Star Phoenix Preview

In case you haven't had a chance to read it, here's the link to the Star Phoenix article published in Saskatoon before our event, or you can read it below.

Photo credit: Gord Waldner - Star Phoenix

Story by Stephanie McKay

In 2009, Callen Diederichs filmed a 3½-minute movie. He filmed the breakup story all in one take on a silent movie format, using T-shirts to illustrate the dialogue. It was his first time using a vintage Super 8 camera and he wasn't allowed to reshoot. He saw it for the first time with an audience in Regina.

It was One Take Super 8, and it's being held in Saskatoon for the first time this year.

"It was a little nerve-racking because you don't know if it's going to turn out," Diederichs said. "With this. you have no idea if it's going to be three minutes of blackness or if it's going to be out of focus or just kind of dumb."

Diederichs has since filmed a Super 8 music video for a friend and completed another One Take Super 8 film that he will see for the first time.

This year, he was especially nervous because there were concerns some of the cameras weren't working properly. There's a chance some of the films didn't turn out at all. But there's something exciting about that uncertainty. Diederichs' first One Take Super 8 turned out so well he submitted it to other film festivals.

Diederichs helped organize the Saskatoon event after the founder, Alex Rogalski, contacted him about using his workplace, the Roxy Theatre, as a venue.

Rogalski, who works in Toronto as a programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival and Hot Docs, started One Take Super 8 in Regina in 2000. It started as a one-off event meant to give him and other filmmakers the chance to screen their work publicly.

"I knew if I made a four-minute film it would be hard to get people to come out to see it but if 20 people made a four-minute film there may be more of a chance to get people to see my film and other people's films at the same time," he said.

One Take Super 8 has now been held all over North America. At least 800 films have been made for the events. There is no competition and no prizes, just an opportunity to share and be creative.

When the project started 13 years ago, Super 8 was a very old moviemaking format that people weren't really using. Since then, the format has become trendy, with wedding videographers using it and apps to mimic its signature look.

"We've waited long enough that we've come back around to being cool," Rogalski laughed.

But for Rogalski it was never about being cool. It was about giving anyone access to make a film and share it in public.

He's excited people are curious about it.

"It's kind of fun to see something that you don't get to watch immediately and show your friends. You have to wait a few weeks after making it hoping that what you took pictures of will show up on screen."

Though a filmmaker is permitted to stop and start the camera while filming, once something has been shot it's part of the final movie, good or bad.

The reel is about 3 1/2 minutes long and is silent. The only limitation is the dwindling film stock. Super 8 cameras haven't been manufactured for decades, but a small amount of film is still available.

While it can be tricky to get a hold of the film, the technology is sound. Rogalski is still using the same Super camera he picked up in 2000.

"All it has ever needed are new double-A batteries. It still works really well and consistently. I can't think of a single cellphone that would last that long."

Rogalski said every city has a bit of its own personality and he's excited to see what the Saskatoon filmmakers come up with. The event will feature 15 local Super 8 films and a few bonus ones. It's free to attend.

"These are personal films. They are kind of unique. Some might call them experimental but they do reflect a community arts spirit," Rogalski said.

Diederichs said he's excited to see the variety of films people create and to see how the last minute of his film turns out. With all the pre-planned shots finished as their crew filmed by the riverbank last month, there were 60 seconds remaining on the reel. Diederichs' cast improvised at the end.

"It got progressively sillier," he said. "I'm really looking forward to laughing at what's going on."

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Festival+projected+unique/8507504/story.html#ixzz2Xw6O2y6t

WNDX OTS8 Review

Thanks to Winnipeg filmmaker (and critic) Scott Fitzpatrick for this fantastic review of the WNDX OTS8 this past Sept. 30. It was a great night - which starts first and foremost with a projector that holds up and no mix ups on soundtracks (thanks Marcel, you nailed it). Beyond that it was another impressive year with a diverse mix of films. Though a couple of themes stood out. 2 films with ghosts as main protagonists (and neither made by Guy Maddin), and over half the films contained animals in some form, wild, domestic, dead, grilled.

