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Published Sunday, February 26, 2012 7:40 AM By CAROLYN THOMPSON
Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The license plate on movie projectionist Arnie Herdendorf's Buick is 35MM MAN, a nod to his work in the booth at the 1925 Palace Theatre, with its velvet-draped stage and chandeliered mezzanine.

When he drove recently to a multiplex to watch as its film projectors were swapped out for new digital ones, the sight of old 35 mm workhorses "stacked up like wounded soldiers" had him wondering how long his title -- or job -- would be around.

The questions are even bigger for historic movie houses themselves.

With the future of motion pictures headed quickly toward an all-digital format played only on pricey new equipment, will the theaters be around? Or will they be done in by the digital revolution that will soon render inadequate the projectors that have flickered and ticked with a little-changed technology for more than 120 years?

"Our guess is by the end of 2013 there won't be any film distributed anymore," said John Fithian, president and chief executive of the National Association of Theater Owners.

The Hollywood studios' industry-wide conversion from 35 mm film to digital satisfies modern-day demands for crisp clarity, cost savings and special effects like 3-D. And for big-budget theaters where new releases occupy multiple screens, installing digital projectors is a no-brainer. Already, about 60 percent have converted in the United States, at a price of $70,000 to $80,000 a screen, Fithian said.

But for the community-owned Palace and other small and historic movie houses, the merging of nostalgia with high-tech is a dauntingly expensive proposition. Yet one, most agree, that is critical if they are to keep attracting audiences to their light bulb-studded marquees. The cost is more than double the price of a top-of-the-line film projector.

"The Riviera Theatre is listed on the historic register, but we are not a museum," Executive Director Frank Cannata said from the 1927 theater north of Buffalo, "so it's important that we stay current ... and staying current isn't always affordable, as we're all finding out."

An estimated 500 to 750 historic theaters currently show movies, according to the Theatre Historical Society of America, though it adds no one has formally researched the number and the estimate is conservative.

"This is another major threat to these theaters which were largely rescued and restored by grass-roots local efforts," said Karen Colizzi Noonan, president of the THS, which records and preserves theaters' architectural and cultural history. "It is so sad that after all that hard work and dedication these groups now face another huge challenge just to survive."

And survival means doing whatever they can to raise the cash to convert.

Supporters of the privately owned Davis Theatre in Higginsville, Mo., are vying for a $50,000 prize in a Reader's Digest contest that would help pay for digital equipment for the 500-seat main auditorium. They were in second place at the start of February, with a month of voting to go.

"It's a long haul but it's encouraging to see a town come together," said Fran Schwarzer, who, with her husband, George, was nearing retirement age and sunk their savings into buying the 1934 theater to keep it from closing in 1998.

The couple added three screens in 2005 so they could show more first-run movies, always viewing the venture as more community service than money-maker in the small town east of Kansas City.

"If we had known then what we know now" about the swift onset of digital, "we would never have gone into debt more to put in three more auditoriums," Schwarzer said.

The Riviera will show movies with its two carbon arc lamphouses and projectors for as long as it can, Cannata said, while exploring funding for the digital replacements. If it can't, it will have to do away with the popular second-run movies offered at discount rates.

While live shows and other programming would keep the Riviera going, other theaters are trying to stave off closing with fundraisers, like the taco supper planned to raise money for the Onarga Theater in eastern Illinois. The 1937 theater that boasts being the first south of Chicago to show movies with sound has invested in its seating, concessions and sound systems in recent years, but can't afford the switch to digital projection.

North of Buffalo, the nonprofit, community-owned Palace is looking into loans and grants for a $75,000 digital setup, but it's also going to have to upgrade its electrical system to accommodate the new equipment, said Phil Czarnecki, vice president of the board. He can't help but think of all the restoration of the building -- a replica of the Paramount Theater in New York City that mixes Art Deco and Italian Renaissance style -- that could be accomplished with such an outlay.

The small theaters already are feeling pressure from the digital conversions taking place all around them. Instead of waiting three weeks for a modern multiplex to make a movie print available, it now often takes six or seven weeks because there are fewer 35 mm copies in circulation. That's more than enough time for the pool of potential ticket-buyers to lose interest or see the movie somewhere else.

It's not just the cost of digital projection that concerns Edward Summer, president of the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival. He worries that once older movie houses make the switch, they'll do away with their 35 mm projectors, something he says would be "a hideous mistake."

Summer sees a potential tourism niche in historic theaters showing classic movies -- and he worries that existing films that won't be digitized will be forever lost to audiences if the equipment isn't there to show them.

