Major Changes in the Film Industry

For decades the film industry has remained pretty consistent about how it makes and distributes films.  The filmmaker creates a film.  A distributor buys the movie and makes 35mm prints of the film to ship around the country.  The films the Grand receives look just like the film from a standard personal 35mm camera only obviously much lengthier.  It takes thousands of individual pictures and literally miles of film to make the moving image for each film you see at theaters like The Grand.  The machinery used to project films has been in use for decades and uses the general technology that has been around since film began in the late 1800’s.

We see technological changes every day in our lives and film is no different.  At a rapidly increasing pace, cinemas are making conversions from old technology to new.  A film is no longer a “film”.  Instead of truly watching images projected from 35mm film, most cinemas now receive a digital hard drive with the film projected from a computer file.

Why the change?  For distributors who make the films and mail them around the country, it is an easy decision: cost.  The biggest movies may play in 1,000 to 2,000 screens simultaneously around the country.  Studios can reduce the costs from thousands of dollars to create each 35mm film print to probably $100 per digital hard drive.  The new math for production, shipping costs and film storage is extremely beneficial to them.

 

Digital Summary
  • Movie theaters will soon be required to have digital projection equipment to play newly released movies
  • Within the next 2 years, the stability of The Grand would be at risk if we are not able to play newly released films
  • Like movie theaters across the country, The Grand will need to convert our screens to digital projection
  • As a non-profit, The Grand will commence an extensive fundraising campaign to make the necessary changes

The bigger chains throughout the country have already made the upgrade to digital.  That includes any of the chain theaters in the King/Pierce County area.  Currently it is estimated that two-thirds of American screens play only digital films.  Moving forward, the bigger film distributors, including the ones from which the Grand gets our best films like King’s Speech, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Artist, etc, will ONLY make digital prints.  What that means is that for the Grand to continue to bring these films to Tacoma, we’ll have to make the change as well.  Otherwise we risk eventually being shut out from playing all of the films that you are used to seeing here.  That, obviously, would severely impact our artistic operation.  While there is no firm date on when distributors will cease with 35mm production, they have stated it will take place by the end of 2013.  That will work as our deadline as well.

Going digital does offer some benefits to a non-profit like the Grand.  We may be able to get some films sooner than we otherwise would because it is easier to obtain an extra copy of a hard drive than it is to get a limited edition 35mm print.  The quality on-screen is also more consistent.  Though rare already, there will be no more scratches on screen during a film.  Long term, it also may be able to reduce some costs to the Grand…long term.

Changing our equipment will be a major project for the Grand.  At a cost of over $75,000 per screen, converting four screens would be a major undertaking for any independent cinema.  We are lucky that we have been successful with past projects (for example, the fourth screen has been a huge positive for The Grand) and we are in strong financial condition.  Our fundraising campaign is now in gear as we work to meet our financial goals.  As you come to the Grand in the coming months, you will see other information about the pending digital conversion.  We invite you to ask any questions of our full time staff in person or to email us at thegrandcinema@gmail.com.

The Grand is committed to bringing in the very best films from around the world.  Our mission and mix of films will never change.  Digital conversion will not change who we are.  While we move to digital for new releases, we are also committed to preserving the ability to play older classic 35mm films in their original format.  For that reason we will equip one of our screens with the dual ability to play both digital and 35mm output.  We’ll soon be exclusive in the area with the ability to bring you an occasional older film in its originally intended 35mm format.

DONATE NOW!

>>If you would like to donate by check (which saves The Grand credit card fees so we get closer to our goal faster), please make checks out to The Grand Cinema and mail to: The Grand Cinema; 606 S. Fawcett; Tacoma 98402.<<

 The video below was not taken at The Grand but does give a good example of what 35mm projection looks like behind the scenes.
  

 

Thank you for your support of The Grand Cinema!