FNCF 2022: Ushio’s Pierre-Olivier Bancal tips a French Cinema comeback

As we enter autumn and winter, hygiene must be of high priority. No one wants another shutdown of their business in the face of a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. The best method is prevention. Cinemas were often declared one of the safest classes of venue, as they are generally large, air-conditioned spaces that can easily accommodate social distancing requirements. Ushio even entered the hygiene field itself, with the introduction of Care222^® far UV-C disinfection technology, a filtered 222 nm excimer lamp. In a cinematic environment, Ushio subsidiary Christie has integrated the Care222^® module into a solution called CounterAct, which continuously disinfects movie auditoriums from above, even when a screening is in progress.

Next to the obvious matter of hygiene concepts, the financial aspect of cinema seriously needs to be addressed. Investments, like interior refurbishment and new projectors, may need to be spread out over 6 or 7 years longer than normal. While this may present a problem if something is already passed its prime, it can be an opportunity in other areas: does a regular cinema really need all the latest gimmicks to deliver a high-quality audience experience?

Naturally, manufacturers will always strive to create “new and improved” products for their cinema customers, but a benefit for the customer does not always carry across equal benefit to the audience. Back in the 35 mm era, it was normal to get 30 years of use from a film projector, in some cases, they could go for more than 50 years without any complaints from the audience. In the digital age, after just 10 years, the recommendation to replace functioning equipment with newer models means we are neglecting the opportunity to get more out of our investments with spare parts and thorough maintenance. Who would have thrown money away like that in the 35 mm heyday?

Xenon projectors still deliver, next to many other advantages, vivid and natural looking images. During uncertain times like these, it makes sense to take the economical and environmentally friendly route and bring our older xenon projector (almost) back to its initial performance capabilities. To that end, a thorough cleaning of the light-engine is usually enough to get you back up to 90% of the initial brightness, and with it, picture quality that would make even a new laser projector proud. Between you and me, my eyes struggle to tell the difference between the two.

The iconic Ford Mustang Fastback did the job in 1968’s Bullit, as did the modified 1997 Peugeot 406 in Luc Besson’s Taxi; if well-maintained, they’d both still do the job, in 2022. If I were to hazard a guess, this is why studios want to view their graded footage with the natural colours provided by xenon projection; all the while, international film festivals continue to screen their award-winners with xenon instead of laser.

In recent times, manufacturers were understandably against prolonging the lifetime of last-generation projectors, despite only requiring proper care to keep them presenting movies at a very low cost. The logic behind this tactic is that they now have the next-generation projectors rolling off the production line, which are the new foundation of their revenue. As a result, most projector-makers halted xenon production, in spite of lingering demand from cinema owners.

That isn’t to say that that the different technologies can’t each have their place. After all, the discourse on the benefits of laser is easy to justify, but there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution in this industry. While the giants of the cinema business can afford the latest mod-cons, your average village screen is likely content to hang on to their older model. Throughout the cinema business, at every revenue level, there are diverse needs which all deserve careful consideration. Despite the various worthy options, none of the available technologies can lay claim to universal suitability.

Although projector production has admittedly wound down, xenon lamp manufacturers are still breaking new ground. Continued development and the careful maintenance of projection systems is bringing digital projection running costs to an all-time low. In fact, some manufacturers are still developing the technology to the point where cinemas no longer have to sacrifice brightness for longer lifetime.

At the end of the day, COVID-19 transformed many aspects of cinema operation in ways that cannot afford to be overlooked. When confronted by a question as a matter of survival and long-term recovery, it is time to look at the bigger picture and figure out what is best for your business. Does the classic car actually go faster if you paint stripes onto the body work? — Of course not. Can the majority of audiences tell the difference between xenon- and laser-lit screens? — Highly doubtful.

By asking these questions, you confront both the challenges and the opportunities at the same time. Whether you choose to move on to laser or stick with xenon, the decision in yours, and is one that must be taken carefully with consideration for your business and your audience.

Perhaps the right choice for you is to dive into laser and bid farewell to xenon, yet another option is to keep your xenon projector running, similarly for the sake of your bank balance and the continued enjoyment of your guests. It is worth more than just a passing thought. Our question to you is: “are you interested to know more?”