The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

February 1955 CINE TECHNICIAN 23 TfTE are again indebted to George " Ashton, who reports interesting developments on some of the Eastman Kodak products in the U.S.A. For many years details of Kodachrome processing were restricted to the Kodak companies (one exception — Technicolor processing Monopack low contrast reversal material akin to commercial Type 5268). In 1949 Eastman Kodak licensed independent labs to process Kodachrome 16mm. Duplicating film — at least the outside lab. in U.S.A. does so at present. About eighteen months ago Eastman Co. announced that 20exposure rolls of 35mm. Kodachrome would be put on market for sale without processing charge being included and that company would license outside labs to process the film. However, no independent lab took up offer and presumably no Kodachrome CP (Consumer Processing) was sold. Last July U.S. Dept. of Justice notified Eastman Kodak of intention to charge company with violation of anti-trust laws, alleging that it sold Kodachrome and Kodacolor films so as to obtain all processing business, and controlled prices and conditions so as to prevent competitors from gaining entrance to the market. " N.Y. Times " of December 22nd reported that anti-trust pro A FILM TECHNICIANS NOTEBOOK by A. E. Jeakins ceedings against Eastman Kodak in Buffalo, N.Y., had been filed previous day and that simultaneously a consent judgment was filed in which Eastman agreed to end practices opposed by government. Company, in a statement, said it had not violated law but was willing to accept decree and agreed to grant licences under its colour film manufacturing and processing patents and to make available, and keep up to date for seven years, manuals describing processing technology, also to provide technical representatives to assist competitors in applying methods. Ashton comments that it is difficult to predict what response this offer will produce. He thinks it unlikely where Kodachrome is concerned that other labs would be able to process at lower prices LIFE AND DEATH OF G.B.I.— continued the shortage of studio space (which the system was devised to overcome) a problem that no longer existed. With the slump came retrenchment all round and a general streamlining in all directions. On a shoestring budget we made the Magic Marble films before the C.E.F. was closed down altogether. After a while, G.B.I, was absorbed into its parent company and became the Gaumont British Picture Corporation Ltd. Specialised Film Unit, though the change was one in name only as far as the unit was concerned. However, though the " Instructional " in the unit's former name had often been a nuisance when dealing with the numerous non-instructionals which we made, we were nevertheless all very sorry at the disappearance of " dear old G.B.I." as a name that had come to mean so much to us and to the industry. Even so, the old unit carried on, but moved from Imperial to Gate Studios. I left about this time, having been with the company for 17 years — the oldest inhabitant barring only Donald Carter himself. But, alas, having lost its name, it is now, a mere two years later, to lose its identity — as a result of the quite logical fusion of this unit with two others in the Rank Organisation : Theatre Publicity and Screen Audiences — under the aegis of J. Arthur Rank Screen Services, and Donald Carter now runs a film company in Canada. I have done, I fear, only scant justice to the history of this honourable old unit, and I have had to do it from memory. I have purposely dwelt more on individuals than on the titles of the outstanding films, feeling this would be of greater interest. At the end of such a variegated slab of history it is sad to see the old order change and give place to the new. But it may well be that, joined by two stalwart partners, the new company will forthrightly set about creating the material for its history to be written — twenty years hence. than Eastman. Kodachrome processing is extremely complex procedure involving around twenty separate baths, with three carefully controlled reversal exposures, so that continuous processing machines are certainly essential. Cost of installing equipment and control devices, and training technicians, would be high. Kodacolor, which incorporates the couplers in the emulsion layers, seems a more hopeful proposition, as a single-colour developer produces the dyestuffs in the layers. When the selling price excludes processing charges this material is to be called Ektacolor. At present processed negatives will be sent to Rochester for printing since the colour pos. paper will not be ready for general release till some time this year. Even the processing of colour negative materials and colour print paper is far from simple, and requires the installation of proper processing control equipment and employment of trained staff. A factor which will influence the amount of Kodachrome used in the U.S.A. is the announcement of the release of Ektachrome reversal film in 35mm. and 828 sizes. This film, readily processed by the user, has up to now only been available as sheet or roll film. 35mm. Ektachrome is reported to be three times as fast as Kodachrome and of about the same resolving power; first developer, colour developer and bleach are different from those used with roll film Ektachrome. Though the new material is not yet on the market, the consent decree demands that Ektachrome in all camera sizes shall be available through regular distribution channels six months after the effective date of the decree. rpo meet the demands of the new -* wide-screen techniques in large theatres, G.B.-Kalee have developed a more powerful arc-lamp which will be available to exhibitors this year. Chief features include rotating pos. carbon with water-cooled head; 16in. diameter mirror, one hour's continuous burning without retrimming at 115 amps — 75 to 150 amps current range. Provisional performance figures indicate a light output of 38,000 lumens, with screen side to side ratio of about 85%. Mole Richardson Ltd. are associated in the design and manufacture of the lamp.