The Problem with Prints

For film companies, there are many benefits to the development of D-List cinema. For instance, the production of digital prints rather than physical reels is ten times cheaper. This also means less money is spent on transport; the reels require a significant amount of space, whereas simple discs do not. The lessened cost additionally means that independent companies will be able to show their work on significantly more screens, heightening their revenue and thus increasing the incentive to film more independent pieces. Similarly, less money has to be spent on storage, as even maintaining reels in working order is strenuous, whilst discs need little to no care. For cinemas, the consequent availability of newer equipment may allow other things to take place in the auditoriums when screenings are not scheduled, including musical or sports events. All this is likely to earn them more money and expand the variety of their audience.

Equally, D-List cinema is also advantageous for consumers. The increased availability of copies of films released by smaller-scale companies means there will be a much greater variety of entertainment for the audience. Additionally, D-List discs afford a much higher picture quality, as well as having a much longer lifespan than a reel, as physical film is prone to wearing down over time no matter how well it’s looked after.

However, there are also significant disadvantages to this new technology. The lowered cost of distribution means that film-makers may feel encouraged to further cut corners to decrease their expenses and heighten their profit, causing the overall quality of released films to go down. Furthermore, as the storing of the films becomes largely digitalised, recently released films become significantly easier to pirate, whether via stealing them in their physical form or via hacking.

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