My film, Influences and Info by Amelia Beaver

Blog for my video. I have chosen not to edit it in any way as in the spirit of the super 8 medium, it is for posterity and my own enjoyment. I love the colours and the mistakes. It is such an exciting medium to work in, the apprehension before getting the film stock back after being developed is intense but the joy of watching it for the first time is amazing!
I chose to use the stop frame animation capabilities of the camera, to do this you must have the central dial turned all the way anti clock wise. You must have it on the Tungstan setting and on automatic on the top dile. This allows you to shoot one frame at a time. I used a clicker cable to stop the camera moving around, although it was quite windy and it was on a tripod on the garden, so...
To set up the focus it is best to measure the distance from the film stock marker to the point where you are filming. Say 6meters aprox. So you turn the focus wheel at the front of the camera to the 6 meter marker and use the focus wheel to line up the bars that you will see through the view finder. One the bars are straight, you are ready to go. There is also a light meter through the view finder. Make sure it is reading the light before you start filming. Also set the dioptre on the view finder to your eye sight and keep it there with blue tack or something so that it doesn't move.
 The counter highlighted in green is pretty accurate but it will reset if you take the film stock out so make sure you know how much you have filmed before you remove the film.
You will need 6 AA batteries to use the camera.

I did not do a story board as such. I knew how i wanted it to look and i knew that i wanted Trish to fly. I got all the brightest coloured things from the house and got them ready in the windows and the conservatory. I wanted it to look like the house was preparing for the get together, as well as Trish herself. We call the house Big Brown Eye's and to us, the house mates it has a personallity so i wanted to show it in the film.
About half way through the day the dog ended up on the roof of the conservetory, which was hillariouse and also a bit scary. Kept it in though as mistakes are bloody great!

All in all I think it went well but I wish I had more time to do it in. Happy watching xx 

Below is the link to my video.

My super 8 Video, on Vimeo.

The quality seems to be a bit dodge, its very jumpy but the actual footage is not so sorry bout that.
The ducks and the Egyptian goose at the end are soo cute!


Here are a few of my influences, shown to me by Dan Paulantonio of the Plymouth College of art and Design film studies department. These films have been made for the Straight8 competition that is run every year. Check out this link to find out more. I tried to film my stock in a straight8 manner but I'm a bit of a rookie (Understatement) so it didn't quite work out, but anyway here are the films that made me do mine!

 

This film is sooo goood! Pretty girl, edgy music and great planning obviously!

This one is also amazing, it has such hart. I like the way that they have used the seventies effect to there advantage in a story telling kind of way.

...also this one, which made me laugh a lot!

If you want to chek out straight 8 have a look at straigh8.

Unfortunatelly Super 8 is a dying medium. The camera's are no longer being made and the last place in the world you could develope the film stock closed down last year. If you are at art college, however, like me :) you can get a "stu" to develope it for you at the minimal cost of £20.00 per cartridge!! Ouch, but worth it!

To check out more on super 8 and hoe it all works I have posted some links. Here we go, get filming!!

Super 8 fan site
The camera of choice
Super8 forum
Film stock
Story board templates