Friedrich --

P.J. Hufstutter reports in the L.A. Times that the Regal movie theater chain will be outfitting all its California theaters to project movies digitally. They're hoping to complete the job by the end of next year, though they won't be showing features digitally, at least not quite yet. Short films only.

Still. People in the business have been waiting for theater chains to commit to digital projection. This is the biggest commercial step that has been taken in that direction yet, and it could be what finally gets the digital-projection ball rolling.

I say "finally," even though I wish the industry would hold off for another year or two. Movie buff wants more pixels, please! But technology and money march on...

Sample passage:

"Whenever film goes away forever, we'll be ready," Marks said. Regal's system "is designed to allow us to unplug any piece of the hardware in the system and plug in new ones when digital cinema standards are established."

Hufstutter's story can be read here. Link thanks to CalPundit, here.

Best,

Michael