Super 8 Sound Film - What Is It?

[@bestmoviesever1]

It would be great if this format could be brought back. It would be so cool to shoot something and project the film with sound after it was developed.

[@SonofFrenzi]

Ah - Super 8 sound and being able to dub extra audio on the 2nd stripe - I remember it well and shot quite a lot of Super 8 sound from 82-85. Great medium.

[@jeffreysnow2640]

While I was filming on super silent film, I recorded the sound on cassette tape, sent the film out to be sound striped, I think it was 3 cents a foot. Then I would hook the cassette player up to the movie projector and sync the sound up. I was doing this at 15 years old

[@atariboy77]

I Just Ordered a Sankyo Sound 700 Projector on ebay. I cannot wait to project my Tom and Jerry Films and set up my own little vintage home cinema.

[@davidperalta-torres3371]

I remember buying some of the last Super 8 sound cartridges around 2001 from an obscure online camera shop in Georgia and using it on my Minolta sound camera. I wish it was still around

[@animaToy]

What actually makes me crazy is Fujica ZS400, single8 camera with ability to record sound optically. I wish I could get one of those

[@danielmoljr4090]

I would love to see it make a comeback. Do you think Kodak would start it back if enough people wrote and showed interest?

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

I don't. Kodak still hasn't introduced their "all new" Super 8 camera - www.kodak.com/en/motion/page/super-8-camera - it's been many years since the announce.

[@danielmoljr4090]

@@FilmPhotographyProject Now I remember, that was a long time ago. I wonder what happened? I am just grateful they are still making motion picture film.

[@1987VCRProductions]

@@danielmoljr4090 All I know is that the expected price of that camera has been increasing to the point where I’d say “why bother?”

[@mumiemonstret]

3:29 Give the VFX guy a raise and the SFX guy the boot... 😄 I saw a video on how this amazing VFX was done. Unfortunately this trick is unavailable in modern filmmaking...

[@proudtobeautistic]

If I remember correctly the sound super 8 cartridges remained in production until 1997 or 1998.

[@nicholassheffo5723]

Michael, Though no new Super 8 sound cartridges are available to buy, many unopened ones do turn up and sometimes for too much money. Kodachrome 40 (though you cannot get color developing for it anymore) and Ektachrome 160 are the most common, along with 7242 (all have fading issues) and 7244 Supermatic (hard to get results from age) color films, all issued in 50ft sound cartridges and all but the 160 issued in 200ft cartridges for special cameras that can handle them. Those 200ft cartridges always land up in bidding wars. Add Sakurachrome 40 and 160 and those are all the color Super 8 films that use the older chemicals no longer made. Fortunately, Agfa made sound cartridges that use current E6 chemicals under the Moviechrome name and are better to try out if you can get them cheap. The 1970s cartridges use their own older chemicals and the Moviechrome from 1980 to about 1986 with the thin font labels tend to have yellow calcium and mold, so try for later ones. Overseas, Perutz did relabeled Agfa sound cartridges until Agfa stopped making them outright, Revue did them with 3M/Ferrania (our of production chemistry) & Agfa film and Porst did sound cartridges using Sakura film to 1983, the Agfa until 1990. Finally, some cartridges were made for silent cartridges with magnetic striping so you could add sound later when the film came back from lab, like Agfa Super 8 PLUS (older 1970s developers), Revuechrome Ton (aka tone, meaning sound) and Revue Superchrome striped films. Though the tracks can warp, I have hardly ever seen any cases where the magnetic oxide was flaking off of a Super 8 film of any kind for whatever reasons.

[@socialist0189]

You can still do post sound stripe though so it's not completely dead. There's also a lot of old expired sound film that you can use to play with.

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

The develop process for "old new stock" of Ektachrome 160 Type G or A no longer exists. Only one lab (Spectra in the US) will process it (and its cost prohibitive).

[@socialist0189]

@@FilmPhotographyProject, I know that but I personally think it's worth it for sound film.

[@42ndStreetMatthew]

Would love to see your student films, Michael!

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKXEi4R8iJaIoqs Thanks for asking - Mike

[@jeffreysnow2640]

You were also able to shoot silent super 8mm film and send it out to have sound stripes put on the film. I used to record the sound on a cassette tape recorder and then sync it up and record it onto the film with my projector. I was doing this at 15 years old in 1979 :)

[@socialist0189]

You can still do so. There's fipra, ffr film, andec film and a place in Italy that do post sound striping. You can even do it yourself with for example a bolex weberling sound striper.

[@Vahmrick60]

I have also found that the best projectors for lower cost were the Elmo, Eumig and Bauer lines, unless you can afford something like the Beaulieu 708 EL. Stay away from the Kodak models, the inside parts are cheap neoprene. I've had a few Chinon projectors, they're OK, but they have cheap parts that wear quickly too. If you're into this stuff, it pays to either be a bit of a tech, or know someone who is. You might try checking around the cinemas and see if there are any old projectionist techs still living that like to tinker with this stuff.

