Reg.
Trib. Milano n. 418 del 02.07.2007
Direttore responsabile: Elisabetta Brunella
International Edition No. 58 - year 5 - 20 February 2010
***
From the seventh edition of the course
“DigiTraining Plus: European Cinemas Experiencing New Technologies”
Helsinki, 17-21 February 2010
- daily update -
Welcomed
by the manager, Aku Jaakkola, this morning the DGT participants
visited the Biorex cinema in Espoo’s Sello
shopping mall, one of the most important in Finland, situated a few kilometres
from the capital. One of the most important topics of the day –
how movie theatres will be evolving in the near future – was introduced
in the presentation by Walter Munarini of Open Sky, centring
on the 3D events offered live via satellite. Digital technology thus promises
more varied content but also a new way of establishing the relationship
with spectators and potential audiences: this is what emerged from the
talk by Frauke Feuer, of Peaceful Fish, who outlined
the project “Digital Alfie”, which the Biorex Sello is taking
part in. This initiative – which has obtained the support of the
MEDIA Programme – aims to provide digital theatres with the means
for building an online community and responding better to the expectations
of their audiences.
After the brief journey through a northern landscape of sun and snow at
a temperature of -20°, the participants regained the 
Auditorium
of the Finnish Film Foundation where Guillaume Thomine-Desmazures
explained the business model for digital transition proposed by Arts Alliance
Media, giving further information on the topic dealt with the previous
day by Fabrice Testa representing XDC.
Jonathan Davis, consultant for audiovisual policy, then
spoke on the financing of digitalization. In his overview of the forms
of public support already adopted or being identified in Europe at a national
or regional level, he recalled the declaration signed last September by
the national institutions responsible for cinema in Europe: “It
is in the public interest for the digitalization of European theatres
to take place rapidly and efficiently and for public support to increase
diversification of offer in the field of the cinema.” He thus completed
the picture traced by Kerstin Degerman, Head of the MEDIA
Desk Finland, who had announced the intervention of the MEDIA Programme,
to be launched next summer: “The European Commission is aware that
digitalization may represent a strong risk for small exhibitors. This
is why the measures that are to facilitate the adoption of digital equipment
will be directed mainly towards those who need it most.”
Harri Ahokas, Director of national distribution for the
Finnish Film Foundation, took up these points: “Public aid is money
with ethics and a moral. When we talk about digital transition, this can
be translated into greater diversification. Diversification of programming
in terms of cinema genres, the films’ countries and cultures of
origin and the public they address. Making space in the programming for
different types of home productions is part of the ethics of public financing.”
The course was rounded off by a glance at the future: Tommi Rissanen,
of Dicole, attempted a sortie into next decade, sharing some reflections
on how audience expectations will evolve. There are three key concepts:
technology, interaction, experience.
Click here to see the Photogallery
Click here to see the course programme
MEDIA Salles’ contacts and address
MEDIA Salles
Piazza Luigi di Savoia, 24 - 20124 Milano - Italy
Tel.: +39.02.6739781 - Fax: +39.02.6690410
E-mail: infocinema@mediasalles.it
Sito web: www.mediasalles.it