When talking about virtual cinema, it is inevitable to talk about technology. Technology as an enabler, a facilitator, sometimes even a necessary evil to make it happen. But actually, technology can be so much more: it can improve release and audience reach and moreover open up new possibilities for business models. How so? Let’s dive into four key moments in film history when technology shaped the way films are made or seen.
How to love your digital screening room more and more
There was no doubt about it. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we cried out confidently that “hybrid was here to stay”. It is safe to say that working remotely has indeed proven to stick around. But at film festivals and in cinemas we see that in 2023 the focus was on one thing: getting the theaters filled with physical visitors again. You can’t blame them: the digital auditorium has not proven yet to be a pot of money and it turned out to require specific attention and manpower in terms of programming, communication and technology. But if you ask European cinemas and distributors about the role of online film in the future, everyone seems to be unanimous: the belief in the potential of virtual cinema is still there and they expect it to only grow. So how to deal with virtual cinema then, post-pandemic? In this article series by Janneke van Laar from Medialoc, one of the initiators of the REACH’M project, a selection of tips and concrete practical examples for film exhibitors who (want to) screen films online and would like to experiment further. A selection from our experience of recent times, to make you love your digital screening room more and more.
—
#6: The driving force of technology in cinema
Where physical screenings suffered back in 2020 and 2021, virtual screenings blossomed. During the pandemic, film exhibitors did not really have a choice and massively moved its program online. Technically, virtual cinema took a huge leap forward in a short time-frame because of this. During the REACH’M project, a three year project by Dutch virtual cinema pioneers Picl and Medialoc, we made use of this momentum. We explored how this technological peak could be best anchored and further nurtured.
When talking about virtual cinema, it is inevitable to talk about technology. Technology as an enabler, a facilitator, sometimes even a necessary evil to make it happen. But actually, technology can be so much more: it can improve release and audience reach and moreover open up new possibilities for business models. How so? Let’s dive into four key moments in film history when technology shaped the way films are made or seen.
1895: from individual experience to shared viewing experience
The end of the 19th century marked what some may see as the birth of cinema as we know it. The public film screening of L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de la Ciotat in December 1895 is iconic. This film by Louis Lumière shows a train arriving at the station in the French town La Ciotat. Legend has it that the audience was terrified by the image of a train hurtling towards them, with spectators screaming and rushing to the back of the room or outside. Legend or not, the screening can be seen as the starting point of cinema as foremost and shared viewing experience. Many of the precursors of cinema, such as the kinetoscope and the zoöpraxiscope, were individual experiences. The start of cinema as a communal activity not only enriched the viewing experience and cultural significance, but also enabled a revenue model for exploitants.
Standardization of celluloid
Who would have thought that a sewing machine would play a vital role in film history? A key innovation in projection technique was the mechanism through which celluloid film was transported through the camera. Two pins were inserted into the sprocket holes punched into the film strip; the pins moved the film along and then retracted, leaving the film stationary during exposure. This process of intermittent movement was actually based on the way a sewing machine works. The standardization of celluloid film width and perforations in 1909 subsequently allowed films to be released globally in a single format and projected on any cinema projector. As more and more films were made during these years, this standardization became needed and enabled cinema to take off on a wider and larger scale. These key developments with regards to the use of the analog film strip made it possible to distribute and screen film universally.
Standardization of digital cinema
In the early 2000s, the establishment of the global DCI standard again created a worldwide standard for cinema. This time for digital cinema. The digitization brought efficiency gains in various areas. Distribution costs for films decreased significantly because creating and shipping digital copies was much cheaper than producing and distributing film reels for projection. Cinemas also benefited, as digital projection enabled automation, reducing or eliminating the need for technical staff to operate projectors. Furthermore, cinemas could suddenly program the same film simultaneously in multiple screens, which was previously impossible due to the limited availability of physical film reels. This technological innovation allowed existing business cases to be executed more efficiently, effectively, and affordably, and created benefits with regards to staffing costs, distribution costs, and programming flexibility.
Special format: 3D and 4K (and even 35mm)
Technology and technical innovation can also play another role in cinema: that of a driver for new business models. A prime example of this is 3D exhibition. With the (renewed) rise of 3D films in 2009, driven by movies like Avatar, cinemas were able to introduce a new attraction to their audiences. Not only could they offer an additional version of the film, but they also generate extra revenue through, for example, the sale of 3D glasses. Throughout the history of cinema, we see several such initiatives where technology not just improves but opens up new avenues for exploitation by cinema owners. These range from additional attractions such as 4D film with special effects and ScreenX with multiple screens for a more immersive effect, through special, one-off screenings of a – sometimes re-released or re-polished – 4K of 35mm copy, to personalized, ‘boutique’ cinema screenings such as The Anything in the Netherlands. These technical formats all offer new ways to promote films or generate additional revenue.
Technology is a driving force
From Lumière and the sewing machine all the way to Avatar en 4K; this small peek into history shows that technology often played a leading role in the story of film. Technology enabled a whole new business model to start with, when cinema moved from being an individual viewing experience to a communal one by the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. Technological innovation also showed to improve existing business cases, as we saw with the standardization of analogue and digital film. Technology and technical innovation can also be a driver for new business models, as the arrival of 3D and 4K showed. And there is so much to explore, such as the arrival of sound and colour in film and the introduction of techniques such as AR and VR. And the impact goes beyond exploitation models: technology can shift the cultural significance – it transformed not only the way we watch film but also the way the stories are being told. From the increased length and viewing time due to digitization in film production to the return of individual viewing experience with the advent of streaming technology.
The above shows that we should see technology as much more than just an enabler in cinema. And embracing technological innovation can be vital in finding new ways in reaching a (future) cinema audience. Want to know more? You can read our full report on the position and promise of technology within virtual cinema and hybrid models at reachm.eu.
—
We would love to hear what your online and hybrid plans, questions and ambitions are. In any case, we are ready for you with lots of online ideas and experience! We would love to think with you. Please reach out to us via janneke@medialoc.eu.