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Editing super8


julien doumenjou

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Hi,

 

I'm working on a short super8 fiction, I used 15 rolls but after editing I think the film will last 6mn. After checking how expensive it is to get super8 film transfered in HD, I decided to do a first hand editing to save money. So I bought a very cheap Viewer Editor, a MINETTE S-4, it works but it's very very dark, do you know a way to fix that? Should I open it and try to clean something like the mirror? Is it made for dark room only ?

 

For information it uses a 6 volts-10 watt bulb, what I have is 12v-10 watt, guess it's alright...

 

Any information's very welcome !

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Hi,

 

I'm working on a short super8 fiction, I used 15 rolls but after editing I think the film will last 6mn. After checking how expensive it is to get super8 film transfered in HD, I decided to do a first hand editing to save money. So I bought a very cheap Viewer Editor, a MINETTE S-4, it works but it's very very dark, do you know a way to fix that? Should I open it and try to clean something like the mirror? Is it made for dark room only ?

 

For information it uses a 6 volts-10 watt bulb, what I have is 12v-10 watt, guess it's alright...

 

Any information's very welcome !

 

 

 

Obviously your number one problem is the bulb. You must get the proper bulb; they are not hard to find. It available from multiple sources and I see them on eBay all the time.

 

Cheers,

Jean-Louis

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I applaud you for doing a physical edit. It is probably the single best lesson a film student can learn, because it make you think about and commit to the edit. Rock on!

 

I second what has already been said about the bulb. There also may be a replacement that is brighter, but I would recommend getting the stock bulb and go from there. Secondly, did you ask your lab what a transfer of footage might cost. Many will cut you a discount since you are using other services, also you are a student, so further discounts can be had because of that. A six minute film with handles will be very cheap to scan, I would recommend getting the very best you can afford when you do. What kind of film did you use?

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I had a similar problem, and discovered replacement bulbs from lighting specialists were very expensive. Then I remembered that many motorcycles are 6v, so for around $2.40 I purchased the correct wattage bulb from a motorcycle shop.

 

it has worked great for the last three years!

 

try doing that, cheers.

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I had a similar problem, and discovered replacement bulbs from lighting specialists were very expensive. Then I remembered that many motorcycles are 6v, so for around $2.40 I purchased the correct wattage bulb from a motorcycle shop.

 

it has worked great for the last three years!

 

try doing that, cheers.

 

Hi, thanks. I already ordered a new bulb from this website http://www.tps-video.com/lampes.php

But it's good to know.

 

Cheers.

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I applaud you for doing a physical edit. It is probably the single best lesson a film student can learn, because it make you think about and commit to the edit. Rock on!

 

I second what has already been said about the bulb. There also may be a replacement that is brighter, but I would recommend getting the stock bulb and go from there. Secondly, did you ask your lab what a transfer of footage might cost. Many will cut you a discount since you are using other services, also you are a student, so further discounts can be had because of that. A six minute film with handles will be very cheap to scan, I would recommend getting the very best you can afford when you do. What kind of film did you use?

 

Hi, thanks for the support. I used Kodachrome 40, Ektachrome 100 and Ektachrome 7240.

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Good call on the bulb, running a 12v bulb in a 6v circuit is going to be very dim. I also find that over time the internal optical parts can get pretty dirty or develop a film on them. It is usually easy to remove a panel or two to get in there and clean the optical surfaces with some appropriate lens cleaning material. I can't remember exactly what the Minette viewers looked like, but I do recall that they made the better quality editing tools. I think I still have one of their splicers (all metal!). Be fanatical in keeping the film clean while you're working with it (camera original!). Nothing beats looking at it on a projector. I pulled out some S8 Kodachrome I shot 30 years ago, and projected it on a wall with my Elmo. It looked amazing-- it made me remember why I was such a big fan of the format.

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  • 3 weeks later...

If it's a possibility I'd recommend you'd trade the viewer for an actual projector, seeing your films projected let's you see it to the last detail, a viewer will certainly give you a worse image than the HD scan. If you're sticking to it, try checking if Wittner Cinetec in Germany has halogen replacement bulbs, they're very affordable and result in a noticeably brighter and clearer picture. You have to check if they're available for your model, though. Good luck.

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