nofilmschool » kodak

End of an Era: Fuji Officially Ends Production of Motion Picture Film

Dave Kendricken — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:59:01 +0000

It’s seems like an eternity (or a brief instant, maybe) since Ryan first posted about the cessation of major manufacturers’ development and production of motion picture film cameras, and not quite as long since Joe updated us on the all the more tenuous vitality of the only two companies actually making celluloid film, Kodak and Fuji. What’s been announced before is now an all-but-undeniable reality for Fuji, who have just confirmed the company’s plans to bring its production of motion picture film to a full, complete, and permanent dead halt. Read the full scoop below before the ink fully dries on this fairly somber confirmation. (more…)

Polaroid, Technicolor, Kodak: With the Branded Beast Extinct, What Becomes of the Brand?

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:29:21 +0000

In the whirlwind of hyperactive change that is Moore’s Law, branding can be a prime anchor point. Brand identity fights the tendency toward ‘the new’ with powerful invocations of the past: nostalgia, reliability, simplicity, and the association of that brand name with the creation of very dear memories. Granted, nostalgia alone can’t save anyone from bankruptcy — but it’s a start. Polaroid, Technicolor, and Kodak are prime examples of this interplay, and each is adapting in its own ways — though there’s some overlap. Not one, but two of these traditionally film-based companies are even releasing digital cameras. In whatever the way, each of the three is working toward the preservation of its own historic brand name — which do you think will pull through? (more…)

Kodak Lives! Company Will Likely Be out of Bankruptcy in 2013

Joe Marine — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:19:35 +0000

Kodak has been making motion picture film since the beginning of cinema, but earlier in 2012 it looked like the company was on its last legs. Fuji also announced last year that it would no longer be making motion picture at all, so 2012 very well could have been the end of celluloid as we knew it. But Kodak isn’t throwing in the towel yet, as a court decision has approved $844 million in financing from multiple deals and sources in order to emerge from bankruptcy sometime this year. (more…)

Kodak Not Down for the Count Yet, Announces a New Super 8mm Stock to Prove It

Joe Marine — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:15:36 +0000

Maybe things aren’t looking that bad for Kodak after all? The company looked like they were on the verge of collapse not too long ago, and by closing down some of its businesses and shuffling others around, it seems they may once again be solvent. Early last month they made a deal for interim and exit financing to continue functioning and finish reorganization (and leave Chapter 11) by the first half of next year. They’ve also introduced a brand new Super 8mm film stock — though you’ll have a difficult time actually finding a place to develop said film. (more…)

Fuji Ceasing Motion Picture Film Production, Kodak is on Life Support. Is Celluloid Done For?

Joe Marine — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:40:51 +0000

About a year ago, the last motion picture film camera rolled off the assembly line, marking a historic day in film history. Now we have Fujifilm deciding that it will no longer be producing motion picture film, and Kodak is continuing its bankruptcy proceedings, selling off its still photography division, and ending its printer business. Just five years ago, the idea that motion picture film may be going the way of the dinosaur was unimaginable. Sure, RED had come along and given us the first real glimpse of the true digital replacement, but the technology still seemed a long ways off. With the economic downturn — and certainly some mismanagement along the way — Kodak was the first to show signs of danger, and now Fuji sees the writing on the wall, and is getting out of the game before it’s too late. But what else will contribute to the demise of film? (more…)