Calling all digital projectionists…
Since the installation of digital projection equipment many cinemas have been experimenting with various forms of Alternative Content and what is now becoming known as Live Cinema, generally using satellite feeds to provide the content. These systems have so far been assembled on a rather ad-hoc basis, with varying degrees of success and a frequently a fair bit of stress for the projection teams.
It has become obvious that there is a need to provide common guidelines as to what equipment should be used and how it should be put together, so as to enable projection teams to put on the best possible digital show with the least possible hassle.
To help to establish such guidelines, the UK Digital TV Group has set up a sub work group on Live Cinema, which is Chaired by Peter Wilson of HDDC Ltd., who is a BKSTS member and well known to Cinema Technology magazine readers.
Work started in December 2008 to study live content delivery to Cinemas, and the group is taking input from all parties, including Producers, Distributors, Exhibitors, system Integrators, Satellite service operators etc.
The output from the group will not be official standards (it is expected that many existing technical standards for digital cinema will also cover Alternative content and Live Cinema), but practical reference documents providing recommended practices. The early meetings of the group have had presentations from Odeon and Arts Alliance , from Arqiva and the Audio study group, and the first study group that was set up is looking at audio for Live Cinema. New study groups have been established for Ingest & Communications, led by Arqiva, and for Hardware Integration, led by Arts Alliance.
Since projectionists have an absolutely key role to play in Live Cinema, their practical experiences will be extremely valuable to the study group, so Peter Wilson is inviting all projectionists with some experience of digital projection and alternative content to let him know of their most important concerns regarding such shows. It would be helpful to have details of any problems that have been encountered during ‘Live’ and ‘Alternative Content’ performances, of the possible reasons for these, and of the ways in which they were overcome. Any suggestions for improving current practices or introducing new ways of working that might be useful to others in the business will be gratefully received and acknowledged.
If you can help, please contact Jim Slater
formerly Mad Cornish Projectionist.