How Does Kodak Make Film? (Kodak Factory Tour Part 1 of 3) - Smarter Every Day 271 

Im From Rochester!

Manufacturing is MAGIC! Things are only has good as their manufacturing processes, not their core design.

Fav ytuber

That first kid was so nervous talking to you at first lol. He was shaking! Why are you such a terrifying dude? 😉

Shout out from Rochester NY! Glad you enjoyed Kodak! My dad used to work there many years ago

You might really enjoy the podcast "Ologies", then, since... That's basically the whole podcast 😂 assuming you're not already familiar with it, that is

@@LiteraryCurtastrophe I'm not! Thanks for the suggestion, I'm definitely checking it out 😄

The hardest part is breaking it down and simplifying, making sure the listener understands. That's the difference between an expert and teacher level proficiency in a trade or skill. It also requires good 2 way communication.

the tall guy has a hard time explaining the process though

ih, dobra espacial aq?

My dad worked there in 60's ish, I think

Interesting. My aunt developed film for kodak and used to take me to work with her. As a lil munchkin i saw the whole process. I feel quite lucky now.

Wow! Several people who were with us said they were amazed that we got to see so much! I'm excited to share some of the more interesting stuff!

@@smartereveryday You got to see so much because it's gone from a cash cow cutthroat product to a niche side business. All the secrets are known now and there is probably a cooperative agreement between Kodak and Fujifilm so they can both turn out the best film possible and keep this skill alive.

@@smartereveryday Great video. I was fortunate to be able to tour the ILFORD factory here in England a few years ago, without taking pictures. Impressed with your access and explanations.

😂

Lmao

Haha!

Bad Kodak employees get micro plastics for dinner 🗿

I worked for Good Morning America several years ago shooting stories about all kinds of things and one of the most challenging was doing this kind of project. We had “guest” scientists as presenters and it was always interesting… but… ( ah there’s always a “but”) it was hard for them to get out of their science mind and be able to communicate with the viewer. Here however Dustin, I hope I have that right, does an excellent job of making complex processes understandable. Tough to do… and especially so when he’s trying to relate to the engineer, the viewer and his own team so we get a clear sense of what we are seeing. Dustin you do a great job! I’m impressed and proud from a distance of what you’re doing. Keep it up. Now off to watch part two!

Yeah, the film manufacturing folks are amazing!

They must have been so excited to know the work they do is going to get the kind of attention Smarter Every Day can bring

Good now just tell kodak to pay me more

For real, mad props to Kodak. Because of this video I'm getting a old camera and buying Kodak film... My wife said I could.

Free advertising to a dying industry is always exciting.

im more confused at how to maintain a vacuum with so many moving and rotating parts, there must be some realy cool hermetic seal sorcery going on

I had a hard time figuring it out as well!

@@BrunoHenrique-gi1wd Is it a real deep vaccum or more like a vacuum from a vacuum cleaner? Maybe it's just strong enough to suck out the vapes.

This was also the point I struggled to understand, until the graphic that Destin made. It definitely helped to get a better idea of how the PET was able to flow past that vacuum inlet without getting sucked into it as well and clogging up the entire system. LOL

@@drstefankrank I think that's the case. It's just enough vacuum to ensure none of the gasses get squeezed back into the polymer.

I live literally down the road from the railroad tracks leading to the factory. The other day I got caught behind a train pulling in, I wasn’t even mad! I’m like “ah dude!!! Destin taught me what’s in those train cars. They’re getting their delivery!”

Linus from LTT talked about this in a recent WAN show. They wouldn’t be there if there were any stipulations and for a company to get any benefit from them showing this the youtuber has to be able to do their job

This was not always the case with KODAK.

@@Maverrick2140 I'd suppose that they have a lot of patents on these manufacturing processes. One of the key component of patent system is that you had to explain in great details what the patented processes are, and these details are published in a public database anyone can look up and read. So, in effect, many of these details here probably are already public knowledge anyway, just locked in some dusty patent filling. Also considering how old most of these machines look, I think either the patents already expired, or they don't care if a competitor would try to replicate what they did, since the patent system would protect their rights to commercialize the process. Well, it's not like they have much competitors to begin with. Even with the resurgence of film photography, I doubt that there are going to be new entrants into film rolls manufacturing business.

No production secrets anymore...

It's a legacy technology and extrusion of plastic isn't a new thing either.

You're in luck my friend, part 2 released today!

