Whether it's for a set piece for a film or just for experimenting, shooting on a Super 8 camera is incredibly fun. However, for those who've never worked with them before, it can be a bit of a challenge to know what all of the little buttons and dials do. Joey Shanks takes some time out of teaching you the art of practical effects to offer you a practical guide to everything that has to do with shooting on Super 8, including what to look for when buying a camera, which film stocks do what, and, of course, a few magic tricks that will help you get the most out of your Super 8 experience.

Shanks offers a lot of great insight into buying and operating a Super 8 camera, but his guide doesn't stop at the basics—which is great, because most resources out there do. Instead he offers tips that can help you become a more advanced Super 8 filmmaker by explaining what pretty much every part of the camera is used for, what different film stocks are good for, and even how to do a cheaper workaround for digitizing your Super 8mm footage.

Essentially, he answers a lot of the questions users have after they've learned the basics, went out and shot some footage, and came back wondering about a bunch of stuff. But, if you're more into reading advanced information about shooting Super 8, you'll want to check out this post we did last year, which walks you through every step from start to finish.

This video was only Part I of Shanks' three-part series, so be sure to head on over to his YouTube channel, Shanks FX, to catch the next episodes.

Source: Shanks FX

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Cinematography & Cameras