Editor

Future of cinema, few know, few share, we dare do both!

Let us embark for a trip a few decades ahead of us.
Our first stop this year was Cannes where the series has been held for the past 3 years.

The next stops on the festival circuit is Locarno with a panel held in partnership with the Festival, next stops will be Rome, Stockholm and many more

Check out the video of Cannes events

Fest21.com, CFC Media Lab and Telefilm Canada and Locarno Film Festival are proud to premiere our Future of Cinema Salon Series at the Locarno Film Festival.
We will be hosting the Future of Cinema Panel on Digital Distribution that brings together international voices around the table, plus a special hands-on demo of some of the most innovative works coming out of Canada and Switzerland, including Late Fragment a critically-acclaimed dramatic interactive feature film which premiered last year at the Toronto International Film Festival..             

Future of Cinema Panel on Digital Distribution
in association with XDC  and Cineuropa.org 
Saturday August 9th, 2008: Forum, 11:00AM - 12:30AM
What is the current International panorama of D Cinema, how many screens.

Which business models prevail in Europe,  what is the status inSwitzerlan?

Which content from film to opera and sports in the theatres?

Which new consumers habits?

What has 3D brought to the industry,

Who are the new players to watch...

Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) has played a decisive role in setting up standards, what is the role for the coming years? FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDE

Bruno Chatelin: filmfestivals.com fest21.com co-founder; former distributor UGC-Fox, Sony, Fabrice Testa XDC International VP, Elisabetta Brunella (Mediasalles Secretary General), Amos Gitai (director) and other industry players tbc

Future of Cinema online Blog Coverage from the Locarno Series
www.fest21.com/blog/futureofcinema

The Industry recognizes unanimously that Digital Distribution has brought major breakthrough solutions to distribution and exhibition of content in tomorrow's theaters and will overcome many of the limitations listed below.

High Distribution Costs - The cost of sending films out to theaters across the country and around the world is fixed today based on the cost of the film prints themselves, anywhere from $1200-2000 per theater.

Lack of Security linked with 35 mm prints - Distributors have little control over a film once it leaves their facilities. They have to hope that it's delivered safely to the appropriate theaters and doesn't fall into the wrong hands or is damaged along the way.

Degradation Issues - As a movie is screened it becomes progressively more scratched and dirty, eventually demanding a replacement print.

Limited Programming Flexibility - Currently theater owners are only set up to receive 35 mm films. Since the cost of film production is so high there's little content beyond major independent and studio movies that can afford to take advantage of a theater screening.

Inflexible Advertising - Advertisers love advertising in theaters because they have a captive audience. But today's theater advertising is limited to slide shows and rarely a filmed ad. But again, given the costs of film distribution not many advertisers can afford to send a 35 mm reel to each theater and even if many advertisers did so, the theater owners aren't equipped to switch from one ad reel to the next.

Streamlined Distribution - The distribution process will no longer involve bulky expensive film reels. Films can be sent digitally over the IP network to targeted theaters without ever having to duplicate a 35 mm reel. This streamlined distribution will pave the way for new programming options including concerts, sporting events, distance learning and more. Theater owners can program content quickly and easily, moving content from one auditorium to many, meeting market demand in a way they are currently unable to.

Integrated Digital Rights Management - Digital theater content will be secured before it ever leaves the content owners facility. DRM will enable tracking and license serving so theaters and content owners know exactly when and where the content is accessed.

Digital Preservation - The one thousandth time a digital movie is screened provides the same quality as the first time. There is no breakdown in the digital file as there is with film.

Demographically targeted advertising - Digital ads can be served from one location and targeted to specific theaters based on content being shown in that theater to a particular demographic.

What is the current International panorama of D Cinema, how many screens?

Which business models prevail in Europe? 
What is the status in Switzerland?

Which content from film to opera and sports in the theatres?

Which new consumers' habits?

Will D cinema really help indie filmmakers reach a theatrical audience

What has 3D brought to the industry?
Impact for the business of film rights and sales?

Who are the new players to watch?

Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) has played a decisive role in setting up standards, what is the role for the coming years?

List of digital cinema players

Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. (AccessIT) - theater system integrator

Arts Alliance Media (Arts Alliance Digital Cinema) - theater system integrator

Barco - digital projector manufacturer

Christie - digital projector manufacturer

d2 - digital cinema integrator

Deluxe Digital Studios - distributor and theater system integrator

Digital Genius - digital cinema integrator

Doremi Cinema - manufacturer of digital cinema servers and mastering systems

Dolby Laboratories - theater system integrator

intoPIX - JPEG 2000 compression for theater system

Kodak - theater system integrator

Motion Picture Solutions - Digital Cinema Mastering

NEC - digital projector manufacturer

RED Digital Cinema Camera Company - digital cinema camera manufacturer

Sony - digital projector manufacturer

Technicolor - distributor and theater system integrator

Texas Instruments - developers of DLP projector technology

Qube Cinema - manufacturer of digital cinema servers and mastering systems

XDC - theater system integrator (partner of Cannes and Locarno Festival)

Ymagis - theater system integrator