CT Newsreel

UNIC launches third Women’s Cinema Leadership programme

THE INTERNATIONAL UNION of Cinemas (UNIC) — theEuropean cinema trade grouping — launched the third edition of its Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme at CineEurope this June. A 12-month mentoring programme for women in cinema exhibition, it follows the success of the first two rounds of the programme.

The mentoring programme will see eight talented female European cinema professionals receive one-to-one support and development advice from outstanding women executives from across the cinema landscape.

This edition will also for the first time see the initiative expand its reach, welcoming mentees from UNIC’s Partnership Programme to include participants from 14 different companies across 10 territories.

UNIC CEO Laura Houlgatte commented: “It’s with great pride that we at UNIC are continuing our committed efforts towards promoting more gender-balanced leadership in the industry. We set out with the key long-term objective of broadening the talent pool for leadership in cinema exhibition, in the hope that the mentees of today would become the Laura Houlgatte at the launch in June mentors of tomorrow.”

Strong MDI introducing Premium HGA 1.7 Screens

STRONG/MDI SCREEN Systems, a leader in projection screen manufacturing and optical coating development, has announced the release of its Premium HGA 1.7, a screen developed for the latest high-resolution laser projectors. Premium HGA 1.7 has been engineered specifically for high output projector systems that demand superior light diffusion properties.

Strong/MDI’s lead chemist, Carmen Simion, explained: “Although the new screen is part of the HGA family, the 1.7 coating has unique properties to enhance light scattering and mitigate speckling.” The proprietary technology behind the HGA coating results in a whiter-looking screen with an ultrawide viewing angle. Images appear bright and even across the surface while colours in all parts of the spectrum are deep and rich.

Movies@Cinemas and Omnex agree installation of UK and Ireland’s first Samsung Onyx Cinema LED

UK AND IRELAND CINEMA integrator Omnex hasannounced the agreement to install the first ever of Samsung’s ground-breaking Onyx Cinema LED screens in the UK and Irish market.

The Movies@Cinemas chain has selected an impressive 10m 4K screen for its Movies@Dundrum multiplex — the flagship venue for a business that takes great pride in the technical quality of the experience it delivers. Working with integrators Omnex, Movies@ Cinemas has identified the value installation of a stateof-the art Onyx Cinema LED can deliver for audiences. The installation will be supported by the addition of audio design from Christie Vive Audio that provides a soundscape to match the quality of the images.

“Movies@Cinemas has always been something of a pioneer, committed to bringing the best audio-visual

technologies to our audiences”, explained Graham Spurling, co-managing director of Movies@Cinemas, “When I went with the team from Omnex and saw these screens in action at Samsung’s HQ in Frankfurt, the image quality blew me away. We’re hugely excited to be working with them both to be the first to give a radically innovative experience to UK and Irish audiences.”.

Muvi Cinemas chooses Cinionic to illuminate screens in Saudi Arabia

CINIONIC IS CONTINUING its expansion into Saudi Arabia by announcing a strategic relationship with the Next Generation Company Ltd (NG), sister company to Fawaz Alhokair Group, for its first cinema brand, Muvi Cinemas.

Muvi Cinemas plans to open over 20 multiplexes in Saudi Arabia in the next 18 months, including in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The exhibitor is among the few granted a license to

operate movie theatres in the Kingdom. “The relationship with Muvi advances cinema’s expansion in the Middle East, illuminating screens for 33 million people in Saudi Arabia,” said Wim Buyens, CEO of Cinionic. “We’re committed to providing best-in-class laser solutions and services for exhibitors worldwide for a new visual standard. We are proud to be part of the expansion in moviegoing experiences, in new markets.”

“As an added advantage, HGA coatings are resistant a nd long-lasting. They are also competitively priced, a worthwhile investment for any exhibitor looking to maximize the cost-quality balance” noted Francois Barrette, VP at Strong/MDI Screen Systems. For more information, email info@strongmdi.com

Flexound and Ferco team up to deliver in-seat audio

THE FIRST CINEMA seats certified for the Flexound Augmented Audio technology are now in mass production as the leading seating manufacturer Ferco has gained Flexound Augmented Audio certification for two of its models, Premium Verona and Premium Milano. Flexound also has its own Finland-produced model available and other manufactures and models will be announced soon. “Our co-operation with Ferco Seating is the next step in a global cinema strategy as augmented audio defies all cultural barriers. We are negotiating with exhibitors from all over the world”, says Flexound CEO Mervi Heinaro. Flexound technology offers equal sound quality in every seat independent of seat location. It improves the clarity of dialogue and enables lower sound volumes in the theatre, as less subwoofer is needed. Augmented audio needs no wearable accessories and developed out of work undertaken in 2015 to help autistic children by adding the sensation of touch to music. Now the versatile technology can be embedded into cinema, airplane or car seats, gaming chairs, cushions and more.

UNIC elects its new board

AT THE GENERAL Assembly of the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) held at CineEurope, the cinema trade grouping elected a new board to serve for the next two years.

The decision saw Phil Clapp, CEO of the UK Cinema Association, reappointed as president and other key board positions confirmed. “I would like to thank UNIC’s members warmly for renewed confidence in me and my fellow Board members,” commented Phil Clapp, “It will be both an honour and a privilege to support the organisation in its efforts to continue to provide a strong and influential voice for the European cinema sector.”

