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New Screenvision Research Documents Effectiveness of Cinema Advertising

Cinema Advertising

Screenvision Media has released a media attention study that offers compelling insights into the effectiveness of ads in the cinema environment and positive advertising outcomes. Jennifer Friedlander, Screenvision’s senior vice president of insights and measurement said, “We’ve been laser focused on proving out consumers attention in the cinema space. Since 2023 attention became a buzzword and an emerging metric to measure the quality of an impression.”

Screenvision Media has released a media attention study that offers compelling insights into the effectiveness of ads in the cinema environment and positive advertising outcomes. Jennifer Friedlander, Screenvision’s senior vice president of insights and measurement said, “We’ve been laser focused on proving out consumers attention in the cinema space. Since 2023 attention became a buzzword and an emerging metric to measure the quality of an impression.”The study had two goals, according to Friedlander. “One was to capture and measure active attention to ads and content in the cinema environment. And two we wanted to make sure that we had that cinema data available both for ourselves to share with our advertisers and for comparison to other media and also for agencies that are starting to actually plan and optimize against attention data,” she shared. “There is increasingly more evidence that attention drives outcomes – across the industry. We have seen this in our own research with proven results on both short-term outcomes such as sales lift to more long-term outcomes such as brand choice and preference.”

To that end, Screenvision partnered with Amplified Intelligence on two out of the three study phases, capturing movie goers in the natural cinema environment rather than in a lab. “We recruited movie goers to come to our theaters, pick their films spanning various genres, bring their friends and get their concessions,” she explained. Amplified Intelligence then brought DSLR cameras into the venues and placed them on either side of the screen to map facial expressions for over 500 data points that measure attention: active, passive and non-attention on a second-by-second level.

She said this approach proved, “Undisruptive to the movie going experience. Moviegoers, of course, had to give their consent to be filmed. But most moviegoers thought they were being filmed for the duration of the movie and not just the pre-show, so everyone was engaged in their normal movie going behaviors.”
Moviegoers were tested twice in New York, in April and December, and in Milwaukee in partnership with MAGNA Global.

The biggest takeaway from the study, according to Friedlander, was that cinema delivers the highest active attention of any media platform and twice that of TV. They compared the three market cinema data to TVision data, which, she said, “is the gold standard of attention measurement on the TV side.” This comparison showed that cinema averages an “84 percent active attention to ads versus TV, or even CTV, where that number is about 30 percent. That’s a difference of 26 seconds of a 30 second ad being actively watched in the cinema environment versus only about 9 or 10 seconds of a 30 second ad being watched on linear or CTV.”

And this deep attention is consistent across advertising categories, implying no need for special creative for cinema. “Sometimes people think they need something special to really stand out on screen. We tested a variety of creatives, including TV ads and those made for cinema, on a variety of categories and we did not see significant differences in active attention between ads,” she said. The big takeaway here is that it is the cinema environment is less about the creative and more about the environment and the quality of the placement of the creative to deliver the opportunity for high attention.

Capturing attention for ads from any age cohort is impressive but especially so for younger viewers. A surprising takeaway from the study was that the youngest demographic group had the highest attention scores.
“The 18-24 and 18-34 active attention to the ads were even higher than the over 35. That’s a demographic that’s highly distracted with an attention span of 8eightseconds and 88 percent of them simultaneously use a second screen while watching TV. But I think they really value that time away to check out and immerse themselves in the cinema experience,” she said. She added that the study showed that younger cinema attendees in the study actually put their phone away during the pre-show. “Is there any other time you can find an 18–24-year-old that chooses to put their phone away?” she posited. “In the cinema environment I think they value that time to really immerse themselves and engage in the experience that they’ve planned and paid for.”

