VS 9: Converting Super 8 Films

[sjj1805]

I set up my projector and screen in the loft as this was the darkest place in the house. I mounted the projector on top of a couple of cabinets so that I had some height and stability. I then mounted my digital camcorder on a tripod as close as possible alongside the projector.

The screen was positioned approx 5 feet from the projector and the resulting picture occupied an area on screen about 2 feet square.

I turned off anything "Automatic" on the camcorder and set the various controls manually. It was then just a matter of filming whatever was on the screen.

Now this is where the fun starts.

After moving the captured footage into the computer the first step is to remove the sound. At the same time trim off the start and ending points and then use the crop tool to trim away the borders. Make sure that the tick box "Fill colour" is unchecked so that it stretches the cropped picture to the edges.

If necessary use the brightness and contrast filter to brighten up the picture. Now save this file. Don't try and do everything at once, you will find it quicker to break the project down into small manageable parts.

Now using this new trimmed video, you need to use the multi trim tool and go through the video splitting it up into the various scenes (ie places where the camera was turned on/off).

When splitting the video into these scenes you can also chop away a few frames where these scenes occur as they often have a tendency to have
a bright flash effect as a result of the camera being turned on/off.

Now to piece it all back together again.
A nice effect is to start off with the sample video "V07.avi" the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown. Do not place a transition between this and your first clip, a straight cut is ok here.

Due to the nature of Super 8 films being only 3 minute cassettes and at the time expensive, the tendency was for the camera operator to only take very short clips. If any of the multi trim clips are less than 7 seconds long I then used the Playback speed function to make the clip
exactly 7 seconds in length. The purpose of this is to allow a 1 second transition at either end, plus a minimum of 5 seconds on screen display - otherwise you end up with pictures that just flash on the screen without the audience being able to take the scene in. I found this to be very effective and greatly improved the new video.

Now add your clips one at a time to the time line with a 1 second transition of your choosing - checking the clip is at least 7 seconds long, plus checking if this clip needs any further adjustment to the crop area, brightness etc.

Finish off with a black colour clip so that your video "fades out."

At this point DO NOT ADD SOUND. I found that it is quicker to create a new video file at this point, and then add your sound to that.

Now here is a nice fun part that really gives your video some polish and looks great.

Start a new project and place the sample clip "Vo1"on the timeline. At the end of that clip use the save as still image option. and then place that still image onto the timeline (with re-sampling option - fit to project size) Now use the sample clip "vo1"again but check the reverse video option - also remove the sound from that final clip.

Now use this as a template for your cleaned up super 8 films.

Using the overlay track you place your new super 8 film over the saved still image from above. You make the still image the same length as the super 8 video with the image duration option.

On the overlay track stretch your super 8 film to the "safe area border" that is displayed. Select the "Mask and Chroma Key" function and then select a border size of "1" in white.

The overall effect is
Some curtains open rather like in a cinema.
A Projection screen appears - as if you are at the cinema, followed by the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown. Then your new super 8 comes on with a nice soundtrack and transitions.
At the end of the "film" it fades out and then the curtains close.

To jazz it up a little more, where the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown appears, add a bit of sound from the projector and let it gradually fade out as your new soundtrack fades in.

It may take a lot longer than the good old 'ordinary' camcorder stuff but when completed the resultant DVD's make lovely stocking fillers for relatives at Christmas. In addition to the nostalgia effect, because they are so old there are not just childhood memories and clips of when you were the same age as your children/grandchildren, there are also those relatives who have long ago stopped walking this earth.

Another benefit I found of using my cinema style backdrop is that it made the whole thing appear much brighter than a simple full screen display of the super 8 film

[sjj1805]

Addendum to camera setup.

A friend just found another Super 8 film previously thought lost and so I had to set up my camcorder again. The setting which had most impact on the pulsating effect was (for my camcorder at least) "Steadyshot"
I found that this had to be turned OFF.

With Steadyshot turned on there was a lot of pulsating.
With Steadyshot turned off there was no pulsating.

