Get Started with Super 8 Wedding Film

Maybe you’ve seen it on Instagram - the dreamy, vintage videos of people in love. They look like they could be from the ‘70s in the best way. Warm grain amps up the emotions of intimate moments. Everything about Super 8 wedding film is rad. I’m Sara, a film photographer and Super 8 educator. In this blog post, I’m sharing what you need to know to get started with Super 8 in your wedding business. Come get obsessed with me.

Why Add Super 8 Wedding Film to Your Offerings

There are so many reasons to add Super 8 to your wedding offerings. If you love that vintage vibe but don’t want to learn a whole new skillset, Super 8 and Super 8mm wedding videography is a great solution. You’ll build on what you already know about creating great visuals. Think lighting, composition, all that good stuff you’re already doing in your photography.

Super 8 is actually an accessible way to get into videography compared to a lot of digital options. You don’t have to invest a ton of money in new professional gear. Typically, you can find Super 8 cameras for just a few hundred dollars. The end-to-end process is more affordable and less intimidating than the full-on cinematic setup you’ve probably seen at weddings. You don’t need mics or sound equipment, just your clients’ joy shining through in the footage.

But the REAL reason Super 8 is the shit? The clients. You get to meet the coolest people doing Super 8 wedding films. They’re people who want unfiltered emotion and see the artistry in life’s in-between moments. Those vibey visuals will make your brand a magnet for these clients. When they see Super 8 wedding film on your website and socials, they’ll know you’re the artist for them. 

Get ready to fall hard. Just check out this Super 8 wedding film and my work as a Super 8 videographer:

What You Need to Know about YOUR Super 8 and super 8mm Wedding Film

Super 8 wedding film is definitely outside of a lot of people’s experience. Even if you grew up with home videos, they were probably taken on a camcorder or similar equipment. Here are some things you should know before you get started.

1. Once you get the hang of it, it’s super straightforward.

Super 8 looks complicated from the outside, but the truth is that it’s less fuss than a lot of modern systems. You don’t need a whole set up and a crap ton of equipment - just your camera, charged battery, and some film.

2. It’s not as expensive as you think.

The costs can seem steep at the outset. Once you understand the process and where to buy and get your film developed, though, it makes sense. (More on costs in our free mini training. Watch it to get all the details!)

3. Things can go haywire if you’re just winging it.

Remember that this is film. Whatever is true for film photography is usually true for 8mm as well. You can’t delete a bad take on a Super 8 wedding film, and you have to understand your camera. This is not the kind of thing you want to learn just by messing around on your own. That’s why we created our Gr8 Super 8 Masterclass. More on that below!

4. There’s no audio.

A lot of contemporary videographers include audio recordings in their final edits. This can require multiple microphones. Super 8 wedding film, on the other hand, doesn’t have any sound. You can record sound on separate equipment, but people who want Super 8 tend to like it the way it is. The focus stays on the visuals and the emotions they create. It also frees marriers from having to wear mics on their wedding attire or figure out how to get them into their ceremony setup discreetly. Like I said, less fuss.

5. You’ll need some things to get set up.

Start with your physical equipment. You likely can get 8mm film from your local camera store. We love a local camera store.  I buy Super 8 film at Glazer’s Camera in Seattle and Pro8mm online.

As for digital requirements, you’ll need a platform to host videos for your clients. I use Vimeo. It’s pretty straightforward to use, and clients usually are familiar with the platform. Vimeo videos are easy to embed in blog posts as well. You can get a discount on your Vimeo subscription with this affiliate link. (I might make a small commission.) 

How to Create Dope Super 8 Wedding Films

By now, you’re probably thinking, “Cool cool cool. How do I learn to do all this?”

Good news is, you don’t have to do it through trial and error. Brilliant human and videographer Natalie Bergfalk and I teamed up to create a comprehensive course for photographers. Gr8 Super8 takes you through the whole process step by step. We combined everything we learned to help you skip a lot of the growing pains that come with adopting Super 8. You can skip the hassle with our no-fluff, confusion-free masterclass. We’re sharing everything you need to start offering Super 8 wedding film. 

Here’s a peek at what we cover in each module of the masterclass.

Camera Settings

We’ll help you find your first Super 8 camera. I even include a video of me shopping online to really break it down for you. Then we walk you through the ins and outs of a Super 8 camera - how it works, which settings you should know about, and how to prep for a session.

8mm Film

You know how there are different stocks of 35mm film? There are different types of 8mm film too. We cover each kind and when to use them.

Actually Filming

Time to put theory into practice. Expert videographer Natalie walks you through all the good stuff. We’re talking lighting, panning, and timing for your Super 8 camera.

Developing the Film

You can send your Super 8 film to be developed by a third party. Or you could learn the craftsmanship and technical skill behind the magic. (Can you tell which we prefer?) In this lesson, we take a start-to-finish journey through the developing process.

Basic Editing

Let’s turn all that footage into a story. We teach you basic editing for that vibey Super 8 you and your clients love.

Since this is a self-paced course, you can go from newbie to launching your new service as fast as you want. We’re really excited to help more photographers create vintage and vibey films.

Want to learn more about adding Super 8 wedding films to your offerings? Grab our free training! We’ll tell you what you can expect to invest, how we structure Super 8 packages, and which deliverables clients love. We’re even throwing in a discount code for $40 off of our course because we’re kind of obsessed with spreading the Super 8 love. Are you looking for a super 8 wedding videographer? Drop me a line here.