The biggest challenge in measuring attention is standardization of measurement. “There’s a variety of companies measuring attention. It could be via camera, via eyeglasses, some are using neuro-technology and so there are nuances in how each company is collecting and interpreting the data,” she noted. But she added that the ARF and IAB are focused on providing best practices on advancing measurement beyond legacy metrics and reaching an omnichannel attention metric. For Screenvision, comparing their results to TVision attention and viewability data at home for TV viewing makes the most sense at this time because, “it’s a very similar methodology.”
When it comes to engagement compared to attention, Friedlander stated that, “Engagement is the mindset of the consumer in the moment that you’re reaching them. How leaned in are they? What is their mental availability in that moment?”

Within the cinema world, she sees that, since moviegoers have planned and paid to be there, “they’ve opted into the shared experience with friends and other fans for this completely undistracted experience.” She said, “That’s the height of engagement; it’s an ideal mix of social, passion, emotion, premium content, anticipation. All of those factors culminate in delivering the most attentive audience. Engagement drives attention, and engagement is really about the mindset of the consumer and that moment that you’re reaching them.”

The next steps in this journey focus on educating the industry on how to use attention metrics and how optimizing for attention can yield better outcomes. Friedlander said, “It’s about connecting the dots between attention and outcomes, and Screenvision’s commitment to delivering on any brand’s KPI’s from sales lift, foot traffic, and so much more.”

For Friedlander, the Attention research supports that cinema delivers the most attentive audience of any video platform. Combined with the most premium content and most highly desirable audiences, cinema has emerged as an essential part of the media mix. Screenvision’s study confirms the long-held belief that cinema represents a compelling complement to any media plan and is a core contributor to the media mix goals of every advertiser. She said, “moviegoers are the most passionate content fans but also the hardest to reach. They are younger compared to linear TV which has approximately 80 percent of their primetime audience over age 50. The majority of our audience, about 80%, is under age 50.”

She added that cinema also reaches an audience that doesn’t watch linear TV because they are cord cutters and cord nevers. “Cinema provides incrementality, reaching a young demo in a highly efficient way and one that you can’t reach elsewhere. We call them the Elusives because they truly are elusive and unreachable to advertising. Screenvision provides brands an amazing opportunity to connect with a highly desirable and attentive audience on the largest screen in the world, in a moment that matters to them,” she concluded.

Source: Digital Cinema Report

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HeyLED PLF: Taking Cinema to New Heights with Largest 20m LED Screen in Hangzhou

HeyLED

On January 12, 2024, Timewaying Technology Co. Ltd unveiled another world’s largest 20-meter 4K DCI LED cinema at ZheJiang Times Cinema at Hangzhou city of China.

As the investor of the location, Mr. DeShun Xun, Chairman of Zhejiang Times Cinema expressed his satisfaction with their various business ventures. Their flagship cinema, Zhejiang Times Cinema, West Lake Cultural Square Store, regained its title as the highest grossing cinema in the province after eight years. Mr. Xun believes that the addition of the HeyLED PLF auditorium at Zhejiang Times Cinema XiaoShan Kaiyuan Store will further boost box office revenue by leveraging its prime location and operational advantages.

Mr. Zhuo Zhihao, Sales Director of Timewaying, ignited a debate on consumer preferences, emphasizing the importance of consumer stratification over oversimplified downgrading. He urged cinemas to focus on technological advancements and innovative services to meet changing expectations and improve profitability. The HeyLED next-generation PLF (Premium Large Format) offers an immersive cinematic experience with its high contrast, high brightness, and high dynamic range (HDR), surpassing the limitations of traditional projection and reflection screening methods.

Zhejiang Times Cinema took a bold step by eliminating the traditional projection room and introducing 4 VIP private boxes to enhance the movie-going experience. This innovative approach not only upgrades the cinematic experience but also creates new opportunities for generating income.

HeyLED cinema have been successfully deployed in various Chinese cities and even made its mark in Los Angeles, USA. This widespread adoption and international expansion underscore the strong recognition of HeyLED’s cutting-edge technology and services.

About HeyLED
HeyLED Cinema Screen boasts a comprehensive range of intellectual property rights of core technologies like IMB/ICP and video systems. The unique HyeLED technology addresses the challenges of LED spot light emission, achieving a bright yet non-glaring and eye-friendly display. HeyLED cinema screen is available in four different size. Among them, the 4K-20m cinema screen is the world’s frist and largest LED cinema screen with DCI certified.

