As of 2019, the film industry was practically dead. The once booming industry had been seeing a steady decline as of the early 2000s and in 2019 the verdict was more than clear- no one was shooting on film anymore. While a dissapointing development, it’s no wonder why. It began with the digital camera. Point and shoots made it easy to get the desired picture and to immediately have it, no need for development that was an extra cost. It was more cost effective, more quick, and all around more convenient. And then with the introduction of smartphones in the mid-late 2000s there wasn’t even a need for point and shoot digital cameras- the cameras were now in our phone. All in one space there was a camera, unlimited shots, an editing studio, a place to share the pictures, and so much more. At the end of the day there was simply no point to shoot film anymore. With rising prices in development costs, it’s clear why the only people who stuck to the dying art were photographers who had the money to. However, in 2020 there was a dramatic flip in the numbers as film sales slowly began to rise. In 2022, while still generally expensive and not a huge industry, the numbers have been rising. One thing is clear- film is making a comeback, and this time, with an entirely new generation.
In 2020 it became a trend to use disposable cameras. A far off object of childhood, many teenagers had never used one for themselves besides on elementrary school field trips. With shaky hands they caught the world in film format, only not very well. In 2020 disposable cameras took on a whole new meaning. Teens had never had a true experience with the film world, not in the way their parents had. Their parents before them had used film out of necessity, they used it out of wonder for the format. For the first time in a decade disposable cameras flew off shelves, 35 mm film was being sold out in stores, and Walgreens was back to developing film. Many didn’t understand the resurgence. Why would teens go out and buy a disposable camera for fifteen dollars, and pay another fifteen to get it developed? All when they had a phone that could give them better photos instantly and for free? Well the answer is simple. Teens want something to look forward to.
We live in an era of instant gratification. Overnight shipping, incredibly fast wifi, and social media with content that quite literally never stops. We can do anything at the push of a button. It’s amazing…but also a bit disatissfying. Today’s teenagers grew up in the technology era. A world filled to the brim with i-pads and laptops is all many have ever known. Film proposes a new way of looking at our lives, one that isn’t through a screen. Teenagers don’t necessarily do it for the photos. They do it for the experience. To take photos and use up a roll, wait with anticipation to get the pictures back, the fear of whether or not they came out good, and the relief of getting them back and getting to look back on all the memories that the roll documented. It’s simple, a click of a button to remember a moment in time. But there is something so special about being excited for the simple things again.
Even if it’s just waiting for a picture.