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Topic: Derann at the End
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Barry Attwood
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1411
From: Enfield, U.K.
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted September 04, 2013 05:39 AM
Sadly Derann were never the same company once Derek Simmonds died, he was the heart and soul of it all. I strongly believe if Derek was still alive today Derann would still be trading, and even perhaps running their own lab, but once he got ill, things went by the wayside. Their was no leadership from the top, Adrian the General Manager never got involved with 8mm, and I feel that was Derann's biggest mistake in later years, if you haven't got enthusaism from the top, then it was only time before the eventual demise.
I still miss talking to Derek, he was a lovely man, who helped me out in my early years of Independent 8.
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Adrian Winchester
Film God
Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted September 04, 2013 08:01 AM
I think basically all that survived the end of Derann were the new prints (mostly a good number of trailers and one reelers) that were unsold on the last day. I believe what happened to them remains a complete mystery, but it was clear that they didn't want to clear them out by selling them off cheaply that day, so someone must have had something in mind.
I'd have to respectfully disagree with Maurice with regard to their prints being a little pricey, at least in strict economic terms. I was told by staff members that towards the end, Film Labs North were printing at close to cost price, as keeping prices down meant more business and helped keep the staff employed for a bit longer. Note how prices have shot up since everything has been printed at the German lab.
[ September 04, 2013, 12:46 PM: Message edited by: Adrian Winchester ]
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Adrian Winchester
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Mark L Barton
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 621
From: Bristol, South Glos, England
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted September 04, 2013 02:39 PM
Not sure if this is pertinent but recently I travelled to an a auction house in Dudley, near the High Street, west midlands and bought a sizeable amount of super 8 projectors, inc an elmo gs1200 that had several PAT test stickers on it plus the addition of a knurled knob into the front of the lamp housing moulding, strange. The Eumig projectors l bought all add little orange printed price stickers, so were obviously at some point were on a shelf and for sale, in a shop, perhaps in Dudley. Now do you think I bought some old Derann stock?
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted September 04, 2013 05:03 PM
speaking as a common workin bloke on an average wage of less than 20G film colleccting is or should i say can be,very expensive, i was one who after a conversation to Derann at the end was told to come to the last day as films will be ridiculously cheap, iwas tempted but now pleased i didnt make that trip as a few people have said the films were not sold off cheaply after all,
now then, this may not go down to well but,-- in the super 8 collectors world there is a fair few well off people,(& if i may so, very good on them,wish i had more etc etc) so collecting those big titles of extreme costs is quite easy, for the average man in the street it is an expensive hobby, we have been very lucky over the years and some of our big titles just happen to come up on lists at reasonable prices and we happen to have got lucky on the Monday morning when i rang for the titles i found on the latest list, waiting over the weekend to ring in at 9am Monday seem to last an eternity,
Collectors today, by comparison, can buy films at excellent prices that are way cheaper than in the past by purchasing films from the last remaining dealers, Perrys, Indi 8, Classic home cinema and paul Foster. ive recently obtained some short reels and cartoons at great prices, its e-bay,(and im guilty on this one to) thats making the hobby way out of reach with good features fetching hundruds, even over a thousand £ for films that should just not be at these prices, yes its supply and demand but only the well off will be able to buy at outragous prices. If Derann was still in buisness second hand films would be lower prices as they did keep the prices stable via the monthly lists, Unfortunatly it was only Derek who could negotiate with the big film companies, when he died it was, as we all know, the beginning of the end of Super 8 as we knew it. He lived for it. It was also Derek who bought expensive films within reach to the average earner by allowing the cost to be spread over six months, this was someting we took advantage of more than once, but after all this is said i still get quite worked up waiting for my second hsnd film to drop through the door. No other hobby i have makes the same excitment , and if i buy a film on dvd or blu ray i know there only worth peanuts and when i get it home i watch it as and when i can be bothered, many only get viewed once and now you can buy top movies in car boot sales and flea markets for £1, now thats a cheap hobby but you know what? im sticking with my cine for as many years as i possibly can no matter what. For those who say it isnt an expensive hobby i can only wish i had your bank balances because when i see someone on here say they have a title for sale cost £300, or £400 i have to think, "i cant justify spending that on a movie," nor could i afford it with a mortage and family, but within minuites someone will be on to snap it up. Well thats the way the world works i guess,lets be honest, i anyone won the lottery tomorrow im sure they would never give a monkees about the price of a film again, you would just buy no matter what.
blimy, did i go off subject a bit here ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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