The cost of DCP digitalisation
Imagine a small film club in Hungary. It screens in a local cinema. In the old days, they did fine screening 35mm film prints. However, after the switch to the digital DCP format in 2012, they have problems. The full equipment comes at a high cost of around 80 000 EUR (some 200 000 EUR in 2012). What’s more - this technology is quite complicated. It comprises multiple parts and doesn’t prevent errors such as discrepancy of sound and picture from happening. Yet the DCP format is oftentimes the only distribution format offered by standard distributors. So what can a small film club do? One workaround is the cheaper but less convenient option - a standard DVD and Blu-ray player and a standard data-projector. The cost is only 10% of the DCP format, but few distributors offer DVD or Blu-ray formats. So the club has to get used to very limited screenings options.
Yet with Artinii player, all you need is a laptop and a standard data projector. Then you just download the player for free to your laptop, pay a reasonable flat-fee that is not dependent on the number of tickets sold, and screen! The costs are extremely low, and what’s more - you don’t need to worry about logistics of the individual copies, whether they are in DCP, DVD, Blu-ray, or even 35mm format. Everything runs online! And on top of that - the sound and picture will always match.
Easy access to specific content
Imagine a very specifically themed festival - let’s say about spirituality and personal development in Indonesia. As the programme involves film screenings the organiser picks ten spiritual films from the US, Mexico and India. However, such films are too specific and thus too commercially risky for the standard (Indonesian) theatrical distribution. So after realising that no Indonesian distributor offers any of those films, the organiser goes directly to the film producers in the US, Mexico and India. Communication is extremely difficult, some of the producers don’t respond, others are reluctant. Finally, the organiser manages to acquire the rights for five out of the original ten films. The film screenings are extremely successful as they meet exactly the demand of the targeted audience. But at what cost?
The Artinii player can help. By offering unique and specific content unavailable in the standard distribution, the player connects the film right holders directly with its targeted audience (communities). In short, by downloading the player (for free), the above-mentioned Indonesian organiser can access their unique spiritual films directly in the player, saving time, money and effort.
Screenings made easy
On the whole, the Artinii player simplifies the life of all small-size public screeners with
- limited budget (Hungarian film club)
- specific film needs (Indonesian spiritual film festival)
The main benefits of the player are
- low costs - Download it for free.
- wide and unique selection - Films too specific for standard distribution.
- easy handling - You need: the player, a laptop and a data-projector.
- online - Forget about physical copies, manage everything online.
- flat fee - Very reasonable price not dependent on the tickets sold.
Screening films has never been this easy. Do you want to try it too? Visit www.artinii.com and find out more. Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To learn more about Artinii Click HERE.
In the next article, you’ll learn more about the distribution from the rights holder’s perspective.
Many thanks to FNE for an opportunity to publish these articles.
About the Author: Eva Pešková:
Ex-freelance journalist, a film geek since childhood, Eva currently works for the Czech film distribution company Artinii.
