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Topic: How about a few furom guidelines
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted May 05, 2009 09:51 AM
Hey! Thats a Snoid! Looks like a Robert Crumb character, (any of you Ole hippie guys like me remember Crumb?).
As a person who buys like this sometimes, I can explain much of that. For instance, I bought most of a collection of digests that one of our fellows listed on here. He wanted (total, for all of those that I got) 190.00 dollars. No one bought them.
He listed them all as a lot on ebay, and won the lot for 51.00 dollars. There were only two of those digests that I wanted, and being that we have been unemployed for eight months now, I need to recoup almost every dollar I spend on films these days, so I listed the ones that I didn't want.
Thankfully, I not only made back the 51.00 dollars, and kept the two 2X400ft digests that I wanted, I also made an additional thirty dollars profit over the top.
... it all went in the gas tank!
... but I was able to continue to collect and it was just the luck of the draw on ebay, (as you never REALLY know if your films will sell or not).
So, I see where your coming from, John.
Condition is another thing that seems to be based upon personal feelings. How many prints have been described on ebay as excellent condition, and you get them, and you wouldn't run them on a GAF projector, (oooh, there's a slam!). Even a few dealers, (which will not be mentioned by name) will have an "A" listing for film condition, and it actually has "C" color, which really makes the value of the print almost nothing, no matter how rare the film is. (fortunately for us, there are very few dealers like that around these days).
How many of us remember that infamous post about a print a forum member got, which had a staple, A STAPLE being used to splice the film!?
-------------------- "All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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John W. Black
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 536
From: Deptford,N.J.
Registered: Mar 2008
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posted May 05, 2009 11:30 AM
Thank God for Derann and CHC.They are businesses who work hard to keep the flag flying. I can also see buying a package and selling off the unwanted prints. Problem with the ebay generation is it has taken away the interpersonal aspect of collecting. Buying,swapping and selling films is all part of the hobby. However,when people are just looking for chances to profit on a purchase when someone else might really want the same film for the collection,I can't help but think something is wrong there. Mayve because I started collecting long before the ebay mentality arrived,it's harder to understand. But in many ways,it was a lot better then. As far as the Big Reel and such,the internet killed them off as people stopped reading and used the internet only for sources. A shame as a lot of knowledgable collectors and dealers don't do the internet,people are missing out on some great people and great stuff. For some odd reason,this is more true of 8mm collectors as opposed to 16mm.Classic Images is doing great with 16mm ads now but can't seem to get 8mm collectors involved.
-------------------- Beat em or burn em,they go up pretty quick
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted May 05, 2009 12:14 PM
STEVEN!! With 400 plus prints just purchased ... would one of them be "Popeye Meets Ali Baba and His 40 thieves"? I'm still looking and hoping for a good print!
I do understand where John is coming from. Our hobby is a very personal bunch of fun, and so I can see the joy one would get from selling a print to another person who loves film as much as I do.
For instance, if I bought that "Popeye" from Douglas some day in the distant future, (unless I run into a good one somewhere else), Douglas knows that I would cherish it. My long search for a good print of "Hoppity Goes to Town" ended up in two great prints, one AGFA and one L.P.P., and I cherish those!
But I must say that, while the internet closed down "The Big Reel",(which I never had the chance to do business with, but sounded like a great company), I wouldn't have my collection, OR THIS GREAT FORUM, without it!
As for that other company that wants to involve Super 8 people as well, you get the good stuff out there, you get the business. I'm still hoping to get some Classic animation commercials out on 200ft Super 8 releases.
It's funny, I have little money, but I would be willing to invest in this if it actually becomes a reality. Those with big bucks, who could actually afford to invest in this kind of venture, are always holding onto thier money like s**t just because it doesn't seem like a great investment.
Shoot! I know that I probably wouldn't have any profit on releasing new 200ft releases now, I'd probably lose money, but I'd still love to do it. Thats how much I LOVE this hobby!
-------------------- "All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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John W. Black
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 536
From: Deptford,N.J.
Registered: Mar 2008
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posted May 06, 2009 12:22 AM
I think a few people are missing the point.Greed bay has created a mentality of get at all costs.Disagree if you want,but you know that it's true.I have bought on ebay because I have to sometimes for the reason that it killed the publications that had ads.I miss knowing who I'm dealing with as opposed to some odd i.d. And again,let me say,as someone with a limited income,as some others here are,it's maddening that people who,before Greed Bay,would have never looked at that inexpensive pink print,now salavates at the profir he will make reselling it.Sorry,kids,it stinks on ice.What is happening to this fine hobby is a lot of people have the attitude of "If you can't afford it,too bad".This hobby didn't used to be like this,you newbies have missed a lot when the hobby was more friendly and less greedy.Film cons were great,the internet comes,nobody leaves home to go to them.Film buddies actually used to meet up all the time,I'm sure a couple still do,but not many.Truth be told,the hobby in many ways has been dehumanised.Oh,sorry about offending by using the term snoid.Didn't know it was such a horrible thing.
-------------------- Beat em or burn em,they go up pretty quick
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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted May 06, 2009 01:36 AM
John, that is true market value. It works both ways however, if two people do not consider a film a must have, then a third person gets a bargain.
When a film goes for a high price like you mention, it will encourgae others with that same film to put it on the market, the more that come on, the moroe the price will go down. If only one other person puts that film up for bid, the price of the film may go even higher, that is a true market value.
I had an R/T Charger car that I sold in in 1992 for $14,000. That exact same car sold last year for $149,000 in the same condition. I wish I'd have kept it, but I sold it for what was a fair market value at the time. Guess what, that car could probably be bought for tens of thousands less right now due to the economic meltdown.
I, as much as anyone else here, loves to find a keenly priced film bargain. Often these bargains I will keep forever, so I do see part of your point, but I don't think you can begrudge others buying low and selling high. I happily paid over $150 for a 18 minute short last week, but I have been after it for 20 years. One bidder followed me all the way up so I guess they wanted it almost as badly as me.
Good discussion by the way guys.
David
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