4 Reasons Why Shooting Analog Is Awesome
VARIOUS STUDENT STILLS FROM SUPER 8 WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
There is something magical about film. The way it reads light, the tones, the entire process of shooting are just so different from working with digital cameras.
If your interest is piqued, we offer a variety of different types of analog film production courses from weekend workshops to evening classes. All hands on, all the time!
Whether you’re wanting to learn the basics or diving into a full film production class, we compiled 4 REASONS why you should give shooting on film a try (in case you needed any more convincing!).
4 REASONS GIVE SHOOTING ON FILM A TRY
The world is obsessed with making digital imagery look analog.
iPhones & other smart phones are packed full of presets, the likes of ‘Instagram’, the ‘8mm Vintage Camera’ and countless other apps too numerous to mention. Digital, it seems, really wants to look analog.
Huge budget films, dramas and advertisements shot digitally, lean heavily on an array of analogue emulators, such as cross-processing, bleach-out, light-leaks, artificial grain (to name but a few) and to great effect. It seems we don’t really enjoy having a pinpoint accurate mirror held up to us. There’s no denying, these digital effects work well – they generate an emotive response. But with repeated use, these effects are becoming tired, over-calculated, generic, cynical even and (it’s a cliché I know) cold.
So why not shoot the real thing? Photochemical film still holds greater depth of color and has greater latitude than its digital counterpart and with super 8 it’s relatively cheap and a powerful discipline.
Super 8 film is easy to find.
When we tell people we shoot film and teach analog filmmaking formats such as Super 8, the first question asked is where to buy film stock. The truth is, there are a number of places to get film online to buy Super 8 film stock and if you’re looking to buy local - we are an official Kodak reseller and often times have Super 8 stocked in our artist store. Plus, we include film stock in tuition of all of our classes and workshop!
Film isn’t just an incredibly cool aesthetic, it’s legit a popular film format!
Earlier this year, we wrote about Super 8 and analog filmmaking here. We shared about how Super 8 cameras are having a big moment right now in filmmaking. Have you noticed? From Queen B, Beyoncé in the infamous Vogue Behind the Scenes video to rapper Drake’s summer 2018 hit Do You Love Me, that literally made the internet explode with the Kiki challenge. Before iPhones, digital cameras, and even VHS….there was Super 8. Further, Super 8 has always had a cult status within the film industry with significant Hollywood directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Stephen Spielberg, and advocating for preserving film format - we especially like this quote from Spielberg….
"For me, 8mm was the beginning of everything. When I think of 8mm, I think of the movies."
We provide the tools and resources in a hands-on learning environment.
You can probably tell by now that we are advocates of keeping analog film formats alive (#filmsisnotdead). So if you’re looking to learn, not only do we have classes & workshops but we have 20 years of expertise teaching filmmaking to back it.
All Austin School of Film analog film classes are limited to 6-8 students because the nature of the course. All supplies are included including Super 8 cameras, projectors, and any other analog supplies needed. Students will be indoors in a traditional classroom setting as well as outdoors. We will experience both interior and exterior shooting on film. We even have an option for teens interested in diving into analog.