Just because you can...

As my last post looked at the emerging trends in theaters, I figured this week would be a good time to look at the small screen, the really small screen. With television shows, movies, or any other programming you can think of you can now watch on portable devices, iPods, cell phones, and numerous other handheld devices. However, just because you can do something, should you?
I'll stick with films, as this blog is dedicated to the cinema. Does it seem possible that that same enjoyment and experience can be derived from watching a film on a two inch screen as a twenty foot, or at least a television? The suspended reality created by watching a film can hardly be duplicated while watching at home nonetheless a tiny LCD. Are we so obsessed with having everything when and where we want it that we don't care about the experience we get from it? I hope we're not doomed to a future where it only matters that someone has seen a movie and not experienced it.

The theater as we know it.

The theater going experience is about to change, and in some cases already has. The age of shipping actual reels of each film to each theater is coming to and end and digital distribution is taking over. With this shift theaters now are beginning to show concerts, sports contests, and other live events along with movies. The implementation of digital projectors is allowing for films to be distributed through portable hard drives and other events to be picked up from satellite feeds.

So what does all this mean for audiences? It means the theater will become more than just a place to experience film, it will also allow you to see the opening date of a U2 tour from London even if you're in Gainesville, Fl. And say goodbye to bad films taking up screens in theaters. With digital distribution the investment in screening a film is greatly decreased allowing for more rapid integration of new films. The only thing left to do is wait for the change.