Veronica Mars Movie Funded on Kickstarter: New Model?

As of this writing, the Kickstarter campaign for the “Veronica Mars” movie is over. It broke fundraising records and took in more than $5 million in crowdfunding. Launched just one month ago by show creator Rob Thomas and actress Kristen Bell, the campaign has raised the topic of whether or not fan-funded projects could change the way films are being made, particularly for projects with rabid fan bases. Continue reading Veronica Mars Movie Funded on Kickstarter: New Model?

Encouraging Numbers: MPAA Releases 2012 Theatrical Stats

The MPAA released its 2012 theatrical statistics report last week. Among the findings, international ticket sales increased 6 percent to $34.7 billion and China is now second to the U.S. in terms of world markets for theatrical films. California and New York had the highest number of moviegoers in the U.S. Per capita attendance may be declining among teens, but the number of moviegoers across all ages was its highest since 2009. Continue reading Encouraging Numbers: MPAA Releases 2012 Theatrical Stats

New Christie Laser Projection System to Brighten 3D Films

Projector maker Christie hopes to quell critics who claim 3D films appear too dark in cinemas by implementing a laser-driven projection technology. The new system is expected to create brighter and more vibrant images. The technology will be used to screen Paramount’s “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” at AMC’s Burbank 16 theater on March 28, the first time that laser projection will be made available for paying audiences. Continue reading New Christie Laser Projection System to Brighten 3D Films

JVC Plans to Ship 8K Projector to Japan Later This Month

JVC first revealed a prototype of its 8K Super Hi-Vision projector at CEATEC in 2008. After five years of development, the company is reportedly ready to ship a product version later this month. The DLA-VS4800, which uses JVC’s e-Shift pixel technology, is expected to initially be made available in Japan for about 25 million yen, or $261,000 U.S. (without the four available lenses). Continue reading JVC Plans to Ship 8K Projector to Japan Later This Month

Cinema Dining: Theaters Attract Patrons with Themed Meals

The Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn is not your average movie theater. The venue has become part of a growing trend of “Dine-In” theaters emerging in different parts of the country. Serving movie-themed specials such as “Django Unchained Dynamite Shrimp and Grits,” these theaters have created a special combination of entertainment and food services as a viable means of survival in a consolidating industry. Continue reading Cinema Dining: Theaters Attract Patrons with Themed Meals

HPA Tech Retreat: Digital Cinema Opens New Possibilities

During this week’s Hollywood Post Alliance Tech Retreat in Indian Wells, California, industry veterans are discussing the transition to digital cinema and what that means for the future of production, distribution and exhibition. “The industry has spent more than $3 billion… and by the end of this year I predict we will be releasing movies in the U.S. without any film prints,” said Jerry Pierce, chairman of the Inter-Society Digital Cinema Forum. Continue reading HPA Tech Retreat: Digital Cinema Opens New Possibilities

Nielsen Study Says Mobile Users Make Better Moviegoers

According to Nielsen NRG’s 2012 American Moviegoing report, owners of wireless mobile devices go to movie theaters at a higher rate than the average cinema fan. The report also suggests that smartphone and tablet users spend more money on entertainment in general. Interestingly, about 30 percent of moviegoers explained that comments on social media sites had affected their choice of films to attend. Continue reading Nielsen Study Says Mobile Users Make Better Moviegoers

Report: Worldwide Spending on Movies Up $1.3 Billion in 2012

Worldwide spending on watching movies last year reached $62.4 billion, up from $61.1 billion in 2011 and $60.1 billion in 2010, according to IHS Screen Digest. The numbers include theatrical releases, disc rentals, pay TV VOD and digital retail purchases and rentals. North America accounted for 41 percent of global movie revenue in 2012, although spending on physical media saw a decline. Continue reading Report: Worldwide Spending on Movies Up $1.3 Billion in 2012

Convicted File Sharer Recieves Record 5-Year Prison Term

Jeramiah Perkins of the IMAGiNE Group was handed a record prison term for illegal file-sharing. The 40-year old Perkins, who is the reported leader of the in-theater camcording gang, was ordered to serve a 60-month prison term. The sentence surpasses that of IMAGiNE co-defendant Gregory Cherwonik of New York, who received 40 months in November. “In all, five IMAGiNE members have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit copyright infringement for operating what prosecutors described as the world’s most prolific piracy release group between 2009 and 2011,” reports Wired. Continue reading Convicted File Sharer Recieves Record 5-Year Prison Term

