Studios Will Stop Distributing Conventional Film Prints Here By End Of 2013: Report
Time is running out for theaters that haven’t made the switch to digital projection. Studios’ use of conventional 35 mm prints “is projected to cease in the United States and other major markets by the end of next year, with global cutoff likely to happen by the end of 2015,” according to the latest IHS Screen Digest Cinema Intelligence Service report. There’s still a ways to go: The firm says that 51.5% of worldwide screens had digital projectors at the end of 2011, an increase of 82% from 2010. But IHS notes that soon it won’t be sufficient to have a digital projector. Director Peter Jackson is lobbying for theater owners pay for the software upgrade needed to show his upcoming The Hobbit films at 48 frames a second. That’s the speed at which he’s shooting the movies, up from the conventional 24 frames. At the end of 2011 about 50,000 of the world’s 63,825 digital screens, including 19,000 in the U.S., would be capable of being upgraded. Theaters with Series 2 DLP and Sony projectors will be able to accommodate Jackson. Pressure to upgrade won’t abate after The Hobbit. James Cameron plans to shoot his follow-ups to Avatar at 60 frames a second. (Incidently, IHS’ figure on the worldwide total of digital venues is slightly higher than the 2011 tally from the MPAA, which counted 62,684, of which 44% were in the U.S. and Canada.)
For the most part the IHS report covers the ground we explored at April’s CinemaCon. But it has some interesting factoids regarding the transition from celluloid to digital prints. The firm says that at one point distributors used 13B feet of film a year, equal to five trips to the moon and back. By 2010, though, film usage was down to about 5B feet. One big reason for the shift: The price of silver, heavily used in film processing, soared from $5 an ounce to about $25 this year. The heat is on for all theaters to switch to digital projection.
Is that the same James Cameron that guaranteed 3D digital projection would bring a 75% increase in audience attendance? Ya, let’s listen to filmmakers. They know all about the cinema exhibition business. 2k projectors, 4k projectors, 3D projectors, 48 fps upgrades, 60 fps upgrades . . . and now they discover the huge cost of replacing digi projector bulbs. What’s the result? The exhibitors are bleeding red, and attendance is down. Time for the exhibitors to push back !!!
I care about story, not the medium.
Film has always had TEXTURE. Holding strips of film, you could see the emulsion. The grain will be gone. It’s okay to do experiments with cinema; it’s a legacy. 3D, Cinerama, TODD-A-O, IMAX, CinemaScope. And it’s nice to see adventurous independents using hi-res video to create. But the film experience cannot be duplicated. You can come close, but it’s not the same. It will be a poorer world for it. 3D is an interesting format, but I hope it will never become the norm. The only film I would preserve in that format in all my years of film scavenging is HUGO. As a fad it’s okay, but please. I spent my youth searching out revival houses like the Elgin and The Thalia. The Carnegie Hall Cinema. MoMA. It was an adventure. And I tried my hand at 8mm, Super 8 and 16mm, with wonderful success and personal pride. Digital projection has come a long way, and will probably improve. Most of my movies are watched at home now. The theatrical experience is just not what it once was. And I really miss the adventure of finding classic films all around new york city.
Well this is disappointing. Film has such a better quality to it than digital, and it’s just a better copy to watch. I’m very disappointed in this step of the film industry.
@Tradition: Yeah, no reason except for, you know, the 70 foot screens and room shaking sound equipment.
I am reminded of the silver shortage/price spike (due to speculators) back in the late 1970′s that almost killed the home 16mm/Super 8mm market for classic films.
BLACKHAWK FILMS was hurt big-time, and some of the other distributors actually printed B&W films on color stock!
A film degree program teaches you how to make films using a variety of formats. Yes, students learn to shoot on film, but they also learn about digital. The majority of film schools have already made the switch to all digital. And it’s not just the shooting part, a film degree is about everything related to film: lighting, directing, writing, sound, editing, etc. So, no, a film degree isn’t suddenly worthless.
Digital looks horrible in theaters. Whats next will they take away our twizzlers and popcorn? We already have to watch commercials in many theaters… No reason to go to the theater now. Just wait for the DVDs.
This is going to kill most small town theaters. I live in a town under 10,000. I know the theater owner is looking at having to invest over $250k to convert to digtal. In a town of this size it not worth it. Would take forever to pay for this investment. We where without a theater for near 18 years before they reopen a single screen theater in to a three screen theater that is currently open. Know for a fact that they dont have the money for this up grade. They will be hard pressed to get a loan for it too. There is a effort to help them raise the money, but don’t think it will work. Digtal is fine to a point, but is the final death blow to many small town theaters that can’t justify the cost of going digtal. A sad day indeed!!
Film students, (Cinema Studies it’s sometimes called) for years now, have worked with digital film and projection. It’s a lot cheaper. Pity most of the films are shite.