Stripped Super 8 Film

Wayne Jones · August 29, 2013

Does anyone know of a supplier of stripped super 8 film?

Josh Gladstone · August 30, 2013

I assume you're talking about mag striped film for recording sound? As far as I know there are none. Sometimes a few rolls show up on ebay, but that's all going to be old stock. If I recall correctly, the adhesive they used to glue the magnetic tape to the film was hazardous in some way. I bet they could have found a replacement, but by then video had already begun to take over and I'm guessing there wasn't enough demand.

But please, someone tell me I'm wrong and that there's someone out there making sound super 8 film. I'd love to buy some.

Edited August 30, 2013 by Josh Gladstone

Benjamin Dietze · August 30, 2013

One or two small French/Spanish companies recently tried to re-introduce pre-striped S8 carts. But they never got beyond proof of concept/test films, then they decided that the demand was too low. As for the old stocks, Kodak stopped selling pre-striped E160T in 1997 or 1998, so that's the newest batches you can get.

As for post-striping after processing, there's a few magnetic-striper devices at the size of cigar boxes to be found on eBay at times. Problem is finding magnetic stripes in the right format.

In any case, sound is another problem neatly solved by Lasse's upcoming new camera.

Edited August 30, 2013 by Benjamin Dietze

Dominique De Bast · August 31, 2013

A British company provides super 8 black and white sound cartridges. This is extracts from their website :

Q) Is this some new sound film stock?
A) No, this is Kodak’s Sound Kodachrome 40 with a process before date no older than 1998.

Q) Why a cut-off of 1998?
A) We have tested Kodachrome 40 sound film from right back with a process before date of 1978 right up to when Kodak ceased making it in 1998 and we found that prior to a 1998 process before date was just too unstable.

Q) Can you go more in-depth regarding, ‘tested'?
A) We use a our own special 14 stage processing technique using various chemicals we’ve experimented with until we feel we have got the various mixtures, temperature and timings to a level which is giving us regular good results. Our processing lab has looked more like a Victorian Alchemist lab when doing these experiments!
As your aware there’s a lot more to just a process before date that Kodak put on their film stocks, another big factor is how this film stock has been stored over the years. If it has just been sitting in someone’s loft or cupboard and subjected to fluctuating temperature and dampness etc. this greatly reduces the chance of any images being recovered, and as when we purchase this sound film stock we can’t guarantee how it’s been stored and we have to presume it hasn’t been stored in a fridge or freezer, so we look at it from a worst case scenario. And the results we have been getting is most stock prior to 1998 has given variable results whereas 1998 stock is giving consistant results.

Q) Why bother with the hassle of trying to keep out of date sound Kodachrome 40 alive when there are so many new silent Super 8mm film stocks to choose from and portable sound recorders which can be synced together?
A) Because I prefer to project film whenever possible, using silent film and a audio device is absolutely fine for telecine purposes and syncing together when editing on a computer is great fun and is easier to be honest as you haven’t got to worry about background noise or picking up the clicking of the cine camera, fluctuating sound etc. Just telecine the silent footage onto your computer then add sound effects, music using your favourite video manipulation software to make a great little movie for digital. I find it amazing how you can shoot say something as simple as say trees and just syncing sound effects and music you can drastically change the feel of what your viewing, from say a happy beautiful scene shot of trees to making it into a creepy horror flick. Anyway I’m going off topic here, there has been times and I’m sure I’m not alone here when I’ve thought to myself, "If only I had a cartridge of sound film for this next scene" because I need perfect lip sync and can’t be doing with the hassle of trying to add a magnetic sound strip to the film so I can try and match the sound up afterwards ready for projection. I can’t speak for others but my attempt of trying to bond a magnetic sound strip to film using one of these stripping machines has caused a few colourful words!

Q) When you go live with this stock what is the turnaround time for processing and why 50 quid?
A) Turnaround time will be approx 1 - 2 weeks and the reason we will be charging £49.99 for a process paid cartridge is because there is a awful lot of work involved, (this price also includes the original cartridge don’t forget) we’re looking at nearly a full day to process just one cartridge from mixing the raw chemicals right through to the end processed product. Also we do not re-use are chemicals, fresh chemicals for each and every cartridge. We’re not making any money with this project but we just can’t bear to throw out in most cases perfectly good sound film stock.

http://theoldfilmcompany.com/Page4_7.htm

Andries Molenaar · September 1, 2013

Nice that they set up this service.

