Cinema on demand

Since June 2018, theRatzeburg Castle Theatre Burgtheater offers the "Kino on Demand" service on its website: a curated streaming platform for films that can no longer be seen in cinemas. "We don't have the resources to show our films again and again in the cinema, even if our customers would like to see one or two films again," says Burgtheater CEO Martin Turowski, who has been running the traditional cinema since 2004. He found out about Rushlake Media's service from the HDF's "Network of Innovative Cinema Operators" (NIKO). However, as the cinemas initially only received a normal commission, the dedicated cinema operator looked for a different solution to strengthen loyalty to the cinema. The compromise: after five films have been streamed on the cinema website, a cinema voucher worth five euros, financed by Rushlake Media, can be redeemed in the cinema. "The film fan can therefore stream with a clear conscience as they are supporting their cinema," says Turowski.

But who decides which films are shown on the cinema's website? The operators select films from a predefined portfolio from Rushlake Media, for which the platform must acquire the rights from the distributor. If a film is missing from the portfolio, Rushlake takes care of the licence. "As a cinema operator, I can therefore say exactly which films I recommend to my audience," says Turowki. Any cinema can take part, there are no entry barriers. Around 25 cinemas across Germany are currently using the service. Will the format establish itself? We are curious.