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Author Topic: DERANN CLOSING DOWN
Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004


 - posted August 20, 2011 06:52 PM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I agree that a final FFTC would be a great idea, and would give both staff and customers a valuable opportunity to say something.

It's such a shame there couldn't be a final (Derann-organised) Blackpool. The irony is that if there had been, and it was stated that it would be the last ever, I expect it would have attracted the biggest attendance for years, and the event would have gone out in blaze of glory!

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Adrian Winchester

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Jean-Marc Toussaint
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: France
Registered: Oct 2004


 - posted August 21, 2011 03:20 AM      Profile for Jean-Marc Toussaint   Author's Homepage   Email Jean-Marc Toussaint   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Sad news indeed. Hats off to the staff who provided such an excellent job for so many years. It's because of Derann that I got back into film collecting in the early nineties.

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The Grindcave Cinema Website

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006


 - posted August 21, 2011 03:39 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Just switched on to read the bad news and I add my thanks to Derann Films for so many years entertainment and quality service received from them all. It’s also a blow to hear the Northern Film Collectors event is to go as well and I understand traders were slow to book tables this year although I did book my tables a few months ago the lateness of booking from others would have hampered the good work Derann have done for our hobby. In closing sincere thanks to all at Derann and I will certainly miss those fun times visiting the shop on open days and past events they had put so much effort into. Hats off to you all!

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Tom Photiou
Film God

Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003


 - posted August 21, 2011 03:44 AM      Profile for Tom Photiou     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
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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Alan Rik
Film God

Posts: 2211
From: New York City, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 21, 2011 03:44 AM      Profile for Alan Rik   Email Alan Rik   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
That really is sad, sad news. I came back to the hobby in 1997 because of Derann films as well. I had no idea that Full Length Features were still being produced. I still have many emails from Derek where we discussed projectors, prints, etc.
It truly is the end of a legacy. Derann was/is very important to me as a collector and I do thank the staff for all the great years of truly excellent service. They will be missed.

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 21, 2011 10:32 AM      Profile for Steve Klare   Email Steve Klare   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Kinda Stinks:

I've always wanted to visit the UK, walk into Derann, buy a film in person, shake Gary Brocklehurst's hand and maybe have a look around.

-not happening now!

When I discovered this company I became a kid in a candy shop: it's hard not to feel bad hearing that the shop is closing.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 21, 2011 01:47 PM      Profile for Paul Adsett     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
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.

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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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Simon McConway
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1085
From: Doncaster, UK
Registered: Jun 2004


 - posted August 21, 2011 01:57 PM      Profile for Simon McConway     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It is very sad news. Waiting for the month of November to come around, waiting for the coveted email and postal film lists, being first on the phone on a Monday morning, the excitment of seeing if the film you've been after was still available...I'll miss it all. Ged, Steve & Gary should each be awarded a medal for the service they've given us. I'll greatly miss chatting to them, as they have become good friends. I really am lost as to what to say...

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Graham Sinden
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1131
From: Kent, UK
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted August 21, 2011 02:03 PM      Profile for Graham Sinden   Email Graham Sinden   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It would be nice if Adrian could post again and say if there will be a final edition of FFTC or whether they will update their website one last time with some photos taken over the years. Something for the collectors amongst us to remember. Im sure the whole Derann staff know how thankful we are of their continuing support for Super 8 and 16mm in the age of video and DVD.

Graham S

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Colin Auty
Film Handler

Posts: 70
From: Morecambe Lancashire England
Registered: Jun 2004


 - posted August 21, 2011 03:26 PM      Profile for Colin Auty   Email Colin Auty   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
will be sadly missed but never forgotten, another nail in the coffin for the collecting scene.
My thanks and very best wishes go out to the Derann team.

Colin

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Thomas Murin, Jr.
Master Film Handler

Posts: 260
From: Lanoka Harbor, NJ, USA
Registered: Sep 2009


 - posted August 21, 2011 04:07 PM      Profile for Thomas Murin, Jr.   Author's Homepage   Email Thomas Murin, Jr.   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Sad news, indeed.

I will cherish more than ever my S8 print of Return Of The Jedi which I purchased brand new just 2 years ago. In fact, I got the LAST new print of Jedi Derann had to sell (confirmed by Gary).

I was having some trouble with my credit card back then and Gary very patiently held Jedi for me untill I got things straightened out. I am forever grateful to him for that.

Derann was a class act and will be sorely missed in the film collecting community.

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My crummy Deviant Art account. Read my poetic tribute to the internet comic strip Ozy & Millie and view my crappy attempts at art.

http://cougartiger.deviantart.com/

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Bill Phelps
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1482
From: USA
Registered: Jan 2009


 - posted August 21, 2011 04:59 PM      Profile for Bill Phelps     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I'm sorry to hear about Derann closing. I have about 20 titles from them....trailers, cartoons, shorts, a couple odd feature reels and some old digests from back in the 80's. They are among the best prints in my collection. Capricorn One is the BOMB! I love it!!!

