Hollywood Plots End of Film Reels
Some of Hollywood’s movie studios have agreed on technical specifications fpr digital cinema, remember these notes on the business model and value net issues inherent …
The move to digital distribution united the studios, which are more accustomed to competing with each other than collaborating.
Studios spent more than $631 million in 2003 on film prints for the North American market alone […] Subtracting reels […] could reduce total distribution costs by as much as 90 percent.
[…] theater owners also would benefit from new flexibility: If a movie sells out in one theater, an owner can quickly switch other screens to that feature to accommodate the unexpected demand. And if a supposed blockbuster turns out to be a bomb, it can be yanked from screens just as instantly — no new prints from the studio, no reel swaps.
and
there’s something in it for moviegoers, too — digital in-theater display means no out-of-focus projection, no out-of-order reels, no scratches and pops on film that’s been played too many times on old projectors. And digital systems could make other kinds of content possible in theaters, including live, high-definition coverage of sports events, Broadway plays or group games.
all in all offering potentials for business model innovations …
The article goes on with the central question Who will foot the bill? and security …
more at Wired News
