FERRANIA FILM is looking for backers to restart FILM production - Only 28 days left !

jkrumsick said:
I think we'll have options as long as there's a market for it. The market may need to "right size" itself and it surely will.

I wonder if Fuji would invest more into film production if Kodak films would get out of the market.
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I doubt it. Fuji makes tons of money on things other than film now. Even if Kodak disappeared completely they'd more than likely still axe film. They're making money elsewhere.
 
jkrumsick said:
I think we'll have options as long as there's a market for it. The market may need to "right size" itself and it surely will.

I wonder if Fuji would invest more into film production if Kodak films would get out of the market.
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Fuji is already a long time going out of the market. Each year they have less emulsions.
 
What a great project! I'm in for 2 rolls of 120.... I followed the Impossible 'Polaroid' project from its start too, and bought some 'experimental' films in the early days, that were not that great....now though they are producing some very usable and innovative products.
 
Project is almost 90% funded with three weeks to go! But I'm worried we're gonna get complacent now, and expect others to do the job. Keep spreading the word and try to get bloggers and online magazines to mention the project!
Let's keep the momentum going, and get 8000 backers before the deadline!
 
As others have noted, it's a lot closer but not there yet. If you haven't signed on, perhaps think about doing so. A "new" producer of film at what seems like the right scale of production for current and future demand (but who can tell?) seems worth supporting to me.
4,025
Backers

$226,619
pledged of $250,000 goal

20
days to go

...Mike
 
Something occurred to me (yeah yeah I know, I'm slow.)
When Eastman Kodak finally poops out these guys could be the savior and last supplier of 35mm and 16mm movie film.
 
Just ticked over $230,000!

Keep passing the word - just a bit further to go!

Based on the pledges so far, I wonder if they will reduce the number of 8mm and 16mm films and instead cut more 35mm and 120?
 
jkrumsick said:
Fuji having less emulsions is not the same as having no emulsions. If they wanted to get out completely, they would.
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So true. Fuji is the last high-quality E6 film manufacturer, with no ifs or buts about their films still in production and really hope those guys are encouraged.

Ferrania I see as more of a something of a filling gap between lo-fi LOMO, medium Rollei and high-end Fuji films with according pricing, plus more variety to the market, including the much welcomed 8S & 16mm cine. But in 35mm and 120 format terms I really hope it doesn't steal any support from Fuji E6 market since Scotch slide film the Ferrania resurrects never was as excellent performer as Fuji slides have always been known for. Scotch slide was more like a "supermarket" slide film in comparison: cheap, not bad but nowhere near Fuji in quality. Ferrania says they've modernized the old Scotch emulsion, so if it fits between the likes of Fuji and Rollei then both price and quality terms then hopefully they've found their market share and benefits us all analog shooters.
 
I wonder whether, by encouraging Ferrania, we might cut the demand for Kodak and Fuji, thereby hastening their decision to cut film altogether.

Just wondering.

rjstep3
 
possible but i'd say unlikely. ferrarania is a much smaller company, likely able to respond better to changing market conditions unlike the behemoth that was (and to a lesser degree still is) kodak. their problem was the massive-capacity manufacturing had no way to scale down -- ferrania aims to address this.

besides, Tri-X is forever, and Fuji's slide film is undisputed champion. it would be a pretty exceptional case for ferrania to suddenly take a significant chunk of their market-share. ilford seems to be chugging along fine, so it isn't like it's impossible, the size just needs to be kept in check.
 
rjstep3 said:
I wonder whether, by encouraging Ferrania, we might cut the demand for Kodak and Fuji, thereby hastening their decision to cut film altogether.

Just wondering.
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I think if we try really hard we can find some nuggets of negativity in this project. I mean every time a new digital camera comes out everyone starts worrying that more choice and higher customer visibility means the market is going to crash - lots of wringing of hands and wailing along the lines of: "please please don't give us more stuff to choose from! Just keep it to one or two cameras. And don't develop anything new or exciting!"

An alternative scenario is: this is going to raise a real positive flag about film use and film support. It has the capacity to raise interest and engagement on a broader scale, and show people there really is a future in film. It can reinvigorate the whole film market, and it's a marker against those who preach that film cameras - even Leicas - will be dust-gathering worthless artifacts sitting on thrift-store shelves in just ten years' time (this view was expounded by an 'expert' on RFF, and broadly defended by other members).

I'm going to continue buying Kodak Portra for most of my photography, but I'd gladly see a whole range of other films which I could use alongside it, and which my kids can try in 20 year's time.

PS: sorry if I sound too strident in this post - but I really think we should stay positive about this project. All the traditional hand-wringing and angst about film's 'decline' ends up as a self-fulfilling prophesy, and I don't see the point in looking for the smallest crumbs of negativity in this endeavor. Naturally just imo.
 
rjstep3 said:
I wonder whether, by encouraging Ferrania, we might cut the demand for Kodak and Fuji, thereby hastening their decision to cut film altogether.

Just wondering.

rjstep3
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Kodak has already killed off all of their slide films. They stand to lose nothing at all to Ferrania because they've already cut themselves 100% out of the market.

Fuji decided they didn't need to sell consumer priced slide film, so they have already cut themselves out of the market too.

Ferrania won't be making black and white so they're no threat in that segment. If they decide to restart production of C-41 films I doubt they could do much damage to Kodak or Fuji either. That market has shrunk considerably with Fuji taking up whatever little was left of the store-brand market that Ferrania used to cater to. Perhaps they would be a factory for Lomography to turn to, but perhaps not. Kodak seems likely to be selling most of their "drugstore" C-41 in the form of single-use cameras, which Ferrania won't be making.

So in practical terms, Ferrania is not competing with either Kodak or Fuji on any meaningful level. They're providing a product the others aren't interested in making.
 
mani said:
An alternative scenario is: this is going to raise a real positive flag about film use and film support. It has the capacity to raise interest and engagement on a broader scale, and show people there really is a future in film.

...I really think we should stay positive about this project. All the traditional hand-wringing and angst about film's 'decline' ends up as a self-fulfilling prophesy, and I don't see the point in looking for the smallest crumbs of negativity in this endeavor. Naturally just imo.
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Agreed. Stay positive - it's the only way to live :)

I'm certain that the Ferrania team is thrilled at the response so far from film fans. Christmas came early this year.
 
If we push hard there's a real possibility we can get the project over the target this weekend!

I just upgraded earlier, but now I really can't afford to contribute any extra. But if we spread the word, and upgrade our pledges as far as we can, then the project will just blow past the target and beyond!

Let's keep film alive!! :)
 
Down to the last $10,000 - but not there yet. It would be a crying shame to miss from here...
4,259
Backers

$240,130
pledged of $250,000 goal

18
days to go



...Mike
 
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