Beginner Trying to Understand 8mm/16mm

[Daniel Durfee]

I have 0% experience with 8mm/16mm film, but I'm very interested in getting into it. I like the aesthetic of it, but I have noticed you can have many different results with 8mm/16mm. If someone can tell me what I need to know to achieve the look I'm after, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'll supply examples below. Please forgive me for these very easy questions.

 

 

 

I really like how the light looks in this video, and how the colors are a bit subdued. What would I need to achieve this kind of look?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt7ZHhOy4To&t=2s

 

 

I love the night shots in this video. Again, what would I need to achieve this kind of look?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQVsFtnHZh4

 

 

I love the colors in this video. Some kind of filter used?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oeyDIY0JYc

 

 

The first black and white shot of the ocean is beautiful. How would one achieve that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1qP1CtIRTw

 

 

I really appreciate any responses. If anyone can recommend books that would help me achieve these looks, that'd be awesome too.

 

 

 

[Tyler Purcell]

I have 0% experience with 8mm/16mm film, but I'm very interested in getting into it. I like the aesthetic of it, but I have noticed you can have many different results with 8mm/16mm. If someone can tell me what I need to know to achieve the look I'm after, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'll supply examples below. Please forgive me for these very easy questions.

A few things to note... the differences in the videos you posted are mostly from old/bad film stock, poor film transfer and even in the case of the last video, some exposure issues.

 

I would personally ignore much of what's on youtube unless it's an actual narrative project where the filmmakers care about what they're shooting, rather then making home movies. I find the 'camera test' films to be really god awful and irrelevant. I don't think you'll learn much from watching people's mistakes, it's far better to watch stuff that was done properly so you understand what the format can do.

 

Also, there are dozens of factors that determine the look, just like digital; Stock, lens, exposure, processing, transfer, coloring, I mean the list goes on and on. So when you watch video's you never really know what they're doing, so much of what I post below is just a guess based on what I see.

 

I really like how the light looks in this video, and how the colors are a bit subdued. What would I need to achieve this kind of look?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt7ZHhOy4To&t=2s

This film was shot with the camera on full automatic, so the highlights were blown out in some cases. The transfer from film to video is why the colors are subdued. It's just done with a camcorder and projector, probably one of the Elmo all-in-one transfer machines from the 80's. This "look" can be achieved in post no problem.

 

I love the night shots in this video. Again, what would I need to achieve this kind of look?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQVsFtnHZh4

Nothing special, those night shots are pretty much what film looks like. Not sure of what speed it is, but I doubt it's overly fast, maybe 200ISO.

 

I love the colors in this video. Some kind of filter used?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oeyDIY0JYc

Colors are overly saturated in some cases, it may just be a poor transfer. The stock they used is an outdated/no longer available Fuji stock called Eterna. It's nearly impossible to find in any format these days as it was discontinued in 2013.

 

The first black and white shot of the ocean is beautiful. How would one achieve that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1qP1CtIRTw

You mean the blown out shot where there is no detail and it looks like crap? LOL :P

 

I mean it was tri-x B&W stock, probably over exposed slightly as well.

 

If you wanna learn MORE about shooting on film. Send me a PM and I'll gladly discuss the program I offer which is hands on with 16mm, it's a lot of fun and you'll learn a lot! :)

[Chris Burke]

The best way to achieve the look in all of these videos is to get a S8 camera (an XL model), get some film and start shooting. There was nothing special added at any point to give the videos their respective looks. Tyler summed it up quite nicely. The black and white stock of today will probably give you the look closest to what you referenced. Keep in mind what Tyler said, that the original shooter of the videos made a few mistakes. Be careful when shooting Tri-X in high contrast scenes outdoors. Use 500T indoors, 50D outdoors on sunny days, 200T on dark cloudy days, black and white anywhere.