You are on page 1of 3

Towards a New Cinema

by Eoghan Kidney - 6/4/2010

The Irish Times printed an article today 'A Focus on the Bigger Picture' highlighting the problems

indie and arthouse cinemas have adapting to compete with the cineplex. In the article, the author

John Byrne writes;

"One technological innovation that has frequently been touted as a potential

saviour for independent and arthouse venues is “digital cinema”. Storing and

distributing films on hard drives, for example, costs a tiny fraction of the price

involved in creating and shipping 35mm prints, and should in theory lead to a

greater number of “copies” being available to smaller exhibitors...

...However, though the potential long-term advantages of digital film are

attractive, the cost of replacing 35mm projectors with a digital system remains

prohibitive for many. There are also concerns that such systems could quickly

succumb to technological obsolescence, necessitating further significant

investment a few years down the line."

Indie cinemas need to change to survive. As a filmmaker and occasional

curator/programmer/presenter of screenings, I would like to highlight a solution to these

problems and maybe the direction cinema is already headed.

A fundamental problem with cinema cost is that they rely on two outdated traditions- overpriced

concessions (food and drink) for cinema profits- and overpriced and over-hyped projection

technologies.

If indie cinema is to survive these two elements need to be changed. If we can recognise the

value of cinema-going as a cheap night out and break the taboo of having a meal and maybe an

alcoholic drink during the screening (a slight redesign of the seating arrangements will help this)-

this will give cinema an opportunity for bigger profits.


The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Eatery Seating Arrangement

Projection technologies can be a fraction of the price too- by using home theatre 2K HD

projectors with a lower lumen value and shorter throw (a fraction of the price of cineplex style

Digital Cinema projectors) running movies from cheap household computers (which u can get a

higher quality than bluray, providing the film companies supply the file), and cheaper sound

systems (THX sound/"Digital Sound" etc is an irrelevent and outmoded commercial gimmick). A

slight loss of quality maybe, but the average cinema goer will only notice a slight difference. The

newer projectors even have stereoscopic 3D modes.

I recently attended a screening of 'Into Eternity' off of a low res digital file in the ICA last

December. The resolution was around 640x480, it was a desaturated and faded image- but it was

a great film. I asked around after the screening- nobody noticed the difference in quality- except

me (I'm a film-quality nerd of the highest order). I even had to inform the management that

they seemed to be screening the wrong file. If this is the reality with a 640x480 file, why bother

worrying about the difference between a slightly less bright 1920x1080 h264 image and a 2K D-

Cinema projection?
Cinemas that bring these two changes in will (a) reduce costs for presentation and (b) have the

opportunity to make a lot more money with food and drink. These cost savings can be both

passed on to the consumer and the cinema entrepreneur.

Another added bonus; the (tiny) digital movie file distribution becomes effortless - transferred

over the net on an average business internet connection in a matter of minutes- so effortless it

can be controlled by filmmakers or very small, independent distribution companies. This will

guarantee a more diverse range of movies suited to the available audience- be it a tentpole

movie spectacular, a classic indie or a new indie film that hasn't got distribution from a major.

I do not think that this just an idea, I think it is a natural evolution of cinema. I see the

beginnings of it taking root over the past decade with digital film festivals such as Darklight Film

Festival, cinema eateries such as Alama Drafthouse in Austin andReRun in Brooklyn, pop up

cinemas such as Cinema in the Park in Dublin and TheSecret Cinema in London, Pub & Club

screenings of "classic" movies, "Open-Mouse" nights, Youtube Lounges etc etc... Projection

technology is advancing at an exponential rate. Mike Figgis, director of Timecode, Leaving Las

Vegas and a notably early adopter of digital film said recently;

"I do not pay attention to the current cinema distribution system, that whole

thing is fucked. The future is pop ups. That's what I'm doing now- my current

project will only screen in pop up cinemas."

I do believe that these new cinemas will not only be more profitable for the cinema owners,

they will encourage a new wave of indie distribution and stimulate the film industry into

showing the right films to the right people- which means ticket sales not just for the

majors, but for the indies too.

You might also like