The Link is a network connecting all our current and future cinemas

THE LINK – THEATRICAL EXHIBITION AS A SERVICE (TEXAAS)
The Link is a network connecting all our current and future cinemas allowing
1. Unattended electronic distribution of:
• Movies, trailers and alternative content
• On/off screen advertising
• Digital Signage content
2. Remote:
• Censoring and subtitling
• Programming of all shows and advertising for all screens
• Real time equipment and environment monitoring, including security
3. Consolidation of:
• Ticketing systems
• Box office reports
4. Telecommunications:
• Fixed and wireless local communications
• Centralized firewalled internet access
In a nutshell, it is the umbilical cord allowing GF/GC to evolve from the current assembly of
independent multiplexes towards a managed collection of screens.
From an industry point of view, we would be able to program and show a movie on any of
our screens ~8H after uploaded from L.A. or London. We would be able to change shows
and advertising at will, while having real time supervision of each and every site.
PART 1 – A journey into common sense…
“Digital Cinema is a great engineering feat but an unfinished business plan”
35mm vs Digital Cinema - What’s the difference?
The biggest difference is the total dematerialization of
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•
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The content
The security
The advertising
The management
The monitoring
(DCP)
(KDM)
(Splices. On the fly)
(TMS)
(NDS)
The Link is about hosting and distributing content…
…extending centralized management of one screen…
…to a set of multiplexes
CONCLUSION:
The move from 35mm Silver Halide to DCP is the move from Analog
Cinema to IT world.
Ooops! We’ve been on that road before…
CINEMA
PHASE 1:
PHASE 2:
35mm DCP
DCP TEXaaS
MUSIC
=
=
Vinyl CD, VHS DVD
CD iTunes, DVD VOD
[✔]
[ ]
The movie industry, both theatrical and video divisions, is following the same path than the music industry.
With dematerialized content (Digital), the classical distribution model is progressively being adapted. Cost
reduction has been and will remain high on the agenda of all majors and distributors.
Current:
Content [Majors/Independent/Producers] Local Distributors (geographical) Exhibitors + Content aggregators
Rights, logistics, marketing
New:
Content [Majors/Independent/Producers] Value added distribution system Exhibitors + Content aggregators
Rights, logistics, marketing
For many years, distributors have been managing the rights, the logistics and the localized marketing actions.
All this is now digital content processing. Hence, just like iTunes and the likes progressively became nongeographically tied distributors, we are setting up a value added distribution system. Our content ancillary
services are: TEXaaS & TheLab.
How is our product, e.g. “Movie” delivered to the audience today?
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The server: One Intel PC under Linux (Doremi)
o Linked to One projector (Barco)
• Linked to one Sound subsystem
o Programmed, fed and started/stopped by a supporting
staff
How is theatre programming currently implemented?
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•
Screen by screen in each multiplexes
Drag & drop playlists, post DCP ingestion
Are our projectionists tooled for monitoring or troubleshooting?
No
Do we currently have a TMS
No
Does it make sense for GC/GF to have individual TMS per screens/multiplexes
No
Does a TMS belong to IT?
TMS is operations
QUESTION:
How did this get financed?
Digital cinema, representing an important saving for the Major/distributor, is a NET cost
for the exhibitor. As per the business plan, this cost was supposed to be offset by:
1.
2.
3.
4.
EXTERNAL: VPF agreements
INTERNAL: Projectionists reconversion
COLLATERAL: Increased advertising revenue
EXPERIMENTAL: Alternative content
We have done 25% of the road.
[✔]
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PART 2 – Back to basics
THE DOCKING STATION: A simple & centralized delivery mechanism to be installed in the
Multiplexes.
1 repository server + 1 set of backup disks
Advantages
Place and forget: Display only: No user action required.
Background operations
Using USB 3.0 HD as trusted and safe medium
Available for third parties delivery [renting the pipe]
FTP/NFS/SMB server for future/existing TMS
No DCP replication
No USB replication
Post media delivery subtitling & censorship
The only “true” DCI compliant NODKDM implementation
Other customers?