"Every motion picture made between 1894 and right this minute is on 35 mm film and those films not only still exist, but those film prints are the only way to see them," Summer said.

"It's not either/or," Summer said of the two projection technologies, "it's both/and."

The Palace's Herdendorf doesn't own a computer and isn't sure if his 17 years of splicing and dicing reels of film and threading them through a platter projection system will translate to the new technology with its pocket-size hard drives. He knows what to do if film breaks, but not if a computer freezes.

The Riviera eventually plans to display one of its 35 mm carbon arc projectors in the lobby, Cannata said, "so people can take a look at how films were shown at one time."

The Davis Theatre's Schwarzer jokes that her place's four projectors will become boat anchors. What's important, she said, is that the theater's doors stay open.

"We have such wonderful memories of this theater as children," she said. "You kind of like to think that kids that come now will have some of those memories, too."

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Historic movie houses go digital

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Posted 27 February 2012 10:30am by Andrew Warren-Payne with 0 comments

In our digital marketing and e-commerce careers guide, published at the beginning of the month, we put together some of the industry’s best advice on how senior digital professionals can improve their career.

As so much great advice was contributed that we couldn't include in the report itself, we've been publishing blog posts featuring the commentary we received.

Last week we asked whether it was better to be a generalist or specialist in digital marketing, and the week beforehand we asked what attributes were most sought after in senior digital professionals. 

This week our contributors answer the question: do digital leaders need both client-side and agency-side experience?

Though the answer may appear obvious for some, this question provoked a variety of responses with some interesting points on the merits of having such a background. We've compiled some of the most valuable insights below.

Rosalie Kurton, head of new business, LBi:

Not necessarily. It helps to be able to understand a client’s challenges operationally, as well as from a marketing and technology viewpoint, but this is often the result of forging strong partnerships and relationships with clients, including periods of co-location to create a blended client/agency team."

Claire Higgins, head of digital marketing, Selfridges:

I think having both is an advantage, as well as having a variety of experience across different sectors.

The benefits range from the consultative approach and strategic insight that an agency background can bring to the table, to understanding the pressurised dynamic of agency life that can help the team perform well under tight deadlines."

David Paice, e-commerce director, Merlin Entertainments:

If you can speak an agency’s language it will generally help speed certain processes up and you will have a better appreciation of whether you are getting value for money, but this is not essential."

Chris Ketley, head of digital and e-commerce, Bupa:

No, but I have, and it helps in two ways from a client perspective: first, to appreciate how an agency might add value and also its limitations; second, because in many companies the digital function operates and acts like a central agency resource. Business capability assessment, internal specialist digital skills and relationship management and are all important elements shared by clients and agencies."

Allison Wightman, head of ebusiness, Virgin Atlantic:

Not necessarily. Both client side and agency side are exciting jobs but it's often considered much cooler to work in an agency with different accounts, varying projects and new opportunities, particularly when you are getting a grounding in all things digital. If you work for a brand you have the challenge of growing a profitable digital business and also enjoy the perks of whatever company you work for, but you may not stay put as long as to grow in your career, as there is often only one website in most companies."

Matt Simpson, head of digital for EMEA, OmnicomMediaGroup:

Absolutely not, although it has some advantages. The benefit of having a background which includes both client and agency experience is a generally better understanding of what people want out of a situation, a better ability to read between the lines. There are many issues which affect a client’s ability to implement certain recommendations which are often not explained, having some knowledge of these is of course very helpful."

Alison Lancaster, CMO, Kiddicare, and marketing director, Morrison’s Non-Food:

I'd say yes, because I do - and you get very different perspectives depending on which side of the fence you're sitting. Having worked on the agency and consulting side, and then become a client, I think you are able to get closer to the commercial priorities, trading issues, available data and wider business needs.

However, when the chemistry is right, great agencies really listen and invest the time to get to know their clients inside out as if they are part of the client team. Great clients really appreciate and understand how to get the most out of their agencies - sharing information and insights as if they were an extension of their own team, and knowing what motivates them.  So if you don't have experience on both sides, take the time and trouble to really engage, listen, question and view things from both dimensions - and, of course, always view from the customer perspective."

Tessa Cook, e-commerce MD, Dyson:

No, not at all. Agency side people are often great at prioritising, project management and strategy. Client side people tend to be more grounded in reality, and great at getting stuff done."

Paul Wishman, group e-commerce director, LV:

This isn’t mandatory, as experience gained is usually sufficient to understand how to manage and work with respective agencies. This said there is value in having someone who is able to better empathise when dealing with their agency counterparts, and often people with this background do have greater technical depth."   

