North Korea and film

[superadio]

Another topic in here was some discussions about Korean super 8. But I think there must be film manufactured in North Korea. I have seen some documentaries from there, and on big events, there seems to be used much 16 mm. But who knows, could be just empty cameras, to make people think there is filming going on.

[aj]

Do you have any fuurther information about this camera?

It's an urban legend.

It is the same answer here.

It has been discussed here at length and has been professionally researched. There is no such film. Or camera.

[Blue Audio Visual]

It would seem most likely to me that any North Korean films back in the day would have been shot using imported cameras, most likely German ones at first (Arri ?), then Chinese ones more recently.

I think it highly unlikely that North Korea would bother manufacturing film cameras.

[Will2]

Here's an interesting thought.

What if someone approached a former manufacturer of super 8 cameras and bought the technical plans for and manufacturing intellectual property from them, then took it to China and found a company to make them again. Bauer or even Canon might be interested in making a little money from an otherwise useless intellectual property.

There are plenty of manufacturers in China that could tool up for that quickly (at differing levels of quality for sure), maybe even just make a set of parts for like 1000, then assemble them to order. I bet a company like urban outfitters in the U.S. who actively promotes Holga cameras along side their cool clothing lines might be interested... especially if you could work with several companies for a complete film-processing-transfer chain.

I'm sure it's not an original concept but might be interesting. We've probably discussed this many times in the forum. Obviously not a huge money maker either but could spark something.

[Will2]

Double Post

[Matthew Buick]

Wasn't there a thread a few years back, about a mystery 16 ASA reversal stock, discovered in a supermarket in Taiwan by a member of this forum, that turned out to be of Korean origin? By a maker called Kim Chek?

[BK]

Another topic in here was some discussions about Korean super 8. But I think there must be film manufactured in North Korea. I have seen some documentaries from there, and on big events, there seems to be used much 16 mm. But who knows, could be just empty cameras, to make people think there is filming going on.

Whenever Kim the great leader shows up at an important event there is always one or two cameraman with Arriflex 35 to document it. I would imagine the film is supplied by China's film company Lucky. Kim is a Cinema & film buff and has a collection of Daffy Duck cartoons from what I've read.



A colleague from work was there about a year ago and I asked him to look around to see if there's any N. Korea film available at all, whether it's still or cine, but the answer was no.

Bill

[Blue Audio Visual]

Wasn't there a thread a few years back, about a mystery 16 ASA reversal stock, discovered in a supermarket in Taiwan by a member of this forum, that turned out to be of Korean origin? By a maker called Kim Chek?

A condensed version of the story is as follows:

In October 2005 someone calling themselves "Justus Zell" joined a now defunct German forum and only ever made 2 posts. He claimed to have found a 16ASA Super 8 stock in a Taiwanese supermarket made by a company called Kim Chaek/Tschek in Wonsan, North Korean. His second post simply said that it had an expiry date of 2006. He then never posted again and went off the radar.

An Austrian member of this forum posted about it here:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11493

Schmalfilm magazine printed a short column about it too:

http://www.testberichte.de/d/read-swf/101186.html

...and so the rumour mill started grinding...

Juergen from Schmalfilm looked into it and couldn't find any solid evidence:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18681&p=176629

If you read the link above he states:

I ve got an answer from a North Korean office in Vienna, saying:

"Yes, there's a company called Kim Chaek in Wonsan producing such films.

We're not a chamber of commerce so we cannot provide further information, pictures, prices, etc."

Later, officials from North Korea told me that there is no more production of Super 8 films in their country.

Now I don't know exactly what question Juergen asked, but it strikes me as very likely that if you ask a leading question to a North Korean official about consumer goods and their availability in the worker's paradise of the DPRK you are likely to get an affirmative answer. There is also the strong probability that when he mentioned 8mm format film they simply didn't know what he was talking about, and were referring to something else. Or just making the whole thing up as they went along.

But the facts are this: there is no proof of any sort that this story is true. No pictures, no explicit confirmation from any North Korean official, nothing...

So what started as a completely unverified claim by someone posting twice on a discussion board has ended up with the status of being published on wikipedia, where the rumour is now retold as including a range of cameras, and has apparently 'been confirmed by North Korean embassies':

There were rumours of Super 8 cameras and films being manufactured and sold in North Korea, partly to be found in specialty photography stores in a few Southeast Asian countries, by a company named Kim Chek, and indeed this has been confirmed by North Korean embassies, but the only way to buy such products is to visit those countries.

