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

It's a Wrap Sask.

Meant to do this sooner, but a lack of wi-fi access and some travel and finally I'm getting things together after two incredible events in Saskatchewan this June.

Saskatoon set the bar high for themselves after their 1st One Take Super 8 Event. You never would have known they hadn't had an event before. Only 14 films, but they were fantastic. A great range of films, from quirky comedies (with sock puppets) a couple of dance films, home movie homages and an elegy to amusement parks. The films alone would have made the event a success, but Saskatoon really showed up and made the Roxy come alive with over 150 people attending, as well as great coverage in Planet S, the Star Phoenix and CBC radio and TV news.

We had about 48 hours to recover before heading south on the #11 with projector in tow to revisit our OTS8 birthplace and return to the RPL theatre to screen 25 new films in Regina. After a couple years hiatus, the filmmakers returned with a new vigor and incredible ambition in making their films. Again the cross section of films was as diverse as the filmmakers, including a few subtitled foreign language films (an OTS8 first!).  Our capacity audience filled the seats and aisles at the RPL theatre. Looking forward to getting these films out to bigger audiences as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone who took part, we'll post more photos and stories from the events here soon.  (Photos: ROXY THEATRE marquee / Regina OTS8 2013 filmmakers)

We're days away

Everything is coming together for Saskatoon's 1st and Regina's 11th event. Hard to believe that we're almost ready to light up the screen with 40 new super 8 films!  Our fingers crossed approach worked, and the films are safely now in Saskatoon processed. I haven't opened the box yet, so I have no idea of anyone got an image, but at least we've got something to put in the projector and hold our breath.

Programs are designed and awaiting printing, soundtracks have been coming in steadily (along with plans for a few live performances which is always fun!)

And we are very excited to announce we will be screening in the main theatre at the Roxy. It's a beautiful cinema and it's exciting that we get to add it to our OTS8 history. We've screened in converted old garages, unoccupied old bank buildings, lofts, churches, waffle houses but there is something special about being in a cinema that reminds you why people fell in love with going to the movies (and I mean movies in a very celluloid sense).

We'll keep you updated as our screenings approach and definitely post some pics and reviews after, but now to the nitty gritty work of splicing those reels together and getting programs folded.

See you at the super 8 movies!

2013 Regina & Saskatoon Participants

So here it is.... the list of filmmakers taking part in this year's events!

Saskatoon:
Amalie Atkins, Callen Diederichs, Jennifer Sparrowhawk, Dave Turcotte, Chris Fischer, Katherine Hounjet, Bryn Rawlyk, Karen Polowich, Cameron Muir, Theresa Campbell, Katherine Skelton, Alex Rogalski, Marcel Petit, Matt Voyno

Regina:
Ken Wilson, Berny Hi, Kristine Dowler, Noelle Duddridge, Sarah Huber, Amber Christensen, Gerald Saul, Colby Richardson, Ian Campbell, Gordon Pepper, Mike Rollo, Amber Goodwyn, Dianne Ouellette, Eric Hill, Charlie Hill, Luke Black, Jade Duckett, Ryan Hill, Amber Phelps Bondaroff, Adrienne Adams, Tricia Martin, Matthieu Belanger, Madeline Sheridan, Vanda Schmockel, Geremy Lague

Projector Repairs

Well, it's June, which means we're only 10 days away from our Saskatchewan One Take Super 8 Events. While our films are still at the lab (after being held up by Fed-Ex in tornado weather in Memphis - just glad they didn't make it to OZ), it was time to tackle a long overdue project that was making me a little bit stressed.

Both of the One Take Super  8 Event projectors were due for major maintenance having serviced many events in many locations over many years. They've been jostled in cars, buses, airplanes. Crossed borders and time zones and finally were showing their age.

A couple years back I had a friend order some replacement belts off Ebay, fingers crossed that it would solve the problem (both projectors would no longer play films at speed), but when I opened up the backs of the ST-1200 and ST-600 today I really had no idea what I was doing. Thank goodness for the internet which provided me with a fantastic pdf of the original ST-1200 manual on how to replace parts, which I have now permanently saved to my hard drive for future reference. As you can see in the photo one belt (from the ST-600) was snapped and beginning to disintegrate, turning sort of jelly like. I'm glad I got it out before it got all over the inside of the project. Voila! 18fps perfection. Onto the ST-1200 which was a bit more intricate to remove the belt (turns out it was just stretched too much so wouldn't run off the motor). Thanks to the manual schematics telling me which screws to remove to get access to the belt drive, within minutes a new belt was in and VOILA again, 2 projectors running smooth as can be. If I was more tech savvy, there would be play by play pictures and videos demonstrating the process for others to reference. But I'm just not built that way.

Now just the decision, which one will make the trek to 2 cities to show at the inaugural event in Saskatoon, and the 11th Annual in Regina. (Just a hint, likely the brighter projector I have a spare bulb for :) Hope it can make the trip, but glad that I might get another 30 years use out of these 2 tanks. Elmo sure knew what they were doing when they produced these models. No cell phone will ever work this long.

Films off to lab!

Very exciting moment as all the films have been shot and we'll be shipping 40 new films to the lab as 40 collective breaths are held waiting to see if magical images will appear.

Later this week, we'll be announcing all of our participants in Saskatoon and Regina and you'll start spotting our posters hanging up around town(s).

Filmmakers are busy putting together soundtracks and we're finalizing all of our screening details and prepping our projectors.

And in fantastic news, as we started this year's OTS8 we witnessed Kodak cancelling the last colour reversal stock, but I am happy to announce that Pro8mm has revived our hopes of continuing our OTS8 events! Their 200ISO reversal stock will be available in a couple of months. Very much looking forward to shooting and showing it at future events! You can read their full press release here.

2013 poster

So we are pretty jazzed about our new poster, being screen printed as we speak and about to fly up on lightposts and supermarket bulletin boards in weeks to come. Much thanks to Merchguy for his continued solid work for our events.

Films are rolling in cameras as spring explodes in SK. With a full slate in Regina and a good first turn out in Saskatoon. A couple more weeks of shooting and we'll be seeing a bucket full of cartridges heading to the labs.

A shout out to Syracuse and Montreal for wrapping up fantastic OTS8 events in the past couple of weeks. We'll post participants and some stats here soon (and some pics if we can grab them).