What is 16mm film?
I am so glad you asked because it's just about my favorite thing in the world.
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To put it simply: 16mm film is a video created on film that is 16mm wide. This film is often shot at 24 frames per second (think 24 pictures), developed in a lab, and then scanned and pieced together to form a film.
Why I love it and you will too . . .
Have you ever looked at a film photograph and thought it just felt "right"--like it perfectly captured the feeling of that moment, almost like capturing a dream?
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That's what 16mm video does for me and for the couples I have filmed. You watch it and you instantly tear up, really feeling like you are reliving the moments that are so special to you.
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I have filmed with digital for many years, perfecting the crispiest focus, getting the steadiest shot, editing to the latest trends and I think I began to lose focus on what filming is really about--capturing feeling. 16mm allowed me to get back to what mattered most. As there is only 3 minutes in each roll, every frame is taken with intention, allowing me to really experience the moments with you and tell your best story.
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16mm film just has this way of capturing your deepest and truest selves--and that--is so incredibly beautiful. I'm tearing up writing this right now, that's how much I love it.
The History
Eastman Kodak introduced 16 mm film in 1923, as a less expensive alternative to 35 mm film for amateurs. By the 1950s, it had amassed huge popularity with professional videographers and filmmakers because of its portability compared to traditional 35mm cinema (big screen grade).
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Some popular films shot with 16mm are Clerks, Black Swan, Evil Dead, Pi, and many more. Now it is gaining popularity again in the age of crisp digital shots for its nostalgic feeling and rawness.
Same as Super8?
Same idea but different looks. 8mm was created 10 years after 16mm and marketed to families to create home movies because it was half the price and size of 16mm. Because the actual film is half the size, you get half the information in each frame causing grainier shots with less detail.
My Camera
Thanks for asking :) I currently have a 1970s Krasnogorsk 3 built in the USSR. Mine has been updated to an "ultra 16mm" meaning it collects footage on the entire width of the film making it a wider shot.
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Her name is Olga.
