Following several large-scale digital cinema rollouts with major
exhibition chains throughout Europe, as well as leading independents such as
the UK’s City Screen, Arts Alliance Media (AAM) has announced it has signed another
leading UK independent exhibitor to its digital rollout. G1 Group, owner of two
multiplex cinemas in Scotland, has agreed a VPF (Virtual Print Fee) deal with
the digital cinema company, covering conversion of all screens across the two
complexes.
Glasgow’s Grosvenor Cinema, and the Playhouse in Perth, will both be
equipped with digital projection systems, and Arts Alliance Media’s Theatre
Management System (TMS).
The deal is under the exhibitor-financed VPF model, in which the
exhibitor pays up front for the cost of the equipment, and a third party (AAM)
collects VPFs from distributors whenever a film plays on the digital screen.
These fees are then used to recoup the initial cost of the equipment.
Ken Creelman, Cinema Development Manager at G1 Group, said “This
deal with AAM has been carefully crafted to work with the release patterns of
independent cinemas such as ours, and we think it really demonstrates that smaller
exhibitors can also take advantage of VPFs, and that the digital future is equally
accessible to independents.”
Giovanni Dolci, Arts Alliance Media’s Director of Sales and Business
Development added “We’ve always wanted to ensure that we make the opportunities
of digital available to cinemas of all sizes, so we’re delighted to announce
this deal with G1. Independents such as the Grosvenor and Playhouse are often
real focal points in their communities and have a loyal following, so it’s
great news that their customers are going to be able to enjoy pristine quality
films and even more exciting content.”
G1 Group is the number one independent leisure operator in Scotland,
and owns venues such as bars, restaurants, clubs and hotels right across
Scotland, in addition to their cinema properties.
Arts Alliance Media has signed over 3,000 screens to date to their digital
rollout, and is currently working with independent exhibitors across Europe to
convert more sites to digital.
