ANNOUNCER: THIS IS "CHRONICLE" ON WCVB NEWSCENTER 5.
ANTHONY: BACK TO THE FUTURE, POLAROIDS ARE HOT.
>> THE CHANCE TO LIVE OUT INSTAGRAM IN REAL LIFE.
ANTHONY: DRONES DELIVER FOR THIS COMPANY.
>> YOU ARE ABLE TO EXPRESS SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH BEFORE.
ANTHONY: AN ONGOING FAMILY PORTRAIT.
>> MY GOAL IS TO RAISE THEM TO BE STRONG, CONFIDENT OF A BRAVE WOMEN.
ANTHONY: AND THE DARING MAN WHO SNAPPED HITLER’S PHOTO.
>> HE WAS SURE HE WOULD BE ARRESTED.
ANTHONY: NEXT ON CHRONICLE.
WE LIVE IN AN ON DEMAND SOCIETY.
WE WANT WHAT WE WANT LIKE RIGHT NOW.
SHAYNA: IN 1972 THE POLAROID CAMERA DELIVERED THAT INSTANT GRATIFICATION.
NOW IT IS BACK FOR THE INSTAGRAM GENERATION.
ANTHONY: ON ANY GIVEN FRIDAY, YOU CAN FIND BETWEEN’S ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS GATHERING TO PARTY LIKE IT IS 1972?
THAT IS THE YEAR MODERN INSTANT COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY TOOK OFF, AND NOW.
>> I’M SELLING MORE THAN I EVER DID, EVEN WHEN POLAROID WAS PRODUCED.
ANTHONY: STEPHEN HIS FAMILY HAVE BEEN RUNNING BROMFIELD CAMERA, NESTLED BETWEEN DOWNTOWN CROSSING IN THE COMMON, FOR 52 YEARS.
>> WE BUY USED ONES AND GET THEM FROM THE OLDER PEOPLE.
THE ME TURNAROUND AND CLEAN THEM UP AND SELL THEM TO THE YOUNGER PEOPLE.
>> I BOUGHT AN OLD POLAROID CAMERA FOR NOT TOO MUCH MONEY AND STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH IT AND FOUND SOMETHING SATISFYING ABOUT THE WAY THE PHOTOS COME OUT.
ANTHONY: FRANK MANUEL IS AMONG THOSE, BRINGING THE ART OF POLAROID INTO THE LIMELIGHT WITH A MODERN TWIST.
HE POSTS HIS POLAROID INSTANT PHOTOS ON INSTAGRAM UNDER THE NAME BOSTON POLAROID.
I USED IT -- >> I SHOW OFF THINGS I LOVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, TAKING PICTURES OF LANDMARKS AND NOT SO FAMOUS PARTS OF TOWN, THINGS THAT PEOPLE OVERLOOK.
POLAROID BRINGS THAT OUT.
ANTHONY: BUT IT IS NOT ONLY ARTISTS WHO ARE DRIVING INSTANT REBIRTH.
>> FUJI INSTA STACKS HAS TAKEN OFF BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THEM TO LIVE OUT INSTAGRAM IN REAL LIFE, TAKE A PHOTO THAT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS BEEN FILTERED BUT I HAVE A PHYSICAL OBJECT THEY CAN TOUCH.
-- THEY HAVE A PHYSICAL OBJECT TO THE CONTEST.
ANTHONY: YOU CAN GET ONE UNDER $100 OR GET A POLAROID ORIGINAL FEATURING THE NAME OF THE BOSTON-BASED COMPANY THAT STARTED IT ALL.
>> POLAROID IS ONE STEP.
>> INSTANT FILM WAS INVENTED NOT INVENTED MORE THAN 1000 FEET FROM WHERE I AM STANDING THIS MINUTE.
ANTHONY: SHE IS AS OF THE COLLECTIONS AT THE M.I.T. MUSEUM WHERE POLAROID ARTIFACTS ARE ON PERMANENT DISPLAY.
THESE EARLY CAMERA MOLDS AND FIRST IMAGES PIONEERED BY POLAROIDS GENIUS CREATOR TRACE NOT JUST AN EPIC CHANGE IN PHOTOGRAPHY BUT A CHANGE IN SOCIETY ITSELF.
