Figueres a Escena

The evolution of our cinema screen from film to digital

For more than a century, the cinema screen has been a portal to other lives, other worlds, other centuries. From the flickering nickelodeons of the 1890s to the crystal-clear 4K projections of today, the medium has undergone transformations that would have astonished the Lumière brothers. The shift from analogue film to digital projection represents perhaps the most significant technical revolution in that history, one that reshaped both how movies are made and how audiences experience them.

At Figueres a Escena, our Sala La Cate has hosted screenings through every chapter of that story. This article traces the journey of our own cinema screen, from the warm glow of carbon-arc projectors to the silent precision of laser-illuminated digital systems. Along the way, we look at how the change rippled through cinemas from Paris to Perth, and why the communal magic of the darkened auditorium still endures.

The reel era: origins and celluloid

Cinema began with celluloid. Strips of light-sensitive film, threaded through mechanical projectors, painted moving pictures onto white sheets hung at the back of tea rooms and town halls. The format was fragile, expensive, and chemically complex. A single reel of 35mm film weighed kilograms, and shipping prints to regional venues was a logistical marathon. In Australia, the travelling picture showmen of the early twentieth century hauled wooden cases across the outback to bring silent shorts to mining towns and sheep stations.

For decades, the cinema screen was defined by the texture of film: the subtle grain, the occasional flicker, the rich blacks that came from silver halide emulsions. Projectionists were skilled artisans, responsible for cueing changeovers between reels, maintaining arc lamps, and threading machines with steady hands. At Teatre El Jardí, the original projection booth still preserves the mechanical heritage of that era, including a working projector from the 1960s used for community retrospectives.

The format also dictated the rhythm of distribution. Films opened in metropolitan centres first, then filtered outwards over weeks or months. A new release might take a year to reach regional Victoria or outback Queensland. Australian audiences in places like Ballarat or Cairns often watched Hollywood films months after their Sydney or Melbourne premieres, a delay that shaped local cinema-going habits for generations.

The first wave of digital conversion

The arrival of digital cinema in the late 1990s promised liberation from the costs and complications of physical prints. Early adopters installed bulky DLP projectors that threw light through millions of microscopic mirrors, rendering images without a single frame of celluloid. The picture was clean, stable, and could be transmitted by satellite or hard drive to multiplexes worldwide.

Resistance was fierce. Cinematographers argued that digital sensors lacked the organic warmth of film stock. Purists mourned the loss of grain. Cinema chains worried about the capital cost of conversion, with a single digital projector outfit often costing more than a small house in suburban Sydney. Yet the economics won out: no more shipping heavy cans, no more damaged prints, no more expensive laboratory processing.

By the early 2010s, the transition was irreversible. Hollywood studios announced they would cease producing 35mm prints for most markets, forcing exhibitors to adapt or close. In Australia, chains like Event Cinemas and Hoyts rolled out digital systems across their metropolitan networks, while independent venues scrambled for funding to follow suit. The era of digital projection had arrived.

Comparing film and digital projection

The technical differences between the two formats explain why the transition took two decades to complete. While film offered organic texture and archival permanence, digital delivered consistency and operational simplicity. The comparison below outlines the key distinctions that shaped the industry's conversion.

Feature 35mm film projection Digital projection
Image source Photographic celluloid reel DCP file or server stream
Resolution Standard definition analog 2K to 4K digital
Contrast ratio Approximately 2000:1 2000:1 to 5000:1
Maintenance Skilled projectionist daily Automated periodic service
Distribution Physical shipping worldwide Satellite or hard drive
Cost per screening High lab print transport Low after initial setup
Archival lifespan Centuries if stored properly Dependent on file migration

Beyond the specifications, the experience of watching film versus digital differed in subtle but meaningful ways. The slight imperfections of celluloid, including gate weave and minor scratches, gave screenings a human quality that pristine digital files lack. Conversely, digital projection eliminated the anxiety of a damaged print or a misthreaded reel, replacing mechanical unpredictability with digital reliability. The shift also changed the skills required to run a cinema, transforming projectionists into technicians who managed servers, colour calibration, and network connections rather than mechanical spools. For a glimpse into the specialised craft work behind period productions on screen, see our feature on a-look-at-the-makeup-and-hair-department-for-a-period-piece.

The Australian cinema landscape after streaming

The rise of streaming platforms in the late 2010s transformed viewing habits worldwide, and Australia was no exception. Netflix, Stan, and Disney+ offered vast libraries for the price of a single cinema ticket, tempting audiences to stay home. Cinema attendance in Australia declined steadily through the decade, prompting concerns about the future of communal viewing.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these trends dramatically. When venues closed in March 2020, many Australians discovered the convenience of home streaming in ways that persisted after restrictions lifted. Regional cinemas, already struggling, faced existential threats. In Brisbane, the historic Elizabeth Picture Theatre closed its doors permanently, while community venues across regional New South Wales launched crowdfunding campaigns to survive.

Yet Australian audiences also demonstrated remarkable resilience. Independent cinemas reported strong post-pandemic rebounds, as moviegoers returned seeking shared experiences unavailable at home.

Strategies that helped local venues adapt

Drive-in cinemas experienced a particular revival, with pop-up screens appearing in paddocks from the Mornington Peninsula to the Adelaide Hills. The communal pull of the cinema screen proved harder to replace than predicted.

What lies ahead for cinema screens

The future of cinema lies somewhere between technological innovation and the timeless appeal of shared storytelling. New developments include LED screens replacing traditional projection surfaces, capable of displaying both cinema content and live events with equal clarity. These systems, already installed in flagship venues around the world, offer deeper blacks than projection and eliminate the need for a darkened room.

Immersive formats continue to evolve. High frame rate, spatial audio, and enhanced colour gamuts push the boundaries of sensory experience. Australian venues like ACMI in Melbourne and the Brisbane Powerhouse are investing in experimental programming that blends cinema with performance art, interactive media, and virtual reality.

Trends shaping the coming decade

The cinema screen remains fundamentally a community space. Whether presenting a restored 35mm print, a Hollywood blockbuster in laser-projected 4K, or a locally produced short film, the act of gathering in a darkened room to watch stories unfold together retains a magic that no streaming algorithm can replicate.

To see what's coming up on our screen this season, from contemporary Spanish cinema to independent Australian features, browse the latest listings at our programme page and book your seats for a journey through the evolution of the moving image.