08/04/2008

Yesterday in Oslo, the Norwegian cinema and video association Film & Kino began a two-day conference on digital cinema, the biggest ever in Norway. The event is aimed at updating over 100 local cinema managers on the latest technical developments in D-cinema, prior to Norway’s big rollout in 2009.

The country’s screen digitization started in 2006 with the launch of the two pilot projects, NDA (Nordic Digital Alliance) and NORDIC, covering 21 screens in 15 cinemas. NOK 3m were invested for the first phase of the project with funding coming from Film & Kino’s Cinema Fund, managing taxes on cinema tickets, videos and DVDs.

“The first phase of the project involved technical trials,” explained Jørgen Stensland, head of consultants for Film & Kino. “First we decided to establish digital paths, which meant taking a multiplex and installing digital technology in three or four screens only, before converting all screens. We now have one multiplex (Magnus Barfot in Bergen) totally converted to digital.”

Phase two of the project – involving an extra NOK 5m spend from Film & Kino – was agreed upon in 2007 and extended through October 2008. The number of cinemas taking part in the switchover to digital increased to 20 sites and 36 screens.

“Phase two is looking into how smaller cinemas can be hooked onto bigger cinemas in terms of organisation, technical aspects and digital knowledge,” Stensland added. “We also investigate alternative content, such as opera, and want to do trials with satellite screenings. We are also in discussions with US studios for them to share the costs of conversion to D-cinema. We believe we will have an agreement in due course this summer”.

International keynote speakers who attended yesterday’s event at Oslo’s Colosseum Cinema included Paul Corcoran, (CEO of UK-based Kino Cinemas) and Peter Buckingham (UK Film Council). Today’s conference focuses on Norway.