Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: E-Cinema – a UK Cinema Chain’s view

This is topic E-Cinema – a UK Cinema Chain’s view in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Danny Hart (Member # 659) on 03-14-2001, 06:49 PM:

I recently read an article about Electronic Cinema in a journal here in the UK. It makes very interesting reading – I’d like to hear your views on it.

The article is rather large, so I’ve posted it to a free server for you to read, then come back and discuss here.

I’ve put it at this address: http://ecinema.tripod.com

Do you think our jobs are safe?

Look forward to reading your views.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 03-14-2001, 07:55 PM:

This is an interesting bit of informations to read. Here are some of my thoughts.

There will always be a projection booth. Like the artical says this stuff is big and bulky.

There will be someone in charge of making sure that all the digital information is downloaded correctly. Who this person will be is up in the air.

Someone will still need to be responsable for maintaining the cleanliness of the booth. Keeping port windows clean the lenses clean and all the equipment clean. Acumulation of dust is just as bad for a non film enviroment as it is for a film environment. Someone has to know how to fix any problems with the equipment such as the lamphouse consoles.

I believe that this advancement once it has as many bugs as possable worked out and the best image possable achieved should be implemented at a slow pace. Not try to achive it all at once. This will allow the people in the industry the time to understand how to use the equipment and how to repair and maintain it.

As far as piracy goes the worry will never go away. Encryption codes can be broken no mater how complex. Someone will figure it out eventualy. Plus some piracy can occure in the industries own back yard. Security will have to be tighter than fort knox at the facility that makes the copies or download information available to theaters. As small as camcorders are now. Someone could slip one in and video the movie right off the screen.

As many screens that some theaters have. (30) at some locations. Having screens available for sporting events and concerts could be possable. The big question is would anybody want to pay the money to see it there. Usualy people drink beer and eat when they watch sporting events away from home at bars and such. Concerts are just ment for a live setting in an arena. You would have to hire extra security for these type of events just to protect your auditoriums from unruly people.

I think the cinema was ment for one thing and that is motion pictures telling a story that can take us out of reality and into the minds of the characters on screen. I think hollywood needs to concentrate on making better movies that will capture and bring in the crowds and get away from some of this crap they are making.