The Adaptation of the Thai Outdoor Cinema towards the Digital Cinema System

Abstract

“The Adaptation of the Thai Outdoor Cinema towards the Digital Cinema System” was aimed at studying the impacts of the transition in technology from negative film exhibition to digital cinema exhibition on the outdoor cinema as well as the responsive adaptations. A combination of purposive sampling and snowball sampling was used in this qualitative research. The sample consisted of a number of outdoor cinema exhibitors representing the four regions of local film exhibitors in Thailand and people involved in the outdoor cinema. This research was aimed at analyzing the obtained information and suggesting some guidelines to promote the outdoor cinema.

It was found in the study that the impacts on the local outdoor cinema exhibitors caused by the change of film projection system include 1) the unavailability of film for projection, 2) the potential inconvenience caused by an investment on an up-to-date film exhibition system, and  3) the audience’s changed feelings towards the original screening system. As a result, the government is obliged to pass opinions, policies and regulations in response to the impacts on the outdoor cinema so as to satisfy the needs of 1) counseling services providing substantial knowledge on how to comply with motion picture laws and copyright laws step by step, and 2) the government’s guidelines and policies that support the outdoor cinema.

The responsive adaptations of the outdoor cinema in Thailand are as follows: 1) Some outdoor cinema exhibitors are using digital equipment to exhibit films from motion picture files that infringe on copyright; 2) Some regional film distributors are letting motion picture media whose copyrights have been assigned by the film production companies; and 3) Outdoor cinema exhibition has become a part-time job or a hobby for some film exhibitors. However, having a number of old film negatives available for renting and seeing that changing the film projection system would not be cost-effective compared to the current service requests, some exhibitors are not adapting to the change but continuing their conservative practices of negative film exhibition.

The guidelines for the promotion of outdoor cinemas suggest that: film production companies, film distributors and film exhibitors together form a policy that allows outdoor cinemas to exhibit films digitally; public sector provide film exhibitors with substantial knowledge on motion picture laws and copyright laws and promote outdoor film exhibition as a form of cultural entertainment; and private sector and any organizations take part in preserving the outdoor cinema by including an outdoor film exhibition in their special events.