He can only upload when the government lets him. He is a gov agent. This is a fed channel. Hence nuclear submarines n missiles. He has a top secret clearance and he does w the gov tells him to do. Kodak? They have had gov contracts since the beginning. Hence his access.

Your absolutely correct. True very high qualified recruitment and treating each and everyone like Gold will maintain retention to do this properly show the passion in there product and company! This also shows how not only they want the product, company to survive its like wanting to keep a 1920 time frame techniques for antique value as well. These workers seem like chemists level type intelligence! Books don't teach all of the knowledge needed as both books does, but hands-on passable experience is a huge component. I am grateful that this isn't being lost because of technology almost depleting the need of non computerized film.

It can also be a result of a safety or system failure as well. The machines are constantly tweaked and adjusted throughout their lifetimes.

Huh? You're talking about Kodak? The company that went bust because it refused to modernize, had to sell everything off, even its name? THAT Kodak? The company so destroyed by old fashioned thinking that their name is bought by the most shady manufacturers of printers, cameras, battery makers etc etc etc? That company is as dead as Nokia, and their name is just as traded and diluted.

Had an interview with a company like this. Their original employees have been working there for 30-40 years, but since they will retire soon, and their position require at least a BcS degree, the company started to head hunt like crazy in order to harness the knowledge from the OG guys before it's too late.

That sad part is beside the film part of this company. That rot is exactly what happened at Kodak. I saw it first hand. One of the saddest parts was Kodak was a pioneer in digital imaging and printing but they didn’t think it would take over as it did. If they had listened to their employees and analysts the digital imaging and printing industry would be so much further along. It’s really a shame for the industry even if we ignore the company

I watched the whole thing and didn't even realize it was anywhere near that long until I saw this comment.

Repent to Jesus Christ ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:8-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬ M

@Locke for some reason even with alerts on All I never get a notification about his videos. It's not until I scroll through my subscriptions checking for unmatched videos I find them. It happens with this channel and 2 others, idk what's up with it.

@@believeinjesus6972 I repent to my boy Carl Sagan cause he's the real start daddy.

@@believeinjesus6972 Is there a reason you’re spamming this all over?

lol, me too!

same for me!

Came to look too

Same here:D @SmarterEveryDay any sneak peak on release date?

I am interested in this series too and waiting for part 2-3 desperately 😬. P.S. am not in the Film Buisness and do not watch it to copy the processes 🤫😊

It is now!

@@amogusenjoyer Smarter every few months😆

There are a couple of great youtube educators that go into this in detail. It is very interesting stuff. Hope Destin sees your comment @Lord Marcus

I’m a believer in Kodak! Big mistake not going digital back in the day but now it’s poised for a big comeback. Buy kodak stock while it’s still cheap.

Must have been a very smart guy to draw such complete conclusions with very little data!

Funny how film maybe more sensitive then silicon.

Intriguing stuff thanks for sharing that a

I inherited my dad’s slide rule also. A lot of science was done on that thing. And we went to the moon on slide rules.

I was taking an electronics class in college back in 1974, all the students were still using slide rules then. About 3 weeks into the class a student came in with new Texas instrument calculator and every time the instructor has us calculate a problem, he would always be first with the answer. After Christmas break 5 more students had the new calculator and the rest of us using the slide rules couldn't keep up. After about another 4 weeks all the students in the class had calculators except me, couldn't afford one. Still passed the class with an A but I was the only one left in the room during the final, everyone else finish a half hour earlier using those new calculators.

That's so cool. It's amazing how the work he did back then still has its lasting effects.

@@Tallrs: Had TI incorporated your story of improved efficiency with TI calculators into its merchandising, that product line might have been more competitive. And I reckon they'd have supplied you with one or two of them. As small calculators became more sophisticated, I noted some TI engineers of my acquaintance going with Hewlett-Packard for their expanded range of capabilities (one chap collected them and carried them all in an attaché case). TI was not that interested in the general consumer market, and struggled in that area.

@@keithnichols7926 Ya, the Asians sure kicked our a** when it came to small electronics.😕

Its sad though. They invented the technology that almost put them out of business. Make sure you have a good grip when you open Pandora's Box, I suppose.

Question everything.

Holy cow! That was so fascinating and kinda mind blowing that the government was willing to disclose that info to a private company just to keep them in business instead of the company having to invest in nuclear shielding or something.

@@jonathanfairchild I think it was less about keeping Kodak in business and more about keeping them quiet

Not just wwii but throught the cold war too.

If a picture is worth 1000 words. What would a video be worth? The Manhattan project was filmed and I bet they used Kodak film 🎥

Thanks for saying kind things!

