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Kodak in the news...


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Pune: After setting up a film processing laboratory in New York, where all the laboratories had shut down, and acquiring another one in London, Kodak is all set to revive the infrastructure around film stock in India. Christian Richter, director (sales and marketing), Asia-Pacific, talks to TOI:



 

What brings you to India?


We see an analogue resurgence, which we call analogue renaissance, around the world. The climb of films that we have sold has reverted the trend and that is the trend that we want to bring to India. I have come here to study the market and talk to the stakeholders so that we can build required infrastructure around film and provide filmmakers with options that if there is digital cinematography, they can also go back to shooting on film. We already have a distributor in Mumbai. I am also here to see how film can be used as an archival medium. 



 

Why promote film after Kodak was dissolved in 2012?


Kodak went through quite challenging times as an overall company. The motion pictures part as well. It went into a chapter 11 in 2012 in the US. We had to reorganize and reshape the company. At that point in time, we saw a decline in films and we weren't quite sure where the decline stopped. So, at one point around 2013 and 2014, we were not sure if we can keep the factory going and if it will have enough use. What we have done is we have consolidated our footprint.

 

 



In India, we think we pulled out prematurely which sent a wrong message into the market. While in the background, when we reached out to the filmmakers in the world, we realised there is a big demand for film which gives us the option to provide a sustainable model. But this decision as far as India is concerned was wrong. So, now we have to reverse this process. We have to make sure that we can prepare an infrastructure that works for us and the filmmakers. We are going to have film laboratories and facilities you need. Film stock will be available at your fingertips.

 

 

 

 

 

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Does this mean I can hope to see Kodachrome on the market sometime in the future?

 

However, I also fear this could be a last gasp. I work in the graphic arts industry, 5 years ago Kodak had some of the largest booths at trade shows, two years ago they didn't even show up to the largest show in the USA. That does not bode well.

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Hello Mike,

 

As a long time user of Kodachrome 25, 40 & 64 as a preferred fiIm: I would like to see the return of a viable Kodachrome in the aforementioned varieties.

 

But there are some complexities:

 

Kodachrome was a small market percentage wise for Kodak.

 

Kodachrome is a different chemical system than either E-6 or C-41. 

 

Processing is many steps more than either E-6 or C-41. And the time, temperature, etc requirements must be more strictly maintained. No 1 hour mini-labs in the back room. 

 

Another factor is Ecological Viability: It is unclear whether or not Kodachrome can be produced & then processed within the guidelines of current pollution control regulations in an economically feasable manner.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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Michael

 

Much as I love Kodachrome, I understand your arguments above, I doubt we will ever see it again.

 

Unfortunately part of the problem is that Kodak is searching for sources of revenue simply to survive. Once film started dying they looked for alternate forms of income, they started investing in production digital imaging, which is my career. They have developed some impressive products, their Nexpress digital press has everything I look for in production printing equipment.

 

Last year I was looking for three printers for a department that produces 250k prints per month. I loved what Kodak has, but I won't buy from them because I don't know that they are going to be around in 3 years to service that equipment. Until they can convince the industry that they can survive they will struggle.

Edited by mikemgb
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Kodak were late to adapt to the decline of film usage, so went under, now they are late to adapt to the resurgence, so are behind. But it's good news overall. Just waiting now for somebody to tell us 'film is dead'.

 

 

Steve

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Hello Mike,

 

I think the film division of Kodak always made money. I think it was the other divisions such as copiers, etc where the problems were.

 

The market for film is much smaller nowadays than it was a while ago. None-the-less it might be possible for a Kodak based on film production to be viable. At least for a while.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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However it all unfolds, this is good news. 

 

I am not holding out any hope for (much lamented) Kodachrome. Producing the film was almost certainly much more complicated than C41, E6 or B&W film. The processing was wildly complicated - there were never more than a very few highly specialized labs that could do it. 

 

Too bad though - it was something special.

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Hello Mike,

 

I think the film division of Kodak always made money. I think it was the other divisions such as copiers, etc where the problems were.

 

The market for film is much smaller nowadays than it was a while ago. None-the-less it might be possible for a Kodak based on film production to be viable. At least for a while.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

If you look at the stock price of the "new" Kodak it went from $35 at the beginning of 2014 to a low of about $8 at the start of this year. Since then it has gone steadily up to almost $17. So something must be happening but I doubt it is due to significant profitability of the film division. I'm not sure this information is in their last annual report.

 

This has been mentioned before but Kodak said they had been losing money on their film division... " Kodak's CEO Jeff Clarke, who expects their film business to be profitable in 2016 after restructures and three quarters of breaking even in 2015 (which comes after losing $100 million a year for some time)."

Edited by AlanG
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Hello Alan,

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

When I said Kodak made money from its film business but not necessarily from copiers, etc: I was not writing about Kodak's situation recently but, rather, I was writing about its situation prior to its bankruptcy.

 

Sorry I wasn't clear about that.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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If you look at the stock price of the "new" Kodak it went from $35 at the beginning of 2014 to a low of about $8 at the start of this year. [... snip good stuff ...]

 

The stock market does not measure a company's viability unless you believe and behave upon that metric, and such is in the entirely pre-adolecent mentality of the market in general.

 

"Be afraid when the market is greedy. Be greedy when the market is afraid" - Warren Buffett.

It works for me.

 

Buy Kodak? If it does not hurt very much, then certainly.

.

Edited by pico
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