Norway’s digital cinema roll-out test to expand

Norway’s industry-wide attempt to digitise the whole nation in a consensus-led conversion is to expand its screen base and widen its focus to include satellite distribution. Norway’s film agency Film&Kino has released extra funding for this project to expand to 23 screens, for a total d-screen base in country of 40. There is a second project involving exhibitor Kristiansand Kino and UK’s Arts Alliance. The expansion of NORDIC will result in a screen base that is 10 per cent digitised, similar to USA’s current situation. Phase One of the project was completed in May 2007, and resulted in identification of areas to resolve. Second phase is aimed at deepening the research to include some remote locations and assess their operational requirements, add in servers from more suppliers now that more are closer to DCI-compliance especially in field of FIPS certification. The third area is to include satellite distribution with partner Telenor Satellite Broadcasting, including both films and alternative content. An all-digital multiplex is to be opened in Bergen in order to assess the reality of a digital environment and film flow.