As well as the President, the UNIC Board of Directors, elected for a twoyear term, are:

Senior Vice-President & Treasurer: Jaime Tarrazón - Delegate, Federación de Cines de España (Spain)

Vice President: Kim Pedersen – CEO, Danske Biografer (Denmark)

Vice President: Edna Epelbaum – President, Association Cinématographique Suisse (Switzerland)

Vice President: Mario Mazzetti – CEO, Associazione Nazionale Esercenti Cinema (Italy)

Vice-President: Tomasz Jagiełło – CEO, Helios (Poland)

Vice-President: Richard Patry – President, Fédération Nationale des Cinémas Français (France)

Cinionic strikes Laser as a Service deal with Omniplex Cinemas

Cinionic, the Barco, CGS, and ALPD cinema joint venture, has announced the strengthening of its strategic relationship with Ireland’s largest multiplex cinema chain, Omniplex Cinemas, to upgrade an additional 29 theatres with Cinionic’s Laser as a Service (LaaS) solution, resulting in more than 40 upgraded laser locations. Through LaaS, Cinionic and Omniplex Cinemas will deliver an elevated and consistent movie-going experience for audiences across Ireland.

The move to Laser as a Service means no more lamp replacements for these theatres. The upgraded fleet of projectors benefits from up to 30% increased light output and is an environmental choice with up to 78% less power consumption when compared to lamp projection. The LaaS solution deployed at Omniplex Cinemas is powered by an ALPD laser light source and outcomebased services from Cinionic that aim to deliver consistently improved image quality over time.

“Laser as a Service lets us benefit from reduced costs with significant energy savings. We’re excited to roll out these upgrades and continue the partnership with Cinionic,” said Omniplex Cinema’s Mark Anderson.

Vue joins UniqueX’s Movie Transit DCP delivery network

Unique X, one of the leading names in digital cinema software solutions, has announced that Vue Entertainment has chosen to install its Movie Transit DCP content delivery solution in all of its 91 cinemas, a total of 870 screens, throughout the UK and Ireland.

The completed deployment of Movie Transit will streamline further Vue’s cinema operations, integrating fully with both Unique X’s Smart Trailering and Basekey KDM management solutions which have already been successfully established across the Vue network.

“Vue is dedicated to offering a premium out-ofhome entertainment experience and this demands, amongst other things, innovative and robust technical solutions,” commented Roland Jones, executive director of technical services at Vue International, adding that the service complements the existing software: “We have been impressed by the performance and capability of Smart Trailering and Basekey, the addition of Unique X’s Movie Transit content delivery solution is the next step in our drive to optimise cinema operations.”

AAM brings eco-friendly automation to Screenwriter

ARTS ALLIANCE MEDIA has announced the release of new features and integrations to its leading Theatre Management System (TMS), Screenwriter. The latest version provides AAM’s exhibitor customers with advanced automation options and support for the newest projectors and technology in digital cinema. “AAM actively develop and improve Screenwriter to ensure it continues to streamline essential operational services for cinemas, while also providing them with a platform for further innovation.” noted Mark Kamiyama, head of global sales at AAM’s parent company Luxin-Rio International. “We’re proud to provide a robust, user-friendly system that allows our customers all around the world to drive efficiency and innovation.” Additional features available from the latest release include eco-friendly automated show stop mode that automatically shuts off the projector for shows where no tickets have been sold; show trimming that can dynamically remove content from the beginning of the pre-show to prevent scheduled shows from overlapping; and dual KDM ingestion for premium screenings where object-based audio formats are encrypted separately from the DCP.

CinemaNext and France’s Megarama announce agreement for 110+ laser projectors

THE EUROPEAN SPECIALIST in cinema exhibitor services Cinema Next and French circuit Megarama have announced an agreement for the sale and installation of a minimum of 110 Barco laser projectors at 15 of the cinema chain’s current sites and upcoming new cinema builds through 2021. CinemaNext will oversee the replacement of Series 1 digital projectors in all Megarama-branded cinemas in France, Spain and Morocco.

“We’ve enjoyed a long partnership with CinemaNext and are excited to be undertaking this renewal project,” said Jean-Pierre Lemoine, president and CEO of Megarama Group. “At a time when moviegoers are ever-more discerning, it is part of our strategy to elevate our image quality to provide audiences with the best experience.”

Georges Garic, SVP of CinemaNext, commented: “This deal, which consists primarily of equipment distribution, installation and maintenance, represents anticipated revenues for CinemaNext of more than €10 million over the next two years.”

Harkness Screens celebrates 90 years

September 12th marks the beginning of Harkness Screens’ 90th birthday celebrations. For the entirety of its 90 years, the company has been at the forefront of cinema screen technology, now employing more than 100 people in five countries.

Founded by master draper Andrew Harkness in 1929, Harkness Screens soon became a leading force in the world of cinema. Just two years after the company’s inception, the founder passed away, leaving the company to his only son, Tom.

Under the guidance of Tom Harkness, the company developed a reputation as the dominant name in cinema screen production, pioneering the use of PVC as a means to replace heavy woven fabrics that initially made Harkness a name in cinematic circles.

Harness today continues to be a leader in screen technology, having had thousands of its large screens installed in over 130 countries. The company is currently researching and developing the future of laser projection.

The 90th anniversary celebrations will usher in an increased commitment to engage with the public. This will be done through the production of a wide range of online content that tells the Harkness story and the story of its committed members of staff.