Then taking it the next step to diagram it or model it so that we all get to understand it even better

This is one of my favorite things. The goal of a teacher is not to explain things, it’s to have the student actually understand. Destin talks to a lot of really smart people who are not teachers, and his way of asking questions until he truly understands is so good for the rest of us students.

I too felt myself askingthesame questions and almost as soon as I thought of the questions, he would ask them to explain it and resolve my question. Love the format (btw I never comment on videos but felt the need to point out how awesome this was put together) I can't wait for the next parts!

Some A1 Dad-Splaining right there!!!

That's amazing. What's a "millwright" ?

A millwright is the spoiled version of a mechanic.

@@funnyyylock A Millwright is basically a construction worker for industrial and factory sites... Sort of like a framing carpenter would tear down and then build and install the framing (walls) for your house or a finishing carpenter might install the island, counters, and cabinets for your kitchen... The Millwright sets up and installs the industrial machines in a factory... like those electric motors and gear-boxes for the extrusion screws... ALL those brackets layed out and welded to the floor and the motor's base was bolted down by millwrights... All the duct-work and rollers and plumbing for everything was done by millwrights... The on-site Engineers draw up the diagrams and figure out how everything is supposed to be done, and then they supervise and instruct the millwrights about the particular lines and measurements and details, while the millwrights actually physically put the equipment in... and fit it together. SO while a framing carpenter might need to be exact to within a 16th of an inch (U.S. code of construction), for some applications, a millwright has to be exact to within 5 or 10 thousandths of an inch of "dead-on-balls"... AND if any of the machinery has to be "updated" or replaced, it's usually millwrights who get called in to break down the old and get it out and then bring in and set up the new stuff... It doesn't happen often, but there are times when it needs to be done. Hope that helps clear it up... AND since they only really have to know how to line thins up and measure and set the construction precisely, they don't really NEED to understand what the machines are doing... even if it might seem helpful to know. ;o)

@@gunner4544 lol

I spent Friday lunches at the California Brew House and every so often a couple doors down the street (wink, wink)......1979-82 I was in building 23, 205.......23 is gone now, as I'm sure you know....

Couldn’t have said it better. The world needs more Destins.

I was thinking exactly the same thing during the video, wow! The way you give attention to everyone in the room equally shows you care, about them and their work. They'll feel appreciated!

100% good human

The science behind it becomes magic because of the magic of how Destin is treating it.

I agree!! So surprised we didn't hear more "that's proprietary" or "that's not something we discuss" from the engineers. What an amazing process and so glad they let us in on it.

@@bigskybob I assume all the patents and secrets have long since expired at this point. Kodaks special sauce is the fact they are kodak. not their approach to doing this specific chemistry.

@@theholyduck90 The secret sauce is having a billion dollars of building and machines and in house knowledge, and having it fully amortized after running nonstop for 50 years.

There is a lot of secret sauce, but most of it is going to be in exact formulas and temperatures, rather than something that is visible. You can see the barrels of chemicals, but you can't see how much of each is pumped in lol

@@JeffRAllenCH yes. That's what I mean by Kodak being Kodak

@Skynet 10/10, beautiful execution

Well really years ago it would be trade secrets etc, but films a rare thing now. Not as much competition.

@@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi Decades ago... there are still many secrets to the process -- they didn't tell you the exact speeds or temperatures, for example. I thought people stopped making photographic film long ago. Precision plastic films are still a thing. (there's dozens of feet of it inside the various modern electronics around you... cellphone, TV, microwave oven, etc.)

Probably helps that there's basically no competition in this industry anymore.

Heavily relies on the scale of operations and the highly specialized nature of the process and the product. As if anyone could or would replicate it even if they wanted to!

Same! This building is a deep memory of my childhood, driving along this road every day.

@@17-. me too!!!!

Hey csx42, I like your Minecraft videos, didn’t know you were in Rochester I live there too

@@kappa_kars same! I hope destin tried a garbage plate while he was here 😂

Me, too! Live near Irondequoit, work in Greece.

Technology Connections goes into a similar level of detail about a lot of stuff you see every day, and never realized was that complex and interesting.

Yeah, it's rare to see something this comprehensive. And there are two more parts coming soon! It's amazing!

100% agree. I appreciate the effort Destin is making. However, as a long time follower of this channel, I don’t like these long form content at all. I don’t have time for these. Please stop this, Destin. With all due respect; I wish you would go back to what you do best.

