Award winning films

Some past OTS8 films and filmmakers walked away with a handful of awards this past weekend at the $100 Film Festival. As we listed in a previous post, the OTS8 was well represented at the event (making the odds in favour of an alumni picking up at least one award). But it seems like the OTS8 owned the podium this year.

Picking up Best 8mm film was Leslie Supnet and her WNDX OTS8 2009 film sun moon stars rain.

After walking away with best 8mm film Artifices (from Pop Montreal OTS8 2007) at the 2009 $100 Film Festival, Alex Larose returned with J. a 16mm film made with OTS8 alumni Sol Nagler winning best 16mm film this year.

And picking up the Audience Favorite award (some might consider it the most coveted prize), was Karen and Jaimz Asmundson with their hit WNDX OTS8 2009 film Goths! On the Bus!

Congratulations to all the winners. Look forward to more OTS8 genius from them in the future.

Super 8 Spring Stateside

Spring has sprung for the OTS8. We're quickly moving forward on 3 new OTS8's taking place this April.

First, we have our first Toronto edition co-presented with the Images Festival. 25 films are in production at the moment and will premiere on April 7th on the opening night of the Experimental Media Congress. We'll be announcing all the details soon, after the launch of the Images catalogue and screening schedule (including the names of all the participants).

Following Images, Syracuse is steaming ahead into its 4th annual event (complete with snazzy poster featured here), presented by the Syracuse Experimental Film & Video Workshop. 21 films from 28 filmmakers will premiere at the fabulous Funk N' Waffles. There are lots of returning filmmakers and some new names on the list, so its looking to be a great night of subterranean cinema on April 10th at 7pm.

And finally, Oberlin has put out the call for the 2nd S.O.S (Super8 Oberlin Showcase) co-presented by the One Take Super 8 Event. The first event in 2008 was a smashing success, and this year is looking to be even better. The first 20 people to enter will receive a free cartridge of film and processing, and have their film premiered on Friday April 23rd (location to be announced). Thanks to the Oberlin Film Co-operative for their incredible support and help in coordinating this event. Inquiries about the event can be sent to ofc@oberlin.edu.

It's clear that we're full steam ahead this spring in bringing you more super 8, on more screens.

Stay tuned for an announcement about our upcoming 10th annual event in Regina.

OTS8 Represents at $100 film Festival

This coming weekend is the 18th annual $100 Film Festival in Calgary, AB. It' s a great chance to see celluloid projections on screen.

The One Take Super 8 Event has a strong presence at this year's event. Of the 44 films being shown at this year's festival 11 of them were made for past One Take Super 8 Events in Regina and Winnipeg (that's a third of all Canadian films in the fest).

So, if you haven't had a chance to see these super 8 originals since their premieres back in 2008/09, here's your chance. (If you can't make it to the festival, I've included links to some that are posted online. )

berny hi & Jemma Gilboy - Cinema Scelta (Regina 2008)

Brent Braaten - Typewritus Oceana (Regina 2008)

Daniel Suchoboki - Untitled 2 (Regina 2008)

Clint Enns - Back & Forth (Winnipeg 2009)

Helder Carvajal - Beez in the Hood (Regina 2008)

Jaimz & Karen Asmundson - Goths! On the Bus! (Winnipeg 2009)

Jeannie Straub & Jayden Soroka - Waaa? (Regina 2008)

Leslie Supnet - Sun Moon Stars Rain (Winnipeg 2009)

Lexi Rennebohm - Composition (Regina 2008)

Peter Brass - Breakfast (Regina 2008)

Terry Mialkowsky & Shannon Jardine - Bill Seaton's C.L.E.A.N. Filmmaking Guide (Regina 2008)

We're also thrilled that these past participants of OTS8 events are screening films at the festival this year. Congratulations to Philippe Leonard, Solomon Nagler, and Alexandre Larose.

OTS8 @ IMAGES Festival 2010

So, we've finally arrived at the moment of big news for 2010 (that we've been hinting to for a couple months). It's now official, we'll be having our first OTS8 in Toronto! To make that news more exciting, we're holding it in conjunction with the esteemed Images Festival.

Want to know how to take part. READ ON!

25 new super 8 films will premiere at the 23rd Images Festival, running from April 1 to 10, 2010, and you could be the director of one of them. The 25 filmmakers will be selected by an open call lottery.

If you want to be included as one of the potential filmmakers, send your name, phone #, and film stock desired: Ektachrome (colour), Tri-X (b/w) or Plus-X (b/w) to onetakesuper8event@yahoo.com with the subject line heading 'IMAGES OTS8'.

The Images Festival One Take Super 8 Event is open to any one interested in making a film, but limited to GTA residents only. No experience is required (but creativity always appreciated). If you are unable to provide your own working super 8 camera, arrangements can be made if you are one of the selected filmmakers.

You can enter your name in the draw until Friday, February 12 (only one submission per person), at which time 25 names will be randomly selected and notified.

