One Take Super 8 Event

The One Take Super 8 Event (OTS8) began in 2000, with 20 filmmakers each shooting a single reel of Super 8 film, which then premiered to an audience without the filmmakers seeing their work beforehand. All the films were shown as shot. No cuts. No splices. The popularity of this non-competitive festival has allowed it to return each year with more filmmakers participating. To date over 1000 films have been created for over 50 One Take Super 8 Events across North America!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Go West!


We're finally making our way to the west coast with a package of OTS8 films to start 2009. Hosted by the Pacific Cinematheque and co-programmed with DIM director Amy Kazymerchyk, Vancouver audiences will get to see works from past OTS8 events held across Canada. Many of the films were showcased at the Images Festival in Toronto, this past April, but there are a number of new films created this past fall in Winnipeg and Regina that will be screened as well.

It's an exciting package of 18 films, and it will be great to be showcasing the work in the the city that once housed the blinding light.
The screening will take place at 7:30 pm on Monday, January 19th.

We're also confirming a program at the Winnipeg Cinematheque in Mid February. It will be fantastic to return to the host of the WNDX One Take Super 8 Events with a number of Winnipeg super 8 films that made their premiere there, and will be screened again with work from other OTS8s.

Wishing everyone a happy holidays, and a super(8) new year! Thanks for making 2008 a banner year for the One Take Super8 Event.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

8th annual a SUPER success


We've wrapped up another incredibly successful One Take Super 8 Event in Regina, SK, with a sold out audience at the Regina Public Library Theatre. With 30 new films premiered it was a great night for local cinema, and 25 of the filmmakers were in attendance for the screening (some making it down from Saskatoon to catch their premieres).

A huge thank you to everyone who made a film and came out for the screening. Especially the help from berny hi, Jemma Gilboy and Tricia Martin from the Filmpool who made sure everything got done in advance to make the night a success. Also, thanks to Daniel Suchoboki at the RPL Film Theatre (for keeping us from getting a fire code fine!) robert.daniel.pytlyk. for handling our soundtracks (including last minute switches), and Trevor and Katherine for handling the door, while getting the programs out and selling buttons. This event only works because people are committed to the idea and willing to give their time and energy to make it a success.

Can't do the posting without mentioning the films. The only drawback (and it's really a positive) is that the projection booth at the RPL is so soundproof you can't hear the response to the films. But there were definite highlights. Returning filmmakers, Shawn Fulton, Tyler Banadyga, Jemma Gilboy and Berny Hi all turned in great efforts that continued to show their super 8 prowess. We also had some great films from first time filmmakers including Lexi Rennebohm, Matthew Yim, Brent Braaten and Helder Carjaval. All the films really showed what super 8 is capable of, and we're excited to get them on the DVD and ready to watch them all over again.

We'll be uploading photos from the evening soon, as well we'll post the cover story on the OTS8 from this week's Prairie Dog Magazine. We also had a feature story in the Leader Post that will be here in the coming days. In the meantime, keep checking back for more announcements as this OTS8 season winds down we'll be planning some retrospective screenings for the new year.

Monday, November 3, 2008

3 days to go!

We're almost on the eve of our 8th Annual One Take Super 8 Event.

We've got a record 30 films ready to play this year, and they're back from the lab ready to be reeled up.

Excitement is definitely growing as we get closer to the premiere.
There's no doubt we'll have a packed house at the RPL, so if you plan on coming, show up early to get a seat!

Also, make sure you look out for the upcoming issue of the Prairie Dog. We are going to be on the cover! The Leader Post also did an interview with us, we're looking forward to seeing the article.

It's going to be a great year, looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Projector Review

Jason Booth, a reporter from Red River College's student paper The Projector (how appropriate), came to the One Take Super 8 Event in Winnipeg, and filed this story.

Life’s Great in Super 8

Jason Booth

On a cold rainy Sunday night on Thanksgiving weekend, film lovers came out in droves to catch the premiere of 28 Winnipeg short films in the One Take Super 8 Event, the finale of the third WNDX Festival of Film and Video Art.