[logantoo]

Very interesting as I have a large stock of old super8mm film that I would like to put on to a DVD. However, when I tried it I had to speed up the projector to remove the flicker which was fine but when I played it back on the camcorder the flicker was there and so was the pulsating effect. Turned off steadyshot and the flicker was better but the pulsating effect was still there, both enough to make the picture unwatchable. Any more suggestions will be appreciated.
Many thanks.

[sjj1805]

I found best results were obtained by having the camera fairly close to the screen and alongside the projecter. Obviously you need to film in 4.3 mode.
The biggest impact on my recordings was the camcorders steadyshot function.
Turned on - lots of pulsating.
Turned off - no pulsating.

Try and get the screen something like 4 feet away (or less), camcorder and projecter side by side and the same height.

[papy_cur]

With Steadyshot turned on there was a lot of pulsating.
With Steadyshot turned off there was no pulsating.

First , I have to say, I'm not very good at English !

If You open your projector, You will see between the lamp and the film , a metal circle motor driven at 18 or 24 turns/s .
This circle is divided in six sectors , one open ,one closed , one open ... and so on .
With the light on , if You turn the knob in the end of the circle shaft , You will see , for one turn, three pictures separated by three blacks .
Each new picture appears from top to bottom to the screen .

If the Steadyshot is On , Your camcorder try to follow this black to light transition which is moving from top to bottom .
That's why Your pictures are so jerky . (or pulsating, as you said)

I hope this is the right reason , I thank You very much for so many good tips you give us .

Regards , Jacques B

[chrishargrave]

Thanks for the tutorial - I must have a go

I wonder if any of you have ever tried this method? assuming you could get hold of a suitable projrctor!

http://homepage.mac.com/onsuper8/diytelecine

[Phil S]

At the same time trim off the start and ending points and then use the crop tool to trim away the borders. Make sure that the tick box "Fill colour" is unchecked so that it stretches the cropped picture to the edges.

Steve: What is this "crop tool"? Is this something that was in VS9, I can't see it in VS10.

[Ron P.]

I think what Steve was referring to is actually the Crop Filter.

[sjj1805]

Yes it is the Crop filter.
Here is a short demo to show the completed effect (using Ulead Sample Videos)
http://media5.filewind.com/g.php?filepath=1093

[Phil S]

Thanks. You find a new gadget and learn something new everyday.

[BBBilly]

Hi Guys!

So far this post has been very helpful. I just started the journey of finding the right settings to transfer 8mm to dvd....but I'm not anywhere near the end of it I guess. First thing to solve is he speed of my projector. Does anybody know how to adjust this, so it will run 25fps instead of 18?
Thanks!

[sjj1805]

I think it will depend upon the make and model of your projector.
Some may have a variable speed and others may not. I had to borrow a projector from a friend when I converted mine (I converted my friends films in return) and the projector did not have a variable speed adjustment.

I guess I will have to try and post a sample clip on the forum when I get the chance!

[BBBilly]

My projector is a Eumig 610, with variable speed, but max 18fps. I tried your steadyshot tip as well, but to no avail. I have now found such settings that lighting, whitebalance, cropping and focus are quite good....only thing to get rid of is the flickering.
I think I'll just try to take the projector apart (needs a good cleaning anyway) and see if I can spice things up a little...

[sjj1805]

OK the content isn't of much interest but what I am demonstrating here is how I presented those Super 8 films using the method outlined in the Tutorial. Here you will see the curtains opening, the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown, the super 8 being 'projected' onto a screen, a few transitions and then the curtains closing again.

You can judge for yourself the problem of pulsating due to the different shutter speed of the Super 8 camera/projector to the frame rate of the PAL camcorder.

In my circumstances, these are films some 30-40 years old which I never expected to see again because the equipment is either no longer available or too expensive when you also consider just how many of these films I have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp6nnK2GgeA

This next one I thought about sending to "You've been framed!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLGhyfyc2q4

Here's Cardiff Castle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vZwqGRDq4I

[MLSchuermann]

OK the content isn't of much interest ...

However, Sir,
it's amazing and instructive.
The content remembers me that time is passing and times are changing...

I grabbed it from YouTube and put parts of it into a video that may show what there is possible if you are willing to work for it. (For doing nothing you get only windfall.)

I have some old 8mm movies (not Super8) consider how to get them on DVD.
Time will show...