The Super 8 format marked a before and after in home movie making. Its popularity is so great that it has even resisted the absence of new cameras for over twenty years and the limited availability of cartridges in some regions. Well, guess what? In 2015 the Super 8 format turned fifty years old, and as a celebration, Kodak decided to bring it back under the so-called "Super 8 Revival Initiative", starting with nothing less than a new camera.
Is it possible to make a "remake" of technology? The same concept has been applied dozens of times to movies, video games and comics, but it is difficult to see it outside that territory. For some time now we have been pointing out that "retro" is back, and there are multiple examples, such as the rise of vinyl and the existence of modern amplifiers with tubes. However, the latest news from Kodak points to something different. The company, which left behind a complicated bankruptcy process in September 2013, wants to bring the Super 8 format back. Enthusiasts around the world who still shoot on Super 8 will say that the format never went anywhere, and that with a little work it is possible to get film. Even so, that does not take away the strangeness and the striking nature of Kodak's plan.
The Revival Initiative
How will Super 8 return? The official announcement speaks of the "Super 8 Revival Initiative", and the first step of that initiative is a camera that combines the best of traditional Super 8 with everything the digital age has to offer. Kodak CEO Jeff Clarke stated that this does not mean repeating the script of "digital versus analog", but rather that both technologies complement each other. In fact, the new camera will have a digital viewfinder, but the story does not end there: Kodak described this initiative as the creation of an "ecosystem" for the format, which implies the creation of additional services, such as film development and post-production tools.
The Super 8 format, and Kodak's decision to revive it, has some very important allies. Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg and J. J. Abrams are just four of the names that appeared, and I am sure others will join. Those who have fully assimilated the benefits of digital editing will probably look with horror at the idea of processing Super 8 cartridges, but at the same time, this return is not trying to convince them or anything like that. As for the price of the camera, one word: Costly. Several sources place it between 400 and 750 dollars, and the process of each cartridge will cost 50 to 75 dollars. In short: For fans.
