The first two Super 8 film fesitvals in Sydney were initiated and organised by Kate Richards in 1980. The first festival was held at the Sydney Filmmakers Co-op, and was co-organised by Kate Collins. After the second festival, Mark Titmarsh, Ross Gibson, Lindy Lee, Deirdre Beck, and Janet Burchill established the Super 8 Collective.1

On 11 November 1982, after the Third Sydney Super 8 Film Festival, around 30 people turned up for a meeting at Alpha House in Newtown, and the Super 8 Collective became the Sydney Super 8 Film Group. The Group now consisted of around nine core people (including Gary Warner, Virginia Hilyard, Michael Hutak, Catherine Lowing, Andrew Frost and Mark Titmarsh). Planning began on gaining funding for an annual festival, as well as setting up distribution and production facilities at a make-shift office in the inner city.2

The Group compiled and curated packages of Super 8 films that were exhibited in Sydney venues such as Artspace and the Graphic Arts Club, and the Kartoon Kafé in Newcastle. Super 8 works were also exhibited at One Flat Exhibit in Brisbane, the Media Resource Centre in Adelaide, Praxis in Perth, the Glasshouse Theatre in Melbourne, and ANZART in Hobart (which showed a Super 8 Film Festival of 30 films from around Australia organised by the Group).3

The Super Eight Film Group received some funding from the Australian Film Commission, and were able to run an office with modest Super 8 production facilities, publish a regular newsletter, and mount an annual festival.

In 1990, faced with growing changes in the moving image practice (and the advent of cheap and relatively high quality video formats such as High 8 and Super VHS), the Super Eight Film Group became the Sydney Intermedia Network.  

• 1. "d/Lux & the super history of super 8 in sydney bob percival talks with kate richards & mark titmarsh", RealTime 77, http://www.realtimearts.net/article/issue77/8361
• 2. http://sydneysupereightfilmgroup.blogspot.com.au/
• 3. Ibid.