I'm shooting a feature film and I have the sankyo xl-400s (super 8) pro8mm is offering a deal and I wanted to know with the price they're offering $265 how much time will that get me to do my feature (mins) should I purchase two of the specials I think it's like 2-50 feet. Can't afford to rent the dvx for 10 days at $275.
Super 8 package worth it?
- Thread starter artistiam
- Start date
pookie_old
Veteran
Re: Super 8 package worth it?
I'm sorry artistiam, but I do find it amazing that you're shooting a "feature film" on Super 8, yet you don't know the time per foot.
A 10 day shoot....should you get "two specials"....150 or 300 feet......?
Super 8 is a good medium, but you don't seem to have any experience at all.
I'm sorry artistiam, but I do find it amazing that you're shooting a "feature film" on Super 8, yet you don't know the time per foot.
A 10 day shoot....should you get "two specials"....150 or 300 feet......?
Super 8 is a good medium, but you don't seem to have any experience at all.
Coco Bermudez
Well-known member
Re: Super 8 package worth it?
artistiam:
each 50ft cartridge will give you about 3 minutes 25 seconds of footage. If my math is still good...that means that two specials should give you a total of 12 minutes of footage. Depends on how long your feature film is.....but I am pretty confident that this "deal" will not be enough.
When I shoot Super 8, I try to purchase and additional 50 feet for each 50 I shoot. Kinda "doubling up".
You have to be careful with the stock offered at pro8mm.com. I believe each catridge is sliced and diced with regular 35mm stock that is fit and conformed to a 8mm cartridge. The film is beautiful but it tends to be real grainy. Eventhough it is 8mm you bretter bring your game cause you are still dealing 35mm characteristics. You will need to be more careful with lighting, distances etc. Sure it is still easy to shoot but you have to be real careful. It would be real easy to blow your $250 plus dollars and not get the result your looking. Also make sure that this package includes ranking cause you will not be able to project this film with a regular projector.
I hate to say this...If you dont have the money to rent a DVX100 I would rather have you rent a GL1 or GL2 (ive seen some places around my area rent them for $75 a weekend) get your feature in the can and at least you will have a good picture. You probably already know this...but a feature is not just the "film look" It's all about content.
I'm out
artistiam:
each 50ft cartridge will give you about 3 minutes 25 seconds of footage. If my math is still good...that means that two specials should give you a total of 12 minutes of footage. Depends on how long your feature film is.....but I am pretty confident that this "deal" will not be enough.
When I shoot Super 8, I try to purchase and additional 50 feet for each 50 I shoot. Kinda "doubling up".
You have to be careful with the stock offered at pro8mm.com. I believe each catridge is sliced and diced with regular 35mm stock that is fit and conformed to a 8mm cartridge. The film is beautiful but it tends to be real grainy. Eventhough it is 8mm you bretter bring your game cause you are still dealing 35mm characteristics. You will need to be more careful with lighting, distances etc. Sure it is still easy to shoot but you have to be real careful. It would be real easy to blow your $250 plus dollars and not get the result your looking. Also make sure that this package includes ranking cause you will not be able to project this film with a regular projector.
I hate to say this...If you dont have the money to rent a DVX100 I would rather have you rent a GL1 or GL2 (ive seen some places around my area rent them for $75 a weekend) get your feature in the can and at least you will have a good picture. You probably already know this...but a feature is not just the "film look" It's all about content.
I'm out
Re: Super 8 package worth it?
Thanks Super 8 I'm still trying to buy a three chip camera to get my feature made Super 8 is a last resort but it looks like I won't even do that because of cost hopefully everything will work out I'll keep on trying to see what I can do. Thanks for everything.
Thanks Super 8 I'm still trying to buy a three chip camera to get my feature made Super 8 is a last resort but it looks like I won't even do that because of cost hopefully everything will work out I'll keep on trying to see what I can do. Thanks for everything.
Coco Bermudez
Well-known member
Re: Super 8 package worth it?
Yeah I know some people wont look at anything unless it has a look..but then again content is king!
I mean look at the movie "Supersize Me" It was shot on video and last night it was up for an Oscar...content, content, content.
Yeah I know some people wont look at anything unless it has a look..but then again content is king!
I mean look at the movie "Supersize Me" It was shot on video and last night it was up for an Oscar...content, content, content.
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
Re: Super 8 package worth it?
Save your money and get a DVX. Between now and when you start shooting, work on getting the script as solid as you can.
Save your money and get a DVX. Between now and when you start shooting, work on getting the script as solid as you can.
Collink
Well-known member
Re: Super 8 package worth it?
I also agree. I did this, but in reverse order. I saved and worked extra jobs, and shot and edited other peoples icky projects (on a cheap Panny consumer cam) to get the moolah together to buy my DVX. And now that I've had it 5 months, I bought a super8 film cam because I hoped it would teach me something. Not that I ever intend to use the footage with anything I could use the DVX for. It just seems like any way you can shoot, and experiment, and try stuff, you will learn, and get better as a filmmaker.
