Tag: Cinedigm

Categories
Truly Free Film

Is Independent Exhibition/Distribution Saved? Or Doomed…

Was it good news for film lovers everywhere that Cinedigm, a company that provides smaller theaters with digital projection, said it helped arrange funding to save 3,000 screens from extinction when studios phase out film prints of movies?

Early this month I wrote about how Independent Exhibition & Distribution In The US Is Seriously Threatened by the conversion to digital.  If only it was simple as putting in the digital projectors and servers.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s a great leap forward… in some ways.

Virtual Print Fees (VPFs) may provide a way for exhibitors to afford the equipment to go digital, but they indirectly, but severely, limit the type of films that can play theatrically.  The answer to

Continue reading “Is Independent Exhibition/Distribution Saved? Or Doomed…”

Categories
Truly Free Film

CINEDIGM DIGITAL CINEMA LAUNCHES INDIE DIRECT™

Everyday brings a better world for the independent filmmaker. Why should today not be like all others?

I was glad to receive today’s press release announcing Cinedigm’s new endeavor. I was even gladder though to learn of it, which is why I gave them this quote expressing it!

CINEDIGM DIGITAL CINEMA LAUNCHES INDIE DIRECT™, A FULL SERVICE THEATRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING SOLUTION FOR INDEPENDENT FILMS

Utilizing the Digital Cinema Backbone, Indie Direct™ Navigates Indies Through Theatrical Release Process

Woodland Hills, CA, September 7, 2011 – Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM), the global leader in digital cinema, today announced the formation of Indie Direct™, a full service distribution and marketing solution for independent film producers and distributors.
Utilizing the digital cinema backbone, Indie Direct™ provides independent producers access to Cinedigm’s long-time industry standard services for managing theatrical digital distribution, including booking software, content delivery, sales, distribution strategy, marketing planning and execution and box office recoupment.

“From day one of digital cinema, Cinedigm has been at the forefront of deployment and installations,” said Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cinedigm Digital Cinema. “With Indie Direct™, we have tapped into our many years of experience and expertise to pioneer a turnkey method for indie producers to benefit from the flexible, precise and efficient distribution model digital cinema enables. Now, indie producers can reap the benefits of a full service studio in a one-stop shop.”

“Cinedigm is offering independent film makers autonomy to control their own destiny with Indie Direct™,” said Ted Hope, acclaimed independent producer of such films as 21 Grams, American Splendor and In the Bedroom. “Anything we can do to strengthen the indie community is vital to the health of the entertainment industry overall and I applaud their efforts.”

The first two production entities to sign up for Indie Direct™ are ARC Entertainment and Seven Arts Pictures. ARC is using the highest level of Indie Direct™ for eight titles it is releasing by the end of the year, including a horror film double feature with Zombie Diaries and Hellraiser, Smell of Success, Revelations, Killing Bono, Bunraku, Greening of Whitney Brown, Sundance Film Festival pick-up Knuckle, and Snowmen. Seven Arts Pictures will be using Indie Direct™ for the US release of The Pool Boys on September 30, 2011.

”A theatrical run tremendously enhances the value of the ancillary downstream revenue opportunities for our projects,” said Trevor Drinkwater, CEO of ARC Entertainment. “Cinedigm’s Indie Direct™ makes that theatrical play both efficient and affordable.”

”We are pleased that Indie Direct™ promotes the independent film community by putting a theatrical release within reach, both financially and from an execution perspective, ” said Jill Newhouse Calcaterra, Chief Marketing Officer, Cinedigm. “Previously producers had to go to multiple vendors for these services that are now available under our one roof.”

