Typical Print run for Derann full features

[John Halfacre]

Looking at the prices in catalogues for Derann's full features back in their heyday, I wondered how many copies they did as a typical print run ? I guess it would depend on the xpected popularity - but what was the rough average ?

[Steve Klare]

We know this much: since they were printed on Double Super-8, the minimum would be two.
I guess this sometimes meant a print was left sitting waiting to be sold after its twin was used to fill an order.

[Adrian Winchester]

If I remember rightly, the very biggest sellers (such as certain Disney features) sold over 300 copies, although I'm not sure if any sold 400+. My guess would therefore be that a run of around 100 to 150 was common, but with quite a few features selling a number that's either side of that. Certain lower sellers would have sold roughly as few as 30, but keep in mind that in some cases Derann could use 16mm negatives (e.g.) borrowed from Rank (which meant business for Rank Labs, when they did the printing), so they didn't always have to cover the cost of getting a negative made. Relatively low print runs could therefore still be profitable in these instances. If only we could now buy new features for the 'low' prices in old Derann catalogues!

[Dominique De Bast]

I'm not sure but I think I read a minimum of 50 copies was needed for the film being profitable. That's probably with the cost of a 16 mm negative included.

[Brian Fretwell]

That was the number P.M Films quoted as being needed for them to consider a film for release.

In the main prints were run off as several runs until the rights expired, the negative got damaged, wore out or had to be returned. I heard that when Lab North closed they had a massive run of the Disney's and some others done that lasted until they had to close themselves.

[Maurice Leakey]

In 2004, Derann's average price for a Walt Disney feature was £275. Quite a lot of money for sixteen years ago.

Maurice

[Steve Klare]

-and it sounds worse in Dollars! 😉

[David Roberts]

You could though have interest free credit over 6 months,at least you could in the UK.
I used this a few times,buying two features at a time ,then another two when the first 6 months was up.

[Dominique De Bast]

Right, David. I used that 6 months scheme payment as well.

[Brian Fretwell]

At one time for some it was possible to buy part by part as well. I bought Romancing the Stone that way. Unfortunately if someone didn't complete the purchase it left Derann with odd reels.

[Osi Osgood]

Interesting topic! It's too bad that Derann didn't stay open for a little longer, as Disney's Atlantis came out right about that time, and I would have loved to have a scope print of that!

[Oliver Feld]

Sad that „The Black Cauldron“ wasn’t on their print list...

[Oliver Feld]

I think there must be a limited time for a negative: my „The Sound of Music“ print has a lot of white lines all over which could be a sign that there were a lot of copies done before.

[Lee Mannering]

I liked Black Cauldron as well :-) At some Derann open days you could get a new Disney feature from £159 as well and it was always worth travelling to them. Nice to spend time in the UK hub along with the Cinema and looking over the recording gear.

[Brian Fretwell]

Was that the full feature or the 3x600ft as the full feature used the old negative used for 16mm prints, I believe. The 3x600ft would have used a newly made one. Also I think the labs had to give up wet gate printing due to the chemicals being discontinued due to the CFC reduction policies of the time.

As for the later Disney's the lab closed a few years before Derann preventing any further releases/prints of existing ones.

It gets complicated, doesn't it?