DIGITAL

By 2013 Half of Movie Theaters Will Be Digital

Over at /film, this is what they’re reporting. Well, by 2013 anyway. And that’s half the screens only. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there is a huge movement towards digital cinema in movie theaters nowadays. Digital 3-D movies, regular digital projection, it’s all been a huge hit, and Hollywood is looking at it to be the saving grace of the theater industry. There is definite reason for this, as Digital projection provides many advantages when compared to traditional film, such as:

• No cost of shipping/distributing film.
• No shakiness during projection.
• Clearer image.
• Better 3-D options.

Being a bit of an insider, I can tell you that the digital revolution is likely to occur much sooner than a lot of people think. The main factor that is holding theaters back from going digital years ago is cost. Digital projectors are expensive, and with profit margins growing slimmer and slimmer, theater chains were not interested in investing in something so expensive. Film distributors, on the other hand, did not feel that they should pay for the projectors either. It was a tug of war battle.

With a slightly lower price tag nowadays, theaters are working together to leverage the cost of going digital. Will it save the theater industry? Only time will tell. Indie films will get the biggest boost initially, with a lower cost to distribute their films, and be able to reach a wider audience. Movie theaters can make more by shifting their schedules around more easily to maximize the amount of people that can see a movie. Most of all, people should have a quality experience, with less mechanical issues than with traditional film.

Digital projection is something to get excited about. I’m off to see Beowulf in 3-D! Well… this weekend.