Flawless festival overall by the WNDX team, and it's always a fun closing night with a great crowd at the Gas Station theatre.

Read on for Scott's recap:

the one-take super 8 has in a short time become my favourite event of the winnipeg year. i made my first film for the one-take in 2010, and have taken part every year since. overall 2012 was an incredibly strong year for the event, despite the absence of some of my favourite regular players (heidi, leslie, clint, damien, delf, noam, darcy – you better be back next year!). my film, (titled: gets braces) played second-to-last, and the 26 films that preceded it set the bar very, very high. here are my (5) favourite films from the show (in no particular order):

Living on the Edge – dir. Aaron Zeghers
a meditation on life and death via kingdom animalia. some beautiful long-exposure photography makes this one of zeghers’ most visually striking and restrained works to date, while he continues to refine his skill at crafting blissfully smothering atmospherics.

Blotto – dir. Mike Maryniuk
a dizzying dose of fun-formalism from mike maryniuk. splashes of paint succumb beautifully to centrifugal force. for about fifteen seconds i thought this one was a dud; problems with soft focus right off the hop. once the picture came through sharp however, this was a stunner. one of mike’s best one-takes yet – pro work, but still ragged and off-hand.

These Are Some of My Friends – dir. Stephane Oystryk
i know it’s not polite to pick favourites, but this was my favourite. i’ve been a pretty grizzly fan since before i knew who or what pretty grizzly was. this film, a series of portraits, friends musing over their tenuous places in life, is easily his strongest work to date. the one-take has continuously proven an ideal platform for oystryk’s particular brand of wide-eyed, lo-fi filmmaking. he has a style like linklater, but with a less rigid approach to form and unique in its disarmingly genuine sentimentality. here oystryk’s friends take turns discussing age, responsibility, and how time can get away from you if yr not careful. in the end i think steph’s cat gets the most screen-time, and our last friend is short-changed as a result. her narration carries on after the picture’s rolled out, into an elliptical ending somehow as content in its present as it is unsure of its future. talk about time getting away from us. yet another pretty grizzly short with legs enough to be a feature.

The Sneaky Snogger – dir. Cynthia Wolfe-Nolin
i insisted my pal cwn shoot a one-take this year. i got to help her out with her “i shot it on 16” film in 2011 and have been anxiously awaiting her next analog endeavor ever since. her film, a chaplin-esque kissing booth sketch, was constructed with razor-sharp precision and featured the most arresting photography of the evening. a lovely lilting soundtrack and a jarring ending as surreal as it was subtle made this one of my favourites of the lot. c-dubs may be a notorious wild-card IRL, but her filmmaking is surprisingly and refreshingly disciplined.

The Joy of Creating – dir. Ryan Simmons
could (should?) have been called ‘noam gonick makes something queer in the woods with goats’. i don’t remember any actual jokes in this one, but i did giggle throughout. chalk it up to simmons’ ascerbic wit and keen cinematic eye. josh marr as goat wrangler for my favourite performance of the night. so adorable!!

ALSO AWESOME:
Dave Barber – Hung Dry on a Meat Jag
Kelly Duke – Steel Petals, Bright Lights
Matheu Plouffe – El Diablo the Undefeated
Darren Young – Circles / Grey Man’s Gardens
Ian Bawa – Spectre
Karen + Jaimz Asmundson – Citizens Against Basswood
Sonya Ballantyne – Taking the Long Way Home

Florida Recap

It's been a while coming, but here's the recap from the Fort Lauderdale 4th Annual 1:1 Super 8 Cinema Soiree last December 12th. Thanks to Shane Eason for sending it to us, and we're looking forward to seeing more films in years to come.

REVIEW

2011 1:1 Super 8 Cinema Soiree

The past December proved to be another successful year for the 4th 1:1 Super 8 Cinema Soiree. There were 18 submisions and about 110+ asses in the chairs.

Wait! Well, there were really 100 asses in the chairs. We only 100 chairs. But handfuls of hardcore fans were standing. Our gracious venue IWAN-The Bubble

provided patrons with beer and popcorn! Nothing goes better with super 8!

