Cinema Technology Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2024 (Vol. 37 No. 03)

CT VIEW

You’re late!”, we hear you cry! You’d been expecting us to drop this latest edition of CT Magazine in September and yet here it is a couple of months late. So, why the delay? What’s happened?

Two years ago when we acquired this publication, we were keen to ensure we provided continuity to our readership and membership. This meant ensuring that we delivered the magazine on time and with the same focus on cinema technology and innovation that had been the mainstay of the magazine since its creation more than 25 years ago. We have attempted, we hope successfully to honour this during the past two years whilst recognising that the post-pandemic cinema industry has changed significantly and continues to do so at a rapid pace.

As we look forward to 2025 and beyond, we see an industry with the potential to reach new heights supported by an incredible movie slate,

unique offerings in terms of comfort, F&B and evolving technology, all aimed at providing amazing experiences to cinema goers around the world.

We want to ensure that this publication continues to support this transforming industry for many years to come, so behind the scenes we’ve started working on the next evolution of CT Magazine. This incorporates iterations to our layout and design, looking at print and delivery methodologies for the publication, creating a brand new editorial steering committee to help us identify and curate the content that you will find interesting and useful, as well as identifying adjacent technologies that could help us create more interactive and engaging content.

But with limited resources, we need some space from the quarterly schedule commitment to help us execute on these. So, we took the decision in September to only produce one publication during the second half

of 2024 (instead of two) to help us create that capacity to start that exciting work.

So, this publication, whilst packed full of incredible content including a look a current look at AI, Cybersecurity, the issues of laser projection in postproduction and where the future of cinema may be headed in terms of immersion, will be our last until March 2025 when we’ll be back with hopefully an exciting issue that will set the future direction of this publication.

Until then, we wish you a joyful end to 2024 and a hugely successful start to 2025.

Richard Mitchell, President, Cinema Technology Community

Specsavers joins forces with Cineworld to launch largescale cinema partnership

Specsavers has teamed up with Cineworld Cinemas to bring its renowned “Should’ve” humour to the big screen. In a first of its kind partnership, Specsavers will be the first advertiser to stage a takeover of non-standard media placements that humorously disrupt the cinema environment.

THE partnership was brokered by Manning Gottlieb OMD and Digital Cinema Media - the market leader in UK cinema advertising. It includes the takeover of Cineworld’s, ‘turn your phones off’ messaging, a media-first cobranded trailer spot, and a takeover of the DCM opening and closing idents.

DCM’s creative arm, DCM Studios, worked closely with Specsavers’ inhouse creative agency to exclusively produce a series of bespoke assets for cinema. All the familiar in-house

messages have been re-imagined with Specsavers’ well-known humorous tone of voice showing a series of mishaps caused by people within the cinema environment who really ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’.

This includes the famous ‘turn your phones off’ message being misread to turn on; cleaners hoovering in front of the screen as they can’t see the film trailers have started and a decorator painting over the big screen in black thinking it’s a wall.

All elements of the campaign went live recently, running for a six-month period across a breadth of blockbuster films including Despicable Me 4, Deadpool & Wolverine and BeetleJuice Beetlejuice. The content will run at different times throughout the partnership and across the iconic preshow at Cineworld sites, allowing Specsavers to make maximum impact while utilising cinema’s unique environment to further engage and immerse audiences in the moment.

Picture House Uckfield Takes Over East Grinstead’s Atrium

AWARD winning independent cinema The Picture House Uckfield has taken over The Atrium Cinema in East Grinstead previously run by Scott Cinemas who run a successful chain based in the west country.

Kevin Markwick, owner of the family run Picture House Uckfield and CTC Podcaster, said “we are delighted to be in East Grinstead. I’ve been hoping to take The Atrium for a number of years and we are looking forward to bringing our successful brand of cinema to the town. There is a lot to do and a way to go but I’m sure in time we will give the town the best cinema in the area.”

