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Topic: Why do you decide to move a print along?
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Adrian Winchester
Film God
Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted March 22, 2015 03:00 AM
If you've spent a substantial sum on a new print, then selling can be an important decision, but I'd imagine that for many of us that isn't usually the case and we are selling prints that we were far from certain that we wanted to keep when we bought them. Particularly if you go to conventions, you have opportunities to buy films for far lower prices than by other means, so it's a chance to view digests, etc, that you are curious to see, knowing that you probably won't have too much difficulty getting at least most of your money back in future. I might be pleasantly surprised and opt to hang on to some, but otherwise reasons such as print quality, condition and incoherent editing might cause me to sell on a print. With regard to films that I was initially hoping to keep, apart from disappointing print quality, other factors might include getting a good 16mm print of the same films, fading or deciding that a film lacked repeatability.
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Adrian Winchester
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted March 22, 2015 04:49 AM
This a good question.
I have in the past,(and I know I am not alone), sold films that I wished I hadn't, & just to raise a few quid at the time. Examples are Feature prints (and all mounted on 2 x 800foot quality spools), of Fright, Please Sir, That'll be the day to name only a very few. The reason I wish I had not sold these is simply because they were all in top condition and now when they come up they are either scratched, faded or sold before I get there or are now simply much more than I will pay.
However, the reason I do move items on now may be a little controversial but here goes,
Number one reason is that they are fading or we simply do not watch them enough to warrant keeping them on the shelf.
More importantly now is that with the eBay, (yuck ,spit), the reality is you can receive odd but higher prices for films, especially those that are not up to scratch. And as you all know, these sums are not asked for, they are simply what people are prepared to bid and pay, and if that's what they want to pay then so be it.
Do I miss out on this or simply join in?
So, in a nutshell I will generally eBay films to buy more films. The best example for us so far is the selling of two trailers, and I used the money to buy the 4 x 400ft feature of Carry on up the Jungle,(& I still had some change left over).
We have also found better prints of films we already have and then used ebay to sell our old one. The best and most recent example of this is, I very recently bought an excellent LPP print of Peace on Earth and sold our old copy which only had a slight tick tick on the sound, the best thing is, It went for double the price for the one I bought so in a way I've got it for free, or I use the leftover to buy another film.
So the answer is I will now sell films to fund my hobby and get new ones. And strictly speaking, this is at present the only way I can afford new films. Pretty much what a business would do all be it on a very tiny scale.
I should have kept a list of all the titles we have sold over the years but I never gave it a thought.
Do you all remember the days when the only alternative to the internet was to sell back to the dealers and get peanuts? Or the classified ads of the magazines. My worst ever dealers exchange was selling back to Derann the Iver 2 x 400ft of Helter Skelter and four stonking good trailers plus two excellent 200 foot films, castle of death and one million years BC both in top condition just to buy a new release of the Lion King Promo with Elton John, around a 150ft of film. This was one of my biggest super 8 mistakes, & I had to pay the postage to send it all up. To this day I think I was conned on that deal, as well as being a total sucker ![[Confused]](confused.gif) ![[Wink]](wink.gif) Oh, and I never sold back to a dealer since. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Andrew Woodcock
Film God
Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012
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posted March 22, 2015 05:31 AM
I admire your honesty Tom on those various different points. I fully understand why you would "exploit" the e bay merry go round.
If I was selling any films, I would do likewise and probably only sell them that way. I would include an honest description for better or worse, then I would always include screenshots.
I would also always state that due to the nature of film, these are sold as seen.
It's a shame things have to be this way, but there are rogues as both sellers and buyers and I never return prints even when there are times I really ought to have done.
Film is totally subjective and as a result, can be a complete gamble. The higher the amount paid, you like to think, the chances of buying near perfect are greatly increased, for the most part, this tends to be true...Just not always, as I've found on quite a few occasions.
If you're recycling method works for you Tom and allows you to keep active within the hobby, then so long as you are not blatantly ripping anybody off, which I don't believe you would, then good on you is what I say. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I have the promo you speak of in front of my feature on this print,and while you are correct in thinking at the time you were perhaps somewhat robbed in your deal, now you would probably get as much for that particular promo if not more than the all the others you mentioned combined! Therefore I wouldn't feel too bad about it in 2015, just keep the promo in tip top shape to get the full value for it should it become one you decide to cash in on.
[ March 22, 2015, 06:36 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]
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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted March 22, 2015 01:55 PM
Very true Andrew, and hopefully if you take a look at my copy of Rooster Cogburn I have put on e-bay tonight then you'll see that I, like you, have tried to be as honest as possible. E bay does have its downers, certainly there charges are becoming questionable, and I have had two bad experiences, but over came both via the resolution centre. Incidentally, the only reason I am selling it is because its more faded than I wished for, I purchased it from a dealer but think it unfair to return as faded as I was told so, I just didn't realise how much.
I have yet to find a good colour copy, damn Universal 8 for using such trashy stock. ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
Mark, it must have been gutting selling most of your collection, however, like you I no longer get so attached to films, at the end of the day it is a movie. A question I have asked before is , do we sell now and get good bucks or do we hang on until one day you cant even give them away. I guess it is a hobby and as long as I can sell to buy, indeed sell high and buy low then perhaps it'll become a nice little circle of sell and buy.
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