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As instances change, sure traits and the issues we used to make use of will not turn into related as a result of technological developments or societal shifts.
Film cameras are one such instance. They went from being the one possibility up to now to finally being overtaken by digital alternate options as a result of numerous elements resembling worth, accessibility, and ease of use.
This is far to the dismay of companies resembling Bang Bang Geng (BBG), who’ve devoted themselves to movie cameras.
But plainly there’s gentle on the finish of the tunnel, as we’ve observed a resurgence of movie cameras up to now few years. To be taught in regards to the ups and downs of a enterprise devoted to this artwork type, we spoke to the proprietor of BBG, Koon Yik.
Shifting from digital to analogue
After graduating from Manchester, UK, Koon Yik labored in IT and garnered expertise in constructing web sites, instantly promoting, and securing IT work by means of authorities contracts.
“I grew up in a family whose financial priorities do not include hobbies or photography,” he defined, and added that his first encounter with a digicam was when his uncle handed him considered one of his as a going away current when he left for Manchester.
In 2010, he determined to take up images as a passion and upgraded his digital digicam to a good higher one.
“Mirrorless was the rage back then, but it was in its early days. Lens choices were limited, and so were knowledge and support.”
However, with endorsement from Mr. Tan, an ex-Managing Director of Olympus Malaysia, he began a small native assist group known as PEN Lovers.
Over lunch in 2011, his pal, David, an expert photographer who began on movie, requested him why he had by no means tried movie images regardless of already having movie digicam lenses.
“So I bought film bodies for these lenses and got hooked. I switched from digital to film. A number of the PEN Lovers members also switched, and I formed a new group,” he defined.
Capturing the second
After that, David launched him to Lee, the proprietor of ColorDotCom (now known as Zontiga), a photograph lab that processes movies.
In 2012, Lee advised Koon Yik that he wished to give up and promote his lab. One of Koon Yik’s pals persuaded him to take over the lab, however when he lastly determined to take action with the assist of his household, Lee turned him down and suggested him to not pursue it. Lee believed that Koon Yik ought to keep in his “better” IT profession.
Not one to surrender, Koon Yik had many chats with Lee, after which he lastly agreed to assist Koon Yik arrange his personal store. The very first thing he did was to assist configure and order the required machines.
“Being from IT, I was clueless about film processing and running a photo lab. Lee allowed me to work weekends in his shop and taught me about film processing.”
Meanwhile, one other images pal prompt that he open his store in Publika, and that was how he ended up quitting his job in IT in 2012 to deal with increase Bang Bang Geng in Publika Shopping Gallery.
In an interview with BFM, Koon Yik mentioned he spent round RM600,000 to launch the enterprise in 2013.
On how he got here up with the title, he defined that the store is called after the 2010 film about 4 battle movie photographers (two of them Pulitzer Prize-winners) known as ‘The Bang Bang Club’ who recorded the apartheid in South Africa.
“I copied the name for the film photography group I formed but Malaysianised it as Bang Bang Geng, which in Malay means a group of shooters,” said Koon Yik.
Besides movie processing, BBG sells movie rolls, prints pictures, helps prospects repair their non-working cameras, and Koon Yik additionally provides movie images recommendation.
The gallery-shop house can be crammed with images paraphernalia, from century-old classic cameras to tiny disposable ones.
A dying artwork
On how movie images has modified over time, Koon Yik mentioned, “Back then, many photo labs that have opened for decades had quit as their three mainstream revenues were curtailed.”
The three sources of income talked about had been print companies which had been being “killed” by social media, movie processing which was eradicated by digital images, and identification picture making which was eradicated as the federal government digitalised functions and renewals.
“Today, none of the remaining old photo labs process films. Prior to digital photography, photo labs were processing 150 to 500 rolls per day, and when I started film photography, they were doing just 100 to 300 rolls per month.”
When movie images peaked in Malaysia, Koon Yik mentioned there have been so many passion teams and organised picture walks. “The biggest group even had its film processing lab. Today these groups that I know have gone,” he reminisced.
He believes that at this time’s rising dwelling prices, a weakening foreign money, and skyrocketing costs for imported objects have modified individuals’s priorities and dampened the enjoyable of movie images.
The change in traits was additionally mirrored in his enterprise. At its peak, BBG’s longest turnaround time for movie processing was 4 weeks plus. Today’s turnaround time is from the identical day to 48 hours, as a result of decrease gross sales quantity.
As if that weren’t unhealthy sufficient, the COVID-19 pandemic later shut down any doable enlargement plans.
“Photo labs were the second last to be allowed to reopen after lockdowns. Maintaining a shop in a mall is a big spend, so the focus now is to recover financially,” he added.
Looking at it by means of a rose-tinted lens
Despite all of the obstacles, Koon Yik stays devoted to selling and educating Malaysians on movie images.
For instance, he affords one-on-one classes for these searching for assist with movie images, for the nominal value of a cup of espresso or a field of treats.
However, it does appear that movie images has now rolled again into style. According to him, after the COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted, the shop had gotten 15% extra prospects in comparison with its pre-pandemic ranges, and he’s anticipating numbers to extend.
Meanwhile, different indicators of movie images having fun with a resurgence are producers growing new movie shares, reviving discontinued movies, and re-manufacturing movie cameras.
At the tip of the day, Koon Yik’s final aim is a slightly humble and easy one; he aspires to encourage younger Malaysians {that a} passion may be became a enterprise.
“I had seen my customers grow from when they were in high school, then to university, getting hitched, married, and having kids,” he shared.
“I opened my shop to allow young Malaysians to experience picture-making history first-hand. So long as there are still young Malaysians who want to experience this history, I will still be doing this role.”
- Learn extra about Bang Bang Geng right here.
- Read different articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups right here.
Featured Image Credit: Bang Bang Geng & Publika
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