There are a handful of film stock manufacturers that have historically dominated the motion picture film market, but beyond these recognizable names there are plenty of other manufacturers that produced motion picture film over many years. The film stocks database will surely be in a perpetual state of missing some of these manufacturers, but the goal is to account for as many of the commercially available film stocks and manufacturers as is possible.
The manufacturers currently in the database or in the queue to be added are listed here, along with some brief information about the company and their years of manufacture, where possible. I’m not a proper historian of these companies, and have just banged together this background info from various sources, focusing on info that might inform or augment the use of the database more than anything. Please do get in touch if you would like to add further info to any of these names!
3M
3M seems to have entered the photographic film market in 1964 when they acquired Ferrania, the Italian film company. I’m fairly certain all 3M films were produced by Ferrania under the 3M name. 3M seems to have officially exited the film production business in 1995.
AGFA (& AGFA-GEVAERT)
Agfa produced its first motion picture film in 1903.
Agfa and Gevaert merged in 1964, and some of their separate respective stocks continued to be made available post-merger. Because of this and other possible confusions, all Agfa, Gevaert, and Agfa-Gevaert stocks are listed under the company name “Agfa-Gevaert”, but notes will be provided to indicate when a stock was produced by one or the other when prior to 1964. Agfa-Gevaert ceased making camera films in 1995 and then only made print and sound recording films until 2005, when they ceased motion picture film production altogether.
ANSCO
Agfa acquired Ansco in 1928, branding its American products under the name Agfa-Ansco. In 1941-42, the US government seized Agfa-Ansco as enemy property and it was taken over by the US Treasury department. “Agfa” was dropped from the company name in 1944, and following the end of World War II in 1945 it resumed operations as its own independent company, Ansco, with a new red, white, and blue color scheme used for its packaging. Ansco was rebranded as General Aniline & Film Corporation (GAF) in 1967, and their subsequent products were labeled as GAF rather than Ansco. GAF/Ansco ceased producing motion picture film around 1977-78.
BAUCHET
CINEX
DUPONT
EG&G
FERRANIA
Ferrania was an Italian film company founded in 1923. They were acquired by 3M in 1964, and renamed as Ferrania 3M in Italy, though the name was increasingly absent from products over subsequent years. 3M branded films were produced by Ferrania, and Ferrania also produced unbranded film for numerous other companies over many decades until they closed down in 2010. A new company, Film Ferrania, emerged in the 2010s as a revival of the name to produce photographic films again on a smaller scale.
FOMA
FUJI
GASPAR
GEVAERT
Gevaert was founded in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1894, though I’m not certain when they first started making motion picture film.
Agfa and Gevaert merged in 1964, and some of their separate respective stocks continued to be made available post-merger. Because of this and other possible confusions, all Agfa, Gevaert, and Agfa-Gevaert stocks are listed under the company name “Agfa-Gevaert”, but notes will be provided to indicate when a stock was produced by one or the other when prior to 1964. Agfa-Gevaert ceased making camera films in 1995 and then only made print and sound recording films until 2005, when they ceased motion picture film production altogether.
ILFORD
KAHL
KIN-O-LUX
KODAK
MIMOSA
MORGANA
ORWO
PERUTZ
The German company Perutz was founded in 1870 by Otto Perutz, initially producing roll film. Motion picture film never seems to have been their primary product line. Although they do turn up in the US, these stocks were more commonly used in Europe.
СЛАВИЧ / SLAVICH
Slavich began as a Soviet enterprise and seems to have begun producing motion picture film in 1931. According to the Russian Wikipedia article, Eisenstein’s Alexander Nevsky was shot on Slavich film, among other Soviet features of the time. Prior to 1987, Soviet stocks followed and listed the GOST standard for light sensitivity, rather than ASA/EI.
СВЕМА / SVEMA
Svema was a Soviet state-owned film and tape company that started producing film products in 1931 and ceased film production in 1995. Prior to 1987, Soviet stocks followed and listed the GOST standard for light sensitivity, rather than ASA/EI.
ТАСМА / TASMA
Tasma began as a Soviet enterprise in 1933. They still exist, but their film products seem to now comprise only highly specialized technical films (for X-rays, analysis, etc.). Prior to 1987, Soviet stocks followed and listed the GOST standard for light sensitivity, rather than ASA/EI.
LIGHTSTRUCK 