Film 16 Tour – Bad Honnef

On October 18, 2012, the students woke up at 10:00am and were brought to Bad Honnef by bus. We arrived at a small house in the Suburbs and had no idea what to expect. A small, elderly man who held a film development company in his own house met us and we were very surprised to learn that he had built all of his own equipment as well as the cameras. His name was Mr. Rings and he lived with his wife and Chihuahua in a reasonably sized home. We were invited into his little paradise and began the tour of his facilities. Mr. Rings told us about how he developed his own solution for developing film and that the scientists at Canon said that it was the most efficient way they’d ever seen. The students were really surprised to learn about his technique and homemade studio.
Mr. Rings started out as an architect but later learned that he had a love for film development. He started out as an actor and director before he started building the unique machines to develop film. He also built his own house by himself. When he looked at how film was originally processed he believed that there was a much easier way to do so. So he put his talented hands to work. He applied his aptitude for architecture to film technology as he can picture every part and process in his mind without writing it down. With this talent he built developing machines, his own film cameras, and various other film equipment. It was very important to him to work economically: his machines use less electricity because they are smaller and he uses the minimum temperature needed – in contrast to bigger companies like Kodak. Also, his machines heat up faster so he can save time. Mr. Rings does everything – every single step of the development process – by himself and with the help of his loving wife.
The students were amazed at his talent and technique; we had never seen something like this before. Mr. Rings’ studio was called Film 16 and he has made a profit by developing local films in the city. His work is known throughout Bonn and Köln within the film community and is understood as one of the greatest mechanics and inventors in the area. After giving the students a short introduction on his work, he brought us downstairs to his lab. There we viewed his personal cameras and equipment for editing film. He cuts in complete darkness in order to avoid exposing the film. Since he has been doing this for over thirty years, Mr. Rings is now an expert at his profession. He also built a machine that was originally built for developing black and white film and uses it to develop color film. He simply made a few adjustments. We ventured into the developing room and were taught about the different chemicals and machinery that he used in order to develop film in the most time efficient way.
Mr. Rings has made a large profit on his business, however, that is not the reason he continues his work. It is out of pure love and passion for the art of film that he continues, even as a seventy-year-old man. In his free time he relaxes with his wife, whom also helps with the developing and cutting process, gardens, and enjoys his time in the countryside. Herr Rings has created a revolutionary system for film development and soon will pass on his knowledge to future generations, including the Loyola Marymount film students. He left us with a bit of wisdom: You can achieve every goal or dream you have if you’re curious and passionate about what you do. Everything is possible.
Written by Kate Remsen