HeyLED

About Timewaying Tech Co., Ltd.
Founded in January 2011, has involved into the cinema industry for over a decade. With a commitment to the comprehensive advancement of the film and television culture industry, the company integrates technological innovation and cultural industry resources. It aims to provide audiences with top-tier cinematic experiences, significantly boost box office performance for theaters, and contribute to the enhancement of human well-being.

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How to create a DCP for Netflix

Netflix

This document outlines best practices when authoring Digital Cinema Packages (DCP) for Netflix. For specification requirements for DCP see Digital Cinema Package (DCP): Specifications & Requirements.

Authoring partner Netflix

Authoring DCP compositions requires specialized equipment utilized by knowledgeable individuals. It’s recommended that a partner with experience in this area be used to author DCP compositions for Netflix. DCP Maker creates DCP in strict accordance with the requirements of the platform.

Image Source

For titles with a unique theatrical color grade, a Digital Cinema Distribution Master (DCDM) should be used as the source for the DCP composition.

For Standard-Dynamic-Range content, the DCDM is uncompressed 16-bit TIFF format, X’Y’Z’ color space (adhering to SMPTE ST 428-1), Gamma 2.6 at 14FL transfer function, Full Range (0-1023) code value range.

For High-Dynamic-Range/Dolby Vision content for Dolby Cinema, the DCDM is uncompressed 16-bit TIFF format, X’Y’Z’ color space, PQ at 10000nits transfer function, Full Range (for Dolby Vision) code value range. This is for titles with a unique theatrical color grade, and isn’t the same source that is used for High-Dynamic-Range/Dolby Vision content for home viewing.

The DCDM resolution and aspect ratio should match the resolution and aspect ratio of the intended DCP composition. For additional information, see the Resolution & Aspect Ratio section of Digital Cinema Package (DCP): Specifications & Requirements.

If a DCP composition is needed and a theatrical color grade isn’t available, contact your Netflix representative to determine what source should be used for the image and how the color conversion should be performed.

In scenarios where a unique theatrical grade isn’t available for a title, the “home” color grade may be converted to P3 color-space, with prior Netflix approval. Note that this isn’t a 1:1 color conversion. The “home” color grade is intended for emissive viewing devices (e.g. TV monitor, computer monitor, phone) and won’t present the same way when projected in a theatre. It’s important to inform content creators if creating a DCP composition in this manner.

Audio source

For titles with a unique theatrical audio mix, this theatrical audio mix should be used as the source for the DCP composition.

For channel-based audio configurations, the source should be uncompressed 24-bit PCM WAV, 48kHz sample rate.

For Theatrical ATMOS, the source should be uncompressed 24-bit BWAV ADM, 48kHz sample rate. This is for titles with a unique theatrical mix, and isn’t the same source that’s used for ATMOS content for home viewing.

Sound mixes originating at other frame rates must be sample rate converted to true-24fps film speed to be used as the source for a true-24fps DCP composition.

If a DCP composition is needed and a theatrical audio mix isn’t available, contact your Netflix representative to determine what source should be used for the audio.

If a unique audio mix isn’t available for a title, the Near Field audio mix may be used as an alternative audio source with prior Netflix approval. The Near Field audio mix is often louder than a Theatrical audio mix, and may require a theatre to lower the playback audio levels for comfort when exhibiting the DCP composition. It’s important to inform content creators if a DCP composition is being created in this manner.

Initial original language compositions

For Standard-Dynamic-Range DCP compositions, the types of initial DCP compositions created for the original language will depend on the highest available theatrical audio configuration available for that content.

If the highest available theatrical audio configuration is 5.1, a 5.1 Interop OV DCP composition should be created.

