Our take...
The Ymagis model is based on the premise that market conditions vary according to territory, city and even the type of cinema operator. As a result, the latest solution will offer European exhibitors a viable alternative to the two other rival facilitators who have gained studio support for European deployment, both based on the virtual print fee (VPF) mechanism, namely Arts Alliance Media and XDC, the latter recently signed up all six major Studios. It also reflects the fact, and perhaps for the first time, that the Studios are not married exclusively to VPF financing agreements. The recent pacts show the Studios are now keen to encourage the spread of digital exhibition in mainland Europe, not least to equip and upgrade sufficient screens for the plethora of 3D movies slated for 2009. The signing of two major European exhibitors for circuit-wide conversions should also act as a catalyst for further large-scale deals, rather than the ad-hoc deployments which have typified European digital progress so far. According to our forecasts, total d-cinema screens in Europe will reach over 11,600 by 2012, up from around 870 at end 2007. Together the combined roll-out target of the three d-cinema facilitators (AAM, XDC and Ymagis) equates to 20,500 screens, or around 72 per cent of the screen base in Western Europe.