For the product (Subscription fee)
Theatrical exhibitors (UAE: VOX, REEL)
For the services (Rate card)
Distributors
o Features films
o Trailers/teasers
Advertising agencies / advertisers
For the technology
Other countries (SE Asia)
Alternative delivery systems
Both BT & GlobeCast have been talking for the last 5 years to the industry.
SmartJog, Aspera
Satellite
Cost advantages but technical and workflow problems
Cable
Their current best prices are (for end-to-end delivery) around USD 15,000 per
site/per month. The “last mile” consequence.
Cloud
Now accepted by most majors (8H + No Internet)
Restrictions placed on the cloud (bandwidth)
The Docking station integrated in The HUB
From a set of multiplexes to a collection of managed screens
STAGE 1 – ENUMERATION – ETISALAT / DU
SITES
1
Site Name
Location
Contact Person
Working Tel #
Grand Cineplex
Dubai Grand Hyatt, Dubai, UAE
Chadi El Hazouri
(04) 324-2000
2
Grand Festival city
Dubai Festival City, Dubai UAE
Imran Haider Butt
(04) 232-8328
3
Grand Cinecity
Al Ghurair City, Deira Dubai, UAE
Azenith Dimaandal
(04) 228-9898
D1*
D2*
Tecom Office
Cayan Building Tecom, Dubai UAE
Puneet Mehta
(04) 3688995
Grand Megaplex
IBN Battuta Mall, Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE
Iwan Williams
(04) 366-9898
4
Grand Sahara
Sahara Mall, Dubai, UAE
Rose
(06) 531-6500
5
Buhairah Cinemas
Riviera Tower, Corniche, Sharja
Yaseer
(04) 556-8333
6
Grand Mega Mall
Mega Mall, Sharja, UAE
Erlinda Arevalo
(06) 575-1888
7
Grand Manar
Manar Mall, Ras Al Khaima, UAE
Hussam Dandoush
(07) 227-8888
8
Grand Rotana
Rotana Hotel, Al Ain, UAE
Geraldine Zabarte
(03) 754-4447
9
Gulf Film Office LAB
Al Khabissi, Deira, Dubai UAE
Alain Baradhi
(04) 262-3964
10
Grand Abu Dhabi Mall
Abu Dhabi Mall, Abu Dhabi UAE
Michel Atwi
(02) 645-8988
11
Grand Baniyas
Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi UAE
Mary Jane Esquejo
(02) 586-4877
12
Grand Galleria
Dubai Grand Hyatt Regency, Dubai, UAE
Fibin Baby
(04) 273-7676
13
World Trade Center
Abu Dhabi UAE (February 2013)
Puneet Mehta
(04) 262-3964
14
F&B Office
Dubai Maritime city. Warehouse 415
Puneet Mehta
(04) 262-3964
15
Gulf Film Office TMS
Al Khabissi, Deira, Dubai UAE
Pedro Monsanto
(050) 3588923
HQ
Gulf Film Office HQ
Al Khabissi, Deira, Dubai UAE
Puneet Mehta
(04) 262-3964
STAGE 2 – SCREEN ZERO
TheLab, Deira
STAGE 3 – REPLICATION & DEPLOYMENT
• DCP
• NDS
STAGE 4 – REPLICATION & DEPLOYMENT
• NEMOC
STAGE 5 – ANCILLARY SERVICES:
• VoIP
• Vista
• Digital Signage
• GrandWiFi
TYPICAL NOC
DEIRA - NEMOC
PART 3 – Ancillary services
It’s all about “networks”
NOTE: By no means an exhaustive list…
IT Playground
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Networked ticketing (VISTA)
Networked KIOSKS
VoIP
Managed services trough VM
Marketing, advertising and F&B playground
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On screen advertising.
The gas station paradox.
o Joining a digital signage advertising network for deriving a new stream of
revenue and ADDING CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT!
GF received financial (MG or partnerships) proposals.
Alternative content streaming from HQ.
New dimensions to Advertising/Marketing
• Locations
• Timing
• Events
• Admissions
• Promotions
• Auction
All becomes manageable from HQ.
Thinking outside the Box
New point of sales
The “Graal” of any cinema chain: Creating loyalty.
Viewers Playground
• Engagement (e.g. TMS Codes)
• OTT / Gateway services