BACK TO THE FUTURE: CLASSIC FILM PRESENTATIONS IN THE DIGITAL AGE Nick Varley Chief Operating Officer Park Circus - Arts Alliance
Park Circus represents the back catalogue libraries of some the biggest names in the business Plus many smaller film libraries, see www.parkcircus.com/what_we_do/libraries_represented
Park Circus distributed it s first classic film digitally in 2005 The company now has a library of over 1,200 restored features all available on DCP The advantages of DCP over 35mm distribution include: Ability to ensure continued quality of presentation Possibility to make films more widely available The ability to subtitle and dub films more cost effectively Ensure a wider variety of films are available Enable more programming flexibility for the theatre We still hold a library of 10,000 35mm feature prints
Digital distribution has enabled us to raise interest in cinema heritage New restoration processes mean that we can return a film to the directors original intention There is much more awareness in the industry about the value of making classic films available once again Cinemas are realising the value in offering their customers a wider choice of films and programming There is a nostalgia for the past Audiences are much more aware of the improved quality of digital presentations
Park Circus has a client base of over 3,000 customers worldwide Commercial independent and multiplex theatres Cultural cinemas Film festivals Film societies Outdoor and drive in theatres Special events Non-cinema related festivals
Case Study Cinemark Theatres We were approached in 2014 by Cinemark Theatres in Latin America as they wished to launch a season of classic films. Something they had never done before. Over 200 cinemas across LATAM Screening six week seasons of classic films on a rolling basis Mindful of the commercial audience the selection of films in a mixture of popular all time classics and lesser known films Park Circus supplies LAS and QBP versioned DCP s as well as localised marketing materials The programme has now been going for twelve months The audience reaction is astounding and the box office results encouraging We now have similar initiatives in many European and Asia-Pacific territories.
Digital cinema has made digital distribution easier on a number of levels: The cost of creating a digital print is a fraction of what it costs to make a 35mm print We are able to deliver digital content to multiple locations making wider releases easier The cost and practical ability to version in local languages is simpler Through wider releasing Park Circus can: Invest more in marketing due to the increased number of cinemas playing a film Justify versioning costs in local languages
Through our partnership with our sister company, Arts Alliance Distribution, we are increasingly looking at ways to make events from the films we represent. This includes: Filming special introductions from the stars or directors Producing new marketing materials and trailers Creating special, one off events such as Q&A broadcast live to cinemas Inclusion of special features ahead of presentations like deleted footage These event cinema releases provide the audience with an exclusive experience they cannot get anywhere else.
Reissue marketing examples
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING Contact Details: Nick Varley nick.varley@artsalliance.com