Digital Cinema v2, devolution of the technology?

[James Gardiner]

I was at a bi-monthly meeting recently with a room full of industry leaders, and the topic of “next-generation cinema technology” came up.

What was interesting wasn’t a new spec, or a new projector roadmap — it was a blunt question about direction:

If streaming ultimately becomes the dominant distribution power (which is the most likely long-term outcome), what stops the whole cinema chain from being reduced to a set-top box?

Drop in a streaming appliance, plug it into a projector, play content on a screen… and call it a day.

And if the industry is genuinely heading towards two-week windows as the norm, can we still justify the increasingly complex hoops required under traditional DCI workflows? Especially when the future we keep inching toward looks more like “content appliances” than “cinema systems”.

Or at the very least: is there a middle ground?

Could we bolt on something simple and low-cost that allows domestic streaming distribution paths to operate — but with a basic, enforceable two-week wall (window control)?

Because realistically… we can do that, and not with too much effort.

The real question is whether “Digital Cinema v2” becomes an evolution of DCI — or a devolution of cinema technology into something that looks uncomfortably like a lounge room device, just scaled up.

This is a topic I’ve been turning over in my head for years — but hearing it discussed openly at the very top end of the industry was still a surprise.

Opinions welcome.

[Tony Bandiera Jr]

As a former colleague of mind was fond of saying: "Lots of sizzle, but where's the steak?"

You post fits that description. You pose some interesting questions, but since you attended this "bi-monthly meeting recently with a room full of industry leaders", what was the meat of the discussion? What did these "industry leaders" have to say in regards to this topic? You yourself didn't offer up any steak.

Please elaborate.

[Ryan Gallagher]

What the heck are they discussing? Making a version of an AppleTV or Roku for the cinema industry?... and just delivering stream-able content to cinemas at the same quality thresholds consumers are used to at home? Or trying to to do a DCI capable stream box with no reduction in quality/options/compression for an alternative e-delivery scheme?

This conversation, from your summary, doesn't feel like a industry direction conversation relative to the consumer experiences, but a how can we reduce distribution costs even further considering theatrical windows are so small now they are almost not worth it now, type of conversation.

Are they considering a consumer facing stream appliance that brings the cinema levels of quality into the home? Trying to create a stream market that counts within the "theatrical" window? Are we imagining a future where 1st run cinema has collapsed and the industry is trying to dream up alternative "exclusivity" windows that are subscription based?

Cinema quality at home is a bit of a mis-nomer anyway. I think the general trend is for less people to be building quality home cinema options, not more people. Quality could not even be on the table though, and we are just considering access windows.

Coming from a venue perspective that deals entirely with classics and festivals. We show films on all manner of media and quality levels... so I'm inevitably drawn to the conclusion that what makes cinema cinema is not the technology, it's the people in the room, ideally a set of mixed public larger than your average family reunion. If the technology is what creates the crowd, great (see IMAX etc etc), but lots of other non technology things can also do the same.

[James Gardiner]

To be honest, it was pretty vague — and any opinion in that setting is really just a thought bubble to take on board.

That said, I do agree: with the new overlords (and their likely streaming-first priorities), everything is on the table.

I’m not against rethinking the problem. The world is a very different place now, and the commercial reality of operating cinemas has become harder. But yes — an over-engineered DCI implementation, in the face of two-week windows, may eventually give way to something more cost-effective if/when we end up reinventing exhibition business models for the next phase.

It feels like they’re trying to work out what the priorities are for that future reality.

Right now, I’d argue we need to plan for what’s coming, not lament what’s gone.
Let’s not become a bunch of buggy-whip makers.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Related to the topic you were hoping to discuss or not, It's worth mentioning there is already kinda a cottage industry for V2 experiences... and they are essentially fancy private rooms you can rent. The lesser ones only permit titles that are available via streaming platforms, the fancier ones might have a DCI configuration and the ability to source a DCP for your evening.

But it's really just a even more expensive "going out" for a movie or watching a movie at home. Just with maybe a staffed bar and better food service. A kinda higher end luxury cinema offering.

I'm not sure it qualifies as "Cinema" exhibition proper though, due to the audience size typically being tiny and the fact you probably know the small pool of people in the room. It is just a way to have a fancier evening with content you could already stream at home? Even if it took off and you could do so within theatrical exclusive windows, I can't see it as being capable of moving a studio bottom line by much at all, not compared to streaming or online rentals anyway.