Faking Formats

Leo Anthony Vale · December 31, 2009

The Irony is that I've seen location shoots that in Super-8 could have been done with an extremely small crew but once the 35mm camera was involved we're talking 50 crew people and sky flags.

Is it really the 35mm camera or is it the Union crew with its large minimum crew size?

K Borowski · January 1, 2010

Yeah, the Union would probably have the same number of crew with a S8 as they would with a 35.

I'd personally opt for a R8 camera with a steady gate. IDK if this would be just as difficult to transfer as S8 though, so might opt for 16 instead with the 8mm extraction that I think it was David talking about.

I remember hearing somewhere else on here, a couple of years ago, that the extraction method was actually used once in a movie, or TV show. Anyone remember anything about this?

David, I'm not sure why you are bothered with shooting TV news in a movie on 35mm, unless it is an HDTV; similarly then, you should be pissed that ST:TNG shot their viewscreen footage on 35mm instead of 16K 3D surround :-p

Steve Wallace · January 7, 2010

Speaking of wrong formats used, (again). My favorite is when the footage is supposed to be CCTV camera in a buildings security setup, but then it pans around and zooms with the action. So we as an audience are supposed to assume it can do that by it self? Or there is an operator following the action of say: a jewel heist, but they aren't included in the narrative? Nor do they call the cops? :huh:

Tom Jensen · January 7, 2010

Speaking of wrong formats used, (again). My favorite is when the footage is supposed to be CCTV camera in a buildings security setup, but then it pans around and zooms with the action. So we as an audience are supposed to assume it can do that by it self? Or there is an operator following the action of say: a jewel heist, but they aren't included in the narrative? Nor do they call the cops? :huh:

I'm not sure what movie you are talking about but there are surveillance cameras that you can operate.

Keneu Luca · January 8, 2010

I'm not sure what movie you are talking about but there are surveillance cameras that you can operate.

Sounds like he was saying that If there WAS someone operating the camera, WHY didnt they call the police immediately?

I guess he's mentioning scenes in which police or other authorities are notified are MUCH LATER in the story despite CCTV cameras following the criminal activity with such precision as to indicate someone MUST have been remotely operating them.

I myself cannot recall a film where this happens. But I wouldn't be surprised if they are out there.

Steve Wallace · January 10, 2010

I guess he's mentioning scenes in which police or other authorities are notified are MUCH LATER in the story despite CCTV cameras following the criminal activity with such precision as to indicate someone MUST have been remotely operating them.

Exactly... I've seen it several times. Mostly on TV, I can't recall where though. So I guess I just became one of "those guys", who quotes something and cannot cite his quote. But it really takes me out of the moment. Like something is really missing. Where is the person watching this, and why is it only now we see the results of said actions?

Alessandro Machi · January 10, 2010

That's because it's a "Movie" not a "Home Movie."

Ever watch Cold Case?

John Brawley · January 10, 2010

What's the reasoning there? Surely the insurance company doesn't care what size film one uses.

Super 8 is fundamentally more likely to scratch and play up. it's got a plastic pressure plate that changes every time you change the plastic magazine the film comes in.... **

There are very few truly professional cameras that weren't designed for primarily being used for home movies.

That said I've used super 8 for real and it works great. But not everyone can easily access film or a lab for processing, or even a reliably working camera, not to mention post....

Anyone using those wonderful services that provide free movies can look at a film called Lake Mungo. There's a bit of super 8 in there. It's also opening in the US as part of after dark in late January.

I don't even think kodak import super 8 into oz anymore, it's all grey market imported....

jb

** I was involved a little in the development of the Aaton A-minima. Originally, Kodak and Aaton had decided to use a single use magazine that would make it faster to load and unload. Just send the whole mag into the lab after exposing !

After testing, they dumped it because it had issues with noise, scratching, the not very environmentally friendly mentality of single use anything, not to mention what to do with short ends and recans...

*** EDIT. I've also used an SR2 with a modified super 8 sized gate that worked well too. Panavision have them...

Leo Anthony Vale · January 11, 2010

Ever watch Cold Case?

Hate it. Uses too much music videoish stuff to drag it out.

Might be worse than CSI:Miami.

Keneu Luca · January 14, 2010

Im on the computer and I happen to have the FX channel on. Just background ambiance as I do some work. The Vin Diesel movie "XXX" is on. It just ended.

In the final scene of the movie, Diesel is chillin on the beach in Bora Bora. He is contacted on his laptop from Sam Jackson. They have a brief webcam conversation. We can see Vin's laptop monitor which displays the webcam feed from Sam Jackson who is sitting at his office. So, this feed is supposed to be coming from Sams webcam which is attached to his monitor, right?

Well, what we see is a low angle slow dolly toward Sam Jackson - we even see the back of his computer monitor - THIS IS WHAT VIN DIESEL SEES ON HIS COMP.

Really? Come on....Really?

I tried to find a link to this scene for this post. no luck.

K Borowski · January 14, 2010

*** EDIT. I've also used an SR2 with a modified super 8 sized gate that worked well too. Panavision have them...

Really?

That's pretty neat being able to shoot S8 with a nice, manual 16 camera and all the precision manual controls.

Then again, that sacrifices part of the 8mm "look" too ;-)

Steve Wallace · January 14, 2010

Really?

That's pretty neat being able to shoot S8 with a nice, manual 16 camera and all the precision manual controls.

Then again, that sacrifices part of the 8mm "look" too ;-)

Yeah, I've seen bolexes modified for double super 8 too. Just an h16 with a modded super 8 gate, run the film through twice, like the old 8mm cameras previous to super 8 cartridges. You get the same image dimensions of super 8 but the benefit of a pressure plate, and all the available accessories. and you can use mags. Although I think you need special film that's perfed for DS8 (twice the perfs of 16mm) IIRC

John Sprung · January 14, 2010

Although I think you need special film that's perfed for DS8 (twice the perfs of 16mm) IIRC

Yes, definitely that would require special perforation. Regular 8 uses the same size holes as 16mm, but 80 per foot instead of 40. Super 8 has much smaller holes, and slightly taller frames, 72 per foot. You could develop it in any sprocketless 16mm machine.

-- J.S.

K Borowski · January 14, 2010

I'm familiar with DS8. John Schwind in California is the authority on this.

But, the problem with DS8 (unless, of course, you waste half the film and pay double) is that you have to run the film past the gate twice, with correspondingly twice as much risk of fogging.