Re: [Leica] Future of film

["Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>]

Bryan,
Well, you may be right, but, 20 years ago I was told to embrace video
because film would be dead in 5 years. But now 16mm, Super16mm Aaton and
Arriflex cameras have a 3 to 6 month waiting list for a camera package that
runs about $150,000. Same thing with 35mm cameras. And Aaton is about ready
to introduce a new design S16mm camera at about $16,000 the back orders will
be huge.Kodak's motion picture division is extremely profitable and 70% of
prime time television is shot on film. The 9 years of Seinfield shows were
all shot on Panavision 35mm. Most young people want to shoot on film and the
competition to get into schools like UCLA or NYU film schools is intense.
More evidence is that the sales of old Arri's, Eclair's and even Bolex's is
brisk. I was at a press conference a few years where Larry Thorpe, VP of
Sony HDTV stated that HDTV would NEVER overtake 35mm film. A coupkle of
years later at a Wildlife Film Conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming the same
Mr. Thorpe was in tears because wildlife filmmakers even rejected HDTV over
16mm. As far as Lucas goes the word is that his digital EFX's in the
entertainment and TV commercial world have become stale. But, I do agree
completely that the days of distribution to movie theaters on film will soon
be over (a few more years). Yes it is true that with the dumbing down of our
culture film will eventually fade away but not in my lifetime. As far as
Leica and their survival, I really don't know what will happen but it seems
to me they have done a dreadful job of marketing their very fine product. In
Washington, DC where their are over 300 news services you will find nary a
Leica anywhere amongst the pros so they are kidding themselves when they
claim to be the camera of the professional. Maybe once opon a time, but no
more. And try going to one of the handful of Leica dealers in DC and ask for
a lens cap and see what happens. So that makes me worry about the future of
Leica but still very bullish on film.
Steve
Annapolis



- ----------
>From: Byron Rakitzis <leica@rakitzis.com>
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica Users digest V12 #57
>Date: Mon, Oct 11, 1999, 4:13 PM
>

>> Yet the motion picture and advertising industries stayed with film.
>> Television studios flirted with video, but most shows on today are shot
>> on film. 
>
>William,
>
>Sorry to trim your excellent post, but I only wanted to add a followup
>to this.
>
>Isn't it ironic that Lucas is working on completely digitalizing the
>film business, at least on the distribution end? I'm not even talking
>about all the production aspects which have already gone digital. As
>far as I know the theater moguls would dearly LOVE to get out of the
>business of distributing prints from one theater to the next.
>
>I'm trying to keep an open mind on all this. I love film. I really
>do. But if I had to bet I would bet that my film habit will get more
>expensive in years to come as film photography becomes a part of an
>industry dominated by digital imaging.
>
>Byron.
>