Arts Alliance Media, leading digital cinema company, has unveiled the
latest addition to its digital cinema software suite: Locksmith. Locksmith is a
system to manage collection and distribution of digital cinema keys (KDMs) from
distributors directly to screen servers.
Locksmith removes the need for distributors to email
individual keys to theaters, previously a laborious and error-prone process, instead
allowing distributors to upload all KDMs to web-based Locksmith. Locksmith then
examines each KDM, calculates which screen it relates to, and delivers it
directly to the screen server automatically, ready for use. Comprehensive
reporting allows exhibitors and distributors to see which KDMs have been
successfully delivered and ingested, and which haven’t.
Eric Stevens, Commercial Director of Arts Alliance Media,
said "Distributors and exhibitors have been telling us for a long time
that the manual system of emailing KDMs to cinemas and then projectionists
having to ingest them into the correct servers is time consuming and
unreliable. We are happy to say that
with the advent of Locksmith the KDM process is easier for everyone. "
For distributors, uploading of KDMs with Locksmith is easy
and fast: a zipped key file, SMPTE-compliant key bundle or individual keys can
be uploaded either through an intuitive web interface or via email. Locksmith
also provides an API with which distributors and labs can integrate.
For exhibitors, Locksmith makes it easy to stay in control of
KDMs, reducing the possibility of lost shows. The system can be accessed via a
web browser or on mobile devices, meaning exhibitors can check KDM status any
time. In addition, Locksmith can send alerts warning of any KDM problems via
email or phone, giving exhibitors time to fix any issues.
For exhibitors who are using Arts Alliance Media's Theater
Management System (Screenwriter) or enterprise Theater Management System (Producer),
Locksmith goes one step further - examining each scheduled upcoming show in the
cinema playlists and proactively checking for KDMs, issuing alerts if any are
missing.
Arts Alliance Media are at ShowEast in Miami from November
5th - 8th, and will be demonstrating Locksmith at Booth 1214.