[@timothylarson3558]

Very cool, Mike! I have a Super sound camera in a drawer right behind me!

[@atariboy77]

Hey, I was just wondering if you can show American (NTSC) films on a European (PAL) projector and vice versa? I'm just looking into buying a rare print of a film from America and I was thinking someone might know. Thanks

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

NTSC, PAL and SECAM are ntsc video format standards only. Does not apply film prints.

[@atariboy77]

@@FilmPhotographyProject Thank you! I thought as such, just wanted to make sure before buying that print

[@kelleebolden7936]

Hey Mike do you remember all of the Super 8 sound full length features you could order from Blackhawk Films?

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

I sure do! I personally own a full length copt of GREASE in Super 8 sound! - Mike

[@jeffreysnow2640]

BlackHawk Films were great !!! Along with Castle/Universal 8 and Ken Films. I have hundreds of these !!!

[@kelleebolden7936]

@@jeffreysnow2640 That's awesome!!

[@socialist0189]

Some people have thought over the years to bring back super8 sound film. One more recent example with success was revelado reviseble in Spain with carosound in super8 and single8 sound carts. But the whole thing died with the Ektachrome apocalypse back in 2013 and the steep price (70 euro including development back in 2011/2012). Still some people have plans to bring it back but because of various reasons plans always never go further than the drawing board.

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

It's cheaper and easier to shoot fresh Super 8, record wild sound on your phone and edit digitally. Short video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIiYfZSohr1rsLc

[@socialist0189]

@@FilmPhotographyProject, I do wild sync and add sound to my movies after getting the edited version sound striped. But from time to time I also throw some expired sound film in.

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

Mike!!! What date/volume of Famous Monsters magazine had you in it???? I need to find it and buy it before the price skyrockets!!!!

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

FM #116 1975 - the year of the BIG Famous Monsters Con in NYC!

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

@@FilmPhotographyProject AHA! Just found a bunch on eBay and ordered a copy for $300!!!! 😃 Just kidding about the price. Cool!

[@Vahmrick60]

The XXX lesbian short looks intriguing. One thing I strongly recommend if you want to project super 8 films in a traditional projector. Replace the incandescent lamp house with an LED fixture. The old incandescent lamps can be dangerous and they are very expensive these days to replace. Also, invest in film cleaner, a good, soft cleaning cloth, a small set of brushes and canned air. Obviously, you want to bring the film projectors out on special nights. They're not for everyday use because each showing adds wear on the film, every tiny piece of dust and dirt is a potential scratch. There is a good reason why this form of showing movies went obsolete. Storage conditions are key for both picture and sound. Colour dyes fade, it's hard to find prints that haven't gone magenta and those mag stripes are subject to all kinds of damage that happens over time from oxide particles dropping off to magnetic fields around stereo speakers and radio towers wiping out part or all of a reel's soundtrack.

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

I would *PAY* to have you add sound effects and sound bites to lots of modern films and TV shows! Can you imagine Raiders Of The Lost Ark with patented Raso-Sound?!?!?!?!

[@RobMoses]

Another good video.

[@fredfunk4049]

Have a Chinton super 8 projector. And working. Sound.

[@Steaphany]

I have several animated shorts and movie digests, Star Wars & Close Encounters, that have sound

[@bobratynski9346]

I did a lot of super 8 stuff, including sound.....still have my old Elmo sound projector.....quite a few people I knew worked in super 8 before doing 16mm, and sone actually preferred super 8.....the 200 ft film cartridges never quite worked well for me---too much jamming.

[@RedStarRogue]

I have an 18 minute reel of The Dirty Dozen on super 8 with the magnetic soundtrack. Would you guys be legally allowed to scan that? lol

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

Hi Tyson. Yes. (As long as its for your private use.) FPP scanning services - filmphotographystore.com/collections/fpp-scanning-services/products/film-scanning-services-super-8-regular-8mm

[@RedStarRogue]

@@FilmPhotographyProject Ok thanks

[@user-ff6pq1eg8x]

A mistake to stop making sound film. Bring sound film back.

[@bnrynlds]

Hey Michael, do you also scan 16mm sound film?

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

We sure do! Magnetic or Optical track! filmphotographystore.com/collections/fpp-scanning-services/products/film-scanning-services-16mm-100-ft-rolls

[@linkinthedescription113]

Hey mike has the ffp ever considered bringing back super 8 sound film like you have reintroducing regular 8 film? Cheers mate

[@FilmPhotographyProject]

We're focused on Regular 8mm and 16mm. Pro 8 our of Burbank focuses on Super 8 and special editions (like Double-X Super 8). Sadly, with a much more narrow option of sound cameras, I doubt that NEW Super 8 sound film is a viable option.

[@linkinthedescription113]

@@FilmPhotographyProject very fair point, I was lucky enough to come by an Elmo sound. A man can only dream Kodak releases their super 8 camera and the market becomes competitive again for super 8.

[@bestmoviesever1]

​@@FilmPhotographyProject I would buy it if it were available.