Super 8 : An Illustrated History

Super 8 is a coffee table art book showcasing the history of Super 8 filmmaking. In addition to featuring stunning photography documenting the sleek mid-century design of Super 8 cameras and projectors, the book also offers a detailed history of the beloved medium-one not only embraced by suburban dads, the target audience of the format, but by the art world, punk rockers, and ultimately popular culture. Filmmakers who got their start in Super 8 include, Robert Zemeckis, Jim Jarmusch, Todd Haynes, Sam Raimi, Wes Anderson and Alex Gibney. Thanks in part to a renewed interest in analog technologies, Kodak will be bringing a new Super 8 camera to market in 2019, their first new camera to roll off the assembly line in over thirty years.

Super 8 also features interviews from filmmakers who got their start in Super 8 and individuals who were instrumental in the development of the medium. Interviews include filmmakers Richard Linklater (Slacker, Boyhood, Dazed and Confused), Dave Markey (1991: The Year Punk Broke), Rocky Schenk (music videos for Adele, Devo, Nick Cave, The Cramps, Robert Plant), James Mackay on Derek Jarman (Last of England, Jubilee), James Nares (Rome '78), Beth B (Black Box), Lenny Lipton (The Super 8 Book), GB Jones (The Lollipop Generation), Bruce LaBruce (Hustler White, The Misandrists), Peggy Ahwesh, Matthias Muller, Paul Clipson, silt, Norwood Cheek, Melinda Stone, Karissa Hahn, Martha Colburn, John Porter, Narcisa Hirsch, Paul Sheptow, Gerry Fialka, Jonathan Tyman, Frank Martinez, Lisa Marr and Paolo Davanzo. On the technical front, the book features interviews with Roland Zavada (Kodak), Bob Doyle (Super8 Sound), Phil Vigeant (Pro8mm), Frank Bruinsma (Super8 Reversal Lab), and Tommy Madsen (Logmar Camera Solutions).


About the Author

Danny Plotnick has been making Super 8 films since the mid 1980s and earned the nickname "The King of Super 8". Not only have his films screened at festivals all over the world, but they have also aired on MTV, on The Independent Film Channel, and screened at the Museum of Modern Art. From 1986-2001 he made over fifteen brash Super 8 films, travelling the country, showing films and conducting Super 8 workshops.

His film Skate Witches has a fervent internet following, and in the past several years has been covered in The New York Times, Vogue, and Maximum Rocknroll. His film I'm Not Fascinating-The Movie! celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a series of screenings around the country at various Alamo Drafthouse cinemas.