Chinese technology companies and cinema exhibitors are positioning High Dynamic Range LED screens as both a remedy for a slowing local box office and a vehicle for challenging America’s long-standing grip on international cinema standards, according to a panel at the Shanghai International Film Festival.
The push is being led by tech giant Huawei through the Ultra HD Video Alliance, which is promoting its own HDR Vivid standard as an alternative to the Digital Cinema Initiatives certification framework that has governed cinema projection globally for decades.
“Why do we still need to pass DCI certification domestically at this moment, whether for LED screens or other certifications? Because we need to screen Hollywood films,” said Hank Xiao, senior director at Huawei. “Hollywood films are expected to account for only about 8% of our box office revenue, which is already below double digits, [but] hardware manufacturers and our own content producers are actually still paying high fees to the United States.”
“This is also a major problem that we domestically need to resolve urgently. Our promotion of this industry standard and international standard is meant to solve these problems. The HDR Vivid version we are promoting now actually does not charge money from cinemas, nor does it charge money from film distributors; it is completely free,” Xiao added.