Kevin has invested heavily in The Picture House Uckfield over the last 10 years in both technology and interior design. It won Cinema of the Year in 2018. During the pandemic at the height of the ‘death of cinema’ stories he completely refurbished Screen 3 (some may had questioned his decision at that difficult time) to produce a luxury screen experience, renamed The Lounge, with super comfortable reclining seats, a special menu and waiter service and he’s never looked back. It’s been a resounding success and the business has continued to grow since then. More recently due to the success of ‘The Lounge’ he has upgraded the seating in Screen 1 and introduced in-seat service there too. It’s this enthusiasm, vision and family values that Kevin will be bringing to The Atrium Cinema. Kevin’s virtually grew up in The Picture House from the age of 2 when his father took over the lease in 1964 and Kevin has been at the helm since his father passed away in 1994. His years of experience through the lucrative and leaner times (VHS, DVD, and now streaming), have always been surrounded with challenges but his forward thinking has continued to make The Picture House a success and this will be invaluable for taking The Atrium Cinema into the future.

“There are plans afoot which will gradually be revealed and implemented over time. It’s about serving the local community and giving them the best place to watch a films and Arts on Screen at the centre of their town,” Kevin adds.

Sussex, UK

US Theatre Owners to Invest More Than $2.2 Billion in the Cinematic Experience

THEATRE owners across the United States and Canada reaffirmed their commitment to providing moviegoers with the memorable entertainment experiences they expect and deserve. The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), which represents theatre owners around the world, announced that the eight largest theatre chains in the United States and Canada, representing over 21,000 screens and 67% of the box office, will invest more than $2.2 billion dollars to modernise and upgrade theatres of all sizes over the next three years. Since the inception of exhibition over a century ago, reinvesting in theatres has been a hallmark of the industry. Today’s announcement signals a continuation of that legacy that will benefit moviegoers in communities everywhere.

“There is no question that movie fans of all ages love heading to the local theatre to see great movies on the big screen. But the competition for consumers’ hard-earned dollars is fiercer than ever,” said NATO President & CEO Michael O’Leary. “Going to the theatre is an unparalleled entertainment experience, and exhibitors are dedicated to making every visit to their theatres memorable. This investment reflects that commitment in a tangible way that every moviegoer will see and enjoy.”

NATO projects that the funds will be used on an array of projects to modernise and improve theatres of all sizes. These updates include adding the latest laser projection technology and immersive sound systems, installing more comfortable seating, enhancing food and beverage offerings, creating family entertainment options such as arcades and bowling, and investing in core site elements like state-of-the-art air conditioning, lighting, signage and carpeting.

“Today’s consumers rightly demand the best possible experience when they visit our theatres. Operating a theatre today is a capital-intensive operation,” said NATO Executive Board Chair and CEO of B&B Theatres, Bob Bagby. “This investment of resources is the next step in our industry’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that going to the theatre remains a unique and special experience for generations to come.”

The investment projections above came from a range of NATO members that included national and regional chains. Movie theatres are cornerstones in their local communities, providing first jobs, hosting first dates, offering affordable and accessible entertainment, and attracting consumers to retail and entertainment centers. The eight companies that reported to NATO represent over 1,600 site locations and cover all 50 states and Canada: AMC Entertainment Inc., Regal Cinemas, Cinemark USA, Inc., Cineplex, Marcus Theatres Corp., B&B Theatres, Harkins Theatres, and Santikos Entertainment.

Rotherham UK

Curtain Rises on Rotherham’s New Forge Island Cinema

For the first time since 1990 it is now possible to see the latest Hollywood blockbusters in Rotherham, following the official opening of The Arc Cinema Rotherham.

THE centre piece of Rotherham’s Forge Island regeneration project, work commenced on building the new multi million pound cinema in January 2024 and since that time The Arc Cinema Group has left no stone unturned in a bid to bring a luxury cinema experience to South Yorkshire.