The films were shot entirely on Super 8 cameras in one take and feature only in-camera editing. Never before seen by the public, festival organizers or even the filmmakers themselves, the shorts were a big hit. Scenes of downtown Winnipeg, the Exchange, prairie fields, trains, scampering dogs, music, dance, nudity, animation, Chinatown, rocket-ships, horses, birth, death, and dolls with questionable morality, delighted the crowd of over 200 which packed the theatre at the Garrick Centre.

“This is a great crowd,” said Cecilia Araneda, WNDX Festival organizer. “Every year we’ve been beyond capacity. Last year in the Film Group studio, people were packed in like sardines.” The Winnipeg Film Group is one of the event’s major supporters.

“I don’t need to see the work to assemble the reels. It’s more exciting because no one’s seen it,” said Alex Rogalski, the man behind the event. “Filmmakers are experiencing this with the audience. It’s all about the anticipation and nervous excitement.” Rogalski, a programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival, started the event in Regina in 2000 as a way to get an audience for his friend’s films. Since then, he’s held over a dozen unique screenings in cities around North America. A $35 entry fee covers stock, processing and shipping. Filmmakers must be local. Beyond that, there are no other guidelines except time. “There’s no topic or theme, and we don’t seek out filmmakers,” says Rogalski as he prepares the first reel of the evening. “It ranges from personal home movies, to docs, to horror, to comedy. There could be hardcore porn up there in twenty minutes, we don’t know. We can’t prepare an audience for what they’ll see,” said Rogalski. “Even if it is the most offensive thing you’ve ever seen, it’s only on for 3:20,” he added. “And unlike a two hour feature, you get 28 films. You might see a couple you don’t like, but you might also see a few that will really stick with you.”

The One Take Super 8 Event came to Winnipeg in 2006 by way of Montreal. Rogalski was running the event there when he met WNDX Collective member Sol Nagler, who thought it would be a good fit for their festival in Winnipeg.

One of the festival’s more provocative films may have been among its most endearing. Established local filmmaker Deco Dawson presented an intimate home movie, which initially stunned the audience. The film shows his pregnant wife in a hospital bed, partially clothed, struggling through the pains of childbirth. The audience erupted with cheers and applause as the film ended with the first recorded images of Dawson’s newborn son in the hospital nursery.

Kevin Bacon, one of the event’s participants, was enthusiastic about the show, “Somehow these One Take films are always my best stuff. It might be because I know there’s only one shot at it, it won’t be perfect.” Bacon explains that his short was inspired by a Velvet Underground song, “I wanted to visualize the song. Apparently it worked, everyone seemed to like it.” This is my third entry and I’ve learned something every time,” Bacon said, offering some Zen-like advice for aspiring filmmakers, “Start a second after you should start. Stop a second before you should stop.” Bacon is already looking forward to his next entry, “For sure, I’ll be back every year.”

Not everyone was pleased with the lack of editing. There were a few comments from audience members that many of the films were underexposed or blurry. Although the crowd seemed pleased with his entry, filmmaker Joshua Stanton was disappointed. “The ending of my movie got cut off. Basically, our film ran out.” Stanton has participated in the event twice before, with better results. “The last two were perfect. But, you take the risk that you may not get exactly what you want,” he said.

“It was great. The birth film was great. This is raw directorial talent, unfettered by the editing process,” said Matthew Rankin, winner of the Special Jury Prize for his film Hydro-Lévesque, in the WNDX Festival’s New Prairie Cinema category. “Some of them really worked, but some of them were overly ambitious.”

“We really like that it’s bringing in filmmakers new to the craft,” said Tara Walker, Executive Director of On Screen Manitoba, the event’s sponsor. “The process isn’t that daunting and it’s cost effective, so it’s pure creative filmmaking.”

