Super 8 millimeter filmmaking is a less popular avenue for directors than 16 millimeter or 35 millimeter film and digital video applications; its use is largely an aesthetic choice. Super 8 film can be shot, processed and transferred to digital video for editing in a NLE (non-linear editing) system. Film stock is available in color and black-and-white varieties, and come in their own film cartridges, each estimated at 150 to 200 seconds of footage.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Super 8 cameras are comparatively more portable and manageable during productions involving switching locations and outdoor shoots. Many who prefer film shooting over digital production point out that it is a more adaptable format, both while editing in NLE systems and in transferring a completed project to a disc or computer file. Advocates prefer them largely for their enhanced frames-per-second ratio.
Disadvantages of Super 8 filmmaking compared to other film formats lie in overall resolution quality. Film in general is more costly to shoot, process and transfer to video.
In-Camera Effects
Super 8 offers in-camera effects you can put into action during filming, rather than later on in the editing process. These options include time-lapse settings, slow motion and single-frame capturing. Time-exposure and undercranking are related techniques perfect for Super 8mm involving capturing footage at a much slower rate. While you can achieve most of these effects in digital filmmaking, advocates believe the different filming and shutter speed options enhance the creative quality of the final product.
Pre-production
As a beginning Super 8 filmmakers, you should begin by testing the film cartridge, including a single frame test. Be sure your cameras are operational before filming. Super 8s purchased second-hand off the Internet are likely to require a visit to a qualified repair service, and one that specializes in super 8 will be hard to find.
Accomplished Super 8mm filmmaker Alex Spectra of super8mm.com suggests beginning with a stop-motion short to take advantage of the medium's assets. On Super 8 cameras the viewfinder is optically created, meaning that the "preview" of the footage will be representative of the final product. Because of this, Super 8 cameras are good for pre-production efforts to plan for framing, even if you are going to use a different kind of camera for the actual filming.
Source Material
If you are shooting scripted fare as part of a Super 8 production, the script is key to moving forward with the format`s limitations in mind. An ideal situation would be shooting from an original script by someone who was written with these advantages and disadvantages in mind. Shots that require an actor and less attention to detail in the background are preferable, especially for early projects. A recommended genre is the action film; with Super 8 you can easily accomplish its standard of quick cut-away action shots and slow-motion sequences.
Multiple Cameras
Feature filmmakers should acquire a few of the same type of Super 8 camera for a quicker, more efficient production schedule with matching looks. If you have several different Super 8 cameras, take some time to find the strengths of each make. Some Super 8s with large telephoto lenses can serve to get a close-up while being far away from the actor. Some run louder than the others; use these for effective outdoor shoots.
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