Completely customizable based on scope of needs and project release, the suite of services provided by Indie Direct™ includes:
· Booking software
· Distribution strategy
· Sales
· Content management and delivery
· In theatre marketing
· Box Office tracking, settlement and collections
· Marketing strategy planning
· Marketing execution
· Publicity campaign strategy and execution

About Cinedigm

Cinedigm is a leader in providing the services, experience, technology and content critical to transforming movie theatres into digital and networked entertainment centers. The Company partners with Hollywood movie studios, independent movie distributors, and exhibitors to bring movies in digital cinema format to audiences across the country. Cinedigm’s digital cinema deployment organization, software, satellite and hard drive digital movie delivery network; pre-show in-theatre advertising services; and marketing and distribution platform for alternative content such as CineLive® 3-D and 2-D sports and concerts, thematic programming and independent movies is a cornerstone of the digital cinema transformation. Cinedigm™ and Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp™ are trademarks of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. www.cinedigm.com

Categories
Truly Free Film

Theatrical: To Do… or NOT To Do.

Today’s guest post is from Orly Ravid of The Film Collaborative.

Theatrical: To Do… or NOT To Do.
(or perhaps more, HOW and WHEN To Do):

We all struggle with this, filmmakers, distributors alike. I remember giving a presentation to distributors about digital distribution and theatrical came up. I talked about the weirdness of showing a film 5 or 6 times a day to an almost always-empty house save a couple showings. This makes no sense for most films. When I released Baise Moi in 2000 we broke the boxoffice records at the time, and the “raincoat crowd” did show up at the oddest morning hours, but that is the exception, not the rule. Not every film has an 8-minute rape scene that just must be seen by post-punk-feminists and pornography-lovers alike. It’s an odd set-up for smaller films and it’s not the only means to the end we are looking for.

Recently The Film Collaborative released Eyes Wide Open in NYC, LA, Palm Beach and Palm Springs. We have a little over $10,000, all in it will be about $12,000 tops). We have made our money back and the great reviews and extra marketing / visibility will drive ancillary sales but we also did not invest or risk too much as you can see.

Continue reading “Theatrical: To Do… or NOT To Do.”
Categories
Truly Free Film

Fathom & Cinedigm: reinventing cinema entertainment

Tuesday’s post on  A POWERFUL NOISE introduced me to Fathom.  It seems like a great service but I have no idea about the pricing.   I am curious to hear more from folks that have used it.

From Fathom’s website:

Fathom, the entertainment division of National CineMedia (NCM), is reinventing the who, what, when, where and how of cinema entertainment. It’s a revolutionary concept that uses NCM’s vast nationwide Digital Content Network to deliver truly one-of-a-kind entertainment events — all showcased in amazing High Definition with Cinema Surround Sound — to movie theatre audiences across North America. And each benefits from extensive marketing support.

Working directly with the country’s leading entertainment producers, Fathom offers unique marketing and distribution opportunities for highly coveted programming: live concerts, theatrical and DVD premieres, live broadcasts from The New York Metropolitan Opera, sports events, exclusive stand-up comedy engagements and much more.

The Digital Content Network is comprised of more than 14,500 digital screens, with 75% of the screens in the top 49 markets. This puts well over half of US households within 10 miles of the theatres, including Regal Cinemas, United Artists, Edwards Theatres, AMC Theatres, Cinemark/Century, Clearview Cinemas, Kerasotes Theatres, Goodrich Quality Theaters, Hoyts Theatres, Marcus Theatres, Malco Theatres, National Amusements Theatres and Georgia Theatre Company. Additionally, Fathom has limited distribution in local performing arts centers and theatres in specific markets.

Fathom’s technical staff receives, tests, encrypts and digests source content for seamless playback over the network to all participating theatres’ auditoriums. Each auditorium is tested for optimum audio and visual presentation prior to event day. Plus, Fathom has a dedicated “event management” department that manages all troubleshooting before, during and after the event to ensure its success.

It’s mostly been opera, concerts, and anime so far, but they have also presented This American Life and a live event with the film IOUSA.  The full list is here.

Another similar service is Cinedigm, which to date seems to have focused solely on live events.
Michael Walker over at PangoFilms just tipped me to this announcement in BusinessWeek that says that focus is about to change.  They have just done a distribution pact with Olympus Pictures  for some indie films. Things a be a changin’…