The Impossible Project

[r.e.]

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has a radio service on which there is a programme about technology called Spark.

Today, Spark did an interview with a former Polaroid employee from the Netherlands. He and nine other former employees are attempting to make a deal with Polaroid to revive Polaroid instant film. They have dubbed their efforts "The Impossible Project."

You can hear the interview by dowloading the Spark podcast at cbc.ca/spark You may even be able to hear it live at cbc.ca/radio. The live broadcast just finished where I am in the east and would not have been aired yet on the west coast.

Maybe I'll wait a bit before tossing my Polaroid holder into the trash bin :)

Cheers

[Ash]

I think I got an email from Polapremium about that.

[venchka]

Aren't they dealing with the bankruptcy court now?

[jeongyun]

Here's the interview
http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2009/01/full-interview-andre-bosman-on-the-impossible-project/

The impossible project
http://www.the-impossible-project.com/

Impossible b.v. has acquired the complete film production equipment in Enschede (NL) from Polaroid, has signed a 10-year lease agreement on the factory building

[Nathan Potter]

See another thread here somewhere. The "Impossible" project will use equipment in the Netherlands that will only produce pack film. But it could be a start at least.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Gene McCluney]

See another thread here somewhere. The "Impossible" project will use equipment in the Netherlands that will only produce pack film. But it could be a start at least.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.


I think the plant in the Netherlands only produced Integral film, not peel-apart pack film. They did not coat any emulsions there, so they need a partner like Ilford (which they have) to engineer the film emulsion and coating.

Integral film is the type of film that the SX-70 camera used. The print is ejected from the camera and the developing appears before your eyes...no pull-apart.

[jwaddison]

APUG has a thread about this. I believe Ilford is, or is thinking of, becoming involved.

Edit: here's the link:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum172/58208-ilford-photo-impossible-project.html

[r.e.]

My impression from the CBC interview is that Mr. Bosma and his partners are serious.

Is there something that this and other photographic communities could do to support this impossible project?

Regardless, the CBC interview is on-line and worth listening to.

Cheers

[vickersdc]

I've been in contact with Dr Florian Kaps and offered the support of the Creative Image Maker magazine - hopefully, we'll be able to bring you news of the progress of the project as it happens.

I hope the project gets lots of support from the community as a whole :-)

David.

[Sevo]

Is there something that this and other photographic communities could do to support this impossible project?


Dump your large format camera and get a SX70...

Unfortunately, this is not going to affect us - wrong film type, sorry. The little power we have would better be put into convincing Fuji to make their 4x5 pack film available globally, before the stock supply of Polaroids has entirely run out - the longer there is no LF material on the European and American market, the harder it will be to reintroduce.

Sevo