ORWO Experimenting with Color Motion Picture Film?

Heikki Repo · April 19, 2021

Take a look at these Instagram posts and the comments by ORWO:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMfTnKvnYNF/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMh4QU0nCdC/

Also: https://www.super8.tv/en/new-super-8-films-soon/

Tyler Purcell · April 20, 2021

Yep, glad there is some leaks about this finally. I know quite a bit, but it's been very hush hush for a few years. It'll be very interesting when it comes to market because their goal of course, is to have a color negative stock not just reversal.

Frank Wylie · April 20, 2021

I would hope they offer Regular 8mm as well; preferably Double Regular 8mm in 100 foot daylight spools, but we will see.

Tyler Purcell · April 20, 2021

22 minutes ago, Frank Wylie said:

I would hope they offer Regular 8mm as well; preferably Double Regular 8mm in 100 foot daylight spools, but we will see.

Doubtful, their business model isn't really based on consumer formats. Someone else would need to slit and perf raw stock to get 8mm and super 8. They'll probably make single perf 16 and 35mm of course.

Edited April 20, 2021 by Tyler Purcell

Frank Wylie · April 20, 2021

1 hour ago, Tyler Purcell said:

Doubtful, their business model isn't really based on consumer formats. Someone else would need to slit and perf raw stock to get 8mm and super 8. They'll probably make single perf 16 and 35mm of course.

Guess I got this confused with the Adox announcement of restarting Super 8mm film. I don't have social media accounts, I ditched them several years ago, so I couldn't read the Instagram links.

All in all, it's unexpected and great whatever formats get revived

Edited April 20, 2021 by Frank Wylie

Heikki Repo · April 20, 2021

1 hour ago, Frank Wylie said:

Guess I got this confused with the Adox announcement of restarting Super 8mm film. I don't have social media accounts, I ditched them several years ago, so I couldn't read the Instagram links.

All in all, it's unexpected and great whatever formats get revived

Well, Adox did hint that they might soon have an outside customer who'd want to have their film in the super-8 cartridges...

Giray Izcan · April 21, 2021

I would imagine Pro8 slitting the film into s8 and regular 8 formats if there is enough demand.

Robert Houllahan · April 21, 2021

Good!

Still waiting for my Ferrania from that KikStarter ? maybe someday....

Tyler Purcell · April 21, 2021

1 hour ago, Robert Houllahan said:

Still waiting for my Ferrania from that KikStarter ? maybe someday....

I know right! They hit a few snags. At least OWRO is a real company who makes film and has made color negative the past.

Simon Wyss · April 22, 2021

ORWO is a trade mark. The company’s name is Filmotec.

Aapo Lettinen · April 22, 2021

their b/w films are of great quality and they have excellent customer service ( I am ordering directly from them nowadays) .

There is no doubt they can make good quality color negative mp film if they want to and if there is a demand for it

Phil Rhodes · April 22, 2021

14 hours ago, Robert Houllahan said:

Good!

Still waiting for my Ferrania from that KikStarter ? maybe someday....

Jeez. Did they never deliver? What have they delivered?

I wrote about them a lot at the time, but it all seems to have ground to a halt.

Sad really, but not that shocking given the complexity of what's being attempted.

Heikki Repo · April 22, 2021

If I remember correctly, Ferrania had to postpone color film production due to asbestos renovation, during which the original materials intended for color production expired. In order to raise funds they decided then to first produce bw film for photography - which they did.

I hope they are able to deliver their KS rewards one day, but I personally am not in a hurry to receive mine :)

Steve Cutler · May 3, 2022

Surprised more ink hasn't been spilled about this yet - the new ECN-2 color negative stock confirmed release for July!

https://www.orwo.wtf/blog/orwo-managed-financial-restructuring-plans-agreed-by-courts-and-dates

Anyone have any inside info? hopefully they produce something that can compete with the 500t for versatility. I want some market competition ?

Heikki Repo · May 3, 2022

No inside info here, but at least now they have started selling film to photographers and on the same page they mention that soon they'll take preorders for color motion picture film:

https://www.orwo.shop/

Heikki Repo · May 3, 2022

From that page:

"A brand new colour cine film, available in 8mm, 16mm, 35mm, and 65mm.

At the core of our new film lies a unique chemical formula based on the wonderful and legendary Agfa stock last used in the Oscar winning film ‘Out of Africa’. Famous for their greens, desaturated shadows and enhanced grains, these are all aspects that we are embracing for our new addition."

Tyler Purcell · May 3, 2022

We'll see! I have a feeling this Russian conflict has paused many projects like this sadly.

Steve Cutler · May 3, 2022

Interesting point, Orwo Filmotec is a German company but you think because of access to oil it may derail the release?

They seem to be rolling out the Wolfen NP100 no problem though

Tyler Purcell · May 3, 2022

It's all about heavy metals, not so much oil. Russia supplies A LOT of the inexpensive heavy metals for that region.

Leanne Summers · May 3, 2022

Looking forward to this, really hope they can pull it off.

John Rizzo · May 4, 2022

I wouldn't count on this, from what I hear it is a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Steve Cutler · May 4, 2022

3 hours ago, John Rizzo said:

I wouldn't count on this, from what I hear it is a lot of smoke and mirrors.

How so?

Doug Palmer · May 4, 2022

19 hours ago, Leanne Summers said:

Looking forward to this, really hope they can pull it off.

Gosh me too ?

On 4/22/2021 at 2:04 PM, Heikki Repo said:

If I remember correctly, Ferrania had to postpone color film production due to asbestos renovation, during which the original materials intended for color production expired. In order to raise funds they decided then to first produce bw film for photography - which they did.

I hope they are able to deliver their KS rewards one day, but I personally am not in a hurry to receive mine ?

I see, so they presumably had done all the tests to make colour film ? It must be a much more tricky thing to get right than monochrome. Such a shame their asbestos problem. But you wrote this a year ago, so maybe things are better.

Peter Ferguson · May 4, 2022

9 hours ago, John Rizzo said:

I wouldn't count on this, from what I hear it is a lot of smoke and mirrors.

From the international records, the current ORWO.Family, ORWO.studio, orwo.shop, under Jake Seal, whatever they go by, and whichever part of their company bought FilmoTec, manufacturers of ORWO film, are in "Involuntary Solvency", Chapter 11... no one is speaking highly of their business tactics, and there is no one at the factory in Germany, so not sure how they are manufacturing film, but they may be able to pull off the color film... that said, it's not an easy task... ferrania is a perfect example, and everyone else before them... Its a shame. that said, if they fail, someone will step in... it's too valuable to let die. * Search this, them, he, yourself if so inclined... its pretty messy.