Although still in its infancy, digital cinema is attracting audiences and a new poll shows that more than 80% of moviegoers appreciate the new format.
The Digital Audience Preference Study represents the first attempt to gauge the attitudes of film enthusiasts and exhibitors towards digital cinema. It was carried out by First World Pictures for Screen Digest and is based on a survey of audience members in the United States during the November 2002 digital cinema release of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets.
The results show that 70% of respondents were aware of digital cinema before attending a screening and 39% had already seen a presentation. Encouragingly, 85% of those interviewed rated the digital screening “much better” or “better” than an analogue film presentation and 72% admitted that they would subsequently travel further to view a digital movie.
First World also surveyed theatre managers and projectionists and found that revenues at digital cinema auditoriums were 52% higher than at those offering analogue screenings. In addition, 82% of respondents said that DLP platforms were easier to use than 35mm film systems and 67% found the digital projectors to be more reliable than the old equipment.
Patrick von Sychowski, Digital Cinema Analyst for Screen Digest, commented: “To date, there have been no truly compelling independent audience surveys of digital cinema, rather only anecdotal evidence of audiences’ favourable preference towards digital projection. The study undertaken by First World Pictures vindicates the fact that audiences notice, prefer and in some cases will even pay more to see digitally exhibited films.”
Digital presentation has also been warmly received by cinema owners in the UK and Carlton Screen Advertising has promised to install digital projectors in 150 of its screens by the end of July.
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