To expand on this: the problem isn’t putting out one batch of high quality film; it’s putting out batch after batch that performs exactly the same. Nobody wants to lose an important shot because this batch of film exposes a little differently from that batch or has slightly different color response.
Any craft brewery can make an outstanding batch of beer, and many do it quite often. The miracle of Budweiser is making zillions of barrels of Bud and Bud Lite that are indistinguishable from one another year after year.
It's not really like that. Either you can coat a 5000-foot roll of acetate with 14 layers of chemistry to a high degree of uniformity, then slit and sprocket the film, and package it, or you can't.
Any craft brewery can make an outstanding batch of beer, and many do it quite often. The miracle of Budweiser is making zillions of barrels of Bud and Bud Lite that are indistinguishable from one another year after year.