Dave Fort, a friend of one of the filmmakers, was pleased with the event. “It was very good,” said Fort, “It’s going through some growing pains, but that might be its beauty”

Thursday, October 16, 2008

WNDX review




















The 3rd Annual Winnnipeg edition of the One Take Super 8 Event has come and gone at WNDX and was another fantastic success. Closing out the festival, we had a great crowd show up at the Garrick Theatre to see 28 new films by Winnipeg filmmakers. This venue was once part of a multiplex built in the 70's, but closed as a movie house in the late nineties. It was nice to once again show celluloid in this 600 seat theatre. As their site describes the space -
"This 600-seat theatre has been fitted with a remarkable array of audio-visual equipment. A state of the art facility, Garrick One features a stage, twenty-foot-wide motorized screen, outstanding digital projection equipment, high tech sound and lights, and a touch screen control system with LED monitor built right into the podium. The touch screen technology puts control of your presentation right where it belongs -- at your fingertips. Garrick One is ideal for any type of presentation or performance."
Too funny, that with all that high tech equipment at our fingertips, we bring in a 30 year old projector.















I have to admit there was a lot of skepticism that my ELMO ST1200 wasn't up to the job of throwing the distance to the screen. We set up on the podium that separates the two tiers of the theatre and managed to convert the naysayers with a big bright image that really showed off the Ektachrome and 2 b/w reversal stocks used for the films. It's suprising what a 150W bulb in a dark room is capable of (not to underestimate the power of a good lens).
The night started with a bang, with Kevin Bacon (no, the other Kevin Bacon) creating a smart but fun narrative about a man shipping himself in a box to his love in Paris. Things don't turn out so sweet when he arrives. Leslie Supnet also raised the bar with a fantastic piece of cut out animation. A definite highlight and a true One Take came from Cam Woykin, in his 'Weekend' inspired tracking shot following a love story on a prairie highway. Stephane Oystryk pulled a similar page from the new wave playbook, with an intimate portrait of a jeune fille. The evening contained a few surprises, some of which got a little naughty, but in a quirky Winnipeg way. And what would a Winnipeg film fest be without a train film, provided by David Streit who created a great live soundtrack with vinyl, to support his black and white documentary of a cross Canada Train trip. Too many other great films to mention, showcasing the eruption of talent that makes Winnipeg an epicenter of independent cinema in Canada.
The night carried on after the screening in the lobby,where the "‘70’s retro décor creates a funky atmosphere for any event." And not to be remiss, I have to mention the late late party which contained some die hard filmmakers making a trip to a Winnipeg icon, The Salisbury House to continue to chat about the evenings hits, and not quite hits. Salisbury House and super 8 at 3 am, icons of another era finding a niche in this 21st century.

If you want to see more photos from the event (or want to add some) you can check out our Facebook group page. Thanks to Gerald Saul for the photos in this post.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

2008 poster!


We have just finalized our poster design for 2008. Thanks to Stacey Case a.k.a. MerchGuy, for doing the design (he also runs a killer cinema called TRASH PALACE). These are handmade silkscreened posters, which you'll be seeing up around Regina in the next week or so. We'll also have some printed up on premium sheets that are available for sale at the event on the 6th.

We'll be needing some volunteers to put up posters, so let me know if you want to help out to promote the event.

All the entry forms are in. We'll be announcing the line up of filmmakers for this year's event next week. Happy shooting to all those who are taking part.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Say What! 8 is ENOUGH!


Here it is, entries are now open for this year's 8th annual One Take Super 8 Event.

Click on the jpeg, and you'll have the form. (or if that doesn't work e-mail onetakesuper8event@yahoo.com and I'll send you a pdf)

Entry is limited to the first 25 filmmakers. The deadline to sign up is Friday, September 26 (4pm), with your fee paid at the Saskatchewan filmpool.

Monday, September 1, 2008

SUPER 8 TODAY article


Here it is. You can read the review of our Oberlin show this past April right here by clicking on the jpeg. Thanks to Chris Cottrill for publishing it (and a great magazine) and to Mandy Szostek for writing the review. If you enjoy the article, be sure to pick up a copy of the full magazine, or better yet, get a subscription.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

SAVE THE DATE for OTS8!

Mark it on your calendar - NOVEMBER 6, 2008 - Regina Public Library Theatre
This will mark the 8th annual One Take Super 8 Event, premiering over 25 new films made by local filmmakers.

