The Death of Film – A Dream

Robin Harrison

Robin Harrison

aka Harrison Cronbi
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I had a dream last night that can only be about the death of film. Myself and a group of photographers – some young, some old – met in the foyer of a shiny skyscraper. Me were introduced to a besuited a host who led us into a lift, then a cable car that took us diagonally downwards to the base of another skyscraper that was still under construction, all exposed girders and empty spaces. Another lift ride up, we found ourselves on a floor which was bare, just plasterboard walls and hanging clear plastic. It reminded me of something from Die Hard.

We each took a seat around a table, and constructed our own mini pyre from a dozen or so rolls of Tri-X. The cardboard boxes formed a sort of tinder pyramid, and the rolls of film were placed atop. Only then was it explained that this was more of a suicide cult. We would each light our fires, and the fumes given off by the burning silver emulsion would render us peacefully unconscious, then kill us, like carbon monoxide. As the flames started to lick, one of the photographers said he would like to die with his favourite lenses next to him. Everyone agreed this was a wonderful idea, and I started to work out which lenses I should honour, eventually deciding upon the Leica 35mm pre-asph Summilux, and the 50/75/150mm trio for the Mamiya 6. But as we rose to grab them from our camera bags, the host got agitated and tried to stop us, eventually admitting that the lenses had already been confiscated and were no longer ours.

It all gets a bit hazy after that. I remember feeling drowsy, and something about a bell tower.

The End.

(Was so crazy and vivid, had to write it down. Also put it on my blog at http://www.cronbi.com/2011/10/14/the-death-of-film-a-dream/)


Or on second thoughts...was the dream about death BY film? Or being over fond of lenses? Anyone care to interpret?
 
Truly fascinating Robin - that's sincere, I can tell it's a real dream.

I have to respond with my own dream - last year I developed a strange desire to take up film, and discovered to my pain that my decades-old Canon SLR was apparently lost forever.

Then I had this dream: I was in a photo shop, where I was to take a course in film. It was dimly lit but "luminous". There were stairs to the basement where the class would be held. I approached a man at the counter, and said "but I don't have a film camera". He replied "I'll be pleased to help you with that".

From that day on I absolutely needed to acquire a film camera - it has been rapidly downhill from there.

I think my dream is pretty easy to interpret - at this point in my life I need to take up film! Maybe yours is reflecting an inner emotional attachment (even sacred feel?) to the material stuff of your chosen avocation. Your film and lenses are holy objects, chosen to be the only things you "take" with you into the next world.

Except for that trickster figure who swiped them - what's he about?

You haven't been obsessing about film vs. digital, have you? ;-)

Randy
 
Very interesting dream, Randy. I hope that guy sorted you out with a good camera.

(As an aside, but perhaps deeply indicative of my materialistic tendencies from as early age, I remember a recurring dream whereby I would acquire exciting toys and end up in my bedroom placing them on a certain shelf so they would hopefully be there when I woke up).

I'm not sure it is purely about death, irrespective of photography. But I can't decide if it's about the death accompanying the death of film, or death cased by film.

Yes - I've been having a huge inner monologue film/digital debate lately, and I have no idea which way my subconscious is telling me to swing!
 
Robin Harrison said:
Yes - I've been having a huge inner monologue film/digital debate lately, and I have no idea which way my subconscious is telling me to swing!
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29 years old, have an MP with all those cool lenses, & your having inner thoughts of which way to go!!!😱 Find a priest, (preferably an ordained dudeist priest like myself) 😀 & have those 'evil digital demons' cast out of you man!!!😉
 
Robin Harrison said:
Very interesting dream, Randy. I hope that guy sorted you out with a good camera.

...
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Yes! Just see my signature line .

Robin Harrison said:
I'm not sure it is purely about death, irrespective of photography. But I can't decide if it's about the death accompanying the death of film, or death cased by film.

Yes - I've been having a huge inner monologue film/digital debate lately, and I have no idea which way my subconscious is telling me to swing!
Click to expand...

Death in dreams is usually about change, not physical death. So I suspect the dream refers more to your inner dialogue about film vs digital.

The agent of change (your host) is clearly a shady sort - he wants to confiscate your lenses!

A psychoanalyst would suggest you free-associate around the image of the host (what does he do with the lenses?) - then seek virtual exorcism by a druid priest.

Randy
 
I think you should mount your favorite lens and photograph a burning pyre of tri-x boxes and canisters (empty of course) with digital and film and compare the result.
 
Hey, I also had a dream about film the other night. But this was after watching some of season one of Sliders - TV show about travel to parallel Earth's. Cheesy a bit, but cool concept. Anyway, in my dream I slid to an Earth that hadn't discovered digital photography yet. And there was film everywhere!
 
This dream could be a warning that your photography and preoccupation with film and lenses etc. is taking you "down" into a dangerous place of death, poisonous gas and a mysterious figure who could be your dark side.
 
In most circles, sharing dreams is considered "too much information". Shows how supportive RFF is !

Just curious, was the dream in B & W or color? What type of film would you say the dream was shot in?

The dream,for one thing, got you to think about what your favorite lens is; another is the sense (at least to me) of how these days many great lenses are being sought after and owned by people who want them for their digital camera, who may not have had experience with film at all, while the original medium that the great lenses were intended for, film, seems to be cast aside to die.
 
HLing said:
... somewhat snarky comments cut ;-) ...

The dream,for one thing, got you to think about what your favorite lens is; another is the sense (at least to me) of how these days many great lenses are being sought after and owned by people who want them for their digital camera, who may not have had experience with film at all, while the original medium that the great lenses were intended for, film, seems to be cast aside to die.
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That is very perceptive!

The "host" in the OP's dream is scarfing the lenses for the digital world, and leaving the film users (and their emulsions) to die. I think you have made an interesting observation.

Randy
 
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