2011 participants included: Matthew Perez, Nick Sacci, Eric Fuhrmann, Derek Taylor, N. Luna, Mike Long, Nathan Morris, Rey Rodriguez, Jose Reyes,

Nadine LeBlanc, Ryan Tober, Mark Franz, Paula Hart, Jay Forsyth, Johnny Dee Jr., David Levine, Carolina Collazos, and Matthew Matsil.

Some films stood out. Of them, Eric Fuhrmann's "A Gentlemen's Dinner" presented an absurdist round table dinner of well dressed men petting a wooden (or maybe glass)

Persian cat statue. Eventually, masks are donned by the men and piano is violently played by one. Other films proved to be more interactive, such as Carolina Callazos' "Who Dat?"

where she handed out paper fish masks to attendees and lead the audience through some bizarre aquatic dance.

Next year's screening should prove even better. It'll be the 5th anniversary! And we've started to plan for something HUGE.

Shane Eason, Festival Director

Syracuse review

Syracuse just celebrated it's 5th annual OTS8, changing venues from Funk'n Waffles to a vacant storefront in Syracuse (love that, but miss the thought of eating a fudge brownie while watching super 8). The event was another great success due to the hard work of Jason and Brianna Kohlbrenner and their dedicated team. 26 new films premiered, and by the sounds of this review, there are more new fans of the event, and things are looking strong for year 6 and beyond.

1:1 Super 8 Festival Review

And now a dispatch from our friends in sunny FLA, (with snow and a windchill here, wishing we could be there now). Congrats to Shane Eason and his team on their 3rd successful 1:1 Super 8 Festival.:

This past year marked the 3rd 1:1 Super 8 Film Festival in sunny Fort Lauderdale. On December 8th, 2010, 18 veteran (and rookie) super 8 filmmakers and artists from South Florida nervously showcased their fresh films at the historic (and supposedly haunted) Maxwell Room, built in 1925. These technically skillful, yet clever pieces of celluloid premiered before an energetic, rowdy audience of 120+. Most dressed in their best holiday threads. Others in the traditional, all black "I'm an artist, I have angst, so leave me alone!" garb.

The participants for this year's event included:

Adrienne Rose Gionta, Ian Rosenberg, Devin Scott, Eric Fuhrmann, Kohyi Sanchez, Paula Hart, Hector Romagosa, David Levine, Ammar Marimutu, Van-Eric Prevalus, Alex Stevens, Derek Taylor, Jason Forsyth, Verner Maldonado, Andreyna Sanchez, Nicolas Sacci, and Rhett Baron.

Of the films, three of them had live music accompaniment or performance. David Levine's "True Love" had an improvised trumpet from musician Dan Roddenberry. There was air playing, but actual smashing, of an acoustic guitar found wrapped underneath the 8 ft Christmas tree from Rhett Baron for "Guitarrista en Florida" by Hector Romagosa. And for Ian Rosenberg's and Devin Scott's two part science fiction film "Space Bar" and "Space Bar 2 in 3D", a distortion-noise performance that incorporated electric guitars, a crosscut handsaw, and foam meteorites that showered the audience carried out by Anteaters & The Women Who Love Them.

The screening was followed by a small wrap party at The Poorhouse. There, the filmmakers (and their groupies) gave into Super 8 and holiday salutations. This, of course, carried long into the wee morn'. I think I got home at 4 a.m.

S. C. Eason - Festival Director

The 2010 1:1 Super 8 Film Festival acknowledges the following for their generous support: Florida Atlantic University Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, Florida Atlantic University School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, The Downtowner Saloon, The Maxwell Room, Black Iron Film Artist Collective, The One Take Super 8 Event, PAC LAB INC & Eastman Kodak Films.

Regina Review

A guest review of our 10th Anniversary OTS8 program in Regina from Yvonne Abusow, a participant and membership co-ordinator at the Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative. Thanks Yvonne!

