What is Super 8 film? Why is it so cool??
A few weeks ago we got an email from Travis Shields from Travis Shields Films explaining to us what Super 8 film is and why it is so cool. We had to share it with you… Get ready to fall in love! [Click on the links below to take you to samples of these amazing videos]
Weddings can be a challenge to capture in a fresh and meaningful way and traditional wedding videography often fails to deliver. Nowadays there is a bit of a renaissance happening as people begin to discover the vintage style of Super 8 film. Yes, film—like they used in olden days. Even with the wide availability of High Definition video today, brides are enjoying the softer more nostalgic look and feel of film. Film looks very different than the crisp digital video we are used to seeing. Images are grainy and colors look muted and rich. Somehow everything manages to look more romantic and ethereal.
So how does Super 8 accomplish this?
Super 8 has been around a long time and was used heavily in the 1960’s and 1970’s as the main format for capturing home movies. Chances are many of your parents have Super 8 cameras or projectors collecting dust somewhere. Don’t worry, although Super 8 is a vintage format, you won’t need to gather around an old projector to watch. Your film will be professionally edited to DVD and easily posted online at sites like YouTube for easy viewing and sharing.
I’ve been shooting film for the past eight years and the first time I picked up a Super 8 camera I was intrigued by the possibilities of these retro cameras. Once I shot my first wedding I was hooked. I love that Super 8 looks a little rough, jumpy and scratchy - much like our memory of events. There is something so authentic using vintage cameras to create modern wedding films that video just can’t replicate.
One of my recent brides Manda talks about the wedding film we created for her, “I absolutely love the Super 8 for several reasons - the first reason was so unexpected - the sound of the camera when you were actually filming. ‘Regular’ video cameras don’t make a sound, and since Super 8 does, it adds something to the moment. The camera was ‘present’ and I liked that. It really made Tom and I feel like film stars. Even the guests at the reception thought it was cool. Now for the look- fantastic! When my parents first saw the trailer, they couldn’t turn the sound on (they were at work). Their co-workers gathered around, thinking they were watching a classic black and white movie! Everyone was stunned and amazed that it was a wedding shot in 2009. In fact, with and without music it is two different movies, both great. Timeless is probably the best word to describe it.”
We strive to craft stylized films that combine our generation’s style and sensibility with yesterday’s vintage film and retro feel. By filming the key moments and small details of your event, the spirit, atmosphere, emotion, and meaning of your day is captured. Because Super 8 is nostalgic, aesthetically beautiful and archival, our modern wedding films are instantly classic.
If you haven’t checked out Travis Shields work yet, you must! You’ll soon be reminded why you must have a videographer at your wedding! The wedding day goes by in a flash…re-living it through an unforgettable video will be worth every penny and then some!
Cheers,
Mandi & Rachelle
P.S. Do you wish you would have had a videographer for your wedding? Did you have a videographer and are so glad you did? Tell your stories here!
