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Kodak has secured renewed commitments from five of the six major Hollywood studios, extending agreements originally established in 2015 to ensure continued production of motion picture film. The deals with Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros. guarantee that celluloid will remain a viable capture medium for theatrical releases despite the industry’s digital dominance.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the agreements were announced at the Fourth Annual Kodak Film Awards. While specific financial terms and contract durations remain undisclosed, the deals represent a significant commitment to maintaining film manufacturing capabilities.
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Contents
Why Studios Continue Shooting on Film
Despite digital cinema cameras achieving technical parity—and in some cases superiority—to film stock, a substantial portion of theatrical productions still choose celluloid capture. Directors including Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, and Martin Scorsese publicly advocate for film’s distinctive aesthetic qualities.
The preservation argument also drives studio decisions. Properly stored film negatives potentially last centuries without format obsolescence, while digital files require ongoing migration to prevent data loss. Archives at institutions like the Library of Congress maintain extensive film preservation programs precisely because of this longevity.
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Impact on Still Photography
Motion picture film’s survival directly benefits still photographers who shoot analog. Kodak’s Rochester manufacturing facility produces both motion picture stocks and still film formats including Portra, Ektar, and Tri-X. Without the economies of scale provided by Hollywood’s massive film consumption, consumer film prices would likely increase substantially.
As EMULSIVE notes, the film photography resurgence depends on manufacturing infrastructure that Hollywood demand helps sustain. The past decade has seen consistent growth in film sales to enthusiasts, with Kodak reporting year-over-year increases for five consecutive years at the time of the original announcement.
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What This Means for Photographers
Continued Film Availability
The studio agreements ensure Kodak maintains production capacity for:
- 35mm still film (Portra, Gold, Ultramax, Tri-X)
- Medium format stocks
- Motion picture film sold for still use (Vision3 500T, 50D)
- Specialty formats like Ektachrome
Photographers concerned about film’s future can reasonably expect continued availability through at least the late 2020s based on these agreements.
Pricing Stability
Hollywood’s bulk purchasing helps stabilize manufacturing costs. While film prices have risen over the past decade due to raw material and logistics costs, the price increases might have been steeper without the guaranteed volume from motion picture contracts.
For photographers looking to start shooting film, our guide to best film cameras includes options compatible with the stocks these agreements help preserve.
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Film vs. Digital: The Ongoing Debate
The continued Hollywood investment in film maintains a healthy competition between capture technologies. For still photographers, this means:
Film advantages:
- Distinctive aesthetic (grain structure, color rendering)
- Generous highlight handling
- Tangible negatives with archival permanence
- Slower, more deliberate shooting process
Digital advantages:
- Immediate image review
- Superior low-light performance
- No ongoing consumable costs
- Seamless digital workflow integration
Many professional photographers now maintain hybrid workflows, shooting film for specific looks while relying on digital for time-sensitive or technically demanding assignments.
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Current Context (2026 Update)
Since the original 2020 announcement, film photography has experienced unprecedented growth among younger photographers. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok feature thriving film photography communities, while manufacturers including Kodak and Fujifilm have struggled to meet demand during supply chain disruptions.
Kodak has invested in expanding film production capacity, hiring additional staff at its Rochester facility. The company has also reintroduced previously discontinued stocks including Ektachrome E100 in 120 format.
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FAQ
Will film prices decrease with these agreements?
Unlikely. While the agreements help stabilize manufacturing, raw material costs (silver, petroleum-based film bases) and logistics expenses continue rising. Film will likely remain a premium capture medium.
Does this affect instant film like Polaroid?
No. Instant film manufacturing occurs at different facilities with separate supply chains. Polaroid and Fujifilm Instax operate independently from Kodak’s motion picture agreements.
Can I buy motion picture film for still photography?
Yes. Companies like CineStill and Flic Film repackage motion picture stocks (Kodak Vision3 series) for still camera use. These films require ECN-2 processing rather than standard C-41.
What happens when these agreements expire?
Hollywood’s continued use of film suggests likely renewal. Directors’ unions and cinematography guilds actively advocate for preserving film as an artistic option. The medium has survived multiple “death of film” predictions.
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Related Articles
- Best Cameras for Full-Spectrum Conversion (2025) – Alternative capture technologies
- How to Copy Old Photographs – Preserving analog memories digitally
- Lightroom: Organizing Your Images – Digital workflow management
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Original News Date: January 2020
Updated: February 2026
Word Count: ~650 words
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Internal Links: 3
External Links: 3 (news sources – nofollow)