This year was Regina’s 10^th year Anniversary of the One Take Super 8 event, 24 films screened on September 30^th. It was a night of excitement and nerves as Filmmakers friends and patrons of the event waited for the films to screen. I myself was a bundle of nerves as my film opened the evening’s festivities. This was my second year participating in the OTS8 in Regina and both events amazed me with the unique voice and vision of each filmmaker. This time I brought friends to experience the creative collective of Saskatchewan’s one take filmmakers and they walked out of the theatre at the end of the night excited that such a thing existed in the city of Regina. They were amazed that there was this small but mighty collection of people who participate year after year to have their films seen for the first time in front of an audience. A lot of things can go wrong on a shoot, I myself have tasted the disappointment of an out of focus image in front of a large audience, but I remind myself there’s always next year, and next time it will be bigger, better, and in focus!

The evening made me really appreciate the way others viewed the world. Ryan Hill’s Circles of Life, made me realize that there are circles everywhere I look I only have to look for them. Eric Hill’s film made me realize that wind-up toys can find true love, and Gerald Saul’s film “Rerun Amok” made me want to know how he did that? There were so many great films from the evening that I can’t mention them all in this blog, but I can say that I am in awe of the filmmakers that look at the world in ways I never would, and the 10^th annual One Take Super 8 event made me awestruck.

Syracuse TONIGHT!

Well, we've recovered from a late, but great night at the Polish Combatants Hall, premiering 28 new super 8 films (and one blast from the past), for the first Toronto One Take Super 8 Event. Standing room only (with 220+ in attendance) set the stage for our 11pm starting point, with all the films hitting the screen before 2am. No real snags except for a little bit of a delay in showing our very first Kodachrome sound super 8 film, courtesy of Ross McLaren. Considering the reel had 'expired' over 20 years ago, it turned out really well, and was a great follow up to McLaren's 1978 film Summer Camp.

There were many highlights throughout the night, especially from our first time filmmakers. There were also many 'firsts' on screen, including humping tortises from the Galapagos courtesy of Jonathan Culp. For those who stayed to the wee hours, they were rewarded with a new film from John Porter entitled 'Light Sleeper'. I won't describe it, as words don't really do it justice, but if you are in Winnipeg on Friday, April 23 you will have a chance to see this time lapse masterpiece as well as many of John's other gems at the Winnipeg Cinematheque. If you have never seen any of John's performances, don't miss out. "Porter's films are dynamic, humorous and revealing, enjoyed by people of all ages (families are encouraged to bring their kids!) They reveal and highlight the excitement involved in the risk taking of creating a super 8 film." - Winnipeg cinematheque program.

If you happen to be nearby Syracuse, NY tonight, please check out their 4th annual event at Funk 'n Waffles. If you can't make it, be sure to watch it online live!

The films from Oberlin have arrived and are ready to take to the lab. We'll have more details soon, including all the participants and location of the screening.

Double Negative OTS8 - Postively Amazing

Sometimes when we broach the 30+ marks for films in an OTS8 event, I get a little nervous.
We usually set the limit at 25 filmmakers, but then some stragglers come in and beg to take part, and a couple others have a reel they shoot and want to submit, and before we know it, we're nearing 3 dozen films. Usually, this doesn't make me too nervous, as it's often inevitable, that people's schedules don't turn out and they land up not finishing a film in time. But recently, that's not the case. Winnipeg has consistently offered more than 30 films at WNDX, and Montreal couldn't close submissions quick enough. Barely a day after posting their call for films over 30 participants were paid up and ready to go (we didn't even have time to get the translated version posted).

So, when 33 films land on my doorstep waiting to be processed, I start asking a lot of questions.
1- Will the venue be big enough? (there's an exponential audience factor that directly correlates to how many films we show).
2- Will people be able to watch over 30 films in one sitting? I consider it a badge of pride for those who do. For example : "Hey, how was your weekend?" "Pretty good. I watched 33 films on Saturday night."
3- Will the projector hold up? This is always a concern, as super 8 projectors weren't really intended to show feature length films.