The One take Super 8 Event returns to where it all began to celebrate its 8th anniversary. Starting September 3, entry forms will be available right here, with limited spots available (Saskatchewan residents only). No previous filmmaking experience is required.

The 8th Annual OTS8 would like to thank its supporters -
The Saskatchewan Arts Board
Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative
Regina Public Library Theatre

Friday, August 15, 2008

WNDX OTS8 - SOLD OUT!

Wow, when we told you not to wait to sign up for the Winnipeg edition of OTS8 at WNDX - you took us to heart. As of yesterday, they closed up their call for submissions having 30 eager participants ready to shoot their hearts out. Sorry if you missed out this year, but congrats to everyone who signed up. You've got almost 2 months to make your masterpiece, and experience the anguish of not seeing it until October 12! Looking forward to seeing all of the films.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

WNDX OTS8 Sign up!

WNDX had opened submissions for their 3rd Annual OTS8. The event is limited to the first 25 people to sign up and pay the $35 entry fee. Don't wait as these spots fill up quick. This event is limited to Manitoba residents only and the deadline to pay your fee is August 22. You can download the form here.

From their website:
For the third year in a row, WNDX will once again host the Winnipeg edition of the One Take Super 8 Event. In just a few short years, this event has become one of the most important incubators for new works in Manitoba. Films completed for prior editions of the WNDX event have gone on to be selected for screenings at Images, Antimatter, the $100 Film Festival, the Festival de Cinemas Differents in Paris, among many more.

The premise is simple. Participants sign up on a first come, first served basis and do no need to have any previous filmmaking experience. The $35 participation fee is used to cover the material costs associated with participation - film stock, processing and shipping. Films are then shot in one take (no cuts, no splices - the only type of editing this is allowed is in-camera work) and filmmakers view their works for the first time at the event final screening, alongside the audience.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Summertime plans

Wow. Already August. This means we're nearing our fall roll out of OTS8 events.

WNDX is in the planning stages and will be announcing the call for submissions for their 3rd annual OTS8 very soon. I can't say enough good things about this festival. Incredible prairie avant garde films, great guests and workshops, and needless to say (but I will anyways) a very enthusiastic super 8 crowd who always shows up in a big way for our past events. Great films and a great audience, can't wait for this year's batch. This year we're tentatively booked in a new venue for the event, which is exciting. (I won't give it away, but it's a downtown theatre) After the Graffiti Gallery and film group studio, we're giving the event a bit more of a traditional cinema space. Here's hoping the films are all the more outrageous.

We're also full steam into planning our 8th!! annual OTS8 in Regina for early November. We're planning to make it a 2 night affair, showcasing our program of selected super 8 films from past OTS8s that we premiered at IMAGES this past April. It's a great chance to see some of the original films coming out of Regina, as well as films from Winnipeg and Montreal.

Speaking of the NO CUTS NO SPLICES package, we're making plans to showcase the program in Winnipeg at the cinematheque in early 2009, as well as finally reaching our super 8 grip to the far west with a screening at the Pacific Cinematheque. Once we have all this firmed up with dates and times, we'll post it all here.

And finally, we've made the press. Super 8 Today posted a review of our Oberlin show in the most recent issue. We'll have it here shortly, but if you can't wait, why not subscribe to this super 8 dedicated publication!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

8th Annual One Take is gearing up

The Saskatchewan Arts Board has approved our application, and is on board as the principal sponsor of this year's 8th Annual One Take Super 8 Event in Regina.

We're in the deep planning stages for this year's event. Once we have a date and location locked, we'll keep everyone updated!

Also, in the good news category:
Michael Rollo's 2005 film Patience is representing OTS8 in Greece.

Check out the link to see their very cool fest, especially unique in that they're filling the streets with super 8.

Would be nice to be there.

Monday, June 16, 2008

8 years strong!!!


Hard to believe that a very symbolic 8 years ago today we were recovering from our very first One Take Super 8 Event. Sure we were thrilled that the projectors didn't shred anyone's film, and that 21 new films had been created in our film community, but no one had any idea that it would lead to over 300 films in 7 cities, with screenings of the films all over the world. Quite an accomplishment for a little film fest from Regina, Saskatchewan.

