A chapter yet written...

[Dizkoteck]

So Ive been working with video mainly, ie Im on this site.

But after sneaking into the Bruce Willis "16 Blocks" set, seeing another movie being made elsewhere, watching people with their 16s and their 8s walking around. Goddamnit... I think I should get into film.

1)I learn well on my own, with the help of folks online
Honestly I didnt read the DVX manual, I learned everything I needed to know right here. So, where can I get a camera? which camera? 8mm, 16? S16? You tell me which suits a man that never dealt with film before. And where can I get it.

2)online forums? Thank god this is open, so I guess thats a check on the list.

3)What can you tell this young fellow about the dirty hands on medium?


NYFA has a good film program, expensive but the history is there. Im thinking about it unless you guys know of somewhere fast and cheap (I hate classrooms, I learn by making mistakes) in the city.

Thanks bro

[PDX_DVX]

Well, I don't have any experience with film either, but have been doing research into it. First off, I have heard the Bolex h16 is an awsome camera for filmers of all skill levels. I have seen footage shot with this camera, and if used properly, the results are astounding. Its a hand wound, non-sync camera, so it wouldnt be good for shooting stuff where you need to sync up the audio from another source, but it is capable of frame rates between 8 and 64fps. Secondly, Ebay can be a good source for these cameras, however, you have to be cautious. In another thread in this section, someone posted a few sites that sell 16mm cameras. You might have to dig, but I know there are some honest sellers out there that will offer you a very pristine bolex for a good price. As for schooling, I'm not sure about NY, but I know in Portland, a program called the Northwest Film center offers a 1 time class on silent non-sync 16mm shooting that covers most of what you need to know to start experimenting on your own. They show you how to operate both the bolex and the arri 16s. It costs 75 bucks. Try looking for something like that in your area.

[discs of tron]

pdx-
i've heard very good things about the nw film center. and portland has a lot of kickass filmmakers doing beautiful stuff in 16mm. the one that comes to mind first is matt mccormick, who also runs the pdx film fest. he runs a great little experimental distribution company called peripheral produce. here:
http://www.peripheralproduce.com/catalog.php
i highly recommend his dvd comp, which includes lots of experimental doc stuff, and the video he did for the shins.

anyhow, bolexes are great. the h16 is the non-reflex one. the ones with rex in the name are the refex models.

super8 is also great. easier to use, and more "camcorder-like" in their operation (more auto-stuff, etc.) but it's still film, and it's beautiful. tons of amazing stuff has been made with super8, from jem cohen's (sublime) work, to "nekromantik," banned in 50 nations, not for the faint of heart (or anti-necrophilia types.)

anyhow, get a super8 or 16mm camera you can afford. first, get pinckus and ascher's "the filmmaker's handbook," and proceed from there.

[PDX_DVX]

Yea, I looked in an online film database at all the film industry related stuff in portland, and I was really amazed. I haven't seen any of mccormicks work, but I have heard alot about it. I myself am going to the art institute of portland in October, but I hope to keep experimenting on my own, since they don't deal with film there. I guess it goes to show how much I know about bolex camera's. I thought they were all the same and the "rex" suffix reffered to the order of the camera's. Thanks for clearing that up! There are alot of awsome film makers here, I just need to get to know a few of them! There are also some cool post houses, one that comes to mind is "Downstream" (www.downstream.com). I think I am going to take some film related classes from the NW film center in the future, to fill in the void of not knowing a damn thing about film and learning in a digital environment, because I think that it's important to know the roots of what you're doing. Not to mention that film is absolutely beautifal, and holds alot of advantages over digital.

[dop16mm]

If you are looking to get into 16mm and have never done it before a good place to start is 35mm slides with a good old fashioned manual camera and a hand held light meter. There is nothing automatic with 16mm and you can blow a lot on film learning the fundimentals of exposure. Once you are ready to move on, perhaps to buy a camera, try to find a seller that you can meet in person and who will show you use it. I bought my eclair NPR from a retired cameraman and the initial meeting was like a job interview, he didn't want to give up his baby to just anyone. He proved to be a great source of advice.

[Dizkoteck]

I hear ya.
Guess I'll be taking some photography lessons then.

[discs of tron]

If you are looking to get into 16mm and have never done it before a good place to start is 35mm slides with a good old fashioned manual camera and a hand held light meter. There is nothing automatic with 16mm and you can blow a lot on film learning the fundimentals of exposure. Once you are ready to move on, perhaps to buy a camera, try to find a seller that you can meet in person and who will show you use it. I bought my eclair NPR from a retired cameraman and the initial meeting was like a job interview, he didn't want to give up his baby to just anyone. He proved to be a great source of advice.

good advice, but not necessarily true. krasnogorsk have built-in lightmeters (if you can get the batteries for it.) and canon scoopics are about as easy as super8, with auto-exposure (pretty good auto-exposure too.)

but learning exposure is definitely a good idea, no matter what you're gonna be shooting, including video. it'll do you a world of good. doesn't need to be slide film though. it's the least forgiving, in terms of exposure, so i can see the sense there, but most motion picture stock is negative.