Digital Cinema Media (DCM) and the Cinema Exhibitor’s Association (CEA) are two of the sponsors of this year’s Screen Awards, which are currently open for entries. Excellence amongst exhibitors both large and small will be recognised with a new ‘Exhibitor of the Year’ award, sponsored by the CEA, while DCM will celebrate brands that have aligned themselves with film. There is still time to enter your cinemas as entries are accepted until 26 July. So if you’d like to celebrate your success with the rest of the screen industry, here is all that you need to know.
Now in its fourth year and fast becoming the annual event for all those involved in film marketing and distribution, the Screen Marketing & Distribution Awards honour the outstanding work of the UK film industry’s most unsung art forms. Read more
This week, DCM Close Up talks to Kevin Markwick, owner of The Picture House in Uckfield. Kevin has managed The Picture House since 1994, when he inherited it from his father. Kevin is also an active voice of the industry, with his own personal blog, Cinema Owner Confidential and a regular podcast, The Kevin Markwick Show.
How did you end up working in cinema and what do you love about it? Read more
Mattel has entered into a three month sponsorship of Cineworld’s Movies for Juniors weekend film screenings to promote its new CGI animated TV series, Max Steel.
The global toy brand is using the cinema medium from 8 July to drive brand awareness of Max Steel, which is its latest action figure property launch. Exclusive sponsorship of Movies for Juniors offers the toy company an opportunity to reach its target market out-of-home and in a shared environment on family days out. Read more
Even the sunshine couldn’t stop the minions bringing in the millions, as Despicable Me 2 opened with a mammoth £14.8m.
Although that includes £4.9m in previews from last weekend, it’s still an incredible performance and the Friday to Sunday total of £10m is the third highest opening of the year. With the first Despicable Me’s final total at £20.2m, it looks like the sequel could potentially double that. Read more
Digital Cinema Media’s (DCM) CEO Simon Rees shares his thoughts on the challenges of connecting with today’s increasingly connected consumer.
Engaging with the increasingly connected consumer has been a key theme in the last couple of weeks, both in Cannes and the equally glamorous Cannon Street for MediaTel’s own Connected Consumer event. Read more
Hi Exhibitors,
June turned out to be sad month with the passing of Gerry Parkes who lost his gallant fight against cancer. There was a huge turnout for his memorial service at the Parkway Cleethorpes with two very good speeches from Phil Clapp of the CEA and his business colleague Rob Younger. All very emotional and our thoughts are with the family. It was good news though that he was able to receive his MBE before he passed away, but tragic he didn't make it to Buckingham Palace to receive it from the Queen personally. We were thrilled to see how proud Denise, his wife, was while wearing Gerry’s medal at the Service. Read more
A recent office discussion on the greatest comedy characters of the last 25 years inspired much heated debate but there was one name we could all agree on, Alan Partridge.
Created by Steve Coogan in 1991 for the BBC Radio 4 comedy programme On The Hour, Partridge has proved an enduring comic creation through three television series, numerous specials and a web series. Now after 22 years, Alan Partridge finally has his own film, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and its release is less than two months away on 7 August. Time to get excited. Read more
Man of Steel held off a strong challenge from World War Z this weekend, topping the box office with a further £5.1m, taking its cume to £21.3m. It has now flown past Superman Returns’ final tally of £16.4m and has the £25m mark in its sights.
Despite coming in second, zombie epic World War Z started with a sprint rather than a lurch and its total of £4.5m is the highest for a second placed film since Skyfall’s fourth weekend in November 2012 (£5.5m). It’s also the highest for a 15 certificate film since Ted’s £5.9m last August. Overall, 47.9% of World War Z’s total was from 3D presentations. Read more
Digital Cinema Media (DCM) has partnered with Yummi to develop cinime - a mobile application that enables cinemagoers to use their little screen to get more from the big screen. Developed by the cinema industry for the cinema industry, cinime aims to create a dynamic new media experience that enables brands to entertain and engage people before and after the movies.
In the UK, 46% of people (15+) own a smartphone (TGI, 2013), while smartphone penetration amongst the 3.3m (Rentrak, EDI) average weekly cinemagoers is 60% (FAME 2013). Research has also revealed that the average dwell time in the cinema foyer of smartphone users is 15 minutes before the movie, while 50% of respondents are interested in doing some form of integrated activity with their phone in the movie theatre (FAME 2013). Read more
DCM's Marketing Director, Zoe Jones, shares her final thoughts on this year's Cannes Lions festival.
Looking back on the biggest Cannes ever, I'm struck by two things - the quality of the work and the fantastic people I met. The challenge now is to ensure that all the DCM Cannes attendees share with the rest of the company everything we've learned and follow-up on the great connections made and ideas generated. Read more
The Westway Cinema in Frome, Somerset has secured its digital future thanks to the fundraising efforts of the local community.
Local cinemagoers pulled together to raise the funds with events including pub quizzes and clothes swaps. Children also helped by donating pocket money towards the initiative, which has reached £10,000.The new digital era for the cinema will allow customers to enjoy better sound and picture quality, along with a wider selection of movies. Read more
Digital Cinema Media's marketing director, Zoe Jones, continues her Cannes adventure - and admires the impressive haul of awards from UK agencies.
The last couple of days have been really inspiring. So much so that its been impossible to find a minute to write! The challenge here is to strike the right balance between meetings off Cannes to catch up with people and share ideas and to attend the huge variety of seminars and awards that showcase great creative work from around the world. Read more