As is often the case, all the anxiety is unnecessary and things turn out wonderfully. This was the case on Saturday night in Montreal. High atop a 4 storey warehouse loft (La Brique) in Mile End, Double Negative set the stage for a film screening to remember. 33 films, packed house (standing room only doesn't really describe it), big screen, bright projector and a dizzying array of films from experienced veterans to first time filmmakers.

I'll post some highlights over the next few days (maybe I'll snag a Double Negative member to review some of the films). All I can say at this point is that I've seen over 500 films during the decade of OTS8 events, and I saw some films in Montreal that showed me things I've never seen before. It is stunning to believe what's possible through in camera edits. The versatility of this medium still hasn't been fully discovered and its exciting to know that OTS8 is help pushing its boundaries. There are some photos from the event, we'll post in coming days. If you were lucky enough to snag one of Marie Douce's hand made programs count yourself lucky. They were as unique and well crafted as the films, and a great memento from the night. Let's hope the DN crew is interested in doing this again, as it's clear there is a big demand in Montreal for some small guage film fests.

Regina Review and Montreal Poster

The picture you're seeing is for our Montreal One Take Super 8 Event. Beautiful design and screenprint by Marie Douce. The digital image doesn't do them justice, but look for them hanging up around the city. Marie will be designing the programs as well.

Things are moving along for the Montreal event. The lab received the films late last week, and they're ready for pick up very soon. Expectations are high for this line up, and I know the films won't disappoint.

Can't believe it's already been a week since we wrapped up Regina's super 8 success. Yet again we had a capacity crowd well before the 8pm start, with people waiting outside the theatre for an intermission, hoping for a seat to open up. The highlight of this year's event were so many live performances to go with the films. Krystal Lewis followed up on last year with Mad Libs 2, providing a live interactive narration that got the crowd involved with a cinematic version of the board game. Eric Hill added another dimension to his 'Reversomotion' film (playing the film from tail end first), with his keyboard and amp in an improvised performance.

Brett Bell took it to another level doing a live foley for his pure one take. Assisted by Terryll Loffler on tin flute, Brett used office garbage bins to creative effect to replicate the sound of walking up steps and using a slide. And to end the live performances of the night we had a OTS8 first with Dan Suchoboki and another performer dressed all in black doing an interpretive dance in front of the screen during his film. Looked great and added a completely new dimension to his animated film.
These soundtracks and performances always make the OTS8 a must see event, as the live aspect expands the cinematic experience.

berny hi. and Jemma Gilboy collaborated on a cinematic love letter that crossed the pond, shot in both Edinburgh, Scotland and Regina, SK. It creatively, succinctly and very romantically showed the small differences between the couple's lives in places thousands of miles apart. The French new wave touches were perfect.

The buzz film of the night had to be 'Big Jim' directed by Charlie Hill. I can't count how many questions I was asked about who made the film, what camera they used, how incredible the shots were planned out, and more. As the director informed me, it was a family affair, as Charlie's sons Eric and Ryan (who have participated in OTS8 for many years) helped fulfill their dad's vision of a pure documentary portrait that pays homage to the verite docs of the NFB's Unit B. I can't describe the film anywhere near as strongly as it conveys its images, but it focuses on a pallette jack driver (Big Jim) working at a Canada Post sorting facility warehouse. It was a perfect subject for the use of super 8, and the B/W stock captured the light perfectly in the fluorescent lit warehouse.

28 films. great work. and another Regina OTS8 in the books. Thanks to everyone for coming out, to the filmpool for their support, as well as our sponsors SaskFilm, SMPIA, Exclusive Film, RPL Theatre and the Saskatchewan Arts Board. We're transferring the films at the moment, and with any luck will have DVDs ready for sale before the end of 2009.

Syracuse REVIEW

Wow, what a night. Took a few days to recover from the sold out, packed house premiere of Syracuse's 3rd annual OTS8. There's something quite fun, underground and exciting about hopping in a car packed with reels of films and a super 8 projector and heading for the border to showcase new films (more on border crossing later on). Funk'n Waffles played the consummate host yet again, and things keep getting better every year. Great screen and sound set up, with a lot of live performances for the films.

