Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Artificial limitation on "Jones" digitals?

This is topic Artificial limitation on "Jones" digitals? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 05-20-2008, 12:28 AM:

I've heard this "third party", so I don't know for sure. The story is that digital theatres are only being allowed to play "Jones" on one projector. Any additional "prints" must be 35mm.

On the surface, I can't see what the justification would be, were it not for the noise surrounding Spielberg's feelings about digital, and this leads to my question.

Once ingested into the local theatre's server(s), can't a single digital "copy" be routed to any number of that theatre's projectors? Is this any more complicated than generating keys? If so, then I wonder what the wisdom is in forcing the production of 35mm prints for that theatre's extra screens.

I'm not on the digital bandwagon yet, but this seems curious to me... if true.

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 05-20-2008, 12:47 AM:

Speculation: to ensure that it can be kept for a longer run and moved to smaller houses, the assumption being that most multiplexes have only a few digital screens and they are larger houses.

(I'm not completely convinced by this argument, but it seems at least halfway-plausible).

--jhawk

Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 05-20-2008, 02:00 AM:

Ive just heard rumors that this has to do with Spielberg and his bias towards digital.

Yes you can route 1 digital print to as many players as you want, however you have to have a key for a specific player. I don't know anything about rumored restriction but you could limit the number of screens any feature is to be played on by the keys you issue to the site.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 05-20-2008, 04:01 AM:

Wasn't at work today but our pre-bookings last week indicate this is incorrect information. We were scheduled to play jones on 4 digital screens and 1 35mm.

The issue may be that all our dual houses are medium sized houses with the largest auditoriums being only digital. If some of our bigger theatres had 35mm capability perhaps we would have had to run more 35mm prints, I don't know.