And who knew then that I would still be able to buy super 8 film today (keep in mind, e-mail was just becoming common, DVDs were from the future, and saying facebook would make you sound illiterate. not to mention 'blogging' - forgive the irony). So, to honour our prestigious anniversary and humble beginnings, I've decided to post our program book from that night (as I luckily never lost a copy over the years).
Thanks again to Shawn Fulton for knowing how to use photoshop to help do a layout, during one sleepless night. Although the layout was high-tech, the printing was done covertly at an undisclosed office who, kindly but unknowingly, donated their xerox machine. I was good enough to bring my own glossy paper, and did a bang up cut and staple job minutes before the screening. Lots has changed since that night. Over half of the filmmakers no longer live in Regina. The antechamber exists only in spirit, and in many ways was ahead of its time but so needed at that point. OTS8 now owns its own projectors, splicer, and no longer has to beg for free beer in order to put on the festival. I hope to post the newspaper article that was written about our event, but it will take a bit of digging in the OTS8 archive. in the meantime, enjoy the program contents.

INTRODUCTION
From a book I dusted off.

"The Nature of Movies. Movies mean what their name says: motion, action, subjects that move. But animated snapshots in which the subject, making a face, walks toward the camera, won't make a movie. The movement must have meaning. It must deal with events of interest: experiences, adventures, incidents. From this it is clear that movies are a story-telling medium." KODAK MOVIE PHOTOGUIDE, 1959

to the film-makers; keep up the effort.
to the viewers; thanks for filling seats.

ONE TAKE SUPER8 EVENT DIRECTOR

SPONSORS:
SASKFILM
BIG ROCK TRADITIONAL PURE BEERS
SMPIA

Filmmaker - Title
Danny Scavusso
Troy Rhoades
Steve Cameron
Katherine Skelton - Overexposed
Nicholas Phillips - Warning
End of Program 1 - there will be a 5 minute intermission between each program

Shawn Fulton - Dogs
Terryll Loffler - Exit
Alex Rogalski - 1/4" = 7 miles.
Percy Fuentes
Jason Britski - June 4th
Dave Johnson - Bad News TV
Craig Dickin
Gerald Saul - Archipalageo
End of Program 2

Tyler Banadyga - Painting in Progress
Shane Eason - JC
Jordan Epp - Wash Day
Jesse Linklater
Michael Rollo - Brain Damage
Seema Goel - IM8
Brett Kashmere
robert.daniel.pytlyk. - when rest is assured.
end of one take super8 event

THANK YOU:
Peggy @Kodak Canada
Exclusive Film
Terryll Loffler
Shawn Fulton (big up!)
Crystal Massier
Nick Miliokas

Thursday, April 17, 2008

IMAGES recap

It takes a while to recover from late night screenings and the three weeks of super 8 bliss we've recently enjoyed, all capped by our recent screening at the Images Festival last Friday.

We've posted new photos from the events on facebook, so check them out and add your own if you like.

The No Cuts. No Splices. showcase was a great success at the Gladstone Hotel Ballroom. Toronto has a great appetite for small gauge cinema, and the capacity crowd was enthusiastic and committed to staying up well past the midnight hour to see some great work that has come out of the OTS8 over the past few years. It's hard to say there was a crowd favourite film in the bunch, as each work seemed to find its own fan (this only speaks to how diverse the audience was). We had 9 filmmakers in attendance, which gave people a great opportunity to mingle after the screening, and find out more about how these 'shoot and show' films were created.

The silent films of the evening were unintentionally accompanied by a vigorous karaoke party happening next door. But ultimately, this lead to some serendipitous pairings. You can read a review of the show on Images blog. We're getting some interest in hopefully doing other screenings of this package of films at other festivals across Canada, so we'll keep you posted on when the show might be coming to a town near you. In the meantime, that's the bulk of our spring season, as we start to prepare for the fall. Winnipeg is already getting its wheels turning for their 3rd Annual event at WNDX, and preparations for our 8th annual in Regina are well underway. Over the next couple of months, we'll be doing some retrospective pieces on OTS8 history, as we get a bit sentimental about this nostalgic format.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

COMING SOON!