Crowdsourced Cinema: Tugg.com Borrows a Page from Kickstarter

Kickstarter has helped establish an effective crowdsourcing model for startups, and now Tugg.com has begun to show how filmmakers and exhibitors can benefit from a similar approach. Tugg.com allows people to set up movie screenings where customers pay for reserved tickets, and the screenings only happen after the advanced sales cover expenses. Indie filmmakers are using the online booking site to organize screenings of their projects. Continue reading Crowdsourced Cinema: Tugg.com Borrows a Page from Kickstarter

Panavision Exec Discusses Truth About 2K and 4K

When people reference the number of pixels on movie cameras, they are not literally saying the number of pixels, but rather the type of camera, explains Panavision senior VP of Advanced Digital Imaging John Galt. For example, 4K means the camera has 4096 red, 4096 green and 4096 blue photo sites. But Galt suggests that not all cameras are marketed accurately and distinguishes between “marketing” pixels and actual pixels. Continue reading Panavision Exec Discusses Truth About 2K and 4K

MPA Unveils New Mobile App Designed to Combat Piracy in Theaters

Movie theater personnel in the Asia-Pacific region can now quickly report illegal video recording to the Motion Picture Association with a new app available for tablets and smartphones.

“Using the mobile app, called MAD4 — abbreviated from ‘Make A Difference’ — theater managers and their teams will be able to type in information about camcording incidents through an online reporting platform,” explains The Hollywood Reporter. “The data will then be available to MPA officials for follow-up action or investigation.”

The MPA announced the new app this week at the CineAsia trade fair in Hong Kong. Also included in the app are training videos and resources to express the impact of piracy on the film industry and inform employees what to do when they witness illegal recording.

“We have been given to understand that more than 90 percent of newly released movies that appear illegally on the Internet and on the streets around the world originate from illegal copies being made in cinemas,” Ashish Saksena, CEO of Indian exhibitor Big Cinemas. “The MAD4 application is a great new tool ensuring that all staff will know what needs to be done to prevent illegal recordings being made in cinemas.”

Cinema History: Warner Bros. to Release HFR Version of The Hobbit

We have an update to Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first major movie release to be shot at 48 frames per second. When the film premieres in the U.S. on December 14, a new projection technique — that could possibly revolutionize the industry — will offer some film fans a brand new experience. Continue reading Cinema History: Warner Bros. to Release HFR Version of The Hobbit

Creativity: Cinematographer Explains the Future of Technology is You

  • DP Art Adams discusses the future of technology and the importance of creative talent behind its use.
  • “Honestly, I’m not so concerned about our technological future: things will always get better, faster and easier over time. My concern is how we, as humans, will relate to technology,” writes Adams. “The last few years have seen a shift in focus from the people to the tools, and that’s a dangerous path to follow.”
  • “As cinematographers we should be selling ourselves on our unique vision and abilities, but instead we often find ourselves selling gear,” he comments regarding what he sees as a disappointing trend.
  • “Somehow the focus must be shifted from the technology back to the people who use the technology, because that’s where all the creativity is.”
  • Adams suggests producers and directors use the same approach that he uses with his own crew: 1) Hire good people who can do their jobs better than you can do their jobs; 2) Tell them what you want; 3) Tell them the parameters (time, budget, etc.); 4) Let them use their creativity and years of experience to solve the problem in their own way; 5) Repeat.

Retro Movement: Will Horror Films Bring the VCR Back from the Dead?

  • Horror fans are resurrecting the VHS format to enjoy films of the 1980s, “the kind in which brains were made of Jell-O and the cast was paid in wine coolers,” suggests The New York Times.
  • “It’s hard to get into the aesthetic of shakycam, pretty people, safe scares — like something jumping out at you — and the digital photography and CG blood,” says Evan Husney, director of Drafthouse Films.
  • These fans prefer dusting off their VCRs to viewing via tablets or DVD. As a result, several distributors are re-releasing select 80s titles on VHS.
  • “You just don’t get the same feeling in a pristine print of a DVD,” explains blogger Dan Kinem. “With VHS it’s like I’m experiencing an old grind-house movie theater. I would never watch them on a computer.”
  • Additionally, VHS nights are emerging at theaters such as Cinefamily in Los Angeles; the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas; and at the Spectacle Theater and Nighthawk Cinema in Brooklyn, New York.