I also agree. I did this, but in reverse order. I saved and worked extra jobs, and shot and edited other peoples icky projects (on a cheap Panny consumer cam) to get the moolah together to buy my DVX. And now that I've had it 5 months, I bought a super8 film cam because I hoped it would teach me something. Not that I ever intend to use the footage with anything I could use the DVX for. It just seems like any way you can shoot, and experiment, and try stuff, you will learn, and get better as a filmmaker.
Re: Super 8 package worth it?
Artisiam,
You owe it to yourself to do a little research into production practices in advance of attempting this project. We have all fantasized about developing 10,000' of film we shot for $7,000 in our bathtub and getting a multimillion dollar multi-picture deal at Fox for our efforts. Before you become the next Rodriguez, you should know what it takes to actually produce a picture right up to distribution, prints and advertising.
Conform your script to Hollywood standard spacing and tabsets. Each page, properly formatted is generally equal to one minute of screen time.
When you asked how much film you would need - you must factor in your shooting ratio. The SR is the minutes of footage rolled in each take x the average number of takes factoring in the total running time based on pages.
So, if you have a 24 minute documentary packaged for broadcast (6 minutes of spots you won't be shooting) with a 10:1 ratio, you'll need to roll 240 minutes of film to get you there. Depending on what you are shooting, SRs vary wildly.
Some features benefit from highly experienced crews, confident directors and competent cast members who can bring the average to 3:1, while many commercials might shoot between 20 and 100:1 ratios. Recall that your SR must include basic coverage and all associated cut-aways (e.g., medium shots, close ons and close ups) for at least one take each!
Trust me, when I was starting, we had lots of pie-in-the-sky 400' (11 minutes if memory serves!) load aspirations for our 16mm projects. We regularly ran between 4:1 and 10:1 on zero budget commercials where we had earmarked almost nothing for raw stock or subsequent processing and telecine / colorist charges.
Breakdown your script. Using commonly available .PDF forms found online, take each scene by location, number of pages (usually recorded in whole and 1/8 increments) and time of day and figure out what you need for each day of shooting.
Build in an overrun contingency into your budget. Twenty percent (20%) is a good start if you have a free cast and crew working for you for copy, meal and credits. Studios have deep pockets and completion bonds - you might need to fall back on a rich aunt or that lucky bastard dotcom brother-in-law. Don't fret! If you planned to shoot this thing for $500, you only need to have another $100 in reserve!
Again, I'm suggesting these things even on a small show because I've learned some lessons the hard way. I wouldn't execute a commercials, music videos, broadcast project or feature without learning and implementing these practices.
Anyway, good luck!
;D
Artisiam,
You owe it to yourself to do a little research into production practices in advance of attempting this project. We have all fantasized about developing 10,000' of film we shot for $7,000 in our bathtub and getting a multimillion dollar multi-picture deal at Fox for our efforts. Before you become the next Rodriguez, you should know what it takes to actually produce a picture right up to distribution, prints and advertising.
Conform your script to Hollywood standard spacing and tabsets. Each page, properly formatted is generally equal to one minute of screen time.
When you asked how much film you would need - you must factor in your shooting ratio. The SR is the minutes of footage rolled in each take x the average number of takes factoring in the total running time based on pages.
So, if you have a 24 minute documentary packaged for broadcast (6 minutes of spots you won't be shooting) with a 10:1 ratio, you'll need to roll 240 minutes of film to get you there. Depending on what you are shooting, SRs vary wildly.
Some features benefit from highly experienced crews, confident directors and competent cast members who can bring the average to 3:1, while many commercials might shoot between 20 and 100:1 ratios. Recall that your SR must include basic coverage and all associated cut-aways (e.g., medium shots, close ons and close ups) for at least one take each!
Trust me, when I was starting, we had lots of pie-in-the-sky 400' (11 minutes if memory serves!) load aspirations for our 16mm projects. We regularly ran between 4:1 and 10:1 on zero budget commercials where we had earmarked almost nothing for raw stock or subsequent processing and telecine / colorist charges.
Breakdown your script. Using commonly available .PDF forms found online, take each scene by location, number of pages (usually recorded in whole and 1/8 increments) and time of day and figure out what you need for each day of shooting.
Build in an overrun contingency into your budget. Twenty percent (20%) is a good start if you have a free cast and crew working for you for copy, meal and credits. Studios have deep pockets and completion bonds - you might need to fall back on a rich aunt or that lucky bastard dotcom brother-in-law. Don't fret! If you planned to shoot this thing for $500, you only need to have another $100 in reserve!
Again, I'm suggesting these things even on a small show because I've learned some lessons the hard way. I wouldn't execute a commercials, music videos, broadcast project or feature without learning and implementing these practices.
Anyway, good luck!
;D