Russell Gould, former MD, e-StrategyConsultancy.com:

This is nice to have but I don't really see any great value here. The key is to understand both sides."

Fiona Spooner, head of acquisition and optimisation, Financial Times:

I'm sure it's helpful but not necessary. I would say that though as I have always been client-side, but I make a point to spend constructive time with agencies, learning how they work and think."  

What are your thoughts? Do you need both client-side and agency-side experience to succeed in digital marketing? How useful is it to have? Have you made the transition from one side to the other?  Join the debate and share your thoughts in the comments below.

For further information, download our free digital marketing and e-commerce careers guide (registration required) or find out more about the other free reports offered by Econsultancy. 

Andrew Warren-Payne is a Research Analyst at Econsultancy. 

Excerpt from:
Do digital leaders need both client-side and agency-side experience?

27 February 2012

The Isle of Man government has announced that it may work with a number of other countries in order to help reduce the compliance burden of the United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on the jurisdiction's financial services industry.

Responding to the incoming rules, the Isle of Man government has said that it wishes to assist businesses both to comply with FATCA and reduce compliance costs where possible. The government said an initial analysis had indicated that the inter-governmental partnership approach announced by several European governments and the US should be explored by the Isle of Man government.

The government said a high-level FATCA working party has already been formed, comprising of officers from the Chief Secretary's Office, the Department of Economic Development, the Financial Services Commission, the Insurance and Pensions Authority, the Office of the Data Protection Supervisor and the Treasury. The government further announced that initial contact has been made with the US and UK Treasury on the matter.

Manx Treasury Minister Eddie Teare, said: ?FATCA is a piece of legislation likely to have profound implications for global tax co-operation. I am committed to ensuring that we provide the best possible environment for business in the Isle of Man, and how we deal with FATCA as a government is vital to the business environment.?

He added: ?On FATCA implementation we intend to work closely with the UK on areas of mutual interest and we will look to adopt best practice as it develops. I also feel that we face almost identical issues in relation to FATCA as Guernsey and Jersey, and I have asked the working party to contact and work going forward with their counterparts in the Channel Islands. Finally, I expect to keep businesses in the Isle of Man fully informed of our progress through regular bulletins and dialogue.?

FATCA was enacted by the US in March 2010 and is intended to ensure that the US tax authorities obtain information on financial accounts held by US taxpayers at foreign financial institutions (FFIs). Failure by an FFI to disclose information would result in a requirement to withhold 30% tax on certain US-connected payments to non-participating FFIs and account holders who are unwilling to provide the required information.

A participating FFI will have to enter into an agreement with the US Internal Revenue Service to provide the name, address and taxpayer identification number (TIN) of each account holder who is a specified US person; and, in the case of any account holder which is a US-owned foreign entity, the name, address, and TIN of each substantial US owner of such entity. The account number is also required to be provided, together with the account balance or value, and the gross receipts and gross withdrawals or payments from the account.

A notice issued by the US Treasury and the IRS now provides a timeline for FFIs and US withholding agents to implement the various requirements of FATCA. Specifically, an FFI must enter an agreement with the IRS by June 30, 2013, to ensure that it will be identified as a participating FFI in sufficient time to allow withholding agents to refrain from withholding beginning on January 1, 2014.

Withholding on US source dividends and interest paid to non-participating FFIs will begin on January 1, 2014, and will be fully phased in on January 1, 2015. Due diligence requirements for identifying new and pre-existing US accounts (including certain high-risk accounts, including private banking accounts with a balance that is equal to or greater than USD500,000) will begin in 2013, and reporting requirements will begin in 2014.

In a statement responding to the US government's announcement of February 8, 2012, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom jointly issued a statement in support of the underlying goals of FATCA. The five nations agreed, in order to mitigate compliance costs for financial institutions, that they would explore a common approach to FATCA implementation through domestic reporting and reciprocal automatic exchange of information, based on existing bilateral tax treaties.

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IoM Mulls FATCA Implications

The Isle of Man’s chief minister says he wants to turn the Manx economy into an enterprise zone attracting new sources of business from abroad, as the island braces itself for major cuts in government jobs and services

After four months in the post, Chief Minister Allan Bell believes he is past the “pulling the duvet over my head” phase in what are difficult times and claims he is leading the island forward.

The Isle of Man (Other OTC: MAGOF.PK - news) budget this month included serious and unpopular cuts to government staff numbers and salaries after several economic setbacks.

