8mm Forum: Trying to pinpoint the 35mm cut off.

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Topic: Trying to pinpoint the 35mm cut off.

Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted December 15, 2012 07:18 AM

I wonder if any members here with industry connections can help with this, as I have seen references to 35mm distribution (e.g.) ending in some territories in 2013 but I haven't been able to find anything precise and definitive. As I'm involved in attempts to hire and reopen a small London cinema for occasional screenings prior to a more permanent reopening, it would be very useful to know if at least some new films will be available on 35mm until the end of 2013, or is there any danger of an earlier cut off? Although I'm particularly interested in the UK, I expect members would also welcome this information in relation to elsewhere.

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Adrian Winchester

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Patrick Walsh
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 723
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Registered: Jul 2006

posted December 15, 2012 07:27 AM

Here there nas been no offical word from any of the distributors, just noticed it is harder to get some titles as more and more hard drives come in that prints, some films however here are only on 35mm.

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"Raise The Titanic!", It would of been cheaper to lower the Atlantic!

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Darren Payne
Film Handler

Posts: 46
From: Bournemouth
Registered: Mar 2009

posted December 15, 2012 08:40 AM

Adrian,

Odeon, Vue, Cineworld, are all fully digital which is the majority of UK market share. This in turn will effect the amount of 35mm prints struck for the smaller exhibitors. Even a lot of smaller chains are converting to Digital at a rapid pace for a variety of reasons (a topic in itself).

Your best bet is to approach the distributors directly and hope they can give you a more accurate timescale.

I do fear though that 35mm will be phased out quicker than anyone (including me) thought possible.

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David Park
Master Film Handler

Posts: 346
From: UK
Registered: Nov 2003

posted December 17, 2012 07:36 AM

A bit old and the Daily Mail but might give an idea.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2062289/Digital-cinema-eclipse-35mm-film-early-2012--celluloid-disappear-2015.html
How they finance.
http://www.artsalliancemedia.com/news/aam-continues-independent-cinema-digital-rollout-uk

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Regards,
David

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted December 17, 2012 08:19 AM

It just shows how some reporting needs to get up to speed, it's
a long time since celluloid was used in cinemas,along with
Bakelite radios.

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Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted December 19, 2012 07:54 PM

Thanks for the replies. I tried asking the (UK) Film Distributors' Association and their response supports Darren's view, as they don't think 35mm will survive much beyond the end of March:

"There is no precise cut off point for 35mm product and distributors will continue to make a decision on the formats available on a film by film basis. However, in general FDA would expect the phasing out of 35mm distribution to be almost completed by the end of Q1-2013."

Considering that it was only in January this year that the proportion of the world's digital screens exceeded 50%, it's shocking how fast the process has become. But I wonder what proportion of the other 50% will be closing rather than changing?

[ December 20, 2012, 06:24 AM: Message edited by: Adrian Winchester ]

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Adrian Winchester

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Jean-Marc Toussaint
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: France
Registered: Oct 2004

posted December 20, 2012 05:01 AM

Out of 5480 screens over here, 5000+ are already running D-cinema. Disney and Fox have confirmed that they will cease 35mm in 2013.

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The Grindcave Cinema Website

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Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted December 20, 2012 10:05 AM

Jean-Marc - it's amazing how fast the change over rate has become in France; I'm sure I saw reliable figures les that two years ago indicating that France was only about 20% digital! Considering how slow the conversion rate was in much of the world for several years, it seems that a lot of cinemas were in no rush and were willing to leave it until they had no choice.

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Adrian Winchester

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Rob Koeling
Master Film Handler

Posts: 399
From: Brighton, UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted December 20, 2012 11:56 AM

Adrian,

Drop 'Park Circus' an email. They will most likely be the most important source for films for your project. They are now the main source for older titles. I'm not sure if they distribute any new titles at all, but since you are talking about a small theater in London, niche titles might be a good start anyway.

Let us know more about the project. It sounds great! Whereabouts in London? Any chance of special screenings (silents for example) or unusual stuff for kids (for which I am sure there is demand in London and there is very little on offer).

- Rob

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Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted December 26, 2012 09:15 AM

Rob - thanks for the info, I hope to be able to make use of it. The cinema is in Croydon, situated within the old town hall/Clocktower complex. The fact that it's Council property makes everything very complicated although it may become part of a Community Asset Transfer. It's currently impossible to say if the campaign organisation I'm involved in will manage to hire it for any screenings but if we did, they would maintain the cinema's role as an arts cinema. The cinema has a digital projector that was used for about 5 years, but it would cost about £5,000 to get this back into use (for various reasons) and the Council isn't willing to pay this. It's also more than we can afford, hence my interest in using its 35mm projectors, which would just need a relatively inexpensive service. In the longer term, we want to retain the 35mm for occasional revival screening marketed to people who will appreciate the opportunity to see real film.

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Adrian Winchester

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