Pro8mm

Pro8mm is a small format film company specializing in Super 8 film.

History

The company was first established in Cambridge, Massachusetts, under the name Super 8 Sound but later moved to Burbank, California, and changed its name to Pro8mm.^[1]

Products

Pro8mm's products and services include film, camera equipment, Super 8 and 16mm film processing, scanning services, education, and community events related to 8mm film.

Super 8 Sound Recorder

In 1972 Bob Doyle, with partners Jay Kirsch and Wendl Thomis, invented and patented the Super 8 Sound Recorder, a device that could sync sound with a super 8 camera, a super 8 projector, and a multi track recorder. In 1974 the Super 8 Sound engineers added a crystal sync reference to the Super 8 Sound Recorder and several models of Super 8 cameras, a process called Crystal Sync which, eliminated the cable connection between camera and recorder.^[2]

Pro8mm Negative Film

In 1993, Super 8 Sound developed a line of color negative Super 8 film called Pro8mm film. Prior to this development, Kodachrome and Ektachrome, both produced by Kodak, were the only color super 8 film stocks available for shooting Super 8 film.^[3] By converting 35mm into Super 8mm, filmmakers now had many film stock options for shooting on the Super 8.^[4] The new stock was made in house by perforating & slitting 1000’ rolls of 35mm and loading it into 50’ super 8 film cartridges ^[3] Pro8mm film stock was first used professionally for the filming of Mazzy Star’s “Fade into you” video.^[3][5] Since 1993 over 40 different kinds of Pro8mm film have been produced. Color negative is also now available from Kodak.^[6]

Max8

Max 8 (right) shot in the 16x9 ratio compared to a traditional Super 8 frame (left)

In 2005 Pro8mm invented Max8, a wide screen version of tradition Super 8. Max8 increases the aspect ratio of the traditional Super 8 image from 1:33 to 1:58 by expanding to camera's film gate. The viewfinder of the camera is also modified so that the operator can see the image as it corresponds to modern theatrical & television widescreen sizes.^[7][8][9] Several camera models have been made with Max8, including the first Beaulieu 4008, renamed the Classic 2005, the Canon 1014XLS renamed the MAX 1014XLS, the Logmar 2015, and the soon to be release in 2016 Kodak KS8.^[10]

Max8 can be seen in the John Mellencamp Documentary “Its About You” which was filmed with Pro8mm Film and the Max8 Super 8 format ^[11][12]

References

1. "Super 8 Film - Super 8 HD Scanning - Super 8 Cameras - Super 8 Processing - Pro8mm". Pro8mm.
2. "Super8 Sound".
3. Williams, David E. "Transforming Super 8." American Cinematographer (1996): n. pag. Chaffey College. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
4. "Super 8 Sound Creates New Line of Film Stock." Film & Video 10.9 (1993): 3. Chaffey College. Web. 20 Mar. 2016
5. "R&RHOF REPOST - Don’t Know What It Means: Talking With The Director of Nirvana’s "Come As You Are" "In Bloom" and "Sliver" Videos - Golden Age of Music Video". Golden Age of Music Video.
6. "Kodak's Super 8 camera is retro in all the right ways". Engadget. AOL.
7. Bertrand, Merle M. "Pro8mm's Max-8 Widescreen Format Makes Super 8 Negative Film HD and Widescreen Compatible." Indie Slate 45 (2005): n. pag. Chaffey College. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
8. Boutilier, Corey. "Pro8mm Demonstrates Their "Max-8" Super8 Camera Modification at the NY Cine Equipment Show." Independent Film (2005): n. pag. Chaffey College. 24 Sept. 2005. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
9. "Weva Members Shoot in Widescreen Super 8." Wedding & Event Videographers Association International (2006): n. pag. Chaffey College. 23 Feb. 2006. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
10. Rene Chun (31 July 2014). "New Super 8 Camera Boosts Vintage Film With Digital Tech". WIRED.
11. "John Mellencamp - Official Website :: News Articles". John Mellencamp's Official Website.
12. "On This Rock ’n’ Roll Tour of the Heartland, a Sobering Survey of Old America". The New York Times. 4 January 2012.