Cinema’s Digital Takeover - Latest theater statistics

Submitted by Peter Cioni on Sat, 02/04/2012 - 16:17

This Deadline article doesn't contain much beyond what we already know, but the movie theater statistics are the most recent figures I have ever seen published.

  • 64.5% of all screens in the US are digital; half of the digital screens are equipped to show 3D
  • More than 50% of all individual theaters had at least 1 digital projector
  • By the end of 2012, 63% of all cinema screens globally will be digital
  • Texas Instruments predicts that, by the end of 2015, all screens globally will be digital 

At latest count almost two-thirds of all domestic screens used digital projectors by the beginning of the year. That’s 25,570 screens out of a total 39,641 or 64.5%, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners. Roughly half — 12,620 — of those digital screens were equipped to show movies in 3D and 244 of those were IMAX installations. The total of individual theaters was almost 5,800, and 3,028 of those were partly or completely digital. And counting.

Meanwhile, film propaganda continues.  This time its Variety with its "Film survives amid digital world" article. Some of the claims in here are based on interviewing the wrong sources. There is no way that shooting film is cheaper than shooting digital (other than, of course, companies giving film stock and camera rentals away for free). Also, why would savings be non-existent on huge films while being recognized on small films? I have always said that the % savings (as a % of the total budget) is negligible on a large budget film simply b/c of the dollars at stake, but the actual dollar value is still significant. Also, we have plenty of counter-examples where huge-budget movies choose to shoot digital because, in the filmmakers' opinion, it is better for what they're trying to achieve.

Also, they use Chris Nolan and Steven Spielberg as proof that film will survive. Not the best proof that film will survive.