If the highest available theatrical audio configuration is 7.1, a 5.1 Interop OV DCP composition should be created, and then a 7.1 Interop VF DCP composition should be created, using the 5.1 Interop OV DCP composition as the “Parent/Reference” composition for the VF.

If the highest available theatrical audio configuration is ATMOS, a 7.1-with-ATMOS SMPTE OV DCP composition and a 5.1 Interop OV DCP composition should also be created.

For High-Dynamic-Range/Dolby Vision DCP compositions for Dolby Cinema, contact your Netflix representative to identify the initial DCP compositions to be created.

Frame rate conversion

When using non-standard sources, if the native frame rate of the source content isn’t true-24fps and a true-24fps DCP composition is required, a frame rate conversion to true-24fps will be required.

A frame rate conversion is a lossy process and should be approved by the content creators.

Consult with your Netflix representative if there’s uncertainty about the frame rate needed.

Netflix idents

Unless otherwise communicated by Netflix, DCP compositions must include a Netflix Theatrical Head Ident before the program and a Netflix Theatrical Tail Ident after the program.

For additional details on Netflix Idents and their utilization, please review the Overview of the Netflix Ident.

If you have any questions regarding the use of the Netflix Ident, contact your Netflix representative.

Netflix Ident DCP assets may be accessed here: Netflix Idents.

Technical validation & quality control

After authoring a DCP composition, a technical validation of the DCP composition should be performed using an established industry tool (e.g. Cinecert’s Wailua) to ensure the composition is valid and interoperable.

The authoring partner should perform a full internal Quality Control review of the DCP composition, reviewing the content in its entirety in a calibrated, controlled environment.

At a minimum, the Quality Control review should confirm:

  • the image framing represents the source content
  • there are no compression artifacts
  • the audio channel routing is correct
  • the audio is in sync
  • there are no audio pops or other artifacts at all reel/segment transitions
  • all subtitles/captions placement and sync is correct (if applicable)
  • the Netflix Theatrical Head Ident is present before the program (unless otherwise specified by Netflix).
  • the Netflix Theatrical Tail Ident is present after the program (unless otherwise specified by Netflix).

When transferring a DCP composition between facilities, it’s highly recommended that the receiving facility perform a technical validation using an established industry tool (e.g. Cinecert’s Wailua) to ensure the DCP composition arrives intact and meets the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) standard.

Content creator review

Any original DCP compositions (that will be used as the source for subsequent exhibition or distribution compositions) should be reviewed by the content creator prior to delivery.

If the content creator cannot review the DCP composition, the Netflix Post Production Management team and/or Netflix Screenings team should review the composition on their behalf. If neither the content creator or the Netflix team can review the DCP composition, they may elect to use a trusted 3rd party QC partner on their behalf.

Unencrypted DCP Comositions

For Owned titles (and Licensed titles that are treated as Owned) that have a unique theatrical grade or theatrical audio mix, an unencrypted DCP composition of the final content with Theatrical Idents must be delivered to Netflix Content Hub. Netflix uses unencrypted DCP compositions as a source for encrypted DCP compositions for distribution and exhibition, and as archival assets.

There may be some exceptions to this workflow, where due to a time constraint, an encrypted DCP composition must be created and directly provided to a distribution partner, then a second unencrypted DCP composition will be created later for archival purposes and delivered to Netflix Content Hub. The Netflix Screenings team will signal when these time sensitive scenarios occur.

Unencrypted DCP compositions must never be used for distribution or exhibition purposes. If the encryption is not specified in the request to create a DCP composition, assume that the DCP composition must be encrypted.

On occasion, a Work-In-Progress (WIP) DCP composition needs to be provided by the production to meet an advance screening need. For these WIP needs, provide an encrypted DCP composition directly to the Screening team. WIP DCP compositions do not need to be delivered to Netflix Content Hub. Unencrypted DCP compositions only need to be created/delivered to Content Hub for the final version of the content.

Unencrypted DCP compositions should be delivered as discrete compositions (i.e. a PKL for each CPL, not as a Distribution Package with multiple compositions in a single package).

