Your older movies

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Dave Watterson

Your older movies

Post by Dave Watterson »

What do you do with your old(er) movies?

The question is prompted by an attempt on my part to sort out thousands of
old still photos
- a task made trickier by having one dodgy eye at present.

We have a couple of notice-boards in our house on which we pin a changing
series of photos
though, to be honest, they are not changed regularly or frequently enough.
Now and then the
old pics come out for a family/friends reunion. Mainly they stay in a drawer.

Now you can transfer your cine work to digital tape or DVD, but then what?
Do you set up
two or three video-walkmen in the hallway showing your older work in constant
loops?

Perhaps some very old work is best forgotten, but there must be stuff with
a good bit of
life in it. What do you do with it?

Deadeye Dave McPuzzled
AN

Re: Your older movies

Post by AN »

"Dave Watterson" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:
What do you do with your old(er) movies?

The question is prompted by an attempt on my part to sort out thousands
of
old still photos
- a task made trickier by having one dodgy eye at present.
Hope your eye is getting better Dave.

We have a couple of notice-boards in our house on which we pin a changing
series of photos
though, to be honest, they are not changed regularly or frequently enough.
Now and then the
old pics come out for a family/friends reunion. Mainly they stay in a drawer.

Now you can transfer your cine work to digital tape or DVD, but then what?
Do you set up
two or three video-walkmen in the hallway showing your older work in constant
loops?

Perhaps some very old work is best forgotten, but there must be stuff with
a good bit of
life in it. What do you do with it?
Quite recently we gave new life to an old film my wife made by putting
on a brand new sound track. But mostly I loose interet in my old films
and be agetting on with the new uns. Just imagine the huge quantity
of great films made in the past, by amateurs too, which have never
seen the light of day (or a projector's light!) for scores of years.
Maybe it's time to appeal to families to submit the prize winning films
made by past family members who may now be dead, to enable their films
to be run once again.
TV could do this too, but they are too young/rubbish oriented these days.
Albert...not from the old Orient. :-)
Michael Slowe

Re: Your older movies

Post by Michael Slowe »

"Dave Watterson" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:
What do you do with your old(er) movies?

The question is prompted by an attempt on my part to sort out thousands
of
old still photos
- a task made trickier by having one dodgy eye at present.

We have a couple of notice-boards in our house on which we pin a changing
series of photos
though, to be honest, they are not changed regularly or frequently enough.
Now and then the
old pics come out for a family/friends reunion. Mainly they stay in a drawer.

Now you can transfer your cine work to digital tape or DVD, but then what?
Do you set up
two or three video-walkmen in the hallway showing your older work in constant
loops?

Perhaps some very old work is best forgotten, but there must be stuff with
a good bit of
life in it. What do you do with it?

Deadeye Dave McPuzzled
Personally I am constantly using my old films, although you are right that
most should be forgotten. I get asked to give shows and talks at various
clubs and organisations and sometimes certain films are requested. It helps
I think to have films transferred (properly) on to Digital Tape for ease
of projection. Friends and family however are rarely subjected, even for
up to date productions!

Michael Slowe.
AN

Re: Your older movies

Post by AN »

"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:
It helps
I think to have films transferred (properly) on to Digital Tape for ease
of projection.
Properly? I like to pick up the sound of the old projector running
on some transferred films and plenty of flicker too!! It all helps
to build up the old fashioned ambience! Then garnish with a seasoning of

scratches and the illusion of the old cinema is complete.

Albert....an old illusionist.
Michael Slowe

Re: Your older movies

Post by Michael Slowe »

"AN" <AnimatioN@btopenworld.com> wrote:
"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:

It helps
I think to have films transferred (properly) on to Digital Tape for ease
of projection.

Properly? I like to pick up the sound of the old projector running
on some transferred films and plenty of flicker too!! It all helps
to build up the old fashioned ambience! Then garnish with a seasoning of

scratches and the illusion of the old cinema is complete.

Albert....an old illusionist.
Albert is right in saying that the "film" look does get lost when transfers
are made to video, no matter how well done.
However the picture seems brighter and sharper and it is more convenient
for programme compilation. Is Albert still able to carry a B & H 16mm. projector
up and down stairs and into cars? I know I can't !

Michael (Double Hernia) Slowe.
AN

Re: Your older movies

Post by AN »

"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:
Is Albert still able to carry a B & H 16mm. projector
up and down stairs and into cars? I know I can't !
Yah, B & H are just light feather weights. I have a huge Bolex.
Now that's a real gut buster!!
I did actually have two Bolexes until recently.....one for each arm!
I never try to carry it up or down stairs....it's all I can do to
carry myself up! (Going down is getting a bit dodgy toooo! :-) )
Michael (Double Hernia) Slowe.
Albert.....are we in the same ward? :-)
Ken Wilson

Re: Your older movies

Post by Ken Wilson »

"Dave Watterson" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:
What do you do with your old(er) movies?
Several movies, mostly those on tape (i.e. post 1994) are constantly re-edited
in between making the new ones. This was never possible with Super 8 film
as we only had the one master and this was the one we edited, viewed and
sent to competitions.
I was a reluctant convert to video but making multiple copies, often with
a different "cut", is one advantage.
One reason for re-edits is the benefit of repeat viewings when it becomes
clear where a film can be trimmed (easy Albert!!!) Also with advances in
technology, improvements can be made technically. Different versions are
also made for different audiences. Nothing naughty, just that a doco I made
for the theatre people was longer for their version than it was for mine.
One hour was more than a general audience would stand!
I was beginning to transfer as much of my old film material as possible a
couple of years ago, when the projector broke down under the strain.
Though it is now fixed again, it`s finding the time between making new movies
to back track.
Some of the older ones are dire anyway and are only of nostagic value.
Ken.
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