Summary

A 16mm motion picture film featuring a television advertisement for the Kodak Instamatic Camera, promoting it as the perfect gift for any occasion. It was produced by Senior Film Productions circa 1967 for Berry Currie Advertising, who were commissioned by Kodak Australasia.

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 advertising Kodak Instamatic Camera. It opens zooming out past several people filmed against a neutral studio backdrop with layered sound effects to represent each different occasion they embody - a wedding, birthday, graduation, anniversary and staff presentations. The sound builds and the narrator shouts. It cuts to some quiet jazz music and shows the camera used in a variety of situations, giving a variety of film results.

Physical Description

16mm cellulose acetate motion picture film; Black and White; Television commercial (TVC); Optical sound; 1966

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Kodak Heritage Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Images & Image Making, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Donation from Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd, Ms. Kate Metcalf - Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd, 2005

  • Acknowledgement

    Courtesy of Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd.

  • Organisation Depicted

    Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd, 173 - 199 Elizabeth Street, Coburg, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1967
    The film appears to be dated earlier but these products were not released at this time. Also, the prices are in dollars, which were not standard currency in Australia until 1966.

  • Agent

    Berry Currie Advertising (VIC.) Pty Ltd, St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1967

  • Producer

    Senior Film Productions Pty Ltd, circa 1967

  • Recording Details

    Commercial TV, 00:01:30 HH:MM:SS, Excellent, 16mm cellulose acetate motion picture film; B&W; 50 feet;Television commercial (TVC); Optical sound; 1961

  • Content Summary

    1, 00:00:01 HH:MM:SS, Leader countdown and senior film productions intertitle.,2, 00:00:16 HH:MM:SS, Close up of revolving present. Male voice over narration commences: "Think of this now: What's your idea of the perfect gift?",3, 00:00:22 HH:MM:SS, Crossfade to blank white screen,4, 00:00:23 HH:MM:SS, Crossfade to bride and groom against white backdrop. Wedding march comes in. Camera starts to zoom out to show a woman smiling, a boy in school uniform, an elderly couple, an old man, and then three people are wheeled on in front. Sound effects are layered over the top as each person or group of people appear in shot.,5, 00:00:45 HH:MM:SS, Cross fade to white screen.,6, 00:00:46 HH:MM:SS, Cross fade to revolving present. Voice over: "Gotcha stumped?",7, 00:00:47 HH:MM:SS, Cross fade to Instamatic camera on revolving platform with glittering backdrop. White text reading 'KODAK INSTAMATIC CAMERA' superimposed over the image. Voice over: "Think about a Kodak Instamatic Camera".,8, 00:00:50 HH:MM:SS, Crossfade to close up of woman loading film cartridge into back of camera. Light jazz music starts. Voice over: "It's a gift that's easy to use...",9, 00:00:54 HH:MM:SS, Low angle close up of elderly man taking a photograph. Voice over: " ...by anyone. It's the perfect gift that gives...",10, 00:00:57 HH:MM:SS, High angle close up of woman taking photograph. Voice over: "...perfect pictures...",11, 00:00:59 HH:MM:SS, Snapshot of young girl and tea setting. Sound effect of girl singing 'Happy birthday',12, 00:01:02 HH:MM:SS, Crossfade to snapshot of groom carrying bride through doorway. Wedding March sound effect.,13, 00:01:04 HH:MM:SS, Crossfade to Kodachrome slide of elderly couple on the phone with sound of people singing "For they are jolly good fellows".,14, 00:01:08 HH:MM:SS, Crossfade to camera with gift tags against sparkling backdrop. Camera pans across to show a cheaper model. White text with names and pricing superimposed over image. Voice over: "They range from one hundred dollars right down to five ninety-five at your Kodak dealer. Think about it. Isn't any Kodak Instamatic Camera the perfect gift?",15, 00:01:21 HH:MM:SS, Image freezes on camera with gift tags.,16, 00:01:24 HH:MM:SS, End.

  • Format

    Motion Film, 16 mm, Black & White

  • Language

    English

  • Classification

    Manufacturing & industry, Photographic products, Promotional materials

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Audiovisual

  • Keywords

    Photography, Manufacturing, Advertising, Motion Picture Films, Cameras, Television Production