Kodak keeping film production.

[pbromaghin]

It makes no sense that there is no value in the right to sell a product that most of the world believes no longer exists? In a dealer network and distribution system that has been all but wrecked?

 

[zsas]

^But aren't Freestyle's and Lomo's house brands a direct example that a market does exist?

What if one of them or maybe Formulary bought the name too?

 

[Hatchetman]

The Wall Street Journal estimated annual sales of the consumer film and associated businesses at $1.3 billion. There is some value there.

 

[removed account4]

Good news! I just hope they don't jack up the price.

traditionally they raise their prices at least once a year by about 15%.
in 10 years 4x5 tmy sheet film has more than doubled in price
from 64$ / 100 sheets to 75+$ / 50 sheets ...

i have no idea what the news means, maybe the pr person from the other thread
can help us understand what it means, other than they will no longer sell off their film
division, except for industrial films, but sell it all off all at once to whoever might want to buy it.

 

[SkipA]

I can't help but feel a little disappointed by this news. I would much rather see Kodak film become an Ilford than continue be part of a corporate monolith which is focused on other things. Personally, I'd still like to see the film line bought out and marketed/developed as it should be.

I do think Kodak, considering the circumstances have done an amazing job (Ektar, the new Portras), but I wonder how much of that is *despite* the management, not because of it.

I am disappointed too. I would like to see the film manufacturing in the hands of the new company, along with the coating facility, related patents, brand names, and marketing, supply, and support responsibility. I would have liked to see Kodak contract with the new company to make its movie film. Leaving the film manufacturing to Kodak makes the new company wholly dependent upon Kodak's continued viability, and a slave to its pricing.

 

[NB23]

Ko(nfusion)dak strikes again.

IMO it's a lie, a shill, made expressly to calm some people down so the sale can be more effective.
After all, we've been used to kodak lying and self-destroying itself for the past decade. It's about the last company I'll trust, after all they've done.

But still, I love their products.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Ko(nfusion)dak strikes again.

IMO it's a lie, a shill, made expressly to calm some people down so the sale can be more effective.
After all, we've been used to kodak lying and self-destroying itself for the past decade. It's about the last company I'll trust, after all they've done.

But still, I love their products.

Do you have a fact based reason for your opinion or is it based on what you had for breakfast today? Keep it fact based, not based on what you would like to believe or as Sargent Friday said, "Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragnet_(series)

 

[pbromaghin]

Leaving the film manufacturing to Kodak makes the new company wholly dependent upon Kodak's continued viability, and a slave to its pricing.

Bingo! That's why I don't see that much value, even with $1.5b current sales. What business wants to be stuck with a single supplier?

 

[NB23]

Do you have a fact based reason for your opinion or is it based on what you had for breakfast today? Keep it fact based, not based on what you would like to believe or as Sargent Friday said, "Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragnet_(series)

What'S this "facts only" thing?
Google anything you want to know about Kodak and its management.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

What'S this "facts only" thing?
Google anything you want to know about Kodak and its management.

Google!?
Is it so that you might believe Google to be truth and gospel, a first stop to garner facts, especially from a complex quagmire that is Kodak? Or anything? That's a very dangerous route to take. You could try talking directly with people at the top of Kodak, but given the mire they are in I doubt they are amenable to sweet-talking the public with factual reassurances.

 

[NB23]

Google!?
Is it so that you might believe Google to be truth and gospel, a first stop to garner facts, especially from a complex quagmire that is Kodak? Or anything? That's a very dangerous route to take. You could try talking directly with people at the top of Kodak, but given the mire they are in I doubt they are amenable to sweet-talking the public with factual reassurances.

You guys are really funny, trying to counter-attack at all cost, about anything.

Look at what Kodak has become. Now what do you want from me exactly? Like if the abrupt E6 termination wasn't enough you are asking for more?

I said it and I'll say it again: I don't trust kodak. Too many fine products gone, too many management errors. Now what?

 

[nickrapak]

You guys are really funny, trying to counter-attack at all cost, about anything.

Look at what Kodak has become. Now what do you want from me exactly? Like if the abrupt E6 termination wasn't enough you are asking for more?

I said it and I'll say it again: I don't trust kodak. Too many fine products gone, too many management errors. Now what?

What makes the E-6 termination abrupt? The fact that we didn't know they were discontinuing the film before they discontinued the film? IIRC, the Kodak announcement said in March that there was 6 months of stock remaining. Now, look at Adorama's site. They still have E100VS in 135 and 120, and E100G in 120 and 8x10. Kodak knew what sales figures were, and they calculated their discontinuation notices accordingly so that photographers who use that stock have the time to either stock up or test a new stock.

Would you rather have Fuji's discontinuation process? From my experience, it goes a little like this: Photographer: "Hey, this film is out of stock" Fuji: "Oh, yeah, that's been discontinued permanently" At least Kodak gives us some sort of warning.

 

[Pioneer]

You guys are really funny, trying to counter-attack at all cost, about anything.