The Unencrypted OV DCP composition with the highest available audio configuration must be archived (e.g. for a title with theatrical ATMOS audio, the 7.1-with-ATMOS SMPTE OV DCP composition must be archived, the corresponding 5.1 Interop OV DCP isn’t required to be archived). Additional compositions may be archived if requested by Netflix.

Delivering to Netflix content hub

To deliver an unencrypted DCP composition to Netflix Content Hub, the asset request must be assigned to the delivery partner on the Netflix Content Hub “Delivery List” for the title.

The “Digital Cinema Package (SDR)” asset type in Netflix Content Hub is for DCP compositions with a Standard-Dynamic-Range image.

The “Digital Cinema Package (Dolby Vision)” asset type in Netflix Content Hub is for DCP compositions with a High-Dynamic-Range/Dolby Vision image (for Dolby Cinema). This is for titles with a unique theatrical Dolby Vision color grade only, and isn’t the same color grade as High-Dynamic-Range/Dolby Vision content for home viewing.

To access the request, the delivery partner that will be uploading a DCP composition to Netflix Content Hub must, at minimum, have a ‘Production Uploader’ role for the title assigned in Starship.

If you need to deliver an unencrypted DCP composition to Netflix Content Hub and don’t have the needed level of access, contact your Netflix representative to request access.

Source: Netflix

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How to Make a DCP for Film Festival Projection

You did it! The film is locked and ready for the big screen. But you need DCP to show your movie at the film festival. Creating a DCP (Digital Cinema Package) for cinema and digital distribution of your feature film, short or trailer is now easier than ever. But it’s not as straight forward as you might hope.

Why do you even need a DCP?

It is the required format for theatrical distribution and display on a digital cinema projector.

As a quick summary DCP is:

  • Video as JPEG 2000 image sequence with XYZ colour space inside an MXF wrapper
  • Audio as broadcast wav files in MXF wrapper at 24bit 48khz
  • XML files that hold it all together

Need a DCP fast and cheap. Get it!

We’re here to take you the last mile. DCP Maker has packaged and screened hundreds of Digital Cinema Packages, and we’ll help your project screen trouble-free. Pricing is simple, transparent, and the work is guaranteed.

If you have questions, please feel free to ask.

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Can you convert mp4 to DCP?

Yes, it is possible to convert an MP4 file to DCP format using specialized software or our DCP Maker service. However, it is important to note that converting a regular video file to DCP format is not as simple as just running it through a converter.

DCP files require specific settings and specifications to ensure that the audio and video quality meets the high standards of cinema projection. It is also important to ensure that the resulting DCP file is compliant with the requirements of the particular cinema that it will be played in.

Therefore, it is recommended to use a professional service DCP Maker or software that is specifically designed for converting videos to DCP format. Additionally, it’s important to note that DCP files can be very large, so you’ll need sufficient storage space and a reliable internet connection to transfer the files, if necessary.

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What is DCP and why is it needed?

DCP (Digital Cinema Package) is a digital format used for storing and delivering cinematic content in movie theaters. It includes audio and video information, subtitles, metadata, and other information needed to play the movie on the big screen.

DCP format is a standard in the film industry because it enables high-quality image and sound on the big screen. Additionally, DCP format provides protection against unauthorized copying, which is an important factor for rights holders.

DCP format is used for distributing movies in theaters, and it can also be used for storing and delivering cinematic content in other areas such as museums, exhibition halls, and so on.

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What is a DCP and How Does it Work?

A digital cinema package is the standard delivery format for film screenings at a digital cinema. Most major movie theatres today are digital cinemas. That means any sort of digital projection, be it a short or feature film, requires a digital cinema package or DCP for short.

DCPs play on expensive digital projectors. And for the most part, digital cinema packages have replaced the 35mm film reels used for years by theatres. The good news is, that producing DCPs costs significantly less than it does cranking out 35mm prints.

So let’s break down what is a digital cinema package, how to create a DCP, and the best way to deliver it to a theatre.

What is a Digital Cinema Package?

