Participants at the 12th edition of the MEDIA Salles training course titled Digitraining Plus: What do you do with digital now you've got it?, heard about the challenges ahead for cinemas that have already been digitalised as well as those that still needed support to enter the digital age.
"The present moment is crucial for European cinema exhibitors. Whilst about 10% of the almost 38,000 European screens still have to make the transition from 35 mm to digital, the companies that were the first to adopt the new projection technologies are now in a position of having to undertake the replacement of equipment nearing obsolescence. In both cases considerable investments are needed, which can have a powerful effect on the financial balance of businesses," said Paolo Protti, President of MEDIA Salles.
Addressing participants Elisabetta Brunella said that according to analysis by MEDIA Salles about 90% of commercial screens in Europe have opted for the new digital technology. But a country by country analysis reveals an uneven situation. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia digital screens are 55% and 76% respectively.
The course organised by MEDIA Salles with the support of the European Commission, Italian Government and in partnership with various Czech and Slovak institutions updated the European participants with the hot spots of digitalisation.
The course that took place from 26 to 30 August 2015 was attended by participants the Netherlands, Estonia, Spain, Belarus, Italy, Hungary and of course the Czech and Slovak Republics. They had meetings with various speakers, they visited key spots such as the digital department of Kino Lumiere and they even created a cartoon animation guided by Linda Arbanová, head of Aeroškola.
In Prague participants were welcomed by Michal Bregant, Director of the Czech National Film Archives and FNE Association board member who spoke on audience development and the future of film. In Bratislava participants were welcomed by Peter Dubecky head of the Slovak Film Institute.
Digitraining Plus: What do you do with digital now you've got it? was organized by MEDIA Salles in partnership with APK, Association of Slovak Filmclubs, Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, NFA, State Cinematography Fund Czech Republic, Slovak Film Institute, and in collaboration with Art Cinema CICAE and Fondazione Ente dello Spectacolo.
