International Edition No.4 - year 1 - 8 March 2006

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Editorial by Elisabetta Brunella,
Secretary General of MEDIA Salles

A multiplex that came into being a only few months ago in Italy, with 5 digital screens using 2K projectors, to obtain – in the words of the exhibitor – “guaranteed added value” and thus to distinguish it from its competitors.

But also the sixty Swedish theatres, almost all of them equipped with less sophisticated technology, yet still capable – and here the voice is that of the Project Manager of Digital Hus, the circuit of Swedish cinemas belonging to Folkets Hus och Parker – of allowing audiences to “experience a far better quality from watching films through 1.3K projectors than on 35mm projectors”, in the “quite small venues and on the quite small screens” where it is installed.

And then there are those whose digital projectors have been used mainly for alternative events up to now, making their cinema into a “multi-purpose theatre”: this is the case of the recently opened Belgian complex, Cityscoop.be, which those taking part in the “DigiTraining Plus” course will have the chance to visit on the 8th April next. The Managing Director, Miguel Devriendt, talks about it here.
And if the interview with Gianantonio Furlan, Managing Director of the Furlan Cinecity Group, to which the Italian multiplex with its 5 digital theatres belongs, is dense with useful ideas for grasping the possibilities, prospects and limits that exhibitors will find themselves having to deal with if they plan to switch to digital technology and makes practical suggestions for making this possible and profitable at the same time, the article by Rickard Gramfors, Project Manager of Digital Hus, represents a different approach to the digital issue, actually eliminating the difference between D- and E-Cinema.

And so, as promised, in this issue different approaches to digital find themselves side by side: three experiences arising from different needs and, partly because of this, ending up with three different solutions – practical elements that may help to answer real questions.

 

 

 

"DigiTraining Plus:

New Technologies for European Cinemas"

Visit to a digital theatre: Cityscoop.be Cityscoop_Roseleare

Cityscoop.be: a multi-purpose venue
by Miguel Devriendt, General Manager of Cityscoop.be, Roeselare
 

The Cityscoop.be complex was opened on 22 June 2005 by a family-owned business after only 9 months of building work.  The seven-screen cinema, with a seating capacity of 1,250, is one of the most technologically-advanced complexes in existence, with full air conditioning, innovative seating and state-of-the-art sound and vision.

At the planning stage, it became quite clear that in order to make an impact it would be impossible to do without digital cinema.

(Click to read the whole article)

On the morning of 8 April, the participants at “DigiTraining Plus” will be offered the opportunity to experience Cityscoop.be directly during a visit to the cinema, which will include projection of film sequences in English, using the “split screen” (35mm versus digital) technique.

 

 

The digital challenge

Interview with Gianantonio Furlan, Chief Executive Officer
of the Furlan Cinecity Group

It opened its 14 theatres to the public in December 2005 and, with 5 digital projectors, all Cinemeccanica 2K, the Cinecity Multiplex of Limena, a small urban centre in the north east of Italy, only a few kilometres from Padua, is one of the best equipped DLP CinemaTM digital complexes in the world, the biggest in Europe. It is part of the Furlan Cinecity Group which already has another two multi-screen cinemas in the area. We asked the Managing Director, Gianantonio Furlan, to tell us about the early months of this experience and to help us sum up the situation of digital projection in Italy and in Europe. In order to hear, from someone who has invested in it, and heavily so, what the opportunities are at present, what can be expected from the near future, what exhibitors should be demanding. And what they should change their ideas about.
 
(Read the whole article)

 

 

The last days for enrolments

(deadline: 10 March)


"DigiTraining Plus: NewTechnologies for European Cinemas"

Third edition

5-9 April 2006, Kuurne (Belgium),

at Barco headquarters

Special Rate at 450€

Among the lecturers,  Enrico Chiesa, Cicae/Afcae, Mads Egmont Christensen, Mecano Film (moderator of the course), Tom Cotton, Technicolor, Eric Dillens, nWave Pictures; Gabriel Fehervari, Chief Executive Officer, Alfacam/Euro1080; Rickard Gramfors, Digital Houses-FHP; Denis Kelly, Cinema Operations Manager, Eastman Kodak; Steve Perrin, UK Film Council; Ben Stassen, nWave Pictures; Jan Van Dommelen, Unic;   Glenn Wastyn, Business Development Manager, Barco. 

Click to see the contents of the course

Click here to download the enrolment form

 

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Unique Prize Draw offered by Barco to 3 of the trainees:

"Have a Digital Cinema projector in your theatre for free for 1 month"

Read more

(see description and technical fact card on the
D-Cine Premiere DP100)

(see description and technical fact card on the
D-Cine Premiere DP90)

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"I took part in “DigiTraining Plus” 2005 and I very much appreciated the group work. Listening to colleagues’ opinions helps you to think over your own choices”.

 Jaap den Engelsman,
Utopolis Almere (The Netherlands)

Digital cinemas in Sweden
by Rickard Gramfors,
Project Manager Digitala Hus, Folkets Hus och Parker

Sweden currently has more than 50 digital cinemas, whereof four have 2K projectors, and the others 1.3K projectors [...].

 Scalability of equipment, depending on the size of the venue and screen, is an important factor in discussions regarding quality and standardization. To install 2K projectors in small venues, in order to be allowed to screen major feature films, is unnecessary. The difference in quality of 2K on big screens compared to 1.3K on smaller screens is not distinguishable.

(Read the whole article)

(Click to see the table of Digital Cinemas in Sweden)