It is about as believable as the idea that Elvis, Hitler & Jimmy Hoffa all live together in a commune in Montana where they make artisanal goat's cheese to sell to local delicatessens, and has as much status as fact (e.g. none at all) as thousands of other silly rumours floating around the intersurfweb that were sparked off by one person making outlandish claims.

[Angus]

Here's an interesting thought.

What if someone approached a former manufacturer of super 8 cameras and bought the technical plans for and manufacturing intellectual property from them, then took it to China and found a company to make them again. Bauer or even Canon might be interested in making a little money from an otherwise useless intellectual property.

Said Chinese company is going to ask you how many million units you want to advance order.

[Blue Audio Visual]

Said Chinese company will probably just chuck a cheap USB webcam inside the chassis....

[etimh]

A condensed version of the story is as follows...

Nice overview and commentary on this topic, Bart. You should submit it to snopes.

Tim

[super8man]

Heck, I had a hard enough time determining whether the roll out of Ektachrome 100D in super 8 was a hoax or not. Korean film? Nope.

[aj]

A condensed version of the story is as follows...

Nice overview and commentary on this topic, Bart. You should submit it to snopes.

Tim

Thought about the same.
Don't know what snopes is but maybe paste it in as a comment on the wikipage
For eternity or until someone thinks to know better.

[Matthew Buick]

Wasn't there a thread a few years back, about a mystery 16 ASA reversal stock, discovered in a supermarket in Taiwan by a member of this forum, that turned out to be of Korean origin? By a maker called Kim Chek?

A condensed version of the story is as follows:

In October 2005 someone calling themselves "Justus Zell" joined a now defunct German forum and only ever made 2 posts. He claimed to have found a 16ASA Super 8 stock in a Taiwanese supermarket made by a company called Kim Chaek/Tschek in Wonsan, North Korean. His second post simply said that it had an expiry date of 2006. He then never posted again and went off the radar.

An Austrian member of this forum posted about it here:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11493

Schmalfilm magazine printed a short column about it too:

http://www.testberichte.de/d/read-swf/101186.html

...and so the rumour mill started grinding...

Juergen from Schmalfilm looked into it and couldn't find any solid evidence:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18681&p=176629

If you read the link above he states:

I ve got an answer from a North Korean office in Vienna, saying:

"Yes, there's a company called Kim Chaek in Wonsan producing such films.

We're not a chamber of commerce so we cannot provide further information, pictures, prices, etc."

Later, officials from North Korea told me that there is no more production of Super 8 films in their country.

Now I don't know exactly what question Juergen asked, but it strikes me as very likely that if you ask a leading question to a North Korean official about consumer goods and their availability in the worker's paradise of the DPRK you are likely to get an affirmative answer. There is also the strong probability that when he mentioned 8mm format film they simply didn't know what he was talking about, and were referring to something else. Or just making the whole thing up as they went along.

But the facts are this: there is no proof of any sort that this story is true. No pictures, no explicit confirmation from any North Korean official, nothing...

So what started as a completely unverified claim by someone posting twice on a discussion board has ended up with the status of being published on wikipedia, where the rumour is now retold as including a range of cameras, and has apparently 'been confirmed by North Korean embassies':

There were rumours of Super 8 cameras and films being manufactured and sold in North Korea, partly to be found in specialty photography stores in a few Southeast Asian countries, by a company named Kim Chek, and indeed this has been confirmed by North Korean embassies, but the only way to buy such products is to visit those countries.

It is about as believable as the idea that Elvis, Hitler & Jimmy Hoffa all live together in a commune in Montana where they make artisanal goat's cheese to sell to local delicatessens, and has as much status as fact (e.g. none at all) as thousands of other silly rumours floating around the intersurfweb that were sparked off by one person making outlandish claims.

I certainly wasn't trying to offend you. I'm sorry. From now on, I won't even acknowledge the existence of North Korea while in your prescence...

[granfer]

This thread isn't really going anywhere,is it?
Time to put your claws away, girls!!

8O 8O 8O :roll: :roll: