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CINEMA The emergence of electronic cinema heralds a revolution in cinema technology - with major business, financial, advertising, creative and social implications. According to a new report by media analysts, Screen Digest, there is likely to be an estimated 10,000 digital screens worldwide by 2005 and a complete transition within 20 years. It also predicts that almost 100 per cent of the major Hollywood studios' films will be available in digital and conventional (35mm) format by end of 2004.
Electronic cinema is a means of projecting a
moving image without the physical limitations of using a reel of film. The 'film' data file is stored digitally and sent via satellite, DVD or cable to cinemas that screen it using special cinema-quality high-definition electronic projectors.
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 Screen Digest, the international media business news and research journal, was recently appointed by the Department of Culture Media and Sports (UK) to carry out a major research project to examine the implications of digital technology for the film industry, underlining the company's expertise and recognition as an authority on the subject of digital film and cinema. Screen Digest also co-organised and chaired a one-day seminar on the subject at the International Broadcasting Convention 2000 in Amsterdam.
The findings of Screen Digest's report Electronic cinema : the big screen goes digital, include:
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| | | | | - savings of over 90% on the film print production and distribution process - an industry currently worth almost $5 billion annually - with the introduction of electronic cinema;
- intense competition between new rival projection technologies by Texas Instruments, JVC, Sony and laser projector manufacturers in the early e-cinema phase (2000-2003);
- the transformation of traditional, film-only cinemas into general entertainment centres, with new non-film revenue streams from live events, music, theatre and games content;
- the existence of over 400 e-cinema screens and a dozen commercial operators today, with live sports more prevalent than film on the big e-screens in the pioneering phase;
- the potential for rift between the US and European (and Asian) film industry, each of whom see different benefits to electronic cinema.
A major conclusion of the report is that current, traditional business models will need to be drastically rewritten in order to anticipate the increased opportunities and the extra costs associated with electronic cinema. Screen Digest points out that companies like Technicolor Digital Cinema and Kodak are already in pole-position to provide end-to-end digital solutions, with telephone companies and investment banks the likely partners in such ventures
Patrick von Sychowski, author of the report into digital cinema, comments:
"Electronic cinema is an entirely new medium and as yet the industry hasn't had the opportunity to grasp its full impact. Pioneering demonstrations such as Toy Story 2 notwithstanding, the current deadlock over how to share the huge costs, savings and new revenue opportunities fairly has not been resolved yet. We do expect new players, 'third party middlemen', to emerge, working with distributors and exhibitors to provide finance and generate new revenue streams, primarily from advertising, big screen sports, games, concerts and corporate use."
For further info visit:
www.celluloid-silicon.com
www.screendigest.com | |
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