The new facility, which features eight screens, has combined contemporary design, whilst also giving a nod to the golden age of cinema houses. Each screen is equipped with luxury reclining seats, designed to give film lovers the ultimate viewing experience.

The cinema also features two state-of-theart HYPERSENSE screens. The latest development in cinema technology, the two giant wall-to-wall cinema screens have been carefully designed to provide the ultimate viewing experience and feature state-of-the-art 4K laser projection as well as boasting Dolby Atmos® surround sound to create a truly immersive viewing experience.

“The opening of a new cinema in Rotherham is arguably one of the most eagerly anticipated events that the town has seen for many years. We’ve received a terrific amount of support from across the whole community.

“We believe that visiting the cinema is an

experience which can and should be enjoyed by everyone and we’re looking forward to welcoming film lovers to our brand new cinema.

Brian Gilligan, Director, Arc Cinema Group said:

“From the outset, our aim has been to create a place that belongs to the people of Rotherham, just as much as it belongs to us.

“Rotherham is an area with a large population that has been underserved by cinema facilities for a long time. We hope that the opening of our cinema, will not only create a location where film

lovers can enjoy the latest blockbusters, but in time it will become an important part of the local community.”

The Arc Cinema group is a family-owned business which operates twelve cinemas across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Since its formation in 2014, the company has specialised in bringing cinema facilities to populations that are underserved. The company places emphasis upon playing an active role within the communities it serves by engaging with local good causes, schools and community groups.

CinemaNext & Harkness Screens Partner to Install Cutting Edge Hugo SR

Screen in Vienna’s

Cineplexx

Vienna

CINEMANEXT and Harkness Screens have joined forces to install the revolutionary Hugo SR screen in Screen 7 of Vienna’s Cineplexx Donauzentrum. This installation marks a significant step forward in cinema technology, providing moviegoers with an unparalleled viewing experience. The Hugo SR screen, measuring an impressive 19.8m x 9m, has been specifically engineered for laser projection. It is the centrepiece of the premium cinema auditorium, which also features Dolby Atmos sound, D-Box seats, and a state-of-the-art Barco SP4K-55 laser projector. Christof Papousek, CFO/Managing Co-owner Cineplexx Group, commented that, “we have installed a significant number of Harkness Clarus screens with our major investment in Barco laser projectors throughout the Cineplexx Group in Austria, Romania and the Balkans. A brand new Barco SP4K-55 is the perfect projector match for the Hugo screen.” Christof Federle, General Manager of CinemaNext Austria, commented on the installation: “We’re thrilled to bring the Hugo SR screen to Vienna. This technology represents a quantum leap in cinema screens, perfectly complementing the advanced laser projection and immersive sound systems in place at Cineplexx Donauzentrum. It’s a game-changer for the viewing experience.”

The Hugo SR screen is the result of over five years of research and development, created in collaboration with projector manufacturers, global exhibitors, the Hollywood community, and leading educational institutes. It boasts several groundbreaking features, including embedded speckle reduction technology, built-in high contrast, and an optically whiter surface. This installation follows successful collaborations between CinemaNext and Harkness Screens on recent Omniplex multiplex projects in Wigan and Birmingham, UK, where Hugo SR screens were also installed. The Hugo SR screen is designed to support and leverage the benefits of all types of laser projection, creating compelling 2D and deep 3D images with additional contrast. Its unique surface coating creates more vivid colours with blacker blacks and whiter whites, ensuring that the enhanced capabilities of laser projection are fully realised.

Arts Alliance Media and Sound Vision Technical Agree Screenwriter and Producer Partnership with Golden Ticket Cinemas

ARTS ALLIANCE MEDIA (AAM), the global leader in digital cinema software and support services, and Sound Vision Technical (SVT), a technology services provider offering digital cinema conversions and installations worldwide, has announced a new Screenwriter and Producer partnership with Golden Ticket Cinemas, one of the fastest growing movie exhibitors in the United States.

