Details needed about Kodachrome Film.

septim · Aug 17, 2013

So as part of a photography and video class I am making a mock commercial for the now discontinued Kodachrome film and in case I cannot get my hands on some Kodachrome before filming this mock commercial I am making some faux Kodachrome using an empty Kodak Max cassette that I saved while hand processing its contents and some Ilford 125ASA bulk film. However, being too new to photography to have ever shot (or ever seen in person) a roll of Kodachrome I need some details about it . So here goes - My first question is about the external canister that the film cassette would have been packaged in: Was Kodachrome packaged in the same black canisters with grey lids or did they use a different canister? My second question is about the film cassette itself and that is did the Kodachrome cassettes use the same design as the current Kodak Max cassettes or were they different. I am fairly confident about the packaging as I have some packaging samples I can use to recreate it.

septim

David Grenet · Aug 17, 2013

It came in the same grey canister. Here's a pic of the cassette I found on flickr. You may have more luck in a different sub-forum rather than the Australia forum (ask a moderator nicely to move the thread for you).

septim · Aug 17, 2013

Thanks, where would you recommend I ask this? I was thinking about the 35mm forum but I wasn't sure...

David Grenet · Aug 17, 2013

"Color: Film, Paper, and Chemistry" would probably be the most appropriate.

septim · Aug 17, 2013

Thread: Details needed about Kodachrome Film.

So as part of a photography and video class I am making a mock commercial for the now discontinued Kodachrome film and in case I cannot get my hands on some Kodachrome before filming this mock commercial I am making some faux Kodachrome using an empty Kodak Max cassette that I saved while hand processing its contents and some Ilford 125ASA bulk film. However, being too new to photography to have ever shot (or ever seen in person) a roll of Kodachrome I need some details about it . So here goes - My first question is about the external canister that the film cassette would have been packaged in: Was Kodachrome packaged in the same black canisters with grey lids or did they use a different canister? My second question is about the film cassette itself and that is did the Kodachrome cassettes use the same design as the current Kodak Max cassettes or were they different. I am fairly confident about the packaging as I have some packaging samples I can use to recreate it.

P.S Mods: Sorry for the duplicate...

septim

ozphoto · Aug 17, 2013

Also note, that AU Kodachrome had red on the top and bottom of the actual film can, to indicate that processing had been paid when purchased (and stated as such on the actual can too) - the Flickr image mentioned above is (most probably) a US version, that didn't include processing costs when purchased initially.

Black top & bottom - no processing included;
Red top & bottom - processing is included.

Had some customers get caught when they returned from a US trip by this - black top & bottom, meant they had to pay (of course they got the film for a song originally!), but they were none-too-pleased about it. Of course the actual box stated this, but most people probably wouldn't have even bothered to read that.

lxdude · Aug 17, 2013

Please note: the OP has gone ahead and started the same thread in the forum suggested by David Grenet.

ozphoto · Aug 17, 2013

Also note, that AU Kodachrome had red on the top and bottom of the actual film can, to indicate that processing had been paid when purchased (and stated as such on the actual can too). The US version usually had black top & bottom, as there were labs other than Kodak, that could process it.

Black top & bottom - no processing included;
Red top & bottom - processing is included.

Had some customers get caught when they returned from a US trip by this - black top & bottom, meant they had to pay (of course they got the film for a song originally!), but they were none-too-pleased about it. Of course the actual box stated this, but most people probably wouldn't have even bothered to read that.

If you do a quick Google image search for Kodachrome, you'll get a lot of pictures of boxes, film cans and the actual storage cans too; I actually like the screw-top ones - they were rather funky!!

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=k...gei2YCQCg&sqi=2&ved=0CEYQsAQ&biw=1279&bih=680

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 17, 2013

Threads merged.

septim · Aug 17, 2013

David A. Goldfarb said:
Threads merged.

