Summary
A 16mm motion picture film featuring an advertisement for the Kodak Handle instant camera - a self-developing camera very similar in style and technology to Polaroid cameras and film. This product was a short-lived venture for Kodak, as they were taken to court by Polaroid for copyright infringement, defeated, and forced to cease production of the Handle and other instant film technology.
This particular commercial, produced by Atlab Sydney, again uses the concept of fun to sell the product. It features young, twenty-somethings having fun at the park and at the beach with the Handle camera. There is a jingle with the catch phrase 'Grab the Handle!' repeated throughout and underscored with drums and dramatic pauses in the music to make the commercial memorable. The lyrics are as follows: "When he's acting like a child / Grab the Handle! / When you like the way she smiles / Grab the Handle / When he likes the red hot sun / Grab the Handle! / When you want some Kodak fun / Grab the Handle / When you want some Kodak fun / Grab the Handle!".
This film is part of the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005, when the Melbourne manufacturing plant at Coburg closed down.
Kodak manufactured and distributed a wide range of photographic products to Australasia, such as film, paper, chemicals, cameras and miscellaneous equipment. Its client base included amateur and professional photographers, as well as specialist medical and graphic art professionals who used photography, x-ray and other imaging techniques.
Description of Content
Television commercial for Kodak Handle Camera. It opens with a man flying a kite. A girl takes his photograph. Then it's a young woman's birthday party and a man takes her photograph. It concludes at the beach where a girl in a bikini takes photographs.
Physical Description
16mm polyester motion picture film; Colour; Television commercial (TVC); Optical sound; 1976 Originally housed in a red and yellow Recordak branded cardboard box with Berry Currie advertising sticker. Film was wound on a black metal Kodak Australasia reel.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd, Ms. Kate Metcalf - Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd, 2005
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Acknowledgement
Courtesy of Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd.
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Organisation Depicted
Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd, 173 - 199 Elizabeth Street, Coburg, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1976
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Recording Details
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Content Summary
1, 00:00:02 HH:MM:SS, Leader countdown and Atlab intertitle.,2, 00:00:26 HH:MM:SS, Young man running with kite,3, 00:00:27 HH:MM:SS, Group of men and women in their early 20s on a picnic rug laughing. Jingle commences.,4, 00:00:28 HH:MM:SS, Wide shot of man running with kite.,5, 00:00:29 HH:MM:SS, Close up zoom to someone picking up the Handle camera from the picnic rug.,6, 00:00:30 HH:MM:SS, Woman takes photograph.,7, 00:00:31 HH:MM:SS, Still of man striking a silly pose with his arm through the kite.,8, 00:00:31 HH:MM:SS, Camera pans up from birthday cake to a young woman and group of friends.,9, 00:00:34 HH:MM:SS, Close up of Handle camera with flash cube attached on table. Man picks it up.,10, 00:00:34 HH:MM:SS, Mid shot of man taking photograph at party.,11, 00:00:35 HH:MM:SS, Still, mid shot of girl blowing out birthday candles.,12, 00:00:36 HH:MM:SS, Wide shot of young people playing volleyball at the beach.,13, 00:00:36 HH:MM:SS, Man and woman on beach towels. Man gets hit by beach ball.,14, 00:00:38 HH:MM:SS, Close up of woman picking up camera from beside her.,15, 00:00:39 HH:MM:SS, Mid shot of girl laughing and taking photograph,16, 00:00:41 HH:MM:SS, Close up of girl winding the handle and instant film coming out.,17, 00:00:42 HH:MM:SS, Close up of instant film being placed on beach towel.,18, 00:00:44 HH:MM:SS, Cuts to a closer shot of the film as it develops and picture emerges. Male voice over narration commences: "It's Kodak's low price, self developing camera. Just aim, click, crank. In minutes you've got a fantastic picture with colour by Kodak",19, 00:00:52 HH:MM:SS, Group of young men and women at beach laughing.,20, 00:00:54 HH:MM:SS, Mid shot of girl in bikini at beach taking photograph. Image freezes and Kodak logo, title and pricing information is superimposed. Text reads: 'the Handle $39.95* / *Recommended retail price',21, 00:00:59 HH:MM:SS, End leader tape.
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Format
Motion Film, 16 mm, Colour
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Language
English
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Classification
Manufacturing & industry, Photographic products, Promotional materials
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Keywords
Photography, Manufacturing, Advertising, Photographic Film, Television Production, Promotional Materials, Cameras, Photographic Film
