Why Film?
The Simple:
In this age of digital photography and video much of the ambiance of movies has been lost. The films of our parents’ and grandparents’ generations had a look and feel that can only be recreated by using the same cameras and film that they used. There is nothing else that has the same feeling as small format movie film. Many try to recreate the look through special effects, but it’s never quite the same. Video is useful to record every individual moment of your event. But, with film you are preserving more specific moments in time that you will cherish forever.
The Technical:
Today’s modern films stocks are considered to be the only true archival motion picture format. Your raw original negatives will last many lifetimes if properly stored and preserved. When digital techniques, software and systems continue to evolve, change and go extinct, film will still be a real image. It’s a real copy of the light available. It can be seen and decoded with the naked eye.
There is nothing yet available that can truly capture the look and feel of small format film like Super 8mm. You can download an app for your iPhone or pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a module for Final Cut Pro to try and simulate the look and feel of Super 8mm film. But, in the end, it never looks quite right and the algorithms used begin to look deliberate and fake no matter how much you paid for the “effect”. This is real film like your grandparents used. This is the real thing to cherish for generations.
Why Us?
Why use New England Vintage Films for your event?
-Because we are NOT just in this for the money: We charge for our time and materials like anyone else, but we are not making a living on this business. (We have other full time jobs.) We just want to make films. We will work with each client to determine how much they can afford and what they really want. Packages can be as simple as one 50ft roll of film, raw and unedited or as involved as dozens of rolls digitally edited, mastered and sound synced.
-Because we have been doing this sort of thing for decades: Dave first began shooting Super 8 in the late 1980s when his family couldn’t afford a VHS camcorder. He bought his first Super 8 camera at a flea market and used the rest of his allowance on a roll of Kodachrome purchased and processed at Osco Drug. Despite shooting more than a thousand rolls of Super 8 since then, we learn something each time. It’s a fun and exciting experience that is never exactly the same twice.
-Because we are flexible: Whether you want a roll or two of Super 8 or thousands of feet of 16mm in high definition, we’ll work out an agreement that meets your needs. You don’t have to work in any set box or package.
For What?
Weddings:
The most popular use of a Super 8 or 16mm film is weddings. With the popularity these days of anything “retro” we have seen a resurgence in the desire for “home movies” like those shot in the 20s-70s. This is especially true for couples that want that retro styling of small format film. Vintage weddings are our forte. We love retro themed weddings!
Be sure to visit our Gallery for more wedding film examples.
Ashley and Brian – Short Film Trailer – June 2014 from New England Vintage Films on Vimeo.
Engagement Announcement/Invitation/Save-the-Date
We can create a short film (2-3 minutes) for couples to send on Thumb Drive or via a website link as their engagement announcement, invitation or save-the-date. We will shoot one or two rolls of Super 8 over an hour or two session. Couples pick locations for the shoot that are romantic or special to them. Each scene will highlight something that makes the couple special and perfect for each other. We will follow you anywhere from the beach to the mountains, from Boston to New York, or from a show to a sporting event. The edited film will be set to your favorite song and delivered to you via the web or thumb drive. We will supply you with a high-resolution/low compression version as well as a higher compression version suitable for posting on Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo or any other website.
Anniversaries:
We would really like to do a wedding anniversary, especially a 50th. We are specifically looking to find a couple celebrating an anniversary who already has a vintage film (8mm, Super 8mm, 16mm) of their wedding. We can scan your vintage film to 4K UHD HDR files and combine them with a new anniversary film. The new and the old mixed together like a flash back!
70TH Wedding Anniversary from New England Vintage Films on Vimeo.
Special Events:
For any event you may want photos, you may want a vintage motion picture. My uncle’s baptism was shot on Super 8. My mom’s first birthday was on Super 8. Vintage films are great for graduations, holidays, plays, concerts, sporting events or awards ceremonies. Remember, there is no sound on the film itself. But, digital audio can be recorded and synced later.
Summer 2013 from New England Vintage Films on Vimeo.
Graduations:
Just picture you and your friends on vintage film, celebrating your big day. Just imagine your son or daughter forever young and free like you were when you where their age. Graduations make excellent opportunities for vintage style films that capture your once-in-a-lifetime memories.
Music Videos:
But wait, there’s no sound, right? Well, although its true that there is no sound directly recorded on the film, the audio can be digitally synced after the fact. We digitally record a separate sound track and then sync the music later when we combine scanned film with digital sound track. Music videos shot on Super 8 film are a very popular thing right now.
Commercials:
Right now people are paying top dollar for the digital vintage film effect for commercials. Why pay top dollar for an effect when you can pay less for the real thing. Our films can be digitally scanned at 4K HDR UHD for use in ultra high definition television broadcasts. Wait! What!? Yes, ultra high definition. Did you know that Super 8 mm film resolution can be full HD? The natural grain of film becomes more and more prevalent at higher resolutions, but the resolution of the image itself does keep up.