Seventy-five years is a long
run for a product line, but that is what it has been for Kodachrome
film. Manufacturing ended last year and processing ended on
December 30th. Across the nation there are various activities
marking the end of an era. In Rochester, there is silence. Steve
McCurry took the last roll of Kodachrome around the world for National
Geographic, but the company that produced all of this film
has barely mentioned it. In other places people are
using Kodachrome film one last time for exhibits evoking days
gone by. In this city where I can talk to people who knew the inventors
of Kodachrome, I had trouble giving away 50 rolls of film. The film was
rapidly claimed by others across the country once I posted a
notice on an internet forum. Paul Simon wrote a song entitled
"Kodachrome", but in Rochester "The Sounds of Silence"
seems more appropriate.
I know why Kodak steered
clear of the end of Kodachrome. It doesn't fit with their vision of a
digital future. I'm having a harder time understanding why
the rest of Rochester seems not to care. Are we
still in lock step with Kodak management so that we automatically
follow their lead? Are we so disappointed in Kodak that we'd
rather avoid celebrating part of the heritage of that company and this
city? Do we still wait for Kodak to provide leadership?
We need to establish an identity in this city that moves beyond Kodak. Who are we? What do we stand for? Where do we want to go in the next 10 years? I hope Kodak can contribute, but I would not depend on them.
