August 7, 2009
CinemaExpo 2009 _ REPORT
June 22
Impressions:
It was strange to walk to the RAI not to attend IBC but to get my badge for CinemaExpo, a smaller event.
Strangely enough no cloakroom had been set up. Nobody was available for giving directions. Eventually I thought that the event might be close to the auditorium. That was a good guess. At the reception I picked up my badge and only later did I hear what an honour I was given to be part of a crew of 20 (world-wide) press representatives.
I received a great bag full with all kinds of gadgets and walked to the catering area by the auditorium. No espresso or cappuccino although a lot of Italian could be heard in the room…
Fiona Deans presented a case study about Iron Maiden. She was approached in 2008 about promoting their film, Flight 666.
The agency reckoned that they would have to target their campaign to a niche market. They started consumer blogging. Then they placed a teaser on You tube in Jan. 2009. The tickets went on sale in March. Posters were made. A microsite was created to direct people to the countries where the film was shown. They started getting some strong press overage. Radio promotions delivered good results. In US. The film went en premiere mid March in Rio. The night before the band gave a concert. The ticket sales had a pick the day before the release: April 20th. 500 SCREENS RELEASED SIMULTANEOUSLY.
Gwendal Auffret introduced Arqiva’s solution that integrates satellite services to enable live input and DCPs: simultaneous live HD broadcast and delivery of DCP.
Elizabeth Draper told about the ECO premiere her team organized for launching The age of stupid by Franny Amstrong. Solar systems were installed This is the largest simultaneous release in the world (Sept. 22nd).
The Head of strategies at XPAND was given the opportunity to introduce this company which is the fastest growing 3D cinema solution. The new glasses have a lifetime of 3000 hours (a pair of glasses costs 1 cent per screening). The glasses are fully automatic. A sensor warns if the battery is too low to view a whole movie (cool!). Flexible set-up: easy to move around, easy switch from 2D to 3D, no color space correction required. He also highlighted their eco-friendly choice: they do not trash anything away. At Cannes Festival a 3D animation film opened the day and the audience was wearing XPAND’s glasses. The company is exploring other niche markets where these glasses could be used for medical and tutorial purposes.
The lunch came and also the Italian audience was happy with the quality of the food (focaccia, antipasti, lasagne….).
The Digital Seminar started.
Dave Monk, CEO European Digital Cinema Forum got on the stage.
He stated that digital screens rose by one third in 2008. Europe has been growing more slowly than US.
3d Movies regularly outperform 2D versions.
The Russian Republic is the only country that went directly into 3D screens without going through digital screens first. According to Dave the digital progress is driven by 3D.
On D Cinema’s 10th anniversary the outlook is bright: 3D is providing the essence of the new money generation.
ISSUE: who pays for the glasses: Studio’s, Exhibitors ? No answer available right now.
3D gives a reason to people to go back to the theatre.
Day 2 : at the exhibition
All exhibitors concentrated in one hall.
I checked with a few of them: happy with the traffic. Some expressed their confusion about another similar event in Brussels that took place one week before this one ????
The catering was SUPERB. Apart from the outstanding quality (several cuisines were available….Spanish paella, Italian pasta’s, wine etc…) even the setting was perfect. Chapeau!
I also saw the Ugly truth but I promised I will respect Mitch request of not editorialize about the screening !
Fiorenza
CinemaExpo 2009 _ REPORT
June 22
Impressions:
It was strange to walk to the RAI not to attend IBC but to get my badge for CinemaExpo, a smaller event.
Strangely enough no cloakroom had been set up. Nobody was available for giving directions. Eventually I thought that the event might be close to the auditorium. That was a good guess. At the reception I picked up my badge and only later did I hear what an honour I was given to be part of a crew of 20 (world-wide) press representatives.
I received a great bag full with all kinds of gadgets and walked to the catering area by the auditorium. No espresso or cappuccino although a lot of Italian could be heard in the room…
Fiona Deans presented a case study about Iron Maiden. She was approached in 2008 about promoting their film, Flight 666.
The agency reckoned that they would have to target their campaign to a niche market. They started consumer blogging. Then they placed a teaser on You tube in Jan. 2009. The tickets went on sale in March. Posters were made. A microsite was created to direct people to the countries where the film was shown. They started getting some strong press overage. Radio promotions delivered good results. In US. The film went en premiere mid March in Rio. The night before the band gave a concert. The ticket sales had a pick the day before the release: April 20th. 500 SCREENS RELEASED SIMULTANEOUSLY.
Gwendal Auffret introduced Arqiva’s solution that integrates satellite services to enable live input and DCPs: simultaneous live HD broadcast and delivery of DCP.
Elizabeth Draper told about the ECO premiere her team organized for launching The age of stupid by Franny Amstrong. Solar systems were installed This is the largest simultaneous release in the world (Sept. 22nd).
The Head of strategies at XPAND was given the opportunity to introduce this company which is the fastest growing 3D cinema solution. The new glasses have a lifetime of 3000 hours (a pair of glasses costs 1 cent per screening). The glasses are fully automatic. A sensor warns if the battery is too low to view a whole movie (cool!). Flexible set-up: easy to move around, easy switch from 2D to 3D, no color space correction required. He also highlighted their eco-friendly choice: they do not trash anything away. At Cannes Festival a 3D animation film opened the day and the audience was wearing XPAND’s glasses. The company is exploring other niche markets where these glasses could be used for medical and tutorial purposes.
The lunch came and also the Italian audience was happy with the quality of the food (focaccia, antipasti, lasagne….).
The Digital Seminar started.
Dave Monk, CEO European Digital Cinema Forum got on the stage.
He stated that digital screens rose by one third in 2008. Europe has been growing more slowly than US.
3d Movies regularly outperform 2D versions.
The Russian Republic is the only country that went directly into 3D screens without going through digital screens first. According to Dave the digital progress is driven by 3D.
On D Cinema’s 10th anniversary the outlook is bright: 3D is providing the essence of the new money generation.
ISSUE: who pays for the glasses: Studio’s, Exhibitors ? No answer available right now.
3D gives a reason to people to go back to the theatre.
Day 2 : at the exhibition
All exhibitors concentrated in one hall.
I checked with a few of them: happy with the traffic. Some expressed their confusion about another similar event in Brussels that took place one week before this one ????
The catering was SUPERB. Apart from the outstanding quality (several cuisines were available….Spanish paella, Italian pasta’s, wine etc…) even the setting was perfect. Chapeau!
I also saw the Ugly truth but I promised I will respect Mitch request of not editorialize about the screening !
Fiorenza
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