Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Hollywood Extends Term for Digital Cinema Group

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Posted by Bevan Wright (Member # 1884) on 09-03-2004, 07:26 PM:

Hollywood Extends Term for Digital Cinema Group

Thu Sep 2, 3:55 PM ET Add Movies - Reuters to My Yahoo!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood's major studios have given a year-long extension to a group that is working on technical standards for new digital movie projection systems in theaters, a person familiar with the plans said on Thursday.

But studios have also decided to narrow the mandate of the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) to focus exclusively on technology standards, leaving related business decisions to the studios, theater owners and individual companies now working in the field, said the person who asked not to be named.

Digital cinema would allow the studios to distribute movies to theaters in digital files via satellite or high-speed cable systems, cutting film print and distribution costs by tens of millions of dollars.

Theater owners, however, have balked at paying for the expensive systems that, until recently, cost as much as $100,000 to $150,000 per theater to install.

"There has been unanimous approval by the seven current members of DCI to extend the group, but it will be focused on technical work and not any business planning," said the source.

The DCI will likely issue a detailed statement on its future plans next week, the person said.

The DCI declined to comment.

The industry-funded group had been set to end its work ahead of the industry's ShowEast motion picture industry convention in Florida in late October.

At March's ShoWest in Las Vegas, DCI chief Chuck Goldwater offered a broad outline for several "starting points" for a business plan to pay for the expensive systems.

He had said then that a draft set of technology standards was nearly complete.

The equipment manufacturers see a lucrative market for the systems if, and when, issues over technology standards and business plans can be finalized.

In June, Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news) (news - web sites). was in Los Angeles to show off a new projection system it said would cost $60,000 to $80,000. Texas Instruments Inc has long been a player in the field.

Hollywood's major movie studios funding DCI are units of Time Warner Inc, The Walt Disney Co, Viacom Inc, News Corp Ltd, General Electric Co, Sony Corp and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc .

Posted by Nate Lehrke (Member # 1460) on 09-03-2004, 08:46 PM:

quote: Bevan Wright
Theater owners, however, have balked at paying for the expensive systems that, until recently, cost as much as $100,000 to $150,000 per theater to install.

Per theatre or per projector?

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 09-03-2004, 09:21 PM:

Didn't you know, auditoriums are really called theatres.

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 09-07-2004, 01:44 AM:

quote: Bevan Wright
But studios have also decided to narrow the mandate of the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) to focus exclusively on technology standards, leaving related business decisions to the studios, theater owners and individual companies now working in the field, said the person who asked not to be named.

I think that the reduction in scope for the 'tech standards' group is pretty much an indication that the studios have become less panicked & better able to see how electronic delivery & projection to theaters will work.

Like China, India, AMC & others have found, it's the same as in broadcast radio, TV, & cable - the tech parts are just what the latest available boxes will offer in cost & features like networkability, distribution, etc., & within each distribution venue the hardware & software can be proprietary. "Standards" are less significant.

SMPTE is pretty much on its way to just being a magazine in which to get papers published. Right now, the only thing SMPTE remains in any contact with as far as standards in TV is what happens between the transmitter & the tuner. Everything else is anything goes, stuff from all over, in the broadcast facility up the line to program origination, & from the tuner to the tube - there's nothing SMPTE really has anything to do with as far as keeping mfrs. or viewers from stretching 4:3 pictures out to fill their 16:9 sets.

You can also see how this non-standardized distribution is becoming a norm in media on the internet - you download the software to play a file. New format, download new software, "migrate" the program material to the new format & distribute it in whatever way for which it's been optimized.

I figure that with digital TV (& radio), the next step with data streams is manufacture of receivers which download codecs (like MS Media Player's design) to be continuously adaptible to new formats. It is interesting in that it could very much initiate new single-ended (radio, TV, cable, theatrical exhibition, etc.) media types - we're used to pretty concrete & discrete ideas of what each type is, but with adaptible receivers for new media types, wild new things may come our way. That'll usher the end of "broadcast quality" standards outside of just bandwidth allocation & policing as is the bare bones of the FCC now.

Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 09-08-2004, 08:40 PM:

I would like to see theaters required to post at the box office if a show is film or video. I would avoid the video since I can get the same at home for much less and I suspect others would too. It's the same as say, using programmed robot dummies in live plays to save on actor costs. There are probably many areas where you could get away with doing this. But you go to a live play to see live actors. I go to a movie to see a film presentation. Film is an art form, it requires special expertise to produce a good presentation. I see video (digital) stunt effects now and go "ho-hum" big deal, I remember when stunts had to be done live and really meant it took great skill to perform. I see what digit heads are doing to movies now and I think "hey....go back to making video games and stop ruining my entertainment [Razz]

Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 09-10-2004, 03:36 AM:

That's the price right now per screen !!
There won't be many theatres to run their films, if they force that trough.

To equip my to little screens, it will cost twice my years boxoffice, and who's word have we got, that we will all be first-run theatres, then - to get the money home again ? - NOT!

-And then again: These projectors will not run for 40-50 years as the analogue ones - Count on buying new ones again in 4-5 years !!!

Our time is running out, fellow dinosaurs !

[Frown]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-10-2004, 03:39 AM:

Got a link and credit for that news story???

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 09-10-2004, 05:53 AM:

Reuters, on "This Is Cyberia":

http://www.thisiscyberia.com/entertainment/default.asp?ID=3842090&Reg=0&CatID=2&ent=2