As a seasoned film enthusiast who has traversed the globe to immerse myself in the rich tapestry of global cinema, I have witnessed the transformative power of digitalization in the industry firsthand. The current scenario unfolding in Brazil, with exhibitors grappling with the financial burden of replacing aging projectors, resonates deeply with my own experiences.
Most Brazilian exhibitors are now upgrading their projectors, which they purchased approximately a decade ago, to digital ones. Unfortunately, this time for fresh investments comes at a particularly difficult moment, as they continue to recover from pandemic-related losses and the lack of U.S. content has negatively affected box office returns. This is the consensus among participants at next week’s Expocine in São Paulo, Latin America’s largest theater owners convention.
Based on Luiz Fernando Morau, CEO of Integradora Digital consulting firm, it’s common for digital projectors used in Brazil to have a limited lifespan, often not lasting beyond 10 years. Additionally, high humidity levels in the region, coupled with extended periods of inactivity during the pandemic when air conditioners were switched off, have significantly affected the quality and longevity of these projectors.
Another advantage of switching to new projectors, as Morau mentioned, is upgrading to laser projectors, known for delivering higher-quality images compared to the Xenon projectors commonly used in Brazil.
Due to a lack of funds and rapidly increasing local interest rates, some exhibitors are choosing to rent rather than buy new laser projectors as a cost-saving measure.
In business, you’ll find two nearby rental firms that specialize in different equipment: Santa Clara provides Barco projectors while OrionPC focuses on offering Christie models.
Initially hesitant, Morau expressed later on that renting could be advantageous for exhibitors lacking funds to purchase projectors. By making monthly payments over 96 months, they eventually have the option to pay a small fee to own the equipment, he explained to EbMaster.
Based on Morau’s information, these two rental firms can provide advantageous terms to exhibitors due to them financing their projector acquisitions via a low-interest loan from Brazil’s FSA Fund. This unique funding option offered lower interest rates compared to those typically found in Brazilian banks.
Despite the challenges faced, there’s broad agreement that digitization brought about numerous benefits for both the industry and cinema enthusiasts. Luciano Taffetani, director of Dolby Latam, highlighted an especially significant advantage: digitalization enabled cinemas in smaller and medium-sized towns to screen top films simultaneously with multiplex chains in large cities. This leveled the playing field, ensuring that rural audiences could enjoy the same cinematic experiences as their urban counterparts.
Taffetani mentioned that digital technology enables moviegoers from less urbanized areas to enjoy cinema experiences of equal quality to those found in big-city theaters.
Back in the days before digital technology, films delivered to small-town cinemas often came with technical glitches. That’s because these copies had been heavily used in big cities first. I shared this insight with EbMaster during our conversation.
Taffetani pointed out that digitalization has cut down on production and distribution expenses because physical copies no longer need to be produced and shipped to movie theaters.
The process of digitalization has significantly improved and fortified the theater industry within Brazil. I am convinced there’s immense potential for further development, particularly in towns with populations between 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants who currently lack a single movie screen,” he remarked.
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2024-10-04 15:16