This week, to celebrate and showcase the evolution of digital cinema and the dynamic new media possibilities available to advertisers, BAFTA opened its doors to host the inaugural annual DCM Upfronts event.
The industry came together for a morning of inspired sessions from experts in different fields, who debated the power of story-telling, technical innovations, the varied cinemagoing audiences and the exciting 2014 film slate.
Peter Souter, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of TBWA\UK Group
Fearlessly Frank’s Andy Law hosted proceedings, introducing DCM CEO Simon Rees to start the day by talking about the ambitious digital journey DCM has embarked on. Peter Souter, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of TBWA\UK Group, then delivered a keynote speech on The Power of Storytelling, illustrated with examples of creative advertising that engaged and entertained people through the plot process of set-up, expand, twist, resolve.
Chris Green, Marketing Director at Twentieth Century Fox presented upcoming films from the studio, with an exclusive glimpse of unseen footage. DCM’s Film Specialist, Tom Linay, and Heat magazine’s Film Editor, Charles Gant, highlighted their best films for 2014. Tom Linay also hosted an interactive debate on the future of cinema where Andy Law, Chris Green and Simon Rees were joined by Framestore’s Creative Director, Mike McGee.
Simon Rees, Digital Cinema Media’s CEO, picked up on the consistently strong performance in the cinema sector. With annual UK Box Office of £1.1bn and a strong product slate exceeding 600 film releases a year, there is reason for the cinema industry to be upbeat. Yet Rees was quick to convey DCM is embarking on an ambitious journey, to be part of the wave that is rapidly modernising the sector, building on medium of film and its outstanding ability to showcase content. At the same time, it is vital to predict and keep on top of the massive changes occurring within media. “Cinema is recognising the need for change,” explained Rees, “and the growing appetite of cinemagoers, like all audiences, to consume content in different ways. When they want, how they want and where they want.”
Twelve months into DCM’s objective to re-launch cinema advertising through modernisation and become a truly flexible and dynamic digital medium, Rees championed sustainable innovation to encourage a long term approach. “Cinema will continue to do what it does well, but change has to be able to last,” said Rees. “The industry is not in a game of fads.”
DCM's CEO Simon Rees
Over the next 12 months, DCM will be exploring the ways to engage with people through the power of content, introducing second screen into cinemas through the cinime companion app, looking at how to bring the pre-show to life so that it becomes part of the entertainment and working on really understanding the cinemagoer through a new research approach.
At an operational level, cinema has made a vast commitment to its delivery infrastructure over recent years, through the installation of ADL lines and cloud facilities. Cinema is now flexible like any other medium and the investment is paying off, by delivering efficiencies that benefit advertisers with production costs reduced by 80% and lead times cut by 90%. Now, DCM delivers 4m playlists a year, totalling 2.2b 30” ad impacts, bringing 250 new brands to DCM.
The Panel on 'The Future of Cinema'. Left to right: Chris Green, Mike McGee, Andy Law, Simon Rees and Tom Linay
Rees explained how, from the consumer’s perspective, cinema is at the cutting edge of innovation offering the chance to watch the very best content from the most talented film makers made even bigger and better through technologies such as 3D and Dolby Atmos. “The experience of going to see a film in this environment creates an event that goes beyond the big screen itself, so it is DCM’s objective to connect brands with cinemagoers before, during and after their cinema experience by pushing the boundaries and finding new ways to keep the conversation going,” said Rees.
Blackett Ditchburn, DCM’s Head of Knowledge and Insight, and DCM's Research and Insight Manager, Alex Wright, gave a snapshot of a new research initiative to learn more about and redefine cinema audiences. Adland was also given a taste of the new opportunities cinema can offer brands by DCM’s Head of Business Development Rob Tomalin and Head of Product Development Jeremy Kolesar, who presented new initiatives covering sponsorship, content, event cinema and the second screen cinime app.
Full coverage of Peter Souter’s keynote speech and the panel debate on the future of cinema will follow next week, with a video round up.