Vancouver's big show!

Congratulations to the Iris Film Collective on their very first and wonderfully successful OTS8 in Vancouver on June 2. Included a pic here of Alex MacKenzie performing the all too critical projector inspection pre-show.

We're hoping that we'll get to see some of the films from their event at some point, as they begin to travel the circuit. Check out their tumblr page for some great images from the event.

And a big round of applause to the 26 films that made their premiere at Western Front. Filmmakers included:
Eduardo Araquel | Jiles Barrett | Julianne Chapple & Ed Spence | Monica Cheema | Nick Dangeli | Chris Gallagher | Ariel Kirk-Gushowaty | Zoe Kirk-Gushowaty | Jessica Johnson | Jon Johnson | Alex MacKenzie | Laura U. Marks | Michelle Martin | Pia Massie | Una-Ann Moyer | Lisa g Nielsen | Nisha Platzer | Brad Poulsen | Christoph Runne | Alysha Seriani | Mina Shum | Dan Siney | Sydney Southam | Mackenzie Warner | Ryder Thomas White | Stephen Wood

Go West!

We are thrilled to announce another piece of exciting news this week (what could top an OTS8 win at Slamdance?!)

Well if you're in Vancouver and surrounding area (come on Burnaby, you know you want to), you'll be thrilled to know that you'll now have a chance to take part in your very own One Take Super 8 Event thanks to our friends at the Iris Film Collective.

They are launching their call for submissions February 1st, and it's the same format everyone has come to love (which is why this OTS8 has spread across the continent). Anyone can enter, there's no theme, no cuts, no splices, and everything that's submitted will be screened on its original format.

How exciting is that?

We've been fans of Alex Mackenzie's celluloid commitment for a long time, and visiting his Blinding Light cinema (what feels like forever ago), was an inspiration for the OTS8 getting started in Regina back in 2000 at the antechamber.

So, if you're in the city of glass and feel like being part of something special to kickstart your year, get ready to sign up Monday morning.

Upd8tes!

Busy few weeks for the OTS8. So time to catch up on past and upcoming news.

First, we had a fantastic screening at the Pacific Cinematheque on January 19th. So great to showcase super 8 to new audiences. An enthusiastic crowd was on hand, fostered I'm sure by the ongoing Project8 participants keeping the format alive and thriving on the west coast. It was a fast trip out west with projector and films in hand, and will be nice to return in the future and have a bit more time to see the small gauge work being made there. (will have to write a future blog about the joys of travelling through airport security with our ELMO projector and reels of film. Causes a few interesting looks and responses from people used to seeing laptops).

Speaking of project 8, a program of films curated by project director Julie Saragosa was screened at the second annual 8fest in Toronto this past weekend. An ecclectic batch of films, many made by first time filmmakers. Some great imagery with filmmakers adding hand painted colour to b/w work. The 8fest has committed to showing work on the original format (a festival after OTS8's heart), and Sam's Last Stand, a film made for the filmpop 2007 program in Montreal, was fortunate to be included in the Bagaroo, two! program. The highlight of the festival and the strongest argument for the legitimacy of super 8 as a unique artistic medium was a performance of White Calligraphy by Takahiko Iimura. Trash Palace was the perfect venue, with an intimate audience experience of this stunning exploration of projection, motion, language, light, and mythology. An unforgetable afternoon that can't help but make one feel that the possibilities with super 8 have yet to be fully explored.

Here's hoping that the new batch of films about to go into production for the 3rd annual Syracuse One Take Super 8 Event continue to push boundaries and build upon the success of the past two years. Plans are well under way with fillmakers signed up, and Funk 'n Waffles booked for April 4th. I'm already tasting a brownie waffle sunday.

But before we get to that screening (and the start of spring!), we're heading out west to Winnipeg to showcase a selection of work made for past OTS8's at the Winnipeg Cinematheque on February 13, at 7:00pm. Admission is free, so all the more reason to come out (as a nice Valentine's eve date), and see super 8 work never before screened in Winnipeg, as well as some films made for past WNDX OTS8 events! Later this week we'll be releasing the program details for the screening.

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.