@@DrSardonicus Everything he does is what he does best. In my opinion, longer videos allow him to make a story of each project, to show the characters and give depth to each particular topic he tries to explain. It just shows that whatever he’s filming he is passionate about too. I understand that people might not have enough time and prefer shorter videos, I’m just a sucker for long stories so I am content :) You’ll find your time to watch the videos too, I’m sure. If you are a long time follower you too appreciate his videos even If you don’t quite agree with the format.

.... Destin's videos can be called: Happier Every Day 😉

@@DrSardonicus Some of us really like the longer form videos though, it's hard to make everyone happy :)

I actually prefer long videos that really get into the details of a subject. Little 5-10 minute clips are boring to me.

Love it!

You need to realize that in the heyday, Kodak was a city including 5 fire stations and I think 200,000 employees! Now Rochester is an optics center of excellence.

You might like the game Satisfactory. One of the main playstyles is doing exactly that - Building huge structures that are, essentially, one giant machine.

Have you tried having 11 million youtube subscribers? 😂❤

A refinery and power plants is mind blowing crazy with there amount of pipes!

without all the pipes you'd never be able to ask "what do they all do??"

It's chilled water (which for most processes is at 55 Degrees F), steam, hot water and chemicals.

Well yeah; he’s making a video for people that understand even less than he does.

The smartest thing a person can know is to ask about what is not understood.

You never stop learning. There's always more, and it starts by asking questions!

Smart people are not born smart. You become smart by asking tons and tons of questions...

Agreed one reason I love all these videos, when he is able to associate it to a previous video is also great

I'm sure that he'd be proud that this is still going strong, nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century!

@@razeezar they would LITERALLY walk with one at open when outside the dark room, so that the other eye stays darkroom ready! Metallica style I guess :p

@@JoinUsInVR That's awesome!

My father worked in Paper Finishing (Bldg 9). I got to see that process when I first worked at the plant (Bldg 25-Roll Film). I believe those building survived the massive cuts!

Fellow Rochesterian here. We take pride in Kodak in upstate NY. My father worked for Kodak for nearly 40 years.

@@jonathanviterise1681 everyone in roc over 50 worked in kodak for half their life

Born and raised in Rochester. Grandpa retired from Kodak and most of my family put in 20 to 30 years there before being laid off. Some had their departments bought out by other companies.

I'm from rochester too! Always wondered what it looks like the inside. I also had grandparents that worked there for quite a few years

Hello neighbors I'm rochesterian I've also wondered what's inside that factory and I've been living here for 30 years. I plowed some snow a couple times there but never actually walked inside. This was very cool to see

LOL a camera roll doesn't seem simple... maybe a pencil seems simple.

Hurts thinking about all the film I wasted taking pointless photos as a kid. 😢

@@mikeicee Have you seen how they manufacture pencils?!

Similar to the process used for food packaging film bopp or bopet. Just much larger scale and less clean.

Also note theirs entire ethylene cracker plants dedicated just to turn natural gas into those plastic bits.

This is great as Destin will keep asking till he understands it and then can explain it to us who might not have caught on just yet. Good job explaining all these things btw Destin. As a "normal" college student (not too smart not too dumb) I understand it quite well after your explanations!

to ask the right questions is half the answer

@Vladimir Smith Uhh, that film gets used in all sorts of stuff like the latest and greatest screens, making that film is probably the core of their business at this point.

@Vladimir Smith yes Kodak is not a household name like it used to be, but I don't understand what you are trying to say. Do you believe they are just making roll of this for fun? Of course not, it is still being sold and people want and need it. You know that until only a few years ago most films where shot on film, and there are still tons of box office movies using it.

@Vladimir Smith Russian troll? 😂

@@marek9784 Yup. Contrary to what most people think, most movies are still shot on film.

@Vladimir Smith Only a small percentage of this will go to photography film, the rest will likely go to other industries where it is used for a huge array of applications.

3M also made a LOT of photographic film, largely sold & distributed as a "private label" product, such as the branded K-mart "focal" film.

@@derekdowns6275 3M bought the Ferrannia factory in italy in 1964 where they made much of the private label colour film.

at my workplace we make PP foil for furniture and office applications (binders etc), i also thought the similarities and differences were cool.

Defenitley introvetered, but could talk so fluidly and knowledgably about his work. I'm the same - at work I can talk non-stop about what I'm working on, but in social settings I just sit and listen 😅 I love people like that.

In the beginning he was shaking but it got way better the longer he was talking to Destin. I guess especially in the beginning he was a little scared what kind of guy Destin would be but as he noticed how chill and excited Destin was Charles got more and more relaxed.

