Indiegogo to support processing 1200 rolls of 1950s film...

[ChrisR]

Via DPreview, I found this Indiegogo campaign, where the rescued film project is trying to raise $15,000 to process around 1200 rolls of film shot by a single photographer in the 1950s and never processed. Not sure if I'll back it (we get nothing but access to the images later), but I thought it was interesting.

 

[robhooley167]

I've got a unopened bottle of Rodinal in the fridge they can have!

 

[srichards]

Are there any sample images? I'd want to know if they were any good first

 

[Asha]

I'm unable to get the link to work so therefore haven't read up on the campaign, nonetheless, I'm wondering if I'm missing something here as regards the amount of funding required to develop 1200 rolls of film.

15,000 dollars is approx 13,500 euros .....HC110 developer is approx 25 euros a bottle and in 'B' ( 1:31) solution uses like 10ml for each 35mm film.

That's 100 films from a bottle of concentrate, so to develop 1200 35mm rolls would use about 12 bottles at a total ( developer) cost of approx 300 euros / 340 dollars....stop and fixer costs are negligable., so which lab ( presumably) is making in excess of a thousand dollar profit?

Even if we're talking 120 format films, it still doesn't add up to the funding that is being requested.

 

[excalibur2]

Who in their right mind would use 1200 rolls of film and not get them developed, that would be 120 rolls/per year over 10 years (the fifties) so how many rolls of film did the guy get developed.....well if he shot 50,000 rolls and devloped them, what's 1200 rolls that he didn't bother.

 

[Asha]

Who in their right mind would use 1200 rolls of film and not get them developed,

Dare I confess that I have several films ( E6 and C41) stored in the fridge that were exposed approx 12 months ago .......However I have a goodreason in that there aren't enough films to warrant opening a colour developing kit, There again I'm NOT in my right mind!

 

[ChrisR]

The guy who runs this project normally does the rolls he finds himself, or with other volunteers. He's done one roll and discovered some issues that suggest the film is deteriorating, so he wants to get on with it. It's the sheer scale of this that's the problem; they've had to outsource it to a company that's apparently giving them a massive discount. This is process only; the volunteers will scan and upload the results.

They've only processed one roll so far, but they're getting an initial set of 50 rolls done, and will make these available so we can judge better whether it's worth backing.

 

[excalibur2]

Dare I confess that I have several films ( E6 and C41) stored in the fridge that were exposed approx 12 months ago .......However I have a goodreason in that there aren't enough films to warrant opening a colour developing kit, There again I'm NOT in my right mind!

Well Asha with that habit it could mount up over 40 years

 

[Asha]

It's the sheer scale of this that's the problem; they've had to outsource it to a company that's apparently giving them a massive discount. This is process only; the volunteers will scan and upload the results.

.

well that explains more for the reason for needing such an amount of funding.

I suppose it comes down to the quality and subject matter as to wether it's really worthwhile having all the rolls developed.

As Brian says, it is a bit strange tht the tog left so many undeveloped films though.

 

[Asha]

Well Asha with that habit it could mount up over 40 years

Not at my present shooting rate Bri'

Now if someone is taking E6 & C41 chemistry to the Peaks, I'll bring my films along

 

[excalibur2]

well that explains more for the reason for needing such an amount of funding.

I suppose it comes down to the quality and subject matter as to wether it's really worthwhile having all the rolls developed.

As Brian says, it is a bit strange tht the tog left so many undeveloped films though.

Thinking.... maybe they were cancelled contracts or customers who changed their mind paying for his shoots.

 

[Morinaka]

People keep saying it's not worth it unless the photos are good, the thing is the guy who runs this doesn't care if the photos are good (though that's always a bonus), it doesn't matter if this guy isn't the next vivian meyer as he just wants to preserve the moments taken in those photos for everyone to see. At least that's the vibe i get from him watching one of his other videos,

View: https://youtu.be/_I4o_afITKg?t=478