kodak spokesman says film here to stay

[dan denmark]

on Australian ABC Lateline last night there was an interview with a US Kodak marketing spokesman talking a LOT about Kodak's place in the inevitable digital world, keeping up, leading the pack, etc. however the Aussie interviewer asked point blank, will kodak continue to make film and the answer was a solid three letter "yes." then he went into a diatribe about movie stock, etc, but went back to the consumer supply of street-level camera film acknowledging it's archival role in imaging.

so there you have it... a US marketing exec on Aussie latenight government-owned television. can't get much more reliable than that!

-dd

 

[JRG]

Well, in the immortal words of Mandy Rice-Davies,

He would, wouldn't he?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandy_Rice-Davies

 

[jan normandale]

Now I'm really getting nervous....

 

[dan denmark]

like your flickr shots, jan.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Jan, why? It's good news on the surface. Besides, just consider that all this happens while the weather and the Earth are getting progressively warmer, there are two more storms brewing in the Atlantic as I write this, and the elections in the US are just a couple of months away, while the constant traffic of cars, trucks and other vehicles keeps polluting the atmosphere, prices keep going up, salaries down, and my cats don't help with chores.

Huh? 🙂

 

[chris00nj]

I agree that it'll be around for a while, but the marketing exec kinda has to say that it will even if he knows it won't. If he says, we're going to abandon film in the near future, then even more people may switch to digital. People who were thinking about getting that Bessa may now think twice.

It's the same reason why the President (and any President) has to say that the economy isn't going into a recession. If the President says it, then people will stop spending money, which will hurt economic activity and accelerate the movement into the recession.

 

[amateriat]

I just smile and nod, then go out and buy another brick or two of the stuff. That's the only "vote of confidence" that matters in all this, IMO.


- Barrett

 

[hexar_hp5]

It's like in football, the proper stuff, the one you play with your feet. When the board come out in support of the manager, he's in for the chop a couple of days afterwards.

Does it really matter what a marketing guy says? Does anyone really trust them?

Enjoy film while it's around. If you really enjoy it stock up on it and shoot as much of it as you can. If you don't like it or are worried about the film cameras you have losing all value, dump them and run to digital.

For me I still have a couple of bulk rolls of hp5 in the freezer and some of that freestyle 'trix' on the way.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

on Australian ABC Lateline last night there was an interview with a US Kodak marketing spokesman talking a LOT about Kodak's place in the inevitable digital world, keeping up, leading the pack, etc. however the Aussie interviewer asked point blank, will kodak continue to make film and the answer was a solid three letter "yes."

Saying "yes" to film production does not impress me. What kind of film? Transparency? B&W? Medium format? In what quantities? And at what price?

Saying "yes" when it is exactly what your audience wants to hear, often means "maybe" or flat out "no" in the not-to-distant future when the bottom line is at stake.

When the movie industry inevitably moves away from film stock, consumer film availability is sure to be effected.

In other words, I would take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I just smile and nod, then go out and buy another brick or two of the stuff. That's the only "vote of confidence" that matters in all this, IMO.- Barrett

Barrett: you spoke a parable there. Kodak will keep selling film as long as it adds to the bottom line. When it begins to negatively impact the bottom line they will quit. As an investor in Kodak (through mutual funds) I do not have a problem with that.

 

[charjohncarter]

I hope this is true. I don't even care anymore how much it costs, just so I can buy it. I just bought some Polaroid peel apart film. The average cost was over a dollar a frame. But I don't care, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my life.

 

[Ray Nalley]

Didn't Kodak assure everyone it was solidly behind B&W paper just a short time before they discontinued it?

 

[Keith]

I have to admit ... to me company execs are much like politicians and will say whatever is necessary in front of a camera to keep the media and the population happy.

Our dictatorial former State Premier Joe Bjelke Petersen use to arrogantly refer to it as ... "feeding the chooks!'

(a 'chook' is a chicken here in Oz) 😛

 

[dryice66]

no real surprises there. If the PR guy briefed him properly - the natural answer is yes.
Assuming the marketing guy also knows his figures - then he knows they're still making money. Yes, wait and see... enjoy it while you can - keep shooting.
My guess is that it will be around for some time to come. If not Kodak, then someone else....

 

[infrequent]

i could care less about kodak. i have faith in the japanese populace to keep fujifilm viable.

 

[Arvay]

i could care less about kodak. i have faith in the japanese populace to keep fujifilm viable.

And I love Kodak films...

 

[jan normandale]

dan denmark, thanks :- )

Francisco, yeah sure blame the cats ;D

Richard, LMAO! I'm saving that link

FWIW, I got a phone call from my supplier/pusher, I'm heading over to pick up a load of TriX 120 that just came in. Get it while you can!