Phthalate exposure 😣

He was so knowledgeable and did an amazing job. I was also surprised that the lady was happy to just sit in the background. Just shows that he knew his stuff for her to not need to say anything.

It's great that Destin's not afraid to say something wrong because then they get to explain another way to fix any misunderstanding.

I made a number of plastic extruders when I was a machinist so this was fascinating to me as well. In fact I believe we did some work for Kodak so there may be some part of this process that I made myself (unlikely but there's a chance)!

THIS It blows my mind how complex it must be to commission a continuous run factory

Imagine a how its made like series but in the Destin style with these professional interviews and walk-alongs.

Yes! This would be awesome. I've worked in manufacturing plants for a while now. Pistons, engine bearings and now medical device and the processes are all super interesting

That part just makes me recall the process of plastic injection molding, very similar or basically the same thing, I guess.

Hey there Zack

Repent to Jesus Christ ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:8-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬ J

And with genuine, infectious passion. He wasn’t talking down from a public relations script. How refreshing. Destin did a good job of catching tech jargon and having it translated so people not familiar with industrial processes and materials could easily understand. I really respect that editorial perspective and wished more would treat viewers as intelligent beings.

Pretty incredible that he picked all that up in just 2 years.

Right?! I was very impressed!

He is gonna go far in life for sure!

He reminded me of one of my favourite actors Jeff Goldblum. The thick glasses, the height, the pauses when he speaks. Too much similarity. Does he get that often ?

Smol WUUUURld

@@SF-li9kh Now that you mention it, you're 100% right.

I'm pretty sure the process is about to get a lot crazier!

You ain't seen nothing yet! Wait 'til they start coating the emulsion! Ex Kodaker who started my career in film support!

This was fascinating, but I do find it interesting that they showed the PET (Estar) production, as your 35mm films are almost certainly made on acetate support and not PET. Looking at the spec sheets for several of Kodak's films, like Ektar (my favorite color film) and Portra, the 35mm and 120 roll film use acetate support, and they move to PET for sheet film (4x5, 8x10). From what I understand, they also use PET for distribution of the final print film for movies (or did before most theaters went digital), due to its durability.

I quite literally just scrolled up to prove you wrong but sure enough almost a whole hour past in no time.

I lived like 5 min away for almost 7 years it’s beautiful and rustic

Same here!!

Hello neighbors 👋🏻

I live in webster

I'm in Binghamton, NY ... Had no idea Kodak was in Rochester

But this cares so much more about making you understand, how it's made was tuned more towards showing cool systems

except how its made is so condensed they often get the process wrong. Still like them but Dustins vids are so much more comprehensive I consider them several steps above how its made...

Definitely, I love the depth that he goes into in his videos

True very high qualified recruitment and treating each and everyone like Gold will maintain retention to do this properly show the passion in there product and company! This also shows how not only they want the product, company to survive its like wanting to keep a 1920 time frame techniques for antique value as well. These workers seem like chemists level type intelligence! Books don't teach all of the knowledge needed as both books does, but hands-on passable experience is a huge component. I am grateful that this isn't being lost because of technology almost depleting the need of non computerized film.

I'm actually struck by the amount of R&D needed to reach this point. The trials and errors and reformulations and subtle changes. AND THEN the design and implementation of these massive machines. It all ran so smoothly which means there was much tear out of hair to reach this point. And at the end, a $15 roll of film and they still make a profit.

66,000 in 1980 was about the peak - over 120,00 worldwide. They were a behemoth.

I wish we had that sort of 'accumulator' tech when I worked extruding plastic bag material in a two-bit factory (South East suburbs of Melbourne, Australia) back in the late '90s. The spool/roller spin rate was relatively slow but you still needed to be quick to not waste product. Greetings from Down Under!

If this is anything like printing books, I would imagine they have to run several thousand feet that ends up getting recycled. My dad works in a large print shop and they usually have to shred the first few hundred sheets when they are first starting up.

THIS! I can't get my head around how you start the whole process. How do they empty the auger when a batch is finished?! How do the start the feed through the rollers when the whole thing is drawn under tension, not pushed? So many questions!

@@kabadisha maybe it's like a glass stove. never stops.

My thoughts exactly!

It starts with heat. A lot of heat. The equipment I work on needs 6+ hours to "soak" after it comes up to tempurture or you'll be trying to extruded mostly solid product. Then you start the line slowly and hand thread the line. Probably isn't too big of a deal.