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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

NYT article on distribution for indies

Good article. Makes a lot of sense.
There used to be a very vibrant 16mm venue indie distribution market apart from commmercial theaters. Maybe the digital revolution and low cost digital theaters will spawn something similar.
 
Wow. Every festival I submit to views on DVD but insist on either a film print or tape submaster (HDCam or Digi Beta).

Here's hoping Red Ray will take off...
 
Torrie said:
Wow. Every festival I submit to views on DVD but insist on either a film print or tape submaster (HDCam or Digi Beta).

Here's hoping Red Ray will take off...
Click to expand...

Red Ray/4k could be a major improvement for non mainstream digital venues, especially if it will play 2k also.
 
RedRay / 4K isn't going to help if these theaters that show small indie movies and foreign films don't start getting more high-end digital projectors in their booths.

Here in Los Angeles, a lot of these movies are shown at the Laemmle Theaters (Santa Monica, Sunset 5, Royal, etc.) and most of the projection quality is abysmal and what "digital" they do show use crappy standard def video projectors. They are the ghettos of the exhibition world, most are some relic of 1980's shoebox mall theater design, though the Royal is even older. It has a small screen at the far end of a huge projection throw, and hardly anything is in focus. And that's where Laemmle would send any 70mm releases they got, like Branagh's "Hamlet"!
The last movie I saw there was "Broken Embraces" and they can't focus anamorphic projection to save their lives.

I try to see a movie instead at the Landmark or the Arclight, which do have some digital projection but also have good film projection. But some movies are only playing at the Laemmle chain here in Los Angeles.
 
I've looked into independent theater rental. If you want to use the main projector they can only project from a satellite signal.

The alternative was to project using their normal LCD projector but that was only SD/DVD. And just hooking up audio would cost something like $1,500 for the presentation.
 
But Indie Roadshows off of RED RAY may be affordable, if you can amortise the cost of a 4K projector across several runs of movies and a single distributor four walls with it with a 'Demand in your city' type release strategy...

Indie movies aren't going to be wide releases unless they are studio indie pick ups (Fox search light etc.) but true independent cinema going will have the technology to work if it can create it's financial niche. And that just requires making films that enough people (not everyone) wants to see.
 
I have a feeling the adoption rate though for all this would be fast to happen in the UK and US but slow in asia...either way...it's going to happen but as pointed out by David it quality would be an issue. Why would they buy a RED Ray to show it off? Cheaper to buy a DVD player isn't it? When your 'real' films are presented in 4K/Digital Projector.

As great as RED Ray maybe the adoption rate will be slow for that particular device but the come back of Indie's will happen...just when we get through some of the poor age of Indie...(i've seen some pretty damn bad ones...and this goes for major films too) which should be right around Monstro time ;)

Though as Blu Ray gets cheaper it may not be such a bad suffer of quality...
 
I went to see An Education today, at the Rafael in San Rafael. It was pretty much the first time I've ever been in an 'art house' or indie theater. I think it's a good example of what they can be, excellent crisp projection on a large screen and comfortable, clean seats.

I was a little disappointed however by the audience, sparse and mostly well over fifty. Certainly not scientific observation, but they really didn't seem to be attracting my generation. I was kind of suprised that movies I'd seen trailers for online from Panama, and heard a lot about, like A Serious Man or An Education are relatively hard to find around L.A. or the Bay Area, at least in comparison to the number of theaters.

It's even more disappointing to hear that many of those theaters are terrible quality...
 
Stuart Hooper said:
It's even more disappointing to hear that many of those theaters are terrible quality...
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Yeah we have 2 or 3 art house cinemas here in Seattle that play limited release indie films. But I never want to go see them. The seats are just about as comfortable as a park bench, the sound might as well be mono, the floor is flat and you can't see over the rows in front of you and screens are small.

I would much rather just wait until they come out on DVD or Blu-Ray.
 
Gavin Greenwalt said:
Yeah we have 2 or 3 art house cinemas here in Seattle that play limited release indie films. But I never want to go see them. The seats are just about as comfortable as a park bench, the sound might as well be mono, the floor is flat and you can't see over the rows in front of you and screens are small.

I would much rather just wait until they come out on DVD or Blu-Ray.
Click to expand...

Out here in New Mexico, I couldnt even name you an theater that shows art house cinema.
 
Stuart Hooper said:
like A Serious Man or An Education are relatively hard to find around L.A. or the Bay Area, at least in comparison to the number of theaters.
Click to expand...

And that's California. The indie theater situation in the rest of the country/world is even more depressing.

RedRay 4K streaming over the Internet will be a good day. :-)
 
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