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Author Topic: What 2k digital projector? Catalin Braescu Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Cairo / Egypt Registered: Mar 2009 posted 04-27-2009 08:05 PM                        Hi, I am involved in a (new) low-cost cinema theater in Egypt. I'm looking for a cheap 2k digital projector (tickets will be around 2 dollars, 50 / 75 and 150 seats auditoriums). What would you recommend me? And why? Catalin  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-27-2009 08:57 PM                        I think you might have to wait until used equipment becomes available. That will probably be the only way you will find the words "cheap" and "digital" both applying to the same projector. Depending on how much of a hurry you're in, you might want to start off with film and then convert later. Film will still be available for quite some time.  |  IP: Logged Catalin Braescu Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Cairo / Egypt Registered: Mar 2009 posted 04-27-2009 09:30 PM                        Film projection is economically unfeasable here, since we'll start with only one (small) auditorium. There is no (independent) distributor in Egypt and the market is split between two virtually integrated companies, that produce movies, distribute and screen them. They don't share with each other anything and they don't allow their "independent" theaters to screen movies from the other camp. Anyway because these 2 behemots own more than 90% of the theaters there is little room left for such "independents". Digital is the only way to escape their tight embrace.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-27-2009 09:53 PM                     Not so. If they can stop you getting a 35mm print, they can certainly do the same with digital. Sounds like your investors should try another venture.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-27-2009 10:20 PM                     I know its not what you want to hear, but John and Mike gives good advice. This project doesn't look good.  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-28-2009 06:09 AM                     Catalin, the first questions you should ask yourself are from where will you be getting your prints? What kind of format can you get? Can you get first run movies? Are you going more on an "art house" approach? Single screen with 150 sounds really small for a distributor to give some thought of opening a big movie there. What do you mean by produce, distribute and screen them? Do you only show local productions? Don't theaters in Egypt show films from USA or Europe? Don't you have film distributors in Egypt? Demetris  |  IP: Logged Catalin Braescu Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Cairo / Egypt Registered: Mar 2009 posted 04-28-2009 08:46 AM                        First of all some correction: when I wrote above "virtually integrated companies" what I really meant to say (at 3 AM...) was "VERTICALLY integrated companies". There are no film distributors in Egypt. There are screenings of Foreign (i.e., non-Egyptian, non-Arabic) movies, 99% of them American movies but not so many. I would "guesstimate" that during a whole year there would be about 50 Egyptian movies and 10-15 American movies. During the summer period (which is the most lucrative here by far) there is virtually no American movie being screened (the Censorship office doesn't give permits and the cinemas anyway won't screen them). That's because the common ownership of cinema theaters, "distributors", movie production studios works towards maximizing profits from their own production. Sort of American cinema industry between the world wars. If we start, we'll start with Arabic non-Egyptian movies (movies made in Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), Brit movies and American movies. We believe we identified weaknesses in the current monopolistic (duopolistic, to be exact) market situation that will enable us to grow as long as our financial footprints stays small and we serve market segments that are ignored by the current market leaders.  |  IP: Logged Paul Gordon Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 580 From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Registered: Aug 2005 posted 04-28-2009 09:44 AM                        Can you even get digital prints of the stuff coming out of those countries? I think 35mm would be safer, WAY cheaper, and give you access to more films.  |  IP: Logged Catalin Braescu Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Cairo / Egypt Registered: Mar 2009 posted 04-28-2009 10:50 AM                        Getting digital prints from Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco is (relatively) easy, they are all co-productions made with French money (for political and historical reasons). Lebanon... not sure yet (still researching). How could a 35mm print be cheaper? It would involve at least $2,000 + more expensive mailing costs + longer time with customs and the Censorship office. A HDD can be easily me Fedex'ed, won't be stopped at the customs at all, and we can deal with the Censorship office faster and without risking scratches on our only copy.  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-28-2009 11:28 AM                     Are the movies distributed "Digitaly" on D-Cinema format or are they some cheap MGPEG or AVI resolution converted to standard DVD for playback?  |  IP: Logged Catalin Braescu Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Cairo / Egypt Registered: Mar 2009 posted 04-28-2009 12:28 PM                        Most of them are available on Blu-ray i.e., 1080p. Going for a 2k projector would cover all bases, tho. As for the timing, keep in mind Egypt is not a major market for theater: Slumdog Millionaire is only now playing in theaters over here (but some other, like Bond movies, do start more or less at the same time with their worldwide release date). > Catalin, the first questions you should ask yourself are > from where will you be getting your prints? From abroad only; in time I am sure we'll be able to get print from the smaller local movie studios. > What kind of format can you get? Blu-ray and 2k > Can you get first run movies? Yes > Are you going more on an "art house" approach? Not with the first theater. As soon as we can cluster a few auditoriums in a multiplex we want one auditorium to be "art house / off mainstream" only (with another one being kids-friendly only). > Single screen with 150 sounds really small for a > distributor to give some thought of opening a big > movie there. The "distributor" in such case would be the MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) department of an international distributor (or, sometimes, the European department). For most of them would be about either sending us by DHL a hard-drive or not having their movie touching Egypt at all. > What do you mean by produce, distribute and screen them? It means here in Egypt there are 2 big companies that have 80% of movie producing, 100% of movie distribution and 90-95% of cinema seats. They don't screen each others productions (or imported movies), and any affiliated cinema theater can't screen movies from the other giant, either. > Do you only show local productions? At this moment our (first) cinema theater is not yet done (not even close to). > Don't you have film distributors in Egypt? Nope. Cinemas screen the movies they receive from their headquarter or, if they are the 5% not owned by the 2 local giants, they screen the movies they receive from the local giant they are "signed" with.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-28-2009 05:30 PM                     I would say you're going way over the top going 2K. If you're happy to originate on blu-ray, then why not buy yourself something like a Panasonic PT-D5600E or the like? That way you're getting a decent (albeit obviously not up to 2K quality, but certainly without the price-tag and baggage) and source your movies from 'independent' distributors on MPEG2, DVD and Blu-Ray. At least then you'll be able to see what works for your area without committing too much cash on the projection side.  |  IP: Logged Catalin Braescu Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Cairo / Egypt Registered: Mar 2009 posted 04-28-2009 06:30 PM                        Interesting idea, John. But... if this Panasonic PT-D5600E would be 1080/p24 I would have recommended buying it eyes closed. However it's only 1,024 x 768 pixels :-( and it doesn't show 1080p/24 as accepted input (only 1080p/50 and 1080p/60). And it's 4:3! Decisions, decisions... I'll google for xga digital projectors 16:9 1080p/24, let's see.  |  IP: Logged Mike Babb Master Film Handler Posts: 250 From: Norwich UK Registered: Jul 2002 posted 04-28-2009 07:20 PM                        depending on how much light you need, check out MiT's new projector, the HD3500, they are stackable for more light and I think they have a higher output model on the horizon. 1080p. http://www.movingimagetech.com/  |  IP: Logged Catalin Braescu Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Cairo / Egypt Registered: Mar 2009 posted 04-28-2009 07:54 PM                        Mike, who is this MiT company? Most Chinese manufacturers have their websites looking this bad, but my guess is that you won't recommend MiT without knowing they are worth it.  |  IP: Logged

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