Some of the team that helped save Polaroid instant film is now trying to bring back another defunct emulsion – instant packfilm – via a Kickstarter which will launch on 8 November.
The film will be the first 3×4 peel-apart packfilm since the demise of Fuji’s FP100C in early 2016.
The Kickstarter was originally supposed to have launched on Thursday 20 September, but has since been pushed back.
Fuji’s FP-3000B black-and-white peel-apart film was also discontinued back in 2013.
Originally a quick-develop instant film used by photographers to check lighting and exposure, the films quickly became popular with Polaroid followers.
The team launch the Save Pack Film Kickstarter on Thursday (20 September).
The team resurrecting the film includes Austrian Florian Kaps, who was instrumental in saving the last Polaroid factory in Europe as part of the Impossible Project (now Polaroid Originals).
It’s not yet known what the Kickstarter involves not how much it is seeking to raise.
The site currently reads: “This is the ultimate attempt to save one of the most magic analog film technologies ever invented: PEEL APART INSTANT FILM.
“Please join and support us to SAVE PACKFILM together.”
The Save Packfilm team also includes Uwe Mimoun, a German film veteran who runs the Kono film range and is also involved in the Dubble film brand.
Further notes on the team’s strategy page extol the various ‘superhero powers’ of those working on the new film.
“Even if it took us more than two years to finally come up with this brilliant strategy, it turned out that the perfect guideline of how to save the world (or in this case PACKFILM) can be found in basically every Comic Book.
“Step 1. YOU HAVE TO BRING TOGETHER THE WORLD`S MOST OUTSTANDING SUPERHEROES.
“Step 2. YOU HAVE TO CREATE A HEADQUARTER – a real fortress of solitude, an office of coordination. Not just a place where you can hang up your cape, and recharge your superpowers, but mainly a place where you can connect with all your supporters globally, unite all forces, plan all actions and bundle all energies.
“Step 3. Finance your adventure. Well this is most likely the most delicate aspect of our strategy. Especially as we have not been too successful with connecting to “Bruce Wayne style endless financial resources type of guys” so far. Therefore we decided on a 2-layer plan:
“A. A big Kickstarter campaign launching September 20, 8pm local Vienna time and:
“B. The opening of a special Packfilm Adventure Shop presenting and selling a selection of carefully collected packfilm treasures of the glory past in order to finance the development of a even more glorious packfilm future.”
I'm a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s, shooting film seriously since the year 2000. Kosmo Foto was launched in 2012 and has since become a film brand, with the release of my first films Kosmo Foto Mono 35mm (2017) and Kosmo Foto Mono 120 (2019).
I’m doing everything I can to promote film photography in the 21st Century, and help it survive and thrive. If you want to write something for Kosmo Foto, please drop me a line at foto.dowling@gmail.com.