Upgrading each sites’ Theatre Management System (TMS) to AAM’s Screenwriter, Golden Ticket Cinemas will harness effective automation, drag-and-drop interfaces, and versatile screen management capabilities to control content with ease.

With Producer, AAM’s expert enterprise TMS, harnessing Screenwriter’s site-level data, content management and site monitoring will be centralised from head office to increase circuit-wide efficiency. The software deployment, managed by SVT, will enable a birds-eye view of every Golden Ticket site totalling 137 screens.

“After trialling Screenwriter and Producer with Sound Vision Technical, it was immediately apparent these solutions could transform how we operate”, explained John Bloemeke, President of Golden Ticket Cinemas. “Delivering a modern theatre experience is integral to our identity and that starts with the tools we employ to manage our theatres.”

Responsible for scheduling features, trailers and advertisements, monitoring screens, and controlling playback for over 45,000 screens worldwide, AAM’s Screenwriter remains the most powerful, widely deployed TMS in the world. By adding Producer’s pioneering automation to Screenwriter’s long-established functionality, Golden Ticket Cinemas have the tools to reduce site-to-site task duplication, saving time and resource while allowing more time to focus on the experience of their audiences.

“We are always proud to support exhibitors in upgrading their software and equipment. Golden Ticket’s ambition is reflected in the solutions they employ and with Screenwriter and Producer at their core, they have the foundation to streamline all management workflows”, explained Chase Taylor, Owner of SVT.

Peter Kim, Global Sales Director at AAM, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Golden Ticket to our exhibitor network as they continue their impressive growth trajectory. Their investment in both Screenwriter and Producer highlights the advanced functionality of each tool, especially when used in tandem, and we look forward to supporting them on their journey.”

Cine Colombia signs with Vista Group

VISTA Group International Limited (NZX & ASX:VGL) is pleased to announce that new client, Cine Colombia, has signed an agreement to move its cinema circuit to Moviegoer Engagement, Vista Group’s market leading digital SaaS solution.

Cine Colombia is the leading cinema circuit in Colombia with 48 cinemas and over 340 screens and, following a pilot this month, is expected to complete the migration of all of its sites to Vista Group’s on-premise solution as well as to Moviegoer Engagement and digital channels by the end of 2024.

Cine Colombia CEO and Presidente, Munir Falah, said: “As one of the leading exhibition companies in Latin America, we are very enthusiastic about Vista Group becoming our strategic partner for our enterprise cinema software solution and digital channels.”

Vista Group CEO, Stuart Dickinson, said: “It is really exciting to have new clients continuing to take up our market leading cloud solutions. Cine Colombia is a significant circuit and a known innovator in the market. It speaks to the market fit of our cloud solutions that cinema circuits like Cine Colombia are moving from other software providers to our cloud solutions to prepare their cinema circuits for the future.”

Colombia

Nordisk Film Cinema chooses

POWERSOFT’S Unica amplifier platform is the backbone to recently refurbished screening rooms in Nordisk Film Cinemas’ Danish cinema Kinopalæet.

Nordisk Film Cinemas, a prominent cinema chain in the Scandinavian cinema industry recently refurbished two screening rooms in its Kinopalæet cinema, north of Copenhagen. Kinopalæet turned to Powersoft Unica amplifiers in order to achieve a unparalleled and stable audio experience to its cinemagoers. Spearheading the rooms’ refurbishment was Jan Rasmussen, head of screen technology at Nordisk Film Cinemas: “The main factors in choosing audio equipment for cinema are quality, features and stability,” he says. “We prefer using networked sound in our cinemas because of the flexibility and cost efficiency and Powersoft fits perfect in all these categories,” Rasmussen adds.