>> POLAROID HELPS US MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM VERY FAST TO INSTANT.
YOU SEE THE EMERGENCE OF FAST FOOD, THE INTERNET, INSTANT COMMUNICATIONS, BUT POLAROID ITSELF IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC ARTIFACTS OF THAT TIME.
ANTHONY: INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY WAS AN INSTANT HIT.
>> THE ACTUAL ROLLOUT OF THE CAMERA AS A CONSUMER PRODUCT CAME IN NOVEMBER 1948, THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING HERE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON AT THE OLD JORDAN MARSH STORE.
THEY ONLY HAD ABOUT 80 OF THESE CAMERAS.
THEY THOUGHT THAT WOULD LAST UNTIL CHARIS MISS.
THEY ALL -- CHRISTMAS.
THEY ALL SOLD THAT FIRST DAY.
ANTHONY: HAS MANY IN THE COMMONWEALTH CAN TELL YOU,POLAROID’S FORTUNES DIDN’T LAST.
THE COMPANY WHILE FOR BANKRUPTCY IN 2008 AND STOPPED REDUCTION ON ITS ICONIC INSTANT FILM IN 2009.
>> THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
THAT MIGHT BE TRUE, EXCEPT POLAROID WAS ONE OF THE PIONEERS IN DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
MORE IMPORTANT IS THE PHOTO DEVELOPING STUDIO THAT BEGAN TO POP UP AT EVERY DRUG STORE ON THE CORNER.
WAITING AN HOUR VERSUS A MINUTE ISN’T THAT BIG A DEAL.
ANTHONY: DESPITE THE CAUSE, INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY WAS IN TROUBLE, BUT NOW WITH A HEALTHY INFLUX OF NEW YOUNG USERS, IT IS COMING BACK.
AS INSTANT PHOTO TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES, IT SEEMS FITTING A COMPANY WITH POLAROID ROOTS RIGHT HERE IN BILLERICA IS LEADING THE WAY.
>> ABLE TO PRINT FROM A MOBILE DEVICE THAT FITS IN YOUR POCKET.
HERE IS SOMETHING WE HAVE SEEN A HUGE DEMAND FOR.
ANTHONY: THIS IS ZERO INC., AND THEY MAKE THE INKLESS PAPER THAT CAN TAKE YOUR PHOTOS QUICKLY FROM HERE TO HERE, TURNING ANY CELL PHONE INTO AN INSTANT MEMORY MAKING MACHINE.
THE PRESIDENT, LIKE MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL STAFF, GOT HIS START AT POLAROID.
THEIR PRODUCT HAS BEEN AROUND OVER 10 YEARS BUT IMPROVEMENTS IN MOVABLE -- MOBILE TECHNOLOGY HAVE LED TO SIGNIFICANT GROWTH.
>> PEOPLE HAND OUT BUSINESS CARDS PRINTED ON THIS.
WE ARE IN THE FUND BUSINESS OF PRIMARY USE OF ZIN IS TO DO THINGS FUN AND SOCIAL.
ANTHONY: IF THERE IS ONE THING INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY WILL ALWAYS HAVE DIGITAL DOESN’T -- >> YOU CAN SEE IT AND PASS IT AROUND.
IT IS A FUN ELEMENT OF SHARING.
SHAYNA: THAT IS SO TRUE.
INTERESTING NOTE, INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY ISN’T SO INSTANT ANYMORE.
THE ORIGINAL POLAROID USED TO TAKE ONE MINUTE TO DEVELOP.
NOW I CAN TAKE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MINUTES.
ANTHONY: THE QUALITY IS MUCH BETTER.
THE PRINTING ON THE FUJIFILM WE SHOWED TAKES ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND THE DIGITAL PRINTING ON THE ZINC PAPER IS LONGER.
IT DEPENDS ON YOUR TOLERANCE AND QUALITY INTEREST AS WELL.
SHAYNA: I LOVE THAT.
ONCE THEY GOT DRONES, THIS COMPANY TOOK OFF.
>> WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A TOOL THAT ALLOWS US TO FL