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Topic: DERANN CLOSING DOWN
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted August 21, 2011 03:44 AM
Well Adrian, yes a last FFTC would be nice for us all, But i would have to say, has it really taken this for everyone to want to write someting in it, after all, they have been asking for contributions for years, i know yourself and others have done articles, (and very good ones they are), unfortunatly i dont think another one would be on the cards unless someone else took it over as Derann didnt actually print it.
Derann closing is most definatly a huge big blow to super 8 but dont forget as some have mentioned, new material hasnt been out for a while due to the labs closing,The film buisness was only a small part of Derann, many readers of FFTC may remember a few issues back i did a Q & A article asking dealers various questions, one of them was how they thought the internet played a part in the buisness, in my opinion which i didnt include i think that it has helped super 8 to keep going longer to a wider audince, however, Derann are an audio dealer and on that side the internet will have made a big blow because specialised audio and televisions are so much cheaper on-line than they are in shops and for the indipendents like Derann to continues the internet had made this very difficult, i've seen this here in Plymouth.Even the big players like Currys and Comet are struggling and im pretty sure its a matter of time before HMV closes simply because DVDs CDs and electronic games are in many case a fraction of the price that the shops can sell it for with there overheads and the killer buisness rates, the scabby governments and councils have a lot to answer for not to mention the banks where all the problems started globaly, unfortunatly ther all OK thanks to us the tax payer,
The Reel image in the US is still a majour player as is Perrys, indipendant 8, Paul Foster and of course CHC who have released their own bits n pieces and always have large lists of items for sale, now is the time to list all the super 8 and 16mm dealers here that are still in buisness.
The sad thing for me is i am not going to be able to get to the final day at Derann,
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted August 21, 2011 01:47 PM
In retrospect it is amazing that they survived as long as they did, and for that you have to give full marks to the whole Derann team. It is, of course, a devastating blow to the film collecting community. Lets not mince words here - film collecting, as we know it, will never be quite the same again. Derann are the unquestioned leaders in super 8mm film, both from the point of view of their peerlless product, and their support for the hobby via Film For The Collector, the open days, and the Blackpool convention. Derann were the pre-eminent dealers at the BFCC, they always had the biggest crowd around them. Can the BFCC go on without their presence, and will their be a new collectors magazine from someone else? I did not buy a whole lot of films from Derann, just a few shorts and an occasional feature. But I do have a nice little collection of Derann prints and the vast majority are of excellent print quality. When you got a good print from Derann, it was something to see. I liked to browse their monthly film list, and from time to time would pick up a Pathe Pic or cut-down. Now that pleasure is gone. I wish the very best for Gary and Ged. Gary was my UK contact for 30 years, and I met him once in the store at Dudley, and on several other occasions at the BFCC's. He was always very helpful and a great amabassador for Derann. I would think the local press in Dudley, the National Press in the UK, and the BBC, would all be very interested in doing an article or TV spot about the closure of this unique business.
-------------------- The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection, Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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Adrian Winchester
Film God
Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted August 22, 2011 05:59 AM
Regarding Derann's negatives, if they are willing to sell them, the question is would anyone be willing to buy any, considering that there isn't a lot of money to be made from 8mm releases nowadays. Any other dealer would be wondering if their outlay would be justified by films sales, as re-releases would probably cost about 50% more than Derann's price, taking into account the cost of striping and recording (that Derann did in house), plus extra postage costs resulting from using the lab in Germany. And there's the added complication of the lab only being able to put the main stripe on polyestar prints, which rules out stereo. Derann's former lab kept their charges down to keep going as long as possible, and no doubt the price of stock has risen since then.
-------------------- Adrian Winchester
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Martin Jones
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1269
From: Thetford , Norfolk,England
Registered: May 2008
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posted August 22, 2011 10:02 AM
Allan, you are quite right. Having gone through it myself I know just how crippling it can be. But that raises another point.... please remember, while you are all crying into your beer about what the closure of Derann will mean to the hobby of film collecting and expounding on what you would like them to do before they close (very shortly now), they are a Business run by REAL people facing an uncertain future; their priority MUST be salvaging the absolute maximum from what assets they have in a very short time. As much as you appreciate the way they have supported their customers (and you have supported them) over the years, they will appreciate being given breathing space to find customers, whether individuals or other companies who can follow in their footsteps, for the remaining stock and assets they have, and to do the thousand and one other things entailed in closing a business.... including making sure that at the end of the day they are not incurring expenses in the form of taxes on premises that are not producing an income any more. The best way to show your appreciation is to buy as much from them as you possibly can; if you don't do that now, you will be paying more later from someone else!
Martin
-------------------- Retired TV Service Engineer Ongoing interest in Telecine....
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Keith Ashfield
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 997
From: U.K.
Registered: Dec 2006
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posted August 22, 2011 10:33 AM
Well said Martin!!
Your comments should be "taken on board" when requesting "special editions" of Film For The Collector.
Yes, it would be brilliant to get a "special edition", full of past memories, but under the circumstances that Derann are facing, and the fact that it normally takes about 3 months to compile an issue, I think producing a "special memories edition" is going to be pretty low on the agenda.
They will be concentrating on getting as much revenue for the assets they have, to worry about that.
It is 3 weeks to the "Closing Sale" and I would imagine that enthusiam and morale is low at the moment, but, as anyone knows who has faced that dreaded loss of employment, it will probably get lower.
After all the "great deeds" these lads have done (and there have been many over the years) they are (this might come as a shock to some) only human.
I think to keep requesting the "impossible", at this moment is not what is needed.
I believe there is one more issue of Film For The Collector to be sent out, and that may cover exactly what has been requested. But if not, then let's not hold it against Derann.
Osi - with regards to the "equipment", it is not exactly "portable". It is a substantial piece of kit and would require a lot of space and heavy lifting gear to move it. It is not something your "everyday collector" would have room for. Now another dealer - I don't know?????
-------------------- "We'll find 'em in the end, I promise you. We'll find 'em. Just as sure as a turnin' of the earth".
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Adrian Winchester
Film God
Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted August 22, 2011 11:01 AM
Fair points from Martin and Keith. I thought the main hope regarding a final FFTC would be if there was one already well on the way to completion, which perhaps could be the case? If final letters, etc, are welcome, I expect this will be announced.
Regarding the striping equipment, Ged told me last year that it was pretty much on its last legs and perhaps also 'seized up' due to not being used for some time. So any potential buyer would have to be willing to give it a major overhaul, IF there's any chance of getting it going again. But if it's the only striper for sale that's capable of putting main and balance stripes on polyestar stock, I suppose that could be an incentive for someone willing to take on the task, but it ideally needs to be used regularly.
-------------------- Adrian Winchester
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