Super 8

Written for Thirst For Vision.

There’s something about super 8 film that seems to capture a moment in time almost as if it was a memory cut straight from our brains and directly transpired into film. It’s within those often grainy frames that an ever-present charm is found, this is something that remains unmatched within other motion picture film formats.

Initially Super 8 was prevalent within silent cinema. Its lo-fi quality gave a new dimension to film as well as well as complimenting the actions that took place upon the silent screen. The development in electronics meant that in the 1970s Super 8 could be used with sound which strengthened the films popularity. This improvement rapidly gained interest, and much later was most notably championed by the likes of Derek Jarman and Harmony Korine. This then went on to spark wide spread interest amongst more amateur circles.

The unique approach of Super 8’s film has often been used to capture cherished moments within their memorable environments. It offers a distinct portrayal of hazy scenarios that mirror our recollection of yesteryear that lurk around the back of our minds. When watching the film it’s sometimes hard to focus solely on the scene that’s being played out, our attention is frequently diverted to the background and the way in which the colours and light shape the scene. Bursting shafts of light are transformed into vivid glows which can sometimes aid the foreground to merge into the background. In other instances a sharp grainy exposure is present which saturates the more prominent colours that ultimately offer the viewer a more gritty insight.

Super 8 not only gives the user a one of a kind way to portray the past, but it also provides a layer of candid rawness to depict even the most mundane day to day scenarios. It’s that very raw quality that has youthful connotations. These days it acts as a nod to the past during a period long before the digital age. It was a time in which people rejected state of the art mechanics, whether it was through lack of funds or otherwise, which inevitably paved the way for a blossoming lo-fi culture. The key factor in what makes Super 8 so special is that it gives us the perfect escape from the complexities of state of the art photography.