The films are reeled, filmmakers are arriving and it looks like our launch of OTS8 super 8 films in Toronto is on track to be a hit.

For those wanting to come here's the fine details.
Friday April 11th, 11pm
Gladstone Hotel Ballroom (1214 Queen west)
18 super 8 films projected in their original format as part of the Images Festival, sponsored by CFMDC.

It should be a great night, but show up early, as seating will be limited.

On Friday afternoon, to warm you up for the evening, OTS8 Organizer Alex Rogalski will be the guest of Super 8 legend John Porter, on CKLN radio's Cinephobia. From 2:30-3pm they'll be discussing all things super 8 and give a preview of what to expect on Friday night. You can listen to the show online, by clicking on the listen live link on their webpage.

As a side note, the Cambridge International Super 8 Festival (their second year) has just released their program for their upcoming festival April 24th-26th, and their only selected Canadian films were both part of previous One Take Super 8 Events. 'Walk this Way' by Alex Rogalski will screen in Competition Programme 4 on Saturday night (April 26). Katherine Skelton's documentary 'Wala Mayroon' (the longer edited version of her one take from 2002 'Sunday in Mandaue') will screen in Competition 2 Programme on Friday night (April 25th).

And finally, congratulations to Terryll Loffler, whose film 'A Day Like Any Other' from the OTS8 program in Montreal in 2005 will be part of the Antimatter Film Festival's touring package which will screen in Mexico as part of Estacionarte 08 (link in Spanish for those who are interested). If you want a chance to see the original kodachrome version (and can't make it to Mexico) we'll be showing it as part of our package at the Images festival on Friday night.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

S.O.S. Review

We're blushing. We knew Friday night in Oberlin was something special, but it was very nice of Brian Doan to say so in his review posted on his blog Bubblegum Aesthetics. We're still recovering from the road trip back north of the border, but promise to get some photos up on our Facebook group soon (including some new ones from Syracuse).

Now, we're just counting the sleeps till our big Toronto show at the Images Festival. Five more by my count. We're excited that over half the filmmakers will be in attendance as well.

If you've been at the recent shows, let us know what you thought in our comments (or just comment so that we know we have some readers).

Saturday, April 5, 2008

S.O.S Standing Room Only

Wow. What a night. You'd swear there was a revival taking place at the Fairchild Chapel as OTS8 presented S.O.S (Super 8 Oberlin Showcase). Standing room only is putting it too politely, as the doors were kept open through the entire first reel, as the audience peered around corners trying to catch a glimpse of the 28 premiere films (we'll be posting the program and photos soon). Oberlin Cinema Studies Professor Brett Kashmere and his students outdid themselves on producing a fantastic screening filled with many surprises. Congratulations to all of the filmmakers who took part, almost all of whom had never heard of super 8 before, let alone shot a film.

We also had guests from across Ohio, including filmmakers from Cleveland who plan to review the show for 'Super 8 Today'. Looking forward to seeing their pics on facebook soon.

What more can be said, with a prayer our Elmo projector keeps ticking, and the films looked amazing on the chapel altar. From live soundtracks (including chip eating and milk drinking), to pre-recorded work, the students put in their all to create exciting new films and share them with a fantastic crowd (many willing to sit in the chapel aisle brick floor for 2+ hours !) We'll be posting more about this event in the next few days so stay tuned (including an interview with organizer Brett Kashmere)

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Cleveland Rocks (actually Oberlin does)

The Cleveland Free Times has given us some page space for the upcoming Super8 Oberlin Showcase (SOS) taking place Friday April 4th at the Fairchild Chapel on the Oberlin Campus.

Click here to check out the article - scroll down to 'Super 8 Oberlin Showcase'.

