Getting prints made

Nate Downes · June 1, 2004

A project I've been working on involved a mixture of Super8 and 16mm film, which was fine as it was all to be edited on computer and put onto a DVD. The guys I'm doing it for now want me to be able to project the result. The only projector I have with sound is a Super8, so my issues are a few:

1) Are there any good houses you can recommend to transfer 16mm to Super8

2) Are there any places left that can make prints from Super8 negative?

3) If I have to transfer-up to 16mm, where can I find a projector w/ sound for rent?

GeorgeSelinsky · June 1, 2004

Yes, it's all fun and dandy mixing formats on video - until its time to get a print :o

Is this a short, a feature? Where is this going?

Best bet probably is to get the Super 8 blown up to 16mm, then cut and conform the 16mm with the blown up S8 and get that printed all together with an optical soundtrack. You could also blow it all up to 35 but that's even more costly. There was one place that did S8 to 35 blowups. Forgot whom, but it was like 4 bucks a foot/8mm - they're on the net somewhere. There is also a place that goes S8 to 16 in NYC, some guy downtown with his own optical bench.

As far as a blowdown from 16 to S8, what for? Even if you get it printed, how are you going to get the sound, have the Super 8 print sent to Germany for magnetic striping, then find a sync lock Super 8 projector to record the sound onto from your DAT/soundcard? Not cheap or easy. I don't think anyone does S8 optical anymore either, nor are there many projectors that are M/O capable. I'd forget about it and just go 16.

16mm optical sound projectors are a dime a dozen on Ebay. You'd probably be best off buying one if you want to do a lot of screenings, unless you want a large throw to a big audience, in which case a Xenon lamp 16mm projector rents from Laumic in NYC for about $350 a day.

- G.

Nate Downes · June 1, 2004

Is this a short, a feature? Where is this going?

A music video for a local band. Original plan was for it to be included on their CD or on a DVD they're planning on later this summer, so the mixed formats would not have been an issue.

As far as a blowdown from 16 to S8, what for? Even if you get it printed, how are you going to get the sound, have the Super 8 print sent to Germany for magnetic striping, then find a sync lock Super 8 projector to record the sound onto from your DAT/soundcard? Not cheap or easy. I don't think anyone does S8 optical anymore either, nor are there many projectors that are M/O capable. I'd forget about it and just go 16.

Already own the Super8 projector with magnetic sound reader. I know a man that does striping already as well. So, it seemed the easiest from an equipment outlay, but as this shoot is important to me I'd be just as happy blowing up to 16mm and buying a 16mm projector. I'm not happy about their chance of heart, as I did not want to cut my raw footage.

Mitch Gross · June 1, 2004

You're going to incur some heavy costs doing an optical blowup to 16mm, and the sound quality of both formats is poor at best. Cineric in NYC will do the S-8 to 16mm blowup for you, but be prepared to spend thousands of dollars. The better investment may be in simply buying a video projector. These are common enough and for a fraction of the price you can get one that will take a feed from a laptop computer (if you wish) for a pretty nice image quality and brightness, and the sound will be of much higher quality. You could also feed it from a DV camera or a DVD player, so this will certainly be the easier equipment to use for the band at their concert.