Thanks

railwayman3 · Aug 17, 2013

Kodachrome sold process-paid in the UK contained an instruction sheet with a few technical details and a long list of Kodak processing labs in, maybe, 12-15 countries. Also a paper mailing envelope, in the Kodak yellow. Up to the 1960's the mailing envelope was fabric, neatly machine stitched.

sepiareverb · Aug 17, 2013

Never saw that red-end cassette, in the US we could buy mailers for pre-paid processing. I used to drop them in a mailbox while on the road and have slides to view when I got home.

septim · Aug 17, 2013

ozphoto said:
If you do a quick Google image search for Kodachrome, you'll get a lot of pictures of boxes, film cans and the actual storage cans too; I actually like the screw-top ones - they were rather funky!!

I do like them too, unfortunately however those screw top cans seem to be a bit of a collectors item now? As for the pictures of the actual cassettes found with a Google image search there seem to be no good pictures documenting the entire outside of a single Kodachrome cassette?. Any advice as to what era Kodachrome I should be focusing on? It would be nice to be able to use real Kodachrome for this video, however I have never even SEEN a roll of Kodachrome in person let alone shot one so that is why I need to recreate the product in as much detail as possible.

Tim Gray · Aug 17, 2013

Here's what I got. I bought this film after it had been opened from it's box; I can't vouch for the originality of it's container. However, the canister does say select just like the top of the container. It's Kodachrome 25. I seem to recall Kodachrome 64 looking being the same near the end, but I can't vouch for that. This is in the US.

Sorry if you were asking for something else and I misunderstood.

septim · Aug 17, 2013

Hi Tim

I don't suppose you could please post some more shots of that cassette from different angles?

septim

AgX · Aug 18, 2013

septim, first decide the period that fake-commercial is to be situated. Then adopt your style of cinematography to that period.
Try to buy or loan a cassette/canister/box out of that period.

Don't be over enthusiastic over Kodachrome. Despite its historical importance it is just a film.
Don't forget that many manufacturers once made films of the same technology.

septim · Aug 18, 2013

Okay, so the mock commercial is to be situated in about 2002 (I got my hands on an empty box with a develop by date of Oct '02 printed on it). The film in the plastic canister and the film in the cardboard box are going to just be rolls of Kodak Max I have laying around (because no-one will be able to tell what film it actually is). For shots where the film is in the camera I have a Kodak Max cassette that I saved while processing that I will bulk load some film into (and then later shoot). The main problem is the roll of Kodachrome where the cassette is visible, because everything else can be done with rolls of Kodak Max or bulk loaded rolls I am now focusing on getting a roll (hopefully). I should have clarified that the over-enthusiasim over Kodachrome is only because the music to be featured in the mock commercial is the Paul Simons song Kodachrome and not because I am a major Kodachrome fan-boy (I only like 2 Kodak films - Tmax and Tri-X)

For such a useless film it seems to be selling for an awfully large amount of money on the internet?

David Grenet · Aug 18, 2013

How authentic are you trying to be? You see, the base side of Kodachrome actually looked darker than other films as it had a remjet backing. It's seriously unlikely that anyone would notice that sort of detail, but I guess you never know.

Btw I still have a couple of rolls I never got around to shooting but I have no idea where they are. If they turn up in the near future I'll let you know...

Tim Gray · Aug 18, 2013

septim said:
Hi Tim

I don't suppose you could please post some more shots of that cassette from different angles?

septim

Sure, I'll try to take a few more pics later.

MartinP · Aug 18, 2013

Buy a roll on ebay, then sell it again when you have finished your video.

For ideas, you could find examples from the other zillion people who have made a similar video . . .

How much are the licensing costs for that song I wonder?

AgX · Aug 18, 2013

I wonder if people now doing a project at school still know about music licensing.
Maybe over here. A lot of videos at Youtube had ben banned because of neglected music(!) licencing. A n immense amount of fees had been claimed for illegal music download.

Photo Engineer · Aug 18, 2013

Here is one of the last ads for Kodachrome. It was about 1990.

PE

Truzi · Aug 18, 2013

Slightly OT, but am I the only one who felt Paul Simon's song may have been an euphemism about certain drugs?

AgX · Aug 18, 2013

Kodak never would have allowed such...

lxdude · Aug 18, 2013

There was not much they could have done about it.

Details needed about Kodachrome Film.

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