The films are back from the lab, and tonight they make the 6 hour trek to Oberlin before being assembled and premiered to the anxious masses. We'll have a review of the show (and some photos) posted here by the end of the weekend.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Syracuse Review


Another 20 films are now part of One Take Super 8 Event history thanks to a fantastic event presented by the Dropped Frames Media Society in Syracuse, New York. Jess Lance and her crew did a great job of organizing the filmmakers, and Funk 'n Waffles were our gracious hosts and we packed the place to premiere the new films.

A first for OTS8 was presenting a live stream of the event out into cyberspace. Thanks to Jason Kohlbrenner for taking the inititive to set it up. We're seeing if we can make it available on demand for those who missed the event. Jason Kohlbrenner along with Brianna Kohlbrenner, Ken Keech, Vanessa Keech, Kazov Keech, and Brendan Rose were behind two of the nights many crowd favourites. Of particular note was 'Snow Shovel - Car got Stuck', which was a great homage to a 2006 OTS8 film by Terry Mialkowsky and Shannon Jardine 'Belt Buckle - Quonset Hut', made in Regina, but shown in Syracuse last year.

A big thank you to all the filmmakers who took part, and especially to all those who got really imaginative with performative audio pieces to accompany their films. From a cappella singing to spoken word, handheld harp to DJing from a cellphone's ring tones - it was exciting to hear creative approaches to live sound design.

You can see some pictures from the event posted on our facebook group, thanks to Brett Dougherty (who also designed the program and ran our audio for the screening).

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Syracuse Filmmakers

We're getting close. The films are at the lab (thanks Exclusive), the projectors are cleaned, and as I type, soundtracks are frantically being assembled.

Syracuse is playing host to its second One Take Super 8 Event and it looks to be a great sophomore year. These are the filmmakers who took up the challenge and anxiously await their premieres on Saturday night:

Harrison Willis
Philips Payson
Jess Lance
Kyle Corea
Jason Kohlbrenner / Brianna Kohlbrenner / Brendan Rose / Vanessa Keech / Kazov Keech
Ken Keech
Brett Dougherty
Christina Kolozsvary / Kyong Lee
Emily Vey Duke and Cooper Battersby
Ryan Tebo
Aaron Katz
Yu-Lun Shinh
Ryan Silveira
Jinhee Park
Guy Carlo
Adam Gold
Nick Ramsdell
Lindsey Leanard
Matthew Michael

The screening is March 29, 2008 from 5-8pm at Funk 'n Waffles. Should be a great night!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

South of the Border



It's that time of year again. We're marking the start of the 2008 season of OTS8 with two shows in the US in the next couple of weeks.

First up is the Syracuse One Take Super 8 Event. After a successful beginning last year with a sold out audience and great new work showcased at Funk 'n Waffles, we're back again this year. Organizer Jessica Lance has been busy getting filmmakers signed up, and on March 29 from 5-8 pm we'll be premiering a whole new slate of films from the Salt City.
click here for a map.

Two states over, the One Take Super 8 Event is pleased to present S.O.S (Super8 Oberlin Showcase) organized by Brett Kashmere (who incidentally brought the OTS8 to Syracuse in 2007). See the line up for the Oberlin show at the bottom of this post.
SOS will take place April 4, 2008 at Fairchild Chapel 50 W. Lorain St. Oberlin OH
click here for a map.

And, if you haven't checked out our Facebook group recently, we've updated it with photos from past One Take Events in Regina, Winnipeg, Montreal, Ottawa and Syracuse. If you have some pics from past OTS8's you'd like to share, please pass them along.

The line up for SOS is: Benjamin Baker-Smith, Jonathan Comeau, Cody Darling, Lena Dunham, Adekemi Gbadebo, Chris Gentes, Stephen Graves, Leah Greenberg, Gordon Holmes, Nicholas Hoskins, Avital Isaacs, Sara Krugman, Alison Luby, Sean McKeown, Ben Neufeld, Peter Nowogrodzki, Ian Page, Ally Paz, Matthew Presto, Lucas Rainey, Max Rivlin-Nadler, Sarina Roma, Andrew Roth, Jack Ryerson, Deb Sperling, Willie Thurlow, and Nicholas Weiss.

