Blog | Jonas Dees

For the past few years, Film Studios have begun a process of converting their profitable movie houses to Digital to avoid film production and distribution costs. No one knew an exact date, but that date has arrived: December 2012. Very soon, every movie theater in the country, including the hundreds of remaining drive in’s, will either have converted their film projection systems to the new digital projectors or they will be out of business with no movies to show. The news was released today, September 11th 2012: Fuji Film, one of the last and largest maker of 35mm film will halt all production and close it’s facilities by December 31st 2012.

This mandatory requirement means the 58-year old Harvest Moon Twin Drive In Theatre must upgrade its projection and sound equipment for the minimal cost of $120,000. This is for USED equipment and doesn’t cover the cost of installation and the special designs required for a Drive In theatre. The multiplexes and large chains have all received VPF’s(basically rebates for converting over early) to help defray their costs. We are not! We don’t meet the qualifications to receive them, unfortunately no drive in theatre does…