FEAR FACTOR FOLLOW UP

As a follow-up to my last post, I received an email from a cinema buddy, Michael Karagosian, who informed me that the Cinema Buying Group (CBG) was working hard to get their screen count up as the contract with Cinedigm (the company which acts as the middle man in the virtual print fee scheme) and the studios expires in 2012.

Michael, astutely, points out that the VPF equals the cost of the film print less the cost of the digital print. So, the cost of the digital print (under the VPF scheme) is the same as the cost of a film print, as long as the VPF is paid out. Therefore the more logical scenario would be that the "trigger" to eliminate film prints will be the end of the VPF scheme and not the end of Cinedigm's contract period.
Many thanks Michael.

Best and Happy Movie Going
Jim Lavorato