The show must go on: Can Kodak movie film be saved at the urging of the Hollywood greats?

 

 

Like it or not, digital imaging has erased film from most of our lives. There are still some who still hang onto film, though, whether for nostalgia or for its remaining benefits over digital. The same is true in Hollywood, where certain directors -- Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan and J. J. Abrams among their number -- still see the analog media as an important part of their creations.

And yet even in Hollywood, film is faced with an unsustainable situation. Fujifilm has already discontinued its film stock, and Kodak is on the verge of doing the same. And yet at the eleventh hour, it seems that an effort from Tarantino and company may yet save film -- for the time being, at least.

 

 

According to the Wall Street Journal, secret negotiations between Kodak and studios including Disney, Paramount, Universal, Warner and Weinstein could see a deal that would ensure Kodak isn't left supporting a loss-maker single-handed. The studios would commit to a multi-year deal requiring them to purchase a certain amount of film, whether or not they have productions planned to use it all. In return, Kodak would continue production of film, and hopefully break even in the process next year. (Right now, the company loses money on its film stock business.)

Whether you're a devoted film fan or a casual observer, there's no question that's good news for a medium that has captured so much of our history over the last century. Film has given us so much -- isn't it time we gave a little back?

 

 

(via The Verge. Film splicer image courtesy of Lisa Eglinton / Flickr; used under a Creative Commons CC-BY-2.0 license. Image has been modified from the original.)