We'll be posting more updates as the events approach.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

OTS8 at IMAGES 2008

For the first time, the One Take Super 8 will showcase a selection of films from past One Take Super 8 Events at this year's Images Festival in Toronto.

18 films from various years and events (including Regina, Montreal, and Winnipeg) will be presented April 11th, at 11pm at the Gladstone Ballroom.

Included in the program:

Joshua Stanton - Poor Andy in 'The Wedding Ball'
Mike Rollo and Amber Goodwyn - Sunday Afternoon
Terryll Loffler - A day like any other
Brett Kashmere - dreamed on a morning, starved for immediate night
Arlea Ashcroft and Andrea Von Wichert - Snapperdoodle
Daichi Saito - Green Fuse
Katherine Skelton - Winter Schedule
Jaimz Asmundson - Drawing Genesis
Solomon Nagler - Preliminary Notes on Gesture
Jessie Dishaw - Shootout at the Watering Hole
Mike Maryniuk - Fish Arms
Shawn Fulton - Changing the Face of Cinema
Vanda Schmockel - Fred
Alex Rogalski - Walk this Way
Danielle Sturk - Reeds
robert.daniel.pytlyk - Still Life
Alex Larose - Artifices
David Lo Pan - F$%kin' Wild!

Stay tuned for more news on these films and filmmakers as the event draws near.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Films at Fests

The One Take Super 8 Event began as a way for filmmakers to create new work without all the pressures an amateur filmmaker faces. Low-cost, in camera films, that are guaranteed an audience if they are finished. What’s more exciting is when after their premiere at a One Take Super 8 Event, these films go on to screen at other festivals – showcasing what is possible with a single reel of super 8 and a ‘little’ creativity.

The $100 Film Festival in Calgary, a stalwart of ensuring celluloid still gets projected, just announced this year’s line up with a great selection of OTS8 films in the program. After Mike Maryniuk’s best of fest super 8 film Fish Arms at the 2007 festival, maybe another winner will come from this year’s batch.

Bury the Baby - Stephane Oystryk
Spider Pig - Scott Stephens
Now She Sees Him - Kevin Bacon

These films had their premiere at WNDX’s One Take Super 8 Event in October 2007. Sol Nagler and Robert Pasternak are also past OTS8 participants who have films playing at the $100 dollar film fest.

While we’re on the topic of super 8 film screenings. Toronto was recently host to the inaugural ‘8fest’. Showcasing a diverse array of all things small gauge, Saturday night’s program ‘Bageroo’ focused on super 8 films by experimental filmmakers. A number of past One Take films found their place in the program, including:

10 Mega-Actions to Supermaximize your Happiness Potential - Brett Bell (Regina 2003)
listen and you will hear her cry - Roger Wilson (Ottawa 2007)
Hockey Night in Vanier - James Lumsden (Ottawa 2007)
Cooking with Cronos and Rhea - Ainsley Walton, Greta Grip, Sheilah MacKinnon (Ottawa 2007)
Land of living skies - Alex Rogalski (Regina 2006)

Cooking with Cronos and Rhea was actually a great example of the tenacious spirit of super 8 filmmakers. Unfortunately, the film didn’t work out the first time for Ainsley and her crew, so it didn’t get a premiere in Ottawa. But a good idea is too good to waste (especially when it only costs you one extra cartridge of Tri-X), so they re-shot and have a fantastic film to show for it!

Congrats to all the filmmakers who are showing your work at these festivals. If you’ve made a One Take film for a past event and have recent/upcoming screenings, let me know and I’ll post it here.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

super 8th anniversary!

In celebrating our 8th! anniversary, we've started this blog to let our many friends keep up to date on all new OTS8 activity. 2008 looks to be another fantastic year, with exciting announcements coming soon! So check back often.

We'll also be posting articles and links that look back on our 7 years of super 8 success, and track some of the films which have travelled the world. So please tell your friends, and if you've taken part in an OTS8 drop us a line, as we'd love to hear what you've been doing (or making!)

That's all for now, but we're looking forward to spreading our presence world wide!