Fujifilm to close its motion picture film business

Citing the rapid transition to digital media in recording movies and videos, Fujifilm is bringing down the curtains on many of its "traditional" film products by March 2013.

 

In a news release, the Japan-based company said it had provided negative films for shooting and positive films for projection in its motion picture film business.

 

"(T)o adapt to the recent rapid transition of digitalization in the shooting, producing, projecting and archiving processes of motion pictures Fujifilm has decided to shift its business operations to provide products and services designed for digital workflow of motion picture production and projection," it said.

 

However, it said it will continue to manufacture professional and amateur photographic still film.

 

The company said it is ending sales on:

 

 

"Digital cinema camera shooting has been gaining momentum, and digital editing that heavily uses CG (computer generated) composition and VFX processing has now become common in motion picture production. There is also an increase in the number of movie theaters that converted to digital projection, following the increase of 3D motion pictures," Fujifilm said.

 

It said this implies the dramatically advancing digitalization in the motion picture industry.

 

Citing such a trend, Fujifilm said it has strived to reduce the costs of the production process for its existing negative films and positive films and continued to supply such films.

 

"However, the dramatic decrease of demand in the last few years has become far too great a burden to be covered by corporate efforts. Therefore, it has been decided to discontinue the sales of negative films, positive films, and some other products of motion picture in a prospect of March 2013," it said.

 

On the other hand, Fujifilm said it will continue to provide films suitable for long-term archiving, high-performance lens for motion pictures, and other products and services designed for digital workflow of motion picture production and exhibition.

 

It said it "will strive harder than ever to provide such products and services in its continuous contribution to the motion picture industry."

 

Among the products and services Fujifilm is focusing on are:

 

 

Fujifilm makes data media for long-term data storage of ultrahigh capacity using its proprietary BaFe (barium ferrite) magnetic material.

 

It said its motion picture recording film (ETERNA-RDS) is capable of long-term archival preservation of 500 years with silver halide technology.

 

Also, its digital data archive service as a data storage service allows users to manage valuable data in an integrated manner. This service is promoted mainly in Europe and the USA and deployment is being prepared in Japan. — TJD, GMA News