Movie houses across the country are taking a step further in embracing advances in distribution technology, as more than 3,000 U.S. theaters will use satellite streams to exhibit movies by 2018.
The Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition (DCDC), which specializes in digital delivery to theaters through satellite and terrestrial distribution technologies, will expand its current network of 28,000 screens by 4,000 across 700 locations in the next 28 months. Since May, 15 additional exhibitors have joined representing 200 locations and more than 1,800 screens; as of August, more than 1,700 of those have installed DCDC’s proprietary equipment.
The technology has been helping the industry transition from the previously ubiquitous standard of digital hard drives. DCDC’s current theatrical content partners include the major movie studios and independents, as well STX and The Weinstein Company, as well as Arts Alliance Distribution, BY Experience, Gathr Films, Group 1200 Media, Magnolia Pictures, Pure Flix, SpectiCast and Shorts International.
“The DCDC Network has effectively converted traditional movie theaters into true community entertainment centers that have successfully expanded the shared content experience for consumers to all forms of content, including movies, operas, ballets … from anywhere in the world,” said DCDC CEO Randy Blotky.
The DCDC was founded by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Regal Entertainment Group, Cinemark Theatres and AMC Theaters.
Working with its primary service provider, Deluxe-Echostar, the new system allows the DCDC to stream live content to an unlimited number of venues from two simultaneous real-time 1080p-HD event feeds, as well as two additional pre-recorded events, which allows flexibility in booking up to four events at the same time to an unlimited number of screens.