CASE STUDY

Digital Theatre chose Simplestream to create a set of OTT and streaming services across multiple devices and platforms, enhancing the monetisation opportunities with hybrid business models that include subscriptions, rentals, and Pay-per-view ‘as-live’.  

Starting from the migration of an existing database, Simplestream had the task to create a solid infrastructure for the distribution of content across multiple devices and platforms, the complexity of which needed to be paired with several premium functionalities. Digital Theatre looked to grow their revenue streams by combining a few business models for their audience, introducing single rentals of theatre events as purchasable items, besides the regular, ongoing subscriptions.

Simplestream’s App Platform was deployed to launch Digital Theatre’s free-to-download applications across desktop, Android, iOS, and Fire TV. Many other platforms (among which Roku) are also in development. App Platform supports a range of monetisation models, seamlessly controlled via the proprietary content management system, Media Manager.

Event Video-on-demand (EVOD) was included for Digital Theatre besides Subscription Video-on-demand (SVOD) viewing (with traditional monthly and annual packages), Pay-per-view events, and rentals via Transactional Video-on-demand (TVOD). Digital Theatre can control both the price and rental period, defined as transaction tiers, delivering greater choice for the end users, discounted rentals for subscribers, and rewarding loyal customers.

The delivery of Digital Theatre’s set of OTT services marked the launch of the sector’s first full digital lifecycle distribution platform: from Pay-per-view live streaming and as-live productions, through to Subscription SVOD and Rental TVODs. To enable viewers to watch at a time and place convenient to them, on everything from personal devices to TVs.

Digital Theatre provides the audience with unprecedented coverage of world-class theatre productions, as well as musical theatre, opera, ballet, and classical music. The ability to combine various monetisation models allowed Digital Theatre to enhance the opportunities to generate revenue and, at the same time, to create an experience that brings the magic of theatres to the user’s screens as if from a front row seat.