Posted Wednesday 10 Jun 2020
Cinemas and film festivals have keenly felt the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, however one Kiwi company, Shift 72, is providing a technical solution. Shift 72 board member John Barnett tells us that the Hamilton company has created technology enabling cinemas and festivals to present their content to people at home, while ensuring the cinema and festival brand are front of mind for the viewers.
Shift72 chief executive David White, (a long-time film fan) developed a platform to enable cinemas to share in digital revenue. Most of the international brands which offer screen entertainment to the home leave the cinema out of the equation, but with its ScreenPlus label, Shift72 establishes 'white label' windows for cinemas and festivals, and many festivals around the world have quickly become customers.
Over 150 festivals have signed up for Shift72 in the past two and a half months, including the New Zealand Inernational Film Festival, the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals, and, soon to be announced, a number of the biggest festivals in the world.
And of course, you don't have to wait for a festival to see a movie from a cinema in your home. A lot of cinemas, such as the Academy, the Bridgeway, the Roxy, the Deluxe, the Monterey, the Town Hall, the Lido (soon!) and a lot more, are offering 'on demand' viewing!