email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

EXHIBITORS Norway

Historic D cinema rollout deal with US studios

by 

In an historic move, the five biggest Hollywood studios have signed a Virtual Print Fee (VP) agreement with the Norwegian cinema association Film & Kino, paving the way to the world’s first non-commercial national digital (D) cinema rollout.

The agreement was signed last week by Norway’s Film & Kino, with Twentieth Century Fox, United International Pictures (local distributor for Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures in Norway), Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, and Warner Bros. Pictures International.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

The switchover of all Norwegian cinemas to modern DCI technology will start later this year after public tenders from companies specialising in equipment and services for D conversion. The costs for D cinema conversion will be shared between distributors, Film & Kino and cinemas. All Norwegian cinemas should be fully digitalised by 2011.

“This is a great undertaking for a small country,” said Jorgen Stensland, director of consultants at Film & Kino and head of the D cinema conversion. “As part of the deal, Disney, Fox, Paramount, Universal, and Warner have committed to delivering wide releases to Norwegian digital cinemas. The deal also covers our own mobile cinemas in rural areas.”

Duncan Clark, Executive VP, International Distribution, Universal Pictures International, added: "Clearly, the growth of 3-D cinema and digital distribution is the future of our business and this complete rollout of digital to Norway’s cinemas, which has the backing of the Norwegian government, is an important step. Norway is the latest country to become part of the extensive conversion to digital that is being rolled out to cinemas in Europe.”

The digitization of cinemas is one of the Norwegian government’s top priorities for 2009-2010 and its NOK 100m D cinema conversion investment plan – to be shared with local cinemas – has just been accepted by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA).

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy