01/03/2010

Norway’s cinema and video organisation Film & Kino has hired Unique Cinema System for the digital conversion of the majority of its screens (approximately 350). The process, set to kick-start in the spring, should be completed by the end of 2011.

One of the pioneers of digital cinema advertising in Europe, Unique Cinema System has won nine out of ten bids to digitally equip almost all Norwegian screens, apart from 60 screens in the western part of Norway where Nordic Digital Alliance will handle the technological changeover.

Each cinema will receive a base-level approved 2D cinema system package consisting of a digital projector, server, TMS and NOC services. Enhancements such as 3D and 4D will be optionally purchased at the cinemas’ expense. The total cost of digital conversion, to be shared between cinemas, distributors and Film & Kino, will be around NOK 390 million (€48.5m).

Norway has been testing D cinema conversion for the last three years and signed a Virtual Print Free (VPF) deal with the five Hollywood studios a year ago. Now that Unique Cinema System has been appointed, Norway is set to become the first country in the world to have a nationwide digital roll-out in its cinemas by the end of next year.