With the support of data analysts from Movio, Showtime Analytics and Comscore and many other event cinema stakeholders, we were provided with an extensive array of data and information about event cinema. We learned about event cinema audience segmentation and profiles, giving us a better understanding of the target audiences for different genres as well as their behaviour and preferences when it comes to cinema-going. We looked at the state of the event cinema industry in various European markets and potential opportunities for growth in the sector.
UNIC also had the chance to contribute through a presentation, as Guillaume Branders summarised the key findings of a survey conducted in collaboration with the ECA and the European Digital Cinema Forum (EDCF). This survey explored various trends and developments in event cinema, but most importantly provided extensive details about the technical challenges related to the distribution of event cinema - both live and recorded. Among these, sound levels, accessibility and the wider availability of subtitling were then discussed by an expert panel during the conference. The results of the study will be shared in the coming weeks by the ECA.
The conference also included various sessions on the promotion and marketing dimension of event cinema. Attendees were, for instance, presented with techniques to efficiently build their own digital platform and best practice from European cinema operators and event cinema distributors. The last panel of the day explored the actual meaning of the words "event cinema" and looked at the future of the business - a future which undoubtedly looks bright, as the ECA continues to flourish under the leadership of Grainne Peat, Managing Director of the association. We're very much looking forward to the next event!