If your film is in by this cycle start date…

June 28th 

We will normally ship it completed back to you 4 to 7 weeks after that date. This is not a guarantee but in the vast majority of cases it can be relied upon.

Please do not wait to send your films until just before the cycle start date. Having orders early allows us to prepare for the cycle early and begin  processing sooner.  When practical, early orders are returned early.

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Turnaround time is our biggest customer service issue and we struggle to improve it but…

 

Due to the nature of our business, we develop many film brands, types, formats and processes so we can’t operate in the same fashion as a conventional photo finisher that runs only one or two processes and deals with a much higher volume of film. We are currently running 12 separate processes and it is necessary for us to work in a several week time cycle. Here’s what’s involved…

At the beginning of a cycle (cutoff dates are posted in the services tabs) we sort through customer packages, enter information in our database and sort all the film types. If necessary, customers are contacted for credit card information or clarification. If we do not get the information required by the time we start processing that film type, those orders are delayed until the following work cycle.

 

It may be two weeks into a cycle before we are ready to start the first processing. We mix enough fresh chemical for the number of films requiring for each specific process. Once one type of process is complete, that chemical is discarded and we move on to the next type of film. We do not repeat any process within a cycle. We run 12 different processes and handle hundreds of films, so this part of the cycle may take a couple of weeks. Once everything is developed, we move on to scanning, digital fix up and uploading previews of the still film and transferring the motion picture film. This adds another couple of weeks onto the cycle.

 

As orders are completed, we bill and prepare them for shipping. In the past we did not ship until everything was completed and ready to go. This helped to prevent errors in shipping. Lately we have been experimenting with shipping some orders out early but have not made the decision to continue or expand on this at this point.

 

If we could change a single thing about this business it would be to speed up our turnaround time and we are still working towards this goal. With any approach we take, we want to ensure that things are done properly and without errors. Since we began this business in 1999, after tens of thousands of films handled, there has not been a single order lost in house. Please have patience and be assured that we are treating your order with care.

 

Rush orders can be done upon request but are not encouraged because it forces us to work outside of our system and we find that’s when we are more likely to have a mix-up.

Still film rush is 200 dollars on top of all other charges.

 

Motion Picture film rush is 600 dollars on top of all other charges.