DCPs are audio, video, and metadata files (e.g. subtitles) configured for cinema servers. These servers connect to the digital projectors we mentioned earlier. Every single frame of a film is a separate folder within the DCP. A typical DCP includes XML files for metadata and MXF (Material Exchange Format) files. MXF is a video file container that wraps the track files according to Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standards.
The video track is encoded frame-by-frame in JPEG-2000. This is a lossless compression codec mastered at 24 frames-per-second (FPS), with high-resolution picture quality. The audio file is a 24-bit linear PCM uncompressed multichannel WAV file.

Most DCPs have a bitrate of around 250 Mbps. The majority of digital projectors at theatres can’t handle anything higher. Digital cinema servers run on Linux operating systems, which means DCP hard drives are formatted in Linux EXT3.

Because DCPs are usually encrypted, a Key Delivery Message (KDM) is required to ingest and play the content. You can think of a KDM as a content encryption key. KDMs specify when, where, and how that version of the film can be played.

A digital cinema package can be around 200 GBs in size or larger. The DCP for Spider Man: No Way Home is around 500 GB and includes the 3D and 4K versions of the 2h 28m-long film).

What about physical DCPs on hard drives?

For years the standard delivery of films to movie theatres was through a physical DCP. Some cinemas and film festivals still use physical DCPs but a majority of commercial releases are delivered via satellite or ‘terrestrial’ (IP-based) methods.

A physical DCP is a secure packing crate consisting of a heavy-duty case containing a hard drive, a power brick, and any cables required for ingestion.

Most physical DCPs are shipped in CRU drive enclosures. These are semi-indestructible DX115 hard drive carriages originally designed for military use. The Inter-Society Digital Cinema Forum (ISDCF) notes that the use of USB-3 portable hard drives has become common.

What are the Advantages of a Digital Cinema Package?

The main advantage of a DCP is that it’s really the only way to get your content played on digital projectors around the world.

1. DCPs are secure

You can make a million copies of a DCP, he explains, but if you don’t have the KDM configured for your equipment, you can’t play them. KDM’s also specify the date and time a DCP can be played. This has led to some…embarrassing incidents at film festivals.

2. DCPs are easily updated

Because DCPs are a package of files (and not one big file), they can be edited without having to update the entire production. One master file can be localized for dozens of regions. For example, by adding dub tracks or subtitles as small pieces of metadata.

3. DCPs are verifiable

As soon as a DCP gets copied onto a cinema server, a SHA265 checksum validation automatically runs to verify the content “is in the same state as it left the lab,” he says. This ensures no unauthorized modifications have occurred.

What Does it Cost to Make a DCP?

You can expect to spend around $1000 USD for a single DCP from a professional shop. But, there are caveats based on resolution, length of film, and turnaround time.

Most DCP houses price by minute of footage. Around $10-$15 per minute. If you need a fast turnaround or a DCP for a 4K or 3D film, it will add to the hourly rate. Most DCP houses also offer quality control on special monitors calibrated for screenings. This is factored into the price as well.

DCP Maker now offers DCP creation starting at $1 per 1 minute.

How do Cinemas Use a Digital Cinema Package?

Physical DCPs are delivered to cinema managers/operators the old-fashioned way: by ground courier.

Once received, physical DCPs are connected via USB or eSATA to the cinema’s theatre management system (TMS) or playback server for ingestion.

Individual cinemas are then responsible for shipping physical DCPs back to distributors. The hard drives are then reused for the next batch of DCPs. You’ll often find those hard drives have multiple stickers on them from past DCP releases.

Satellite and IP-based DCP delivery

The potential for damage is why cinemas now receive DCPs via satellite or over the internet. Along with cost and convenience. According to the ISDCF, several present-day DCP delivery methods exist. This includes satellite, internet, and site-to-site file sharing via a secure network.

The Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition (DCDC)—an initiative by industry heavyweights such as Warner Bros. and AMC Theatres—handles digital distribution for the vast majority of major studio releases.