Look at what Kodak has become. Now what do you want from me exactly? Like if the abrupt E6 termination wasn't enough you are asking for more?

I said it and I'll say it again: I don't trust kodak. Too many fine products gone, too many management errors. Now what?

Really it is you that is slightly amusing sometimes. Googling something has somehow become synonymous with "truth." Never mind that the majority of what you read on the internet is unconfirmed rumor. People still suck it up like it is a fact.

No, I was wrong. Now that I think a little more about it, it really isn't amusing at all. Instead it is a little sad and more than a little disturbing. We have become so accustomed to seeing a steady flow of words on the internet that we have reached the point that many, many people take it for fact. Instead of requiring confirmation we now accept someone else's rumor as being "truth."

 

[Sirius Glass]

What'S this "facts only" thing?
Google anything you want to know about Kodak and its management.

You will not learn about Kodak's or any company's internal management from Google.

Exactly what do you not trust? If they are losing money on a product line, you do not trust that they will shut it down? If they are making money on a product line, you do not trust that they will keep it running? When Kodak shut down Kodachrome, HIE, and Ektachrome there was at least six months supply available, did you miss the announcement and therefore do not trust Kodak?

If you think that you can run Kodak better than it is run now, how about sending your resume to them?

 

[NB23]

Are you guys serious? Or are you guys really, really, really wanting me to trust that company?

I don't get this argumentation.

 

[NB23]

You will not learn about Kodak's or any company's internal management from Google.

Exactly what do you not trust? If they are losing money on a product line, you do not trust that they will shut it down? If they are making money on a product line, you do not trust that they will keep it running? When Kodak shut down Kodachrome, HIE, and Ektachrome there was at least six months supply available, did you miss the announcement and therefore do not trust Kodak?

If you think that you can run Kodak better than it is run now, how about sending your resume to them?

Well, you surely know-it-all, eh? Why don't you run kodak? Maybe are you too busy making millions elsewhere?

Me, as a simple consumer, I don't trust that company anymore. Please don't lose too much energy and smartassness trying to prove me that it's a fine company and all that stuff. My mind set.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Are you guys serious? Or are you guys really, really, really wanting me to trust that company?

I don't get this argumentation.

I don't think they are asking you to trust Kodak. I think they are asking you to not trust everything you might read on the Intenet about Kodak.

Very good advice, that. Always remember, the Internet is not a peer-reviewed resource.

Ken

 

[Sirius Glass]

Well said Ken. The drift of the thread has been in that direction. I guess that sometimes it needs to be clearly stated.

 

[Paul Howell]

CNN reported on Firday that Fox will stop distubting film by the end of 2013, the other studios are expected to follow. Wounder how this will impact Kodak?

 

[SkipA]

Probably Kodak already knows this, and that might be why they contracted with Hollywood to supply motion picture film only through 2015.

 

[Paul Howell]

Probably Kodak already knows this, and that might be why they contracted with Hollywood to supply motion picture film only through 2015.

At which point all Kodak color film may cease production, I dont know if Kodak can keep coating film without motion picture film. A lot of small towns are going to lose their theaters as the owners may have trouble affording digital projectors. And I wounder about 2nd and 3rd world markets.

 

[Felinik]

At which point all Kodak color film may cease production, I dont know if Kodak can keep coating film without motion picture film. A lot of small towns are going to lose their theaters as the owners may have trouble affording digital projectors. And I wounder about 2nd and 3rd world markets.

I think we are far from that point, it'll take more than two years to change an old reliable standard worldwide. But in a longer perspective, yes, it wont last forever.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

and never,ever let Tmax die. it is the best film ever

 

[Brac]

As I understand it, film is still required to archive digital movies, as the studios recognise this is a prudent course. Also there are various institutions using film to archive films originally made on nitrate stock, so presumably movie film, both colour & black & white, is still going to be needed for all this activity?

 

[Diapositivo]

As I understand it, film is still required to archive digital movies, as the studios recognise this is a prudent course. Also there are various institutions using film to archive films originally made on nitrate stock, so presumably movie film, both colour & black & white, is still going to be needed for all this activity?

Yes, the problem, as outlined in other threads, is whether this small amount of film coating will be enough to sustain film production especially at Kodak where film coating machines only coat film IIRC. Fujifilm uses the same machines to coat film and paper and that makes the issue less bad.

Archiving requires only a few copies for each movie. The entire analogue movie production requires a lot of film for the capture (which is much more than what if mounted in the final cut), and especially a lot of film for the duplication of the many hundreds of copies which are required for the distribution to analogue movie theatres. If you export the film and this has to be translated in another language (or needs superimposition of subtitles) you have to make new copies for each market. In the old days, there would also be some conversion into 16mm movie to rent for home theatre projections or similar.

The advent of digital movie theatres risks to reduce film consumption to maybe the capture phase, and then maybe the backup copy phase, which is much less film produced and consumed than what used to be.