The shift to virtual screenings accelerated significantly during the pandemic, as film exhibitors had little choice but to bring their programs online. This rapid transition led to major technical advancements in virtual cinema within a short time frame. Building on this momentum, the REACH’M project investigated how these technological developments could be anchored and further expanded.

With a focus on hybrid technical solutions, we explored ways to support European cinemas and distributors in connecting with their audiences. Through a series of technical pilots and innovations between 2022 and 2024, we examined how VOD technology can continue to be relevant for industry professionals.

In 2024, we ran a pilot with a number of partners to see in which ways VOD technology can continue to be relevant for industry professionals in reaching its audiences. We enriched our systems by using VOD technology to an extended use for the arthouse film industry. Examples are the ability to create and share an online screening link for a VOD asset, using a secure DRM protection. A user can specify how many times and in what period of time a screener can be viewed, and restrict the IP addresses where the film can be screened. Another example is the development of a method to quickly preview a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) in order to check a film on technical quality and version within our system, again making innovative use of VOD technology.

These examples show that we can continue recalibrating and enriching the way virtual cinema’s technology is being used in reaching an audience. In doing so, we aim to move technical solutions from ad hoc and reactive to sustainable in order to strengthen European arthouse cinema for the long term.