Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. has signed more than 9,000 digital screens in their combined Phase One and Phase Two digital cinema deployment, of which 5,300 screens are from their Phase Two digital cinema deployment program. In total, Cinedigm is responsible for deploying nearly 33% of all digital cinema screens in North America.
“All theatres need to convert to digital soon, and Cinedigm is the trusted partner of NATO’s Cinema Buying Group,” said John Fithian, President of National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO). “NATO and the CBG congratulate Cinedigm on these momentous milestones, and urge our members to join the digital ranks now.”
Cinedigm’s Digital Cinema division is the industry-leading deployment program for Digital Cinema. It facilitates the funding, installation and operations support and ongoing VPF administration for the company’s Digital Cinema rollout plans throughout the United States and Canada.
Cinedigm offers a new business model to exhibitors by enabling theatres to present engaging alternative programming including live 2D and 3D sporting events and concerts, shorts, cartoons, live Q&A’s, as well as branded entertainment. Recent releases by Cinedigm include the groundbreaking, LIVE 3D broadcast of The Foo Fighters performance, the worldwide LIVE 3D broadcast of the FIFA World Cup Championship, the BCS Championship in LIVE 3D, the Dave Matthews Band 3D concerts, and the sold out 3D PHISH concerts. Cinedigm has also released the KIDTOONS series for the past six years, a weekly family friendly matinee series that runs in over 165 theatres across the country.
Cinedigm, which has signed long-term VPF agreements with all the major studios and interim agreements with dozens of independent distributors, is also the digital cinema integrator partner for the CBG, a buying program of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) for independent theatre operators in the United States and Canada.
In the combined Phase One and Phase Two digital cinema deployment program, Cinedigm has:
· Signed 9,000+ screens overall
· Installed more than 6,700 digital screens
· Signed 81 Cinema Buying Group exhibitors, representing more than 1,600 screens
· Signed exhibitor buyer deals representing more than 3,600 screens
· Signed Phase Two Cinedigm financed deals representing close to 1,700 screens
“With just over 12 months remaining before the end of our rollout period per our studio agreements, we are expecting an unprecedented number of additional signings and installations for the many remaining exhibitors,” said Chuck Goldwater, President, Media Services Group. “We have a lot of work ahead of us in helping those exhibitors with signing agreements, getting financing, ordering equipment and lining up installation resources. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure no exhibitors are left behind.”
— By Scott Hettrick