Jake Seal is a British producer, director, actor and businessman and the founder of the ORWO group, which comprises ORWO Shop, ORWO Studio, ORWO Distribution, Village Costume and Props, and ORWO Medical. He is well known within the industry for his groundbreaking use of advanced technologies, such as virtual sets, live action holograms and stereoscopic 3D. Successful movies produced by Jake include Jeepers Creepers 3, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn, Willy’s Wonderland, Breaking the Bank, Born to Be Blue, Back Roads and Blaze.

ORWO’s new colour and black-and-white films have been professionally finished with photographers in mind and include Wolfen NP100, Wolfen NP400 and Wolfen NC500, which are the first brand-new finished films released by ORWO in decades. These films are still being produced on the Bitterfeld-Wolfen site, as they have been since 1910.

In July 2022 ORWO began production on its brand-new colour cine negative film. In preparation for this, the ORWO team improved the cinefilm’s sensitometry to craft the most refined formulation possible. Today, new C41 stock is available to buy in 8mm, 16mm, 35mm and 65mm formats.

In terms of how the films are made, each is made up of 11 independent layers, each of which again consists of a different set of emulsions, with each emulsion made up of as many as 30 ingredients. To prepare each of these ingredients, up to 16 steps must be followed – while the process of coating is equally as complex. Making things more complicated, differences in temperature and humidity can cause fluids to behave differently, making changes and adjustments necessary.

ORWO was originally founded in Wolfen in 1909 as an offshoot of the film company AGFA. In 1936 the company developed the first modern colour film, incorporating colour couplers, and in 1964 it became established as a brand for magnetic tape and photographic film. Currently, ORWO supplies black-and-white industrial films to the US Library of Congress, as well as to high-profile archival clients including MOMA and the Smithsonian.

Jake originally hails from London and now mainly resides in Louisiana with his wife, Jodie Seal (a former Miss Australia) and the couple’s four children. Having once also lived in Germany and Hong Kong, he now travels regularly around the globe to support his business, philanthropic and research endeavours and considers himself a global citizen. Jake is a highly regarded speaker and educator and has delivered lectures and masterclasses at renowned establishments worldwide, including Canadore College, Canada, and CERN.

We do not currently supply ORWO branded goods to Germany, but we continue to supply all other goods and services to Germany (e.g. WOLFEN).