Anyway...thanks for doing what you did for so long.

And remember...there's alot of Derann prints out there. They will be harder to come by but their out there.

Bill [Smile]

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Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006


 - posted August 21, 2011 06:04 PM      Profile for Graham Ritchie   Email Graham Ritchie   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I remember way back in the early 90s a friend telling me about this company that in the age of video was still into Super8. I was initially reluctant to deal with someone that was over 12000 miles, however that was soon to change to such an extent that we built our home cinema because of Derann. Over those early years I used to phone Gary late at night "out here" after recieving the latest second hand list. Ever tried whispering down a phone line 12000 miles away, not to get caught buying films from my wife...sneeky eh!...anyway it all cost me a fortune in phone bills never mind the films. Dealing with Gary over these years has been a real joy and that contact will be sadly missed.

I will treasure and continue screeing those wonderfull Derann films hopefully for many years to come.
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Graham.

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Yanis Tzortzis
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 531
From: Greece
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted August 21, 2011 07:12 PM      Profile for Yanis Tzortzis   Author's Homepage   Email Yanis Tzortzis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
....just gone to Greece for research-and struggling to come to terms with what I read here; my first contact with DERANN was in '94,and ever since I've been their customer, especially after I came to the UK and then Bham in '99. Their Open Days have been a must for me in all these years-not to mention Blackpool & BFCC...
....last time I felt like this was 9 yrs ago-back in 2002 when Derek passed away;certainly feels like,if not the end of an era,definitely approaching it-the implications for our organised film collecting will be huge-never gonna be the same again....
...My thoughts are with Adrian,Ged,Gary Steve & all the rest of DERANN staff who have been so helpful & friendly all this time. So sad I can't make it for the Open Day,as will be in Athens till late Sep;let's all try & save as many of our Conventions as possible. As for me, I'll definitely make a documentary on DERANN one day-hope sooner rather than later...
...All the best to the DERANN staff--and a BIG THANK YOU for what you did for our hobby......

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Yannis

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Joerg Polzfusz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 815
From: Berlin, Germany, Europe, Earth, Solar System
Registered: Apr 2006


 - posted August 22, 2011 03:03 AM      Profile for Joerg Polzfusz   Author's Homepage   Email Joerg Polzfusz   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Sad news in deed... what will happen to Derann's negatives? Will they get passed to CHC or some other company? Or will they be lost forever for the collecting community?

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Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004


 - posted August 22, 2011 05:59 AM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
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.

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Adrian Winchester

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Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010


 - posted August 22, 2011 07:27 AM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The irony of the closedown of Derann, is that it's not so much to do with the decline of film, but more to do with the greed of local government, who's answer to all percieved problems is to raise taxes. Logically all that will remain in our high streets will be charity shops and supermarkets.
Good to see that Foster films are still selling at reasonable prices.

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Martin Jones
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1269
From: Thetford , Norfolk,England
Registered: May 2008


 - posted August 22, 2011 10:02 AM      Profile for Martin Jones     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
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

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Retired TV Service Engineer
Ongoing interest in Telecine....

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005


 - posted August 22, 2011 10:23 AM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Id hate to see the sound striping equipment get "lost" or end up in the hands of the german company This is no offense against that gferman company, but if they were to purchase that sound striping equipment, that would allow just that much more of a single stranglehold on any film releases. It's better to have the equipment in someone elses hands that can help the average collector.

Are there any U.K. members willing to go after that equipment and keep it up and running?

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Keith Ashfield
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 997
From: U.K.
Registered: Dec 2006


 - posted August 22, 2011 10:33 AM      Profile for Keith Ashfield     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
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?????

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"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


 - posted August 22, 2011 11:01 AM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
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.

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Adrian Winchester

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Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 22, 2011 11:39 AM      Profile for Douglas Meltzer   Email Douglas Meltzer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I had the pleasure of visiting Derann and meeting Gary, Ged, Steve and Duncan back in 2004. Here's a link to that post, with pictures.

Some additional pics:

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The super sized sound striper!

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 -

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005


 - posted August 22, 2011 12:35 PM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Great pictures there, Doug.

As to someone having a lot of time on thier hands regarding the striping equipment ... hey, we super 8 collectors and tech's are reel (haha) used to getting into the nitty gritty to make something work!

I had heard that the equipment was basically in a state of dis-repair, but I'm sure the savvy film tech can handle it!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted August 22, 2011 12:54 PM      Profile for Joe Caruso     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
...and remember too, Phil Sheard at CHC still goes on, also several dealers throughout Britain and Abroad - With DERANN a memory, a large portion of the collector world has vanished - More about this later, Shorty

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Michael O'Regan
Film God

Posts: 3085
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Oct 2007


 - posted August 22, 2011 01:42 PM      Profile for Michael O'Regan   Email Michael O'Regan   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I enjoyed reading that old post of yours there, Doug.
[Smile]

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