Have to admit I found the article lacking myself. Besides stating
the obvious shifts in a technology sector, it provided very little
genuine analysis: my recollection of the Photo CD was not that it was
myopic in the disintegrating physical-storage wars, but rather that
it was early entering the field without a substantial marketing push
to convince consumers to begin shifting to digital permanently
(thereby giving up on Kodak's primary product line). Likewise the
purported Sterling debacle was standard operating procedure for
corporations across the 80s and into 90s; they sought to buttress
flagging sales in a primary field with a subsidiary company providing
balance (like selling both umbrellas and suntan lotion). It was less
a question of odd maneuver than CEO quality, why Sterling, how
thorough was the research leading toward acquisition, and what multi-
industry skills did the Kodak CEO possess.
What the article fails to mention altogether is the dominance of
Kodak for a century, one that rivals the auto companies. But
unfortunately for Kodak, we didn't find the Fed. building dark-rooms
and photo studios in support of Kodak, while it did help to foster a
transformation of the American lifestyle toward the car. It helped
build interstate highways and facilitated the paving of local streets
(not to mention turning oil into a "Vital National Interest") so that
we all wanted the "freedom" of the open road rather than being forced
to adhere to a mass-transit schedule--even with the creation of
favorable conditions, the Fed. has still had to bail out Detroit more
than once, but I seriously doubt that Obama will be sending a check
to Kodak.
In the end, it may be our friends at the digital arts guild who are
myopic. Just as LPs have never truly vanished and we find many
musicians returning to vinyl for its analog warmth, avoiding the both
smallish CD and immaterial download (at either 192k and 320k) in
favor of a tactile object, and likewise, the fact photography did not
relegate painting to the bone yard--we may find digital technology
transform how industrial cinema operates, but the Artist will still
seek the materials they feel best suits the situation (whether that
is Kodak or RED).
Long live dead media (unencumbered by the expectations of masses).
Damon.
On Oct 3, 2011, at 9:16 PM, [email protected] wrote:
Go fuck yourself.
Silly old "film" is going to be around long after your obsolete
digital files have disappeared into the 'cloud.' Wherever that is.
The article is also filled with tons of errors. Kodak invented much
of digital photography, which is why its patents are so valuable.
Kodak batteries failed because they were TOO GOOD. They lasted too
long. And "Kodak Park" was never shuttered. Etc. Etc. Such as the
fact Kodak's film division still sells more merchandise than most
American companies. He ignore this continuing success, btw.
The typical lamebrain cynicism.
In a message dated 10/3/2011 5:42:15 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/10/02/what-i-saw-as-
kodak-crumbled/
Once again, the old guard clings to obsolete business models and is
ultimately swept away by inevitable shifts in technology. The party's
winding down, folks. CDs, newspapers, and now analog film are going
the way of the wax cylinder. The canary in the coal mine dropped dead
about ten years ago, now the roof is about to collapse.
35mm motion picture film will still keep hanging on for a few more
years, despite the fact that high-end digital cameras have now
surpassed the imaging quality of most 35mm film stocks. Anyone who is
unwilling to adapt to digital imaging had better start hoarding film
stock in their walk-in freezers. The day that HDR sensors become
affordable is the day that analog film unequivocably becomes more
trouble than it's worth. Sprocket holes seem increasingly quaint in a
world where exposure and depth of field can be entirely controlled in
*POST* with no loss of quality.
I'm not a hater, I'm just pointing out a reality that may be painful
for many on this list. Don't look to Fuji to save you, they're
ultimately headed for the dumpster as well. Starting up another
Impossible Project is a noble idea, but from what I've seen, these
handmade stocks can't compete with the real deal.
Aaron
-------------------------------------------
Aaron F. Ross
Digital Arts Guild
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