This 1998 theory is a bit of nonsense. It is just mystification to make potential buyers insecure. And how could buyers check? They repack the things. There was no change in manufacturing processes so 1997 is just as good. These may ver well have been cut from the same batch of master rolls from the Kodak storage house.

While K14 color processing was available until december 2010 people were just as glad to shoot rolls from 1990 as those from the very last runs. Nobody could tell them apart. How could they as amateurs.

Dominique De Bast · September 1, 2013

I don't know the technical details, they say they made tests. The Kodak policy was said they improved often filmstocks without notice it as this could have suggested that their previous version was not good. Maybe it is linked with that. I don't think anyone is expecting to make an huge profit in the home movie small market today, most of those who provide anything related with it are enthousiasts who try to keep the hobby alive. I just think we should take the positive side of the fact that someone is offering sound cartridges.

Philip Kral · September 2, 2013

Personally, I find it kind of a let down noone figured out a way to continue any sound striping service. Either providing a service, even to strip film in post, or even providing the materials. I have a sound strip machine, but the magnetic tape and glue are impossible to find. Is it really that hard to make cut down magnetic tape (Heck, slit cassette tape ribbons) and pull up the old patents for the glue (or find any glue that'll work for that matter)?

It may be not worth it today, but I remember when sound film stopped in 1997 and people went nuts wondering what they could do.

Andries Molenaar · September 3, 2013

Personally, I find it kind of a let down noone figured out a way to continue any sound striping service. Either providing a service, even to strip film in post, or even providing the materials. I have a sound strip machine, but the magnetic tape and glue are impossible to find. Is it really that hard to make cut down magnetic tape (Heck, slit cassette tape ribbons) and pull up the old patents for the glue (or find any glue that'll work for that matter)?

It may be not worth it today, but I remember when sound film stopped in 1997 and people went nuts wondering what they could do.

Wittner has a full assortment. And FFR sells all too.

Philip Kral · September 3, 2013

Really? Your kidding me, the last I checked- I thought wittner only had the magnetic strip and only for certain machines. I'll have to check them again for sure. I don't think I ever seen FFR's site.

Thank you so much for showing me this!

Joerg Polzfusz · September 3, 2013

Personally, I find it kind of a let down noone figured out a way to continue any sound striping service. Either providing a service, even to strip film in post, or even providing the materials. I have a sound strip machine, but the magnetic tape and glue are impossible to find. Is it really that hard to make cut down magnetic tape (Heck, slit cassette tape ribbons) and pull up the old patents for the glue (or find any glue that'll work for that matter)?

It may be not worth it today, but I remember when sound film stopped in 1997 and people went nuts wondering what they could do.

There are still ten or more shops in Europe that offer striping in post. And AFAIK e. g. Fipra still offers pre-striping.

Will Montgomery · September 3, 2013

Right before the death of Kodachrome processing I shot several rolls of Kodachrome with sound and it was funny how really novel it was. I mean, sound with video is a given, but handing a mic to someone and have them talk and recorded onto that really crappy little magnetic strip was a ton of fun. I wish someone would create some new stock/cartridges for all those sound cameras out there. But talk about a niche market!

Wayne Jones · September 4, 2013

It would be good to hear say from a ex Kodak employee or similar as to what was really going on in the organization at the time that they stopped making the sound cartridges. And what they were really thinking then.

Joerg Polzfusz · September 5, 2013

Back then both Kodak and Fuji claimed that they had to stop pre-striping due to environmental concerns (and that the demand was too low to justify investigating alternatives).

Andries Molenaar · September 5, 2013

It would be good to hear say from a ex Kodak employee or similar as to what was really going on in the organization at the time that they stopped making the sound cartridges. And what they were really thinking then.

They didn't sell enough?

The factory striping was pasted on. It is not tape but rather the magnetizable-emulsion itself. Which of course is permanent under all circumstances. Mechanic or chemical duress

Wayne Jones · September 28, 2013

I am afraid I am restricted to using old sound film as much as I would like to use new colour sound stock. Compared to using a new digital camera it is more time consuming and expensive; however I still love film the best. If the enthusiasts don't use film it will die for sure and there will be no film for anyone except the leftover stock sitting in freezers around the world.