Who

The Joy of 8mm is a not-for-profit initiative run by people who believe that filmmaking should be fun, exciting and celebratory.

It was originally set up by Harvest Films' producer Christopher Moll and freelance producer/director Andrew Fettis. Anna Farthing subsequently joined the team, adding her experience of producing live events and participatory theatre.

The Joy of 8mm is supported by Kodak, Harvest Films, Torribles Insurance, Rushes Post Production, Films @ 59, Watershed, Omni Productions and Rubberductions. Many other individuals also give their time and energy to keep things running smoothly.


Ethos

Four key beliefs underpin The Joy of 8mm:

• that it offers people an exciting and challenging way to tell their stories and to develop their skills.

• that it encourages meaningful collaboration and the genuine sharing of skills between its participants.

• that it introduces people to pleasures of film, demanding the same tools, techniques and discipline as shooting 16mm or 35mm but at a fraction of the cost.

• That it fosters a “can do” mentality.

We want to bring Super 8 to the attention of narrative filmmakers and to build a bold, prodigious and self-confident movement in the South West of which we can all be proud.


Background

We don't pretend that the idea behind The Joy of 8mm is startlingly original. Back in the 1950's the Czech Film School whose luminaries include Milos Foreman asked prospective students to shoot an audition film on a single 100ft roll of 16mm film.

More recently other events around the world such as Flickers in Los Angeles and Straight 8 in London have also embraced the idea of “one roll, no editing”.

For what it is worth, these are what we consider to be our own ‘Unique Sellings Points'.

Firstly, We are completely open access. We do not charge entry fees. We lend you a camera if you haven't got one. We do not require a script, a CV or a previous showreel. We do not impose any editorial control. In short, there are no gatekeepers of any kind.

Secondly, we encourage our participants to tell stories and to make films that will be be readily accessible to the audience. Of course, what your story is and how you tell it is entirely up to you.

Thirdly, we believe that The Joy Of 8mm screenings should be memorable events. They always take place in informal spaces rather than in cinemas. There is always a bar with 50 meters of the screen. We arrange for a Master (or Mistress) Of Ceremonies to introduce the films and to draw out the thoughts and emotions of the filmmakers and audience alike. Participants often opt to perform their soundtrack live. An impromtu sing-a-long has even been known to occur.

Above all, these events are celebrations of talent, of effort and of bravery! We guarantee that you will not have experienced anything quite like it.