Inside the Facility Where Kodak Brings Film Back to Life Welcome back, Ektachrome!

[MattKing]

I thought this was an informative article: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/inside-the-facility-where-kodak-brings-film-back-to-life

 

[runswithsizzers]

Thanks! Very interesting! It's inspiring that Kodak engineers are able to manage the technology needed produce film on this scale, but also somewhat scary to see the complexity. So many opportunities for things to go wrong.

 

[AgX]

Basically all the big film plants look the same, down to the fire station.
,
As the article hints at it: what happened with the sold power plant? (At Agfa the chimney/water tower has monument status.)

 

[peter k.]

Wooo... Holy enchilada .. The coating process:
.--- "... facility sits on a steel-reinforced concrete slab that reaches 100 feet below the ground, all the way to bedrock, negating any ambient vibration that could cause coating inconsistencies."

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'd love to go on a tour there! Thanks for posting, Matt.

 

[Agulliver]

And people expect Film Ferrania to produce a similar product in mere months......the manufacturing process is both complex and precise. Nice little article.

 

[Burninfilm]

Well... it was originally Film Ferrania that thought they could produce something similar in a few months...

Apparently people shouldn’t have believed what a group of former photographic film manufacturing personnel were saying about their own efforts to produce photographic film...

 

[wyofilm]

Thanks for posting, Matt.

+1

(Don't despair Ferrania - you have an eager cadre of buyers waiting.)

 

[Agulliver]

Well... it was originally Film Ferrania that thought they could produce something similar in a few months...

Apparently people shouldn’t have believed what a group of former photographic film manufacturing personnel were saying about their own efforts to produce photographic film...

By all the gods.....we know the story, know that they were in a position to make one run of E6 film until the government cut off their power, discovered asbestos and constructed a road through the Ferrania campus.

 

[Burninfilm]

In a "position" for one E6 film run in four different formats (35mm, 120, Super 8, and 16mm)? Here we are over 2 years after their little run of P30 black & white film in just 35mm. And still nothing other than that one small run of P30 in 35mm.

Is it really possible that Ferrania would have ever delivered on their original promise even if they had never encountered those challenges? Keep in mind that Ferrania's original plan from fully-funded-Kickstarter to shipping the 1st batch of "Ferraniachrome" in 35mm, 120, Super 8, and 16mm was about 6 months. If you read about all of their challenges in getting that 35mm P30 actually into cassettes and shipped out to buyers, it makes one wonder if Ferrania was fully aware of what they were committing to in their Kickstarter. Anyway, I was just pointing out that people aren't simply making up these ridiculous timelines for Ferrania production... Ferrania has been the ones making the timelines and predictions. They have just simply never met them.

Kodak had some delays getting their Ektachrome out too, so it's obviously challenging producing this type of product, no doubt about that.

 

[cmacd123]

? Keep in mind that Ferrania's original plan from fully-funded-Kickstarter to shipping the 1st batch of "Ferraniachrome" in 35mm, 120, Super 8, and 16mm was about 6 months. If you read about all of their challenges in getting that 35mm P30 actually into cassettes and shipped out to buyers, it makes one wonder if Ferrania was fully aware of what they were committing to in their Kickstarter. .

the original plan assumed that they could make that "last run" using left over materials and the existing laboratory and then do all the Planed changes to get the new factory built with parts from the now demolished buildings.

The new plan seems to be to do all the changes and then Ramp up film production. I have been told that we will be amazed, and My fingers are crossed that we will be.

 

[MattKing]

Folks...
Does this discussion need to be in this thread? How about moving it to the Ferrania magnum opus instead - feel free to link back here if you do.

 

[laser]

For more info see: www.makingKODAKfilm.com


www.makingKODAKfilm.com

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Folks...
Does this discussion need to be in this thread? How about moving it to the Ferrania magnum opus instead - feel free to link back here if you do.

+1

 

[MattKing]

For more info see: www.makingKODAKfilm.com


www.makingKODAKfilm.com

I have the first edition of Bob's "Making Kodak Film" book, and it is great.
It is a lot more detailed than the link (but longer too).

 

[mshchem]

Matt,
Thanks for posting this. Kodak and Kodak Alaris are doing some very good work for us film fans.

Please folks stay focused on the Kodak part of this story. I developed a roll of TMY 2 from my old 1st generation fuji 617 tonight, in XTOL, Kodak chemistry from start to a final couple of drops of photo flo.
Kodak still makes absolute magic everyday.

Really looking forward to running some 120 Ektachrome through it's paces.
Best Regards Mike

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Matt,
Thanks for posting this. Kodak and Kodak Alaris are doing some very good work for us film fans.

Please folks stay focused on the Kodak part of this story. I developed a roll of TMY 2 from my old 1st generation fuji 617 tonight, in XTOL, Kodak chemistry from start to a final couple of drops of photo flo.
Kodak still makes absolute magic everyday.

Really looking forward to running some 120 Ektachrome through it's paces.
Best Regards Mike

Their TMY-2 film is outstanding. Now if they'd only bring back HIE or something similar, I'd be THRILLED!