Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Distributors / distribution for digital

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Posted by Catalin Braescu (Member # 5216) on 04-27-2009, 08:02 PM:

I am researching how distribution goes when all you have is digital projectors, please help!

What are the deliverables? HDD? DVD? Blu-ray? Doe they differ based on the distributor or projector type? Or output size (2k vs 4k)?

I know some questions may sound ridiculous to you guys, have some mercy on a total newbie :-)

Greetings from Alexandria, Egypt,

Catalin

Posted by David Zylstra (Member # 4230) on 04-27-2009, 08:44 PM:

The procedure (in the USA) is the same as booking 35mm film, the difference is you request digital "prints"

The "least common denominator" delivery method (in the US) is an external HD with USB, some distributors in the US are starting to use satellite delivery (and Cinedigm has been using satellite delivery for quite some time).

Posted by Julio Roberto (Member # 4976) on 05-01-2009, 08:01 AM:

This is the norm in Europe as well. Some satellite delivery, mostly shipping out external hard drives and then sending keys to unlock the content on the agreed-upon dates.

There are other non-DCI (but similar) systems that can use (far cheaper) non-DCI projectors in use in places like India or China. They are rooting for satellite delivery there as well, but physical deliver of drives is also cheap and convinient, so it's also an option.

For some e-cinema applications, they send digital beta tapes or some other video formats (even DVD's sometimes). Only independent small distributors do this, though, and usually only on old-ish films or films that are about to come to the home market in a few weeks, as the risk of piracy is too great with those formats.

But the thing is: if the distributor wasn't willing to give you a 35mm print before, there is a 90% chance he will also not be willing to give you a digital print on any format. Small distributors may be slightly more forgiving, but they also usually carry small films mostly.