All the films were strong examples of how diverse, creative and powerful super 8 can be.
Christina Kolozsvary's film perfect combination of tightly composed soundtrack that completely raised visuals to a new level, lighting was amazing for the ektachrome stock giving it an ethereal feel. Phil Loeb & Mike Canale brought down the house with the kung fu, zombie flick. (What's a one take without an homage), great live soundtrack too, you almost forget you're watching a film with all in camera edits, with no chance to change anything.

Ashley Ferris and crew raised the roof with a little audience participation, dancing with their film and fantastic MIA soundtrack. Too bad the audience was a little timid, cause we could have lit that place on fire! KVJB was the perfect follow up to end reel 2, with a 'surround' sound live audio and some improvised commentary, keeping the night and films light and fun. Syracuse has completely tuned into the spirit of super 8, and it's great to see it take hold.

I dont' think I've ever seen a super 8 yoga film before, but Kyle Corea made it a reality. great colour tones and composition. I don't think video would have captured it in the same way. something about the light that seemed to work with the salutations.

Challenging themselves to do a true 'one take' Keech, Rose & Kohlbrenner brought it on with lessons on Fish Food, in a tightly rehearsed team effort. This is all the more impressive considering how much time and effort they dedicated to organizing the event and make for a seamless evening of film. As an added bonus to the full house, Jason Kohlbrenner set up a live webcast, which was well received. We'll be attempting to post the link here for those who missed the show. There's also plans to digitize the films for open screenings in Syracuse throughout the summer.

The Elmo ST-600 worked splendidly for the screening. Bright images in small spaces are always great. super 8 seen large is a highlight for those who have never seen it projected before. Some karma was floating around, as after the screening, while rewinding the films a belt released, rendering the projector inoperable. Luckily, a quick inspection back in Canada revealed that the belt just slipped off the main motor. A quick and easy fix, saving a search for a new belt. It's a joy having electronics that one can actually fix. Those projectors will outlast any DVD/VCR/MP3 player in the universe. It was also a bit risky travelling cross border without a spare bulb (oops), but I think there's a few more hours left in this one.

I've mentioned it before, but driving cross border or flying with a super 8 projector has received more than a few inquriries/ strange stares. The range of knowledge about what the thing actually is varies, but regardless, it never passes through security or customs without a thorough swab/inspection. Coming back into Canada received the most informed customs agent I've ever ran into the inquisition went as follows.

Border Agent :citizenship?
Me : Canadian
BA: purpose of trip?
M: visit friends
BA: bring anything back?
M: nope.
BA: what's in the box?
M: a projector
BA: what are you doing with it?
M: showing home movies to friends
BA: 16 or 8mm?
M: (inside my head 'WTF? this guy's good') super 8
BA: oh, bell&howell, or elmo?
M: elmo.
BA: you have super 8 films?
M: uhuh.
BA: where'd you buy the projector?
M: in Montreal ( picked it up from used Camera store. paid a decent price for it, but the thing is mint)
BA: you should get a customs form for the projector next time you travel across the border
M: really?
BA: yeah, those things can be worth something on ebay.
M: (playing slightly naive). oh really, I didn't think anyone used them anymore.
BA: oh sure, if they're in good condition you sell it for a decent price.
M: good to know.
BA: have a good day.

Now, this border agent might be a bit more informed, as this was a crossing close to Rochester (home of Kodak), so it's not untirely unlikely that he would know things about small guage film. Regardless, points to him for actually knowing what he was talking about and not looking dumbfounded like most security at the airport when they do that strange cloth swab to check for explosive residue. I always find it weird that they think for some reason, if someone wanted to use explosives, they'd pack them into a 30 year old super 8 projector. Seems like a lot of hassle and not very discreet. in any case. travelling with projectors is always good for strange conversations, and a little bit of public service, letting the population know that we still exist. (I wonder if DJs get the same speculation when they travel with turntables?)

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”

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.

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).

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)