Mr Bell sought to prepare the island with a pre-budget announcement that explained exactly how he plans to steer the island through what he admits will be “the most challenging year it has faced for a generation”.

He said the government wages bill, standing at well over £300 million, would need to be cut by 10 per cent within three to four years, adding: “We are probably going to be losing services that many of us grew up with and loved for many years. But that’s a fact of life.”

Housing, health care, pensions, welfare, planning and judicial systems will all come under the chief minister’s scrutiny, as he warned: “There will be no sacred cows. There will be nothing that can be ring-fenced. Where savings can be squeezed out they must be squeezed out.”

On top of the problems caused by a global economic downturn, last year the UK adjusted its VAT-sharing agreement with the island, costing the Manx government approximately 40 per cent of its annual income.

The loss in revenue was compounded by Standard & Poor ’s credit ratings downgrade in November (Stuttgart: A0Z24E - news) to double-A plus, in which the Isle of Man was judged to be “constrained by its undiversified small economy, which makes it more vulnerable to external shocks”.

Focusing on the island’s positives, the chief minister is seeking to reassure his people that they can look to the future with confidence.

“There are no quick and easy answers to the problems which confront us,” he says. “However, we must take courage from knowing our economy is still in a position of relative strength, that we have a high quality of life and that we are a haven of peace and political stability.”

Mr Bell has taken on board the criticisms of Standard & Poor’s and is seeking to bring new business opportunities.

“The island is currently researching business opportunities with India, China and Russia,” he says, “and in doing so hopes to generate new income streams, particularly in the clean tech and bioscience technology fields, that will add to revenue already boosted by an increase in personal tax.”

“My aspiration is to ensure the island as a whole becomes an enterprise zone committed to promoting innovation and entrepreneurialism and I have tasked my minister for economic development, John Shimmin, to deliver this.

“We must clear away impediments to economic growth, ensuring that our policies and processes facilitate rather than inhibit the future prosperity of our island.

“My vision as chief minister reflects my longstanding ambition to maintain a prosperous and caring society based on fairness, opportunity for all, social cohesion and quality of life.

“Our top priorities have to be: delivering further economic growth and diversification to provide new income for government and jobs for our people; living within our means by achieving a balanced budget and protecting the vulnerable in society.”

This piece was originally published in the Telegraph Weekly World Edition.

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Isle of Man looks East in challenging times

High (Euronext: HCO.NX - news) growth, tax-free pay and plenty of perks are luring expats to Qatar soon to be the jewel in the Gulf crown, according to the wealth management sector

Securing the World Cup was just the beginning. Qatar is fast becoming the Middle Eastern flagship for social, financial and cultural development and a new banking hotspot.

Qatar’s booming economy and appetite for developing non-oil sectors has attracted the international spotlight, especially in light of looming regulatory changes in the United Arab Emirates, according to Guardian Wealth Management.

David Russell, chief executive officer of GWM Qatar LLC, said: “Upcoming regulatory changes to the investment fund sector in the UAE have understandably made businesses nervous. Those seeking to make the most of more tax-efficient financial hubs expect to benefit from a lucid and uncomplicated system, which Qatar currently offers."

He said financial institutions in Qatar have been making "a concerted effort" to prove themselves among Middle Eastern counterparts.

“As well as its colossal oil and gas industry, Qatar’s enthusiasm for growing its infrastructure and manufacturing sectors means it has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Middle East and enjoyed the highest per capita income in the world last year," Mr Russell said.

Securing the World Cup deal has allowed Qatar to splurge on new infrastructure. It has seen the development of new residential areas, new ports and airports, as well as a new railway system and the continuous development of road networks.

“All industries are booming in Qatar and unlike many other areas around the world, there are no expectations for this to change," said Mr Russell. "The growth of the country is based on sound fundamentals and thus the job market is very fertile."

Such renovation also means there are plenty of building and engineering jobs being generated for expats, alongside financial placements.

New Telegraph Expat blogger, Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey , left Qatar seven years ago and says that although plenty of work placements are being generated, rent and cost-of-living is on the rise too.

"Qatar is where the work is and many people, especially those in the engineering fields, are heading to Qatar, many from Dubai," she said. "It is the only place in the Gulf at the moment where building is still going strong.

"But it still is around 10 years behind places like Dubai and, in so many ways, will probably never catch up. There is a strong trend backwards where expat interests such as alcohol and pork are concerned, making life much more difficult for expats. But the monetary perks being what they are, even with high rents, short-term expats can easily overlook any disadvantages."

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Growing expat exodus to Qatar