Feature
The motion picture industry is currently in the midst of, what is arguably, the largest technology change it has ever experienced. For over 100 years, the process of showing motion pictures has been based on the technology of projecting 35mm film, but recently there has been a long awaited shift to digital. As the industry’s efforts to move into digital delivery and distribution continue to pick up steam in 2008, new workflows and efficiencies, with respect to management and delivery of digital movies, are beginning to become apparent.
A View to Digital
Digital cinema has progressed impressively over the past five years with the first major circuit providing digital access to its theatres. From there, studios banded together to release the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specifications. Establishing standards necessitated a guide for industry compliance with regard to picture quality, digital formats and security. These early efforts created a jumpstart for the rollout of digital projectors and playback servers. However, the missing element was standardizing the delivery of digital content to theatres.
In these early stages, content creators essentially replaced the process of duplication and delivery of 35mm prints with the process duplicating and delivering hard-drives, saving the digital movie as a file. In the theatre, instead of splicing and loading 35mm film, theatre operators unpack hard-drives and go through the process of plugging them into storage, or playback, servers and then “ingesting” the content.
For many involved in the industry, the benefits of digital promised far more than the prospect of replacing one manual duplicating and shipping process with another. Electronic distribution has been the answer for these industry visionaries.
Given the options available for delivery of digital content to geographically dispersed areas, satellite delivery is the obvious choice for electronic distribution today. Still, many questions need to be addressed concerning the cost and reliability of satellite as compared to physical distribution. Likewise, similar considerations must be factored concerning the change in workflow that takes place for both the studios and theatres in this process.
The Golden Touch
Microspace has played an integral part in helping the industry address the concerns and workflow of electronic distribution via satellite for the past five years. The company has now delivered over 25 motion pictures to revenue theatres via its VELOCITY® DVB satellite system with the most recent deliveries going to theatres in over 35 states. In just 2007, the company successfully delivered 11 feature films from five studios and grew its network to 1,000 screens. This included more than a dozen participating theater circuits within the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These deliveries have proven the robust nature of VELOCITY and the engineering work that went into developing an in-theatre delivery solution. The solution was then presented to the industry as an open platform, thus encouraging further connectivity and integration.
With more than 25 deliveries, Microspace has learned many early lessons, and has helped the industry begin considering solutions in the area of electronic workflow. Some of the additional advantages the studios and theatreowners will see, as a fully electronic workflow takes hold, are better reporting and accountability at all stages of content development and delivery. In addition to the efficiencies and automation of electronic workflow, significant cost savings for content creators and customers are possible.
Digital Is Forever
Electronic workflow and delivery also opens up new potential revenue streams with the delivery of live “alternative” content. In 2007, the industry began to embrace satellite delivered “live” events to exhibitors. Sports events, concerts and other major live events were shown on the big screens for additional revenue streams. These transmissions are becoming a more viable and attractive way for studios and theaters to generate additional revenue, and reach new and different audiences.
In 2007, Microspace supported efforts in this developing area with a number of tests and live transmissions. Current work is being done to fully integrate these capabilities into the current digital cinema delivery system. As a result, content owners, as well as theatre owners, are beginning to consider content beyond traditional movies as viable revenue sources.
2008 promises to be a milestone year for digital cinema delivery with more features delivered via satellite than the preceding three years combined. In addition, the potential for further savings by automating the delivery process, and the potential of additional revenue from the delivery of alternative content, will further support the business model for satellite delivery.
About the author…
Curt Tilly has been working in the satellite communications field for over 17 years. His efforts during the past three years have been dedicated exclusively to the digital cinema market for Microspace Communication Corporation, based out of North Carolina. He has written a number of papers on various digital cinema subjects and has also participated in multiple industry panel discussions. Curt has an engineering degree from North Carolina State University and is currently pursuing his MBA.
| Delivering Digital Cinema | April 21, 2008 |
A View to Digital
Digital cinema has progressed impressively over the past five years with the first major circuit providing digital access to its theatres. From there, studios banded together to release the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specifications. Establishing standards necessitated a guide for industry compliance with regard to picture quality, digital formats and security. These early efforts created a jumpstart for the rollout of digital projectors and playback servers. However, the missing element was standardizing the delivery of digital content to theatres.
In these early stages, content creators essentially replaced the process of duplication and delivery of 35mm prints with the process duplicating and delivering hard-drives, saving the digital movie as a file. In the theatre, instead of splicing and loading 35mm film, theatre operators unpack hard-drives and go through the process of plugging them into storage, or playback, servers and then “ingesting” the content.
For many involved in the industry, the benefits of digital promised far more than the prospect of replacing one manual duplicating and shipping process with another. Electronic distribution has been the answer for these industry visionaries.
Given the options available for delivery of digital content to geographically dispersed areas, satellite delivery is the obvious choice for electronic distribution today. Still, many questions need to be addressed concerning the cost and reliability of satellite as compared to physical distribution. Likewise, similar considerations must be factored concerning the change in workflow that takes place for both the studios and theatres in this process.
The Golden Touch
With more than 25 deliveries, Microspace has learned many early lessons, and has helped the industry begin considering solutions in the area of electronic workflow. Some of the additional advantages the studios and theatreowners will see, as a fully electronic workflow takes hold, are better reporting and accountability at all stages of content development and delivery. In addition to the efficiencies and automation of electronic workflow, significant cost savings for content creators and customers are possible.
Digital Is Forever
Electronic workflow and delivery also opens up new potential revenue streams with the delivery of live “alternative” content. In 2007, the industry began to embrace satellite delivered “live” events to exhibitors. Sports events, concerts and other major live events were shown on the big screens for additional revenue streams. These transmissions are becoming a more viable and attractive way for studios and theaters to generate additional revenue, and reach new and different audiences.
In 2007, Microspace supported efforts in this developing area with a number of tests and live transmissions. Current work is being done to fully integrate these capabilities into the current digital cinema delivery system. As a result, content owners, as well as theatre owners, are beginning to consider content beyond traditional movies as viable revenue sources.
2008 promises to be a milestone year for digital cinema delivery with more features delivered via satellite than the preceding three years combined. In addition, the potential for further savings by automating the delivery process, and the potential of additional revenue from the delivery of alternative content, will further support the business model for satellite delivery.
About the author…
Curt Tilly has been working in the satellite communications field for over 17 years. His efforts during the past three years have been dedicated exclusively to the digital cinema market for Microspace Communication Corporation, based out of North Carolina. He has written a number of papers on various digital cinema subjects and has also participated in multiple industry panel discussions. Curt has an engineering degree from North Carolina State University and is currently pursuing his MBA.