The refurbishment was done in two rooms, Screen 8 with 81 reclining seats and Screen 11, a 4DX auditorium with 112 seats. Powersoft’s Unica 8K8 amplifiers take the centre stage, driving a full 7.1 setup with bi-amped front channels

Powered by Unica 8K8, speakers from MAG Cinema in Ukraine deliver the audio. The transition to Powersoft Unica amplifier platforms translate into significant savings on power consumption, aligning with the company’s commitment to

Warwick, UK

Apple Cinemas’ Will Introduce ScreenX

In Warwick, RI & White Plains, NY This Fall

Powersoft Unica 8K8 amplifier

sustainability. One of the reasons, Rasmussen chose Unica amplifier to install in the cinema rooms was a “full featured multichannel networked amplifier with stability and high-quality.” Even though it was the first time Rasmussen used Powersoft amplifiers, he was happy with the valuable support provided from Powersoft in preparation for the installation. Recognising the pivotal role sound plays in the cinematic experience, Rasmussen emphasises that it contributes to 50% of the overall allure to the cinemagoers. “It’s essential that we can deliver the best possible sound quality, running with the best stability of operation.”

“We are proud to have provided Nordisk Film with our latest cloud-based Unica amplifier. This collaboration with a leading Cinema brand like Nordisk Film is a fantastic recognition of our newest amplifier platform and the many advantages and functionalities it brings to improve audio quality and reduce operative costs in the cinema market ” says Francesco Cionini , global key account manager at Powersoft. Thanks to our licencefree Universo cloud platform, we are able to offer 24h/7 remote monitoring capabilities and help cinema customers to keep their audio system under control and minimise downtime situations”.

The end result of integrating Powersoft Unica amps has left Nordisk Film Cinemas thoroughly impressed: “We are highly satisfied with the performance of Powersoft Unica amps and will in

CJ 4DPLEX, the world’s leading producer of premium film formats and cinema technologies, and Apple Cinemas, today announced their partnership to open five ScreenX auditoriums across the country

THE first two ScreenX theaters set to welcome audiences are located at Apple Cinemas Warwick Mall in Rhode Island and Apple Cinemas White Plains City Center in New York. The remaining three ScreenX theaters are scheduled to open in 2025 and 2026 as the partnership continues to expand nationwide.

ScreenX is a cutting-edge, cinematic technology that expands specially selected sequences of the film onto the left-and-right-side walls of the auditorium. Hailed as the world’s first multi-projection cinema, ScreenX transports audiences into the action of the film by creating a 270-degree panoramic experience.

“As our 270-degree ScreenX technology continues to captivate audiences around the world, CJ 4DPLEX is excited to announce our venture with Apple Cinemas to launch five new theater locations,” said Don Savant, CEO & President, CJ 4DPLEX Americas. “This marks a significant advancement in our mission to bring differentiated and premium cinematic experiences to

more cities, partnering with one of the nation’s fastest-growing independent cinema chains.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with CJ 4DPLEX to deliver a transformative cinema experience to our Apple Cinemas moviegoers,” said Siva Shan – Co-Founder, Apple Cinemas. “ScreenX engages viewers, drawing them into a cinematic journey with its multi-projection system and 270-degree panoramic experience. With our initial locations established, we’re excited to plan a nationwide expansion in the coming years.”

The Apple Cinemas chain currently operates in several states including Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and is known for offering a mix of major blockbusters and independent films.

These theaters will begin operations just in time for several highly anticipated releases, such as Warner Bros.’ “Joker: Folie A Deux,” Paramount Pictures’ “Gladiator II,” and Universal Pictures’ “Wicked,” and Walt Disney Studios’ “Mufasa.”

Christie CP4420-Xe Helps GABHA Studios Add VFX Expertise at Finishing Suite

DUBLIN-BASED post-production expert, GABHA Studios, has chosen a Christie CP4420Xe cinema projector for its new colour finishing suite at Westland Row, Dublin, Ireland. The independent VFX studio delivers high-end visual effects, colour grading and mastering for commercials, broadcast, TV, film and content. Installