Vista Group Partners with ScreenPlus for Custom Cinema Streaming Platform

Premium video on demand (PVOD) platform ScreenPlus today announced they are partnering with Vista Group for a technology solution that will allow cinemas to launch personalized PVOD platforms. The partnership is the latest innovation in the streaming space—including Kino Marquee and other “theatrical VOD” platforms—that allow cinemas to generate revenue through streaming during the worldwide theatrical shutdown.

ScreenPlus was initially developed as an industry solution enabling exhibitors, festivals, production companies, and others in the entertainment space to share content, complete with piracy protection and digital rights management (DRM). Recently, it worked with SXSW to make films available to film buyers after the cancellation of the festival. ScreenPlus’ partnership with Vista Group will bring that infrastructure to film markets worldwide, with Vista’s loyalty, marketing, and cinema operations functionality added in. 

Explains ScreenPlus director John Barnett: “ScreenPlus is a market-leading platform that connects people with their favorite local cinemas, enabling them to watch new releases through the portal of their cinema, but at home. The cinemas have lost out as a result of the current COVID-19 crisis, but this will potentially generate additional revenue and retain the relationships exhibitors have with their customers.”

“We have been working with [ScreenPlus developers] Shift72 to bring the ScreenPlus solution to our exhibition customers for some time,” adds Murray Holdaway, founder and chief product officer of Vista Group. “The outbreak of COVID-19 has seen us accelerate the release of the product to the exhibition market. The templated nature of the solution, which is SaaS based, enables us to stand up customized VOD sites for our customers in very short time frames. Shift72’s technology and delivery are world class, and we are excited to put exhibitors in the driving seat, creating new offerings they can provide to their customers.”

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