This Guy Is Making DIY Kodak Rolls Using Reclaimed Film Stock

For lovers of film, the death of Kodak was devastating. After filing for bankruptcy in 2012, many thought the age of film photography was finally over. With the cost of old Kodak reels going up, it's becoming hard for film lovers to maintain their love for the format. A company in Jakarta is trying to keep film around by repurposing old reels used for movies into DIY 35mm Kodak rolls of film.

The owner of Grain Grin Film Labs, Ian Faisal, painstakingly strips film out of old Kodak Vision reels that were used for feature films. He chops them up into 36 exposure strips, and reinserts those strips into reclaimed Kodak camera reels, creating a refilled roll of film ready to be used by most consumer film cameras.

Faisal even goes through the trouble of making customized labels, listing the color tone of each film, along with how much exposure needs to be set in the camera to match each reel.

This attention to detail is driven by Faisal's own love affair with film and his passion to get it back in the hands of everyday people. "Camera film is more forgiving when it comes to exposure. You can go on vacation and not focus on a digital screen [in order to get the shot right], you can just experience the zen of being out there," he said.

Even with today's technology, the quality of 35mm film is still unmatched when compared to most consumer level digital cameras today. Film quality reproduction can only be achieved by professional level digital cameras that are financially above what most people can afford.

The current supply of films are held by a small number of importers in Indonesia, which has lead to a massive hike in the cost of buying old Kodak film.

A single reel with 36 exposures can cost up to Rp 175,000 ($13) while Grain Grin sells it for less than half the price at Rp 90,000 ($6). Faisal's company is trying to help keep the cost of film photography low to encourage a new generation to get into film.

"There is a large amount of money circulating the hobby industry, and a not much progress when it comes to development," he said.

While interest in film photography is still, and will probably remain, a niche market, local film lovers like Faisal are fighting to keep the dream alive for everyone.

"It's going quite well, there is some movement," said Faisal. "It's like a small leg twitch from a guy who's been in a coma."