Digital cinema

[Srinivas Mamidi]

Hi all,

Is Digital cinema going to be standard?Is traditional lab printing is becoming a part of history? Because in india D cinema is catching up very quickly.Most multiplexes and single screens are using digital projectors now.

Another question is what is the average ratio of lab prints and DCP(digital cinema package) abroad?

 

Thx

Srinivas mamidi.

[Elliot Rudmann]

Hi all,

Is Digital cinema going to be standard?Is traditional lab printing is becoming a part of history? Because in india D cinema is catching up very quickly.Most multiplexes and single screens are using digital projectors now.

Another question is what is the average ratio of lab prints and DCP(digital cinema package) abroad?

 

Thx

Srinivas mamidi.

 

In the US, AMC (one of the biggest theater chains) just struck up a 300 million dollar deal with Sony to buy a lot of their digital projectors, so yes, I'd say that Digital Cinema will eventually be the standard, but at the moment, it is not. There are still numerous amounts of lower end theaters that can't afford the expense of owning a Dcinema projector. much less, one for each viewing screen! 35mm projectors are pretty easy to maintain, and their standards have been consistent for years. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Apparently, people have been telling me that once film prints become marginalized, film will "die" because that's where kodak makes so much of their money from their film division. Only time will tell.

[K Borowski]

*Does a shot*

 

Seriously though, I've only seen one digital projection, in my entire life, one of the Harry Potter movies back in early '07 I think. I wanted to ask for my money back, but I was with friends and didn't want to cause a scene.

 

If they phase out 35mm projection, why should I bother going to see movies on the big screen, when I can just pirate them off of the net in as-good-as or better quality than 2K projection?

[Chris Durham]

I can just pirate them off of the net in as-good-as or better quality than 2K projection?

 

I think those Sony's are 4k, but still...

 

*does a shot*

 

...It's still just such a shame.

[Srinivas Mamidi]

*Does a shot*

 

Seriously though, I've only seen one digital projection, in my entire life, one of the Harry Potter movies back in early '07 I think. I wanted to ask for my money back, but I was with friends and didn't want to cause a scene.

 

If they phase out 35mm projection, why should I bother going to see movies on the big screen, when I can just pirate them off of the net in as-good-as or better quality than 2K projection?

 

 

 

I think we are in a phase of transition towards digital cinema.There will be a resistance similar to the one when non linear editing came in to picture.Digital cameras are competing with each other to give a film look and D cinema is growing rapidly.Like Rudmann said time will tell.

 

Srinivas Mamidi.

[K Borowski]

:Does another shot:

 

I will continue to do shots every time someone brings up D-cinema.

[Topher Ryan]

How will Digital Cinema ultimately effect low budget independents trying to get out to the public. It seems that the release prints were one of the biggest expenses for "no budget" films in the past. This is the one part I am optimistic about, but I can see the projector companies, studios and chains using their power to keep the costs inflated and not reflecting actual material savings of the technology...

 

I have yet to see a digital projection, and I know I will miss the organic magic and imperfections up there on the screen. I will really be sad if Dcinema takes a bite out of my ability to originate on film... :(

[K Borowski]

This is the one part I am optimistic about, but I can see the projector companies, studios and chains using their power to keep the costs inflated and not reflecting actual material savings of the technology...

 

I have yet to see a digital projection, and I know I will miss the organic magic and imperfections up there on the screen. I will really be sad if Dcinema takes a bite out of my ability to originate on film... :(

 

:Two shots:

[Joe Giambrone]

Drunk man,

 

I've never seen a D-Cinema projection (that I know of). Others have proclaimed it the second coming of quality.

 

What is it exactly you find so terrible about it?

 

I do know that standard projection film prints have some pretty low quality in terms of measurable resolution.

 

The only case I can imagine is where the film didn't go through a DI, and is on a higher quality projection stock than what is usually churned out.

 

What's the deal? (may need two or three shots)

[Peter Mosiman]

Not gonna lie. The last couple of films I have seen in the theaters have just be horribly taken care of and I was so distracted by all of the imperfections of the print that I could not get excited about the movies I went to see.

 

Now I know thats not the films fault, but I have seen a couple of digital projections recently (Slumdog, Crank) and both looked perfect ( the whole movie and I loved it.

 

I personally have only seen 2K digital projections and not 4K but I would love to see one soon. Anyone know if there are any in Chicago?

[Paul Bruening]

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You're so wasted!

[Russell Richard Fowler]

Digital Cinema deployment in the U.S.A. is dead at the moment due to high cost and lack of financing with the exception of 3D / Advertising applications. I have done projects internationally and unfortunately most 35mm prints in the U.S.A. are garbage compared to prints made in Latin America, Thailand and other locations. 2K digital looks better than the average print.

 

The movie studios are pushing Digital delivery so as to bring the cinemas in line with "other" customers that "converted" such as T.V. stations that went from film / tape distribution to cable - digital delivery many years ago...it save the distributors money, not neccessary the cinemas. There are payment schedules based of VPF ( virtual print fees ) paid by distributors to cinemas to help defray financing but lack of trust, money and long term return on investment leave many clouds in the picture.

 

In more vertically integrated business enviroments such as India, corporations such as Adlabs can make DCI Digital Cinema progress from the existing E-Cinema base; with India small runs of 100 - 150 prints, by the time the 35mm prints play a C level cinema...E-Cinema looks better.

 

History repeats itself since Digital Cinema is like where sound for movies where handled in the early 1930's ( integrators, lease - finance agreements, improving technical quality )...eventually it will be the accepted standard.........The recent availability of DCP mastering programs for end users from Qube / Doremi / and Quvis should accelerate use of D.I. to independent producers.

Edited April 21, 2009 by Russell Richard Fowler