CineEurope - a roving report on cinema access developments

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Friday, 28 June 2013 08:24am

Europe's largest cinema convention, CineEurope, is currently taking place in Barcelona, Spain, and our cinema manager, Ally Woodford, visited the trade show to find out the latest on movie accessibility.

Woodford met with equipment and ticket booking software manufacturers. She was able to test Sony's Entertainment Access Glasses in a cinema setting and see USL's caption viewing options of glasses and personal seat-mount screen. USL is the only company currently offering both technologies.

"I think it's fair to say that accessible cinema through captioning and audio description has a higher profile within the industry compared to two or three years ago,” said Woodford. “Generally there is more immediate knowledge around accessible cinema accommodations from all manufacturers than when I attended CineAsia in 2011."

Interestingly, a new Spanish company called Whatscine (website in Spanish only), is promoting its app for audio description, captions and sign language, where the captions are viewable through either Epson's Moverio glasses, or a Smartphone or tablet. Audio description is accessed through standard earphones plugged into the device, and sign language is viewed on the Smartphone or tablet.

The concept is a direct competitor to Italy's MovieReading and has traction in Spanish cinemas already. Whatscine has an agreement with Warner Bros and is finalising negotiations with other Hollywood studios to provide access files for their movies.

Having tried on the Moverio glasses, which serve both Whatscine and MovieReading, Woodford felt that there is a definite need for the glasses to be remodelled. 

"Although the glasses are well padded around the ears they are very heavy across the bridge of the nose, which is not good news if you're intending to spend two hours wearing them for a movie. The concepts from both MovieReading and Whatscine are forward-thinking, yet the final product for the user wishing to wear the glasses instead of watching a tablet or smartphone screen needs work."

Aside from this negative, the development is continuing the trend in accessible cinema innovation. From personal viewing screens, to access glasses and now apps to download content, we have come a long way in four years. We are not yet at a stage where individual cinema locations are offering more than one of these options, but as more technologies are developed, customers will have real choice in how they access movies. 

Attending CineEurope, Woodford was able to promote the message to third-party booking systems such as Vista  and Ticket about the need for consumers to be able to book access equipment online when booking a ticket.

“I was surprised by the level of acknowledgement throughout the trade show of accessible cinema, which is good news as we move forward,” said Woodford.  “I feel positive that as other international territories such as the UK expand their cinema program that exhibitors and consumers will work more closely together, share knowledge from around the world and understand the possibilities available."


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