Those selected 25 filmmakers will pay a $40 registration fee and receive 1 cartridge of film (reversal stock only), processing and a premiere to a wildly excited Images audience! Filmmakers will have 4 weeks to shoot their film and return it for processing. What is shot, is what is shown. Filmmakers will not have a chance to preview or edit their film previous to the Images Festival screening.

THANKS TO EXCLUSIVE FILM FOR PROVIDING PROCESSING!!

THANKS TO LIFT FOR PRODUCTION SUPPORT!!

THANKS TO KODAK FOR SUPER 8!

DEADLINE FOR ENTRY Friday February 12th, 2010

WNDX + other OTS8 videos online!

The folks from WNDX keep forging ahead in their mission to spread their fantastic One Take Super 8 films far and wide. If you happened to miss the spectacle that is the yearly premiere of new super 8 films from Winnipeg filmmakers, here's your chance to catch up. Go to their Vimeo channel and immerse yourself in some of the best that Winnipeg has to offer. Some hits from the 2009 event are already posted including Heartspeak and Goths! On the Bus! It's still hard to believe that these films are made entirely with in camera edits and no post production (okay, some added some titles, but the films are untouched). Another WNDX 2009 hit, Rocket John, "the most existing 1950's movie serial hero of the 21st century" can be found here (includes some of the best in camera edits for a genre film I've seen in a while). And here's one of the most romantic animated films we've had grace our screen in Winnipeg, made by Jordan Crossthwaite and Jeanette Johns on the event of their engagement.

While you're getting your fix of some online super 8 magic from past OTS8's, you must check out Shawn Fulton's channel on youtube, featuring 6 of his hits from past Regina One Take Super 8 Events, including his first film DOGS, made back in 2000 (how can you not be a fan of a film called DOGS that starts with close up of a cat). The Wolf Rocks Regina (2005) features what was at the time the closest think to sync dialogue ever attempted in a OTS8 film. Also, the first film shoot that gets the boot from KFC. classic.

And finally, another film with a killer soundtrack (WARNING: Watching this film will have you humming the title track for unimaginable amounts of time). Mike Maryniuk's ambitious and brilliant Fish Arms from the inaugural WNDX OTS8 in 2006.

Happy Viewing.

oh, and stay tuned. big announcement coming in the next day or so.

OTS8 @ 8fest

This weekend is Toronto's 3rd annual 8fest. This festival is dedicated to small gauge work, and OTS8 is very pleased to have a number of films screening in the 'Bagaroo, three!' programme on Sunday night. Cecilia Araneda's film 'In Reflection' was made and premiered at WNDX's OTS8 in 2006.

3 other films showing at 8fest are from the 2008 event in Regina. Gerald Saul's 'Cake' featuring his son William's instructional narration. Ryan Hill's 'Lights, Camera, Action' makes powerful use of glorious super 8 b/w reversal stock. And finally a film which has been picking up traction on the festival circuit is Helder Mauricio Carvajal's 'Beez in the Hood'; a humorous take on life in Regina's alley ghettos and a persistent insect.

Also, some OTS8 alumni have shot new films for the 8 fest's 'Golden: the polyphonic aural experience'. 5 Filmmakers and 5 audio artists created new work independent of each other, creating a one of a kind screening experience when they accompany each other for the first time this Saturday night. Deco Dawson's newest film 'Die Jungfrau und die Eule' is his unique take on the Brother's Grimm tale 'The Maiden and the Owl'. Tricia Martin, a long time contributor to the Regina OTS8, has finished 'Which Way to Mexico?'; her rumination on fantasies of escaping Regina's frigid winters. Congratulations to all the OTS8 filmmakers participating in this festival.

If you happen to be in Toronto, this festival is definitely worth attending as a rare opportunity to see fantastic small gauge film projected in its original format.

LAST OTS8 of 2009

We're finishing our OTS8 season in sunny Florida this Friday night (which sounds mighty appealing as the cold and snow encroaches on the great white north). The 24 films are on their reels, ready for the show. Click here to learn more about the event, featured in the Broward-Palm Beach New Times. It will be a packed house, so show up early to get a good seat (I know we're sounding a little repetitive with our 'show up early' warnings, but it's only cause we want you to benefit from reading our blog).

While we're busy premiering brand new super 8 films south of the border, we've been getting good news that some recent super 8 films from our Regina events will be travelling and screening in the new year. Ryan Hill's Light Camera Action (2008), and Helder Carvajal's Beez in the Hood (2008) have been selected for the 3rd annual 8fest in Toronto. In other screening news, Terry Mialkowsky and Shannon Jardine are busy screening two of their past OTS8 films in the new year. Bill Seaton (2008) will be playing at the Victoria Film Festival on February 6, and their 2006 film Belt Buckle/Quonset Hut (2006) will be playing at the Winnipeg Cinematheque on February 12, and 13th.