Kodachrome processing ends

As published by Dwayne's Photo...

On June 22, 2009, Kodak announced the final manufacturing run of Kodachrome 64, the last remaining Kodachrome film. Dwayne’s Photo plans to continue processing Kodachrome films through the end of December 2010. As long as supplies last, Dwayne's will continue to offer Kodachrome film for sale.

This is a sad occasion for us, as we’re sure it is for many of you. While we understand the business realities driving Kodak’s decision, we are still sorry to see the film go. Kodachrome was truly an icon of the 20th century and has certainly been a very important part of Dwayne’s business for many years. Once it’s gone, nothing will ever capture “those nice bright colors” in quite the same way. We want to say thank you to all the customers who have been loyal to Kodachrome and to us over the years.

More at Dwayne's Photo

$100 Film Festival call

The $100 Film Festival has announced its call for entries for the 2010 event, it's 18th incarnation.

Only screening films shot on 8 and 16mm, only from print and only those under 22 minutes, the $100 Film Festival has established itself as one of the premiere film-only events on the circuit.

For full details on how to enter (which is free) can be found at the festival website, part of the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. Entries are due by 1st December 2009.

Seagull Angle Viewfinder

The Seagull Angle Viewfinder

We read about the Seagull Angle Viewfinder on a couple of small film forums and blogs and decided to buy one ourselves from eBay. With an upcoming shoot requiring a lot of low level tripod work, having the ability to use the camera viewfinder directly from above is an absolute boon.

Comprising an adjustable eyepiece which rotates about a mounting block, the Seagull is simple to use and remarkably well made considering we only paid £33 including postage from Hong Kong.

The viewfinder connects to the camera using slide in plates which fit into the grooved section on many camera viewfinders. In the picture above the Seagull is connected to a Nizo 801 using the 22mm Nikon adaptor which works perfectly and provides a very solid mounting.

Image clarity is remarkably bright and very clear, and introduces no noticeable hindrances when focusing the Nizo in the usual manner. An adjustable diopter correction ring (+/- 4.0) below the rubber eyecup allows the unit to be adapted for users own particular visual requirements.

The view from above

Our model features both 1x and 2x magnification (via a sliding switch), the latter being of questionable use but does allow for some focusing zoom to check detail.

The Seagull comes boxed (with typical retro design) with instructions (English and Chinese) and includes 6 adapter plates of various sizes, a very useful camera dust blower brush (great for cleaning the gate between cartridges), and a small neoprene type pouch to store the Seagull.

As gadgets go this is great addition for those shooters who regularly do tripod work and need to frame their shots perfectly. Value for money, it's an absolute no-brainer and certainly saves those dirty knees!

For more details search eBay for "Angle Viewfinder"

straight 8 - 'best of an Ad Bunch'

It's that time of year again when the best of the straight 8 entries made by the advertising community get their first airing as part of the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival. Screening details;

Friday, 26th June 2009 at the Star Cinema, 98 Rue d’Antibes, Cannes, France

Arrive at 11am and grab a croissant, with the screening starting at 11.30am [ends 12.45pm]

To buy tickets go to http://www.justgiving.com/straight8bestofanadbunch/, all proceeds go to Leuka.

More at straight 8 where full details of the films are given.

A Doorman's Lullaby - World Premiere

“A Doorman's Lullaby”

Being the adventures of a most attentive Night Watchman (Ian Cardoni). Our hero must rescue his girl’s (Antonia Pugliese) stolen cello. Emboldened by the plucky heroes of motion pictures, he engages in a high-speed chase around a most unusual building to save his girl’s bull fiddle!

Startling Illusions!

Musical Moments!

A Must-See!

Miss Chelsea Spear, “The Littlest Auteur”, producer/director/writer of short subjects, diligent journalist on all things cinematic, erstwhile film programmer, will screen this, her seventh short, as part of David Teague’s Small Gauge Extravaganza, Flicker New York City.

This latest short film – a “Soundie”, featuring the music of Elvis Perkins as interpreted by the peerless chanteuse Tippy Canoe – marked the end of a creative fallow for Miss Spear. “Making this movie with my ‘kids’ reminded me of why I make movies,” she enthused in a recent issue of The Brahmin. She is likewise thrilled to allow her friends at Brooklyn Vitagraph, who have supported her through these many years, to premiere her work to the world.

Screening takes place as part of the Flicker event at the Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Avenue in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Admission for this evening of moving entertainments is $7. The show starts promptly at 8pm. Don’t be late!

Flicker Attack NYC and more!

FLICKER NYC - Friday, July 10, 2009 at 8pm - $7

Join us at the Brooklyn Lyceum for a show of new Super 8mm shorts from local and international filmmakers!

+ a new "Attack of the 50 Foot Reels" is coming this fall

Friday, October 9, 2009 at 7:30pm - $7

Flicker NYC presents a show of brand new Super 8 films-- so new that the filmmakers themselves won't have seen their films until they unspool in front of the audience. Each participating filmmaker shots a movie on a single 50 foot roll of Super 8 film, all edits in camera. The rolls are processed and screened on a Super 8 projector for the first time at the Brooklyn Lyceum with accompanying music, live dialogue, or live sound effects. Join us for this exciting experiment in Super 8 movie making!

25 slots for filmmakers available- sign up now!

More details at Flicker NYC

School's out, well no, in!

If you're getting friends into Super 8 and they need a quick guide to basic Super 8 camera functionality - get them to check out John Porter's Super 8 School, it's the Super 8 101 we've all needed at some time...

InCINEración - a special Spanish call

InCINEración started in November 1996 at Sandunga Gallery in Granada, Spain. Since then, it has been open to a wide variety of audiovisual initiatives under which invention takes precedent over budget and production. A screen free of prejudices was therefore developed, showing films that ordinary festivals did not dare to premiere.

During its eight editions, InCINEración has built up an intense programme; presenting unknown works by important filmmakers, world premieres of short films which have gone on to succeed in festivals elsewhere, and experiments in pushing the limits of the medium.

In 2001, inCINEración started to co-produce short films shot, edited and projected in Super 8mm film with selected film makers - which this year must be received with organisers by 30th October.

In 2009 InCINEración will present a sample of works in Super 8mm film and video, by film makers from various creative fields at it's two day event on the 1st and 2nd December.

To find out more, including how to get involved, go to InCINEración (Spanish and English).

'Urbanity' call for entries

As part of a collaborative exhibition with Truck Gallery, the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF) invites media arts submissions based on the theme of Urbanity. This project is intended to explore the facets of the city – as you define it. In keeping with their mandate, works submitted should use celluloid in either the production or post production stage – Super 8, 16mm or 35mm. This is an international call, open to any media artist working with film and urban themes (entries until June 30th)

This project coincides with a residency in Truck Galleryʼs TR:AFICC (Temporary Residents; Artists For Innovative Contemporary Culture) Project – where an artist literally labours in the urban environment and their studio is the epitome of urban life: the vehicle. The Camper (and the resident artist it encloses) will travel Calgary for the month of September, creating film-based work.

CSIF and Truck will host weekly screenings during that month, with a selection of works from this call. Each night of screenings will take place in a different suburban location around the city and incorporate the guerilla, outdoor screening nature of the camper with the essence of this themed call.

For more details visit the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers

Pimp my home processing tank!

Lots of people have dabbled with home processing, some process all their own without relying on labs at all... that's all well and good, but prepare to be pimped!

The image above is one of many from a lengthy German article about a home-made, automatic processing system for 8mm film. Check out the link and be amazed!

Die automatische Schmalfilmentwicklungsmaschine (German only)

Wireless remote control

Check this - a cheapy wireless camera remote, controlling a Canon 814 XL-S. With 16 selectable channels (so you don't zap your neighbour) you'll need never be near your camera again. Great for self-publicists or those who have to self-cast!

Here's one on eBay - other reputable camera stores are available etc. - note obviously only the stop/go is going to work!

[Via Super 8 Spain from Andreas Victorero]

My Sisters Keeper - Super 8/HD/35mm

My Sisters' Keeper is the first 35mm theatrical release to have Super 8 film scanned on the M2 to HD &blow up to 35mm. Release date 6/26!

Reposted from the Pro8mm Twitter feed...

More at www.mysisterskeepermovie.com - directed by Nick Cassavetes, with Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin, Abigail Breslin, Jason Patric and Sofia Vassilieva, from the novel by Jodi Picoult.

straight 8 London selection

straight 8 have announced the fifty or so films that will be screening (for the first time) in London in late July as part of the Soho Shorts film festival.

Playing out at the Curzon Mayfair screen 1 or the London Renoir this will be the first time that cast and crew will have seen their Super 8mm edit in-camera shorts since filming them.

We've made the list and we can't wait!

More here

super8porter 4 years old today

John Porter's brilliantly simple portal to small film happenings the world over is 4 years old today.

How he manages to keep the site up to date whilst managing his own prolific filmmaking activities we'll never know - but thank you John!

More at www.super8porter.ca

RIP: Fuji Single 8 (by 2012)

On 2.6.09 Fuji formally announced that they will be discontinuing their products in the Single 8 format... the following is a bot translation from the official Fuji press release.

The Fuji film corporation (president: Because the old forest heavily), single - for 8 ending the sale and development service of the film, it receives, we guide.

As for “FUJICHROME R25N” last shipment of 2012 March, as for “FUJICHROME RT200N” with the last shipment of 2010 May sale end, in addition, development service ends at 2013 September.

For a long time, single regular use we have received - for 8 film “FUJICHROME R25N”, “FUJICHROME RT200N” guided sale end once in 2006 April, but the demand where the customer is strong was received, for the time being to postpone sale end in 2007 January. After that, in order that it continues the offer of these products, it started continuing enterprise effort, but sale quantity has yearly decreased, we have become the circumstance whose it is difficult already to maintain the system of production and development.

As single - your time-honored patronage for one for 8 film “FUJICHROME R25N” “FUJICHROME RT200N” you appreciate deeply, that also in the future the support which does not change to the Fuji film product, patronage is granted, we ask may.

In summary;

Fujichrome R25N - last shipment March 2012
Fujichrome RT200N - last shipment May 2010

Developing service available until September 2013


Note: apparently the magnetic striping service has restarted though from 1st June!

Full translation here (via robots)

[thanks Muddy]