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Once the VPF's go away do you think the equipment will break and run in 1000 directions? IE who's to say anymore what sound demands will be? Etc. etc. It seems to me the second the VPF is gone the cats will be out of the bag and the right to dictate equip will erode and eventually (probably quickly) collapse. Your thoughts?

It is a gamble. I say choose that route if the VPF does not make sense for you.

If exhibitors allow distributors to dictate equipment requirements, then they probably will. They allowed them to dictate digital projection and DCI, so they did. I know not all bowed to the will of the giants, bet enough did. How do small exhibitors take any power back when big chains already gave it all away?

Ok, so VPFs payed for much of the change, but it hasn't always been that way and the changes happened anyway. Distributors have long dictated the format of their product. You want to show something in 16mm. Forget it. Didn't have red light readers? You had to get some. Soon you will have to forget 35mm too. 70mm? Don't think so.

So, you call up a distributor and ask if you can show a movie on an alternative type of equipment. "Who are you?" they will ask. "Who?" "No, we aren't doing that." Not unless they can see there is real money to be made.

As for further dictates, such as with sound, refer to my comment on red light readers. As long as exhibitors as a whole willingly accept mandatory changes, they will happen.

But... if alternative equipment can be shown to work well and bring in good profit for theaters, then you might get some attention from major movie distributors. The only way I can see to demonstrate that alternative equipment will work is by actually using it, and that may only be possible with alternative content such as indpendent movies. The smaller companies might be willing to work with smaller exhibitors in order to get an audience. If worthwhile profits are demonstrated in this way, then maybe mainstream Hollywood would start to pay attention.

There will still be the problem of all the big chains who already spent a lot of money to leave their competition in the dust. They won't be happy if suddenly a much less expensive alternative pops up. They might use all their sway to prevent its widespread adoption.

In the end, if you want their movies in your theater, you will have to be able to play the format they provide. If you are small, they don't care if you can't. If you are big, then your company will probably go along willingly.

That's my opionion.

I hear ya lionheart. When I owned my theatres I told the distributors what I wanted to play, when and for how long. Apparently most of our brothers and sisters in the business today have gotten so used to the distribs dictating to them that they believe it's the way to run a theatre. I know that when I get back into the business I'll eventually have to buy digital equipment but the whole digital thing sounds so iffy I wonder if exhibitors will be eventually stuck with a bunch of electronics they can't use especially if someone creates another delivery system that will be cheaper for the distributors.