CEDIA 2013

It’s been many years since I worked in the film business. While many actors and other celebrities would attend a movie premiere prior to a film's release in theaters, others would ask the studios for a copy of the film to watch in their home screening rooms. Early in my career, I worked for executives who would ask me to arrange to have a copy of the film delivered to a VIP's home. A runner from the Post Production department would deliver several metal canisters to the home and often wait to bring it back to the studio to be sure that the copy of the film was constantly tracked. Only the elite could hope to have personal screenings of current movies especially during opening weekend.

Today a representative from Prima Cinema explained that these Hollywood celebrities and VIPs were part of the “Bel Air Circuit” (so named for the exclusive Los Angeles neighborhood). Famous actors would be most likely be mobbed if they went to a movie theater, so studios would ask assistants like me (and those who came before me) to arrange a home-showing.

Prima Cinema is a digital media server that allows owners to view current blockbuster movies from the day they are released in the theater. Just as film projectors are a thing of the past in movie theaters and movies are sent to the theater’s digital projectors, movies can be sent to the Prima Cinema box.

Prima Cinema is not for everyone. For starters, the media server box costs $35,000. Potential buyers are vetted by the company to be sure that the Prima Cinema will not be used for pirating. All films in Prima Cinema have a watermark that can be seen if someone uses a camcorder to record the screen (but is otherwise invisible to the viewers). The manufacturer goes further in the qualification process requiring that a Prima Cinema must go to a good home with a home theater screen over 100 inches that has no more than 25 seats. There are a few more requirements as well.

Movies are downloaded to the Prima Cinema movie server prior to the movie’s release date but cannot be accessed until opening day. This insures that there will be no buffering issues as the movie is not streamed but played directly from the Prima Cinema. A single 24-hour period movie rental runs $500. To start the movie rental, the Prima Cinema owner scans his or her fingerprint on the unit. Viewers can pause the movie for any length of time up to the 24-hour expiration, but cannot rewind the film.

Prima Cinema will not be in my home anytime soon. Still, I don't have problems going to the local multiplex. I may be bothered by other people talking in the theater but I usually don't have to fight off autograph hounds.