From my early childhood I have a memory of my parents shooting a couple photos during the holiday season, a couple more during my birthday party, maybe ten or twenty on the family vacation and then–when the roll of 24 exposures was used up–they’d pop the film outta the back of the camera and throw it in the drawer. Usually after about another month or two they’d re-discover the roll. And they’d run it down to the local drugstore, retrieve it a week or two later and voila! We’d be looking at pictures that were already a year old or more. We of course, didn’t care. This is the way photography just ‘was’. And i suspect that if you’re in your late 20’s or 30’s or older that you may have had similar memories.
While I’m talking of these things like they’re a hundred years ago, funny thing that a similar thing happened to me just recently. It’s a little different in that we’re talking moving pictures. I’ve got this waaay cool, old Bolex 8mm movie camera that I bought at a used camera about 15 years ago. Sometime last year I was plowing through old gear and I stumbled on that great old camera and….lo and behold…there were a handful of undeveloped film cartridges. I zipped them across country to one of the only places left that was developing this old Kodak stock and what I got back brought a huge smile to my face. Me and a couple of buddies–Scott who you know well and another buddy Glen–from more than a DECADE AGO with long skateboards, baggy shorts and pants, cruising down long, rolling hills… during the summertime in the nearby Cascade Mountains. We sewed that footage together just recently and I’m happy to share it with you here today for fun.
And as a reminder. If by chance you occasionally shoot film (or you always shoot it?) and if you’ve got undeveloped rolls laying around. Go develop them. I’m banking the results will be worth your time.
[Thanks to The Dutchess & The Duke for the soundtrack. Also, this post was inspired by this great post: The Zen of Undeveloped Film over at LaPuraVida]
The same thing happened to me recently! I like the deliberation of film, the subtle caution that goes behind taking a photo. I’ll pack a 4 gig memory card in my Rebel and before I know it my camera is obnoxiously telling me “Full card.” How can one take 700 photos so fast? Comparatively, a roll of film with a mere 24 shots is rather intimidating (and yet, should always be welcomed). Anywho, found an old roll the other day and it took a minute to realize they’ve been undeveloped for who knows how long before running to the developer.
Before I go on another rant, I’ll leave it at that. Great video/blog!
I have similar feelings every few months when I develop my film rolls. I happen to study in Denmark and the film developing here is so damn expensive for a students pocket that I take them back every 3 or 4 months to my homecountry to develop there. And then I call them “recalls of forgotten” cuz they make you remember moments that have just slipped out of memory. It’s soo weird-coolish feeling but at the same time I know it’s a bit wrong – I need to develop them more regularly.
Sweet video Chase, feel the warmness. Been following your crazyass cool stuff for a quite a while now. Keep up the love and we’ll spread it further :]
Peace
Even though I love my digital and will only have it pried from my cold dead fingers (D700+ others, including MamiyaZD 22) I have been known to take the digital back off and pop a roll of 120 film and shoot. I LOVE FILM. It has a totally different feel and texture from digital. As a matter of fact, I have a 5 pack of Ektar 100 sitting in my fridge calling my name, AND a roll of velvia already in a back — I just popped it on over the christmas holidays…
Hmmm
wow, this is classic!!! I especially love the diagonal shot where you guys were coming down a slope, first out of focus and then came in focus as you drew nearer the camera. CLASSIC!!! 🙂
Wow, this is awesome stuff! What’s the best way to get 8mm developed? I have some “Like New” 8mm camcorders that I would love to shoot and develop with.
If black and white – then in your kitchen sink. You’d just need to correct spools to spool it up with. Movie film and still frame film is still the same development chemicals and technique. At least when BW is concerned.