edited June 29, 2001).]

[Matt Pacini]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Courier, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by trevorbr:
Matt,

What was the cost of your transfer? Does Sunset Post have a minimum transfer cost?


-trevor<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The cost to transfer 101 minutes of Super 8 for my feature (I did a first edit by cutting film NOT RECOMMENDED!), including DigiBeta Tapes, BetaSP copies, VHS dubs with timecode, etc. was around $5,000.
I forget Sunset Post's hourly rate, but it was somewhere in the $250-300 per hour range, and the colorist really gave me a lot of time off. A few splices came off during the transfer (big warning here!), which caused about 45 minutes delay, but he gave me like 2 hours off! So they were great to work with, real pro's.
The only thing I will say, is that you have to pay a gate rental fee, because most of these places don't usually own one, and it's like $150-200 or so.
Another place I want to try, is Filmworks in Santa Monica.

[slickard]

Hi there. I don't mean to get on the anti- super 8 sound band wagon, but honistly their service is pretty bad and their downright rude to boot! One time the counter guy actualy tried to short change me after a buy! I hope to god I never have to do busines with them again.

Anyway,My question is on the Vision 200T stock, being negative film they really seem to get you on the telecinie process. so is their anyway of getting a watchable print without loosing an arm and a leg?

Slickard



[This message has been edited by slickard (edited June 30, 2001).]

[jocko]

Carlos8 has done at home transfers with the exr200T neg stock.they look nice. I would e-mail him about his set-up..other then that..learn to hobble on one leg and clap with one hand.cause It costs $$$ to use neg stocks and rank transfers..but I make music video's for Indie record labels, so they pay for it.
Neil
JOCKO FILMS