Digital Screenings?

[GreekTiger18]

Forgive me for being dumb, but according to the screening times at Cineworld in Sheffield for Pirates 3 tomorrow, it says "Special Digital Screening" next to certain times, what exactly does that mean, and what is the difference when compared to a standard screening?

 

[hitmeagaindude]

The difference between a digital screening and a standard one is pretty noticeable. The film's are sent to the cinema on a hard drive sort of thing instead of a reel and are crystal clear. you dont see any cigarette burns or hairs on the screen. Its like watching a film in HD effectively. I've only seen The Painted Veil in it so far but it was stunning.

 

[Devin M.]

Thats basically it.

Instead of being projected using 35mm film, it's encoded as 2048x1080 JPEG2000 or MPEG4 and projected using DLP. It's distributed to cinemas either on a portable hard drive (most common) or via satellite internet (most expensive), and then loaded onto a central server.

The advantage is no picture damage associated with 35mm - scratches etc, and no soundtrack damage/drop out; with the only major disadvantage at the moment being that 2048x1080 doesn't quite match a top-notch 35mm image. Sony's new 4k encoding however (at 4096x2160 pixels) and SXRD projectors blow everything else out of the water.

Incidentally, Momentum messed up the digital prints of Painted Veil. The 35mm original negative and prints are 2.39:1, but the digital print is reformatted to 1.85:1.

 

[friendly older kid]

i saw Spiderman 3 in a digital screening, it was fantastic!

 

[summer69]

Is this the end of analogue reel?? I am guessing no because of the HUGE installation costs involved?? But it would be better for the environment as the hard drives can be used as 'reusable reels'.

 

[kim-chan]

Just saw Pirates 3 as a digital screening, absolutely amazing picture clarity, and the sound was noticeably better than ordinary screenings as well.