Cracking the barrier

I’m frustrated.  This should work, in theory anyway…

But over the past couple of years, it’s become more of a barrier than a blessing.

Yep.  I’m trying to make this Instamatic film do something special.  And it’s not cooperating.

Yeah, I know that nobody’s making Instamatic film any more, I know that much of the stock is three days older than dirt… but damn it, I want to get something special out of this film.  I really do.  I need something artistic and stunning and creative.  For crying out loud, what’s so hard about getting something like that together?

But every time I try something with this film, it’s almost as if the film is fighting me tooth and nail.  First, in order to even USE the film in my modern cameras, I have to break the Instamatic film out of its plastic cartridge and roll it into some medium format backing paper.  Then I can shoot the film, and then unroll the film out of its backing paper and into some light-tight black cartridges.  Then, if all that works… if the film isn’t deteriorated or deformed or even delaminated… I should be able to get an artistic achievement.  Should.  SHOULD.

But the film hasn’t cooperated.  I’m dealing with old, expired, aged film.  I have to transfer it in the dark twice – and at any time, the film can fog or expose without my knowledge.  And even if I do all that… I have to hope that the film develops, and that I haven’t under-exposed or over-exposed the product.

Argh.

Okay.  I have an idea, I have a concept.  This might work.  But if the Instamatic film doesn’t work this time, I’m giving up Instamatic film forever.  And by “forever,” I mean at least for six months or so. (wink)

Here’s my concept.  I want to show the physical struggle that all of us go through in life.  The effort to never give up, no matter how many demons and bullies try to hold you down and kick you while your face is in the blacktop.  To get past the backstabbers and the passive-aggressives.  To achieve more than the haters will let you achieve.  To shine when everyone else gives you shade.

You have to break down the barriers.  There’s no other way to achieve this concept.

So I need a person to be part of this project.  In this case, I called in my friend Jessica, whose “Fools Gold: The Mediocrity of the Golden Age of Hollywood” has become quite a successful blog and video series.

And last Saturday, we set up the scene.  I had a couple of rolls of my “rerolled Instamatic” film on 616 spools.  The AGFA Clipper Special f/6.3 was attached to a tripod.  The sun slowly rose.  My subject stood against the wooden fence.

Gotta make this work.

“Get upset,” I said to Jessica.  “Get angry with the world.  Get angry with the griefers and the hurters.  And in that anger, you’re going to survive and shine while everyone else withers and shrivels.  Don’t ever let the pain-dealers win.  Ever.  Break the barrier.  Break it now.”

I shot through the two rolls of Kodak Gold 200 Instamatic film.  If I used this film for its intended purpose, I could get 24 exposures per roll.  Today?  I’m lucky if I will get 12 images combined.

And this was the best shot from the photo run.

Holy George Eastman, I’ve finally gotten a decent artistic image with this film!!  Yippee!!!

Okay, Miller, take notes.  When and if you do this again, use Kodak Gold 200 Instamatic film, as fresh out of the box as you can.  That bottom strip is kinda gamey-looking, but I was lucky that I used that film as the “bottom” layer for this splitfilm blend.  Enhancement, rather than detraction.

Okay, time for roll #2.  I then packed the roll of prepared Kodak Verichrome Pan 126 Instamatic film.  Yeah, if I used this film in an Instamatic camera, I could get twelve shots apiece.  In its current condition?  Five shots combined, at the most.

But if any of those five shots match up with this…

Yeah.

Much better.  The Instamatic frame bars aren’t overpowering in this shot.  The sprocket holes are on the outside of the picture, not through the inside.

Awesome.  This finally works.

Now granted, I’m going to re-scan these negatives at some point, if for no other reason than to make sure that whatever I’ve got here is cleaned up and free of dust and gunk.  The scratches and color shifts?  They can stay.

Because this time, the scratched and color shifts actually ENHANCE what I’m looking for in this project.

So what does this all mean, my beloved blog readers?

It means that Chuck has finally got this old Instamatic film to do what he wants it to do… and, in the future, will continue to find a way to make this work.

And in the end, I finally cracked the barrier.  Cracked it with all my strength.