420 are already passed to the digital half of them in 3D

In France, the output of "Avatar" had an unexpected collateral effect. Many independent cinema operators have decided to accelerate their transition to digital to allow spectators to see the super production of the Director of "titanic" which will be thus today on 500 screens equipped with 3D. But the public could also see the movie in 2D in 286 other rooms. "It is the first time as a studio in 3D on a traditional feature, and not an animated film." "From this point of view,"Avatar"will have a real value of test for the American majors," said Vincent Teulade, Director, media and telecoms of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Until now, 3D has been a powerful factor of attraction for spectators. "Concerning"up"("up") for example, 19 of screens mobilized by the film in France the spread in 3D." "These screens have represented 32 of total revenues," he added. The effect of curiosity is added the price of admission: in the end, the rooms can expect significantly higher revenues if they opt for a 3D programming. And "3D will be increasingly present," predicted James Cameron in an interview with the "Nouvel Observateur".

Public aid, private money

Before these rather attractive prospects, a number of rooms have decided the step and switch to digital projection for the output of the most expensive film of all time. According to the National Federation of cinema, a little more than 800 French rooms - on a park of 5. 420 - are already passed to the digital - half of them in 3D. To help cinema modest across this cap, the national Centre for cinematography (CNC) imagined a device currently under consideration, at its request, by the competition authority and the European authorities. The scheme proposed by the CNC relies on the creation of a mutual funds - which would be agreed by the film distributors, major beneficiaries in financial terms of the digital switchover, since their output of film costs will decrease from 20 to 25. The idea of the CNC is therefore that, during a period of five to seven years, they pay a part of the economy to the Fund. -Estimated in the range of 550-650 euros per copy - their contribution should absorb up to 75 of the cost of the equipment room. Either maximum 74,000 euros by screen, plus about 10,000 euros for miscellaneous charges. More than half of the French settlements - 1,208, representing nearly 2,600 rooms - were ready end of November to the next step. Large circuits however chose to finance their passage to digital without using this schema.

And RMC, which has 400 rooms, and MK2 have decided to finance the shift to digital in relying on a third-party private investor, Arts Alliance media for the first and the second Ymagis. Europalace, consisting of the theatres of Pathé and Gaumont, would now negotiate directly with distributors. On the other hand, the UGC group has not unveiled its strategy. The NCC hopes to implement fund pooling in the first quarter of 2010. It is a passage from the whole of the cinematographic sector - production, distribution and exploitation - to all-digital in five years, the idea being to limit maximum the transition period during which the players in the sector will bear the costs related to a double diffusion.