Kyle Anderson

In the style of Everything Is Terrible, I’ve been starting to capture and edit old, crappy VHS tapes. The first VHS tape I captured and edited was Debbie Family History, but the content of that tape wasn’t terrible; it was antique.

“ABS/SIR: How They Work for You” was found in an industrial vehicle, faded and neglected. It was made in 1995, and was meant to serve as an “edutainment” piece on how anti-lock breaks and supplemental inflatable restraints (SIR, or airbags) work. The first part about ABS was average and boring, while the part about SIR was, well… Take a look for yourself:

For years, my family had this camera in their repertoire of antiques for years, and, for a while, I thought it was obsolete. Some might consider it so, but you can still buy the 127 film it accepts, load it, and shoot with it.

At a thrift store in Flagstaff, I found a giant flash pack and reflector that resembled the smaller one that came with the camera. The pack also included 7 flash bulbs, ones that I had never found or seen before. For $2, I had to have it.

This is an HD video of the flash bulb going off. They’re one time use only, so I figured documenting the technology was more worthwhile than using it for its intended purpose.

You can find these GE #5 flash-type bulbs online for about a buck a piece on eBay.

Starflex Brownie w/ Flash Bulb from Kyle Anderson on Vimeo.

Note: I recommend viewing this video in HD. By default, Vimeo turns HD off in the embedded video above. Be sure to turn it on and go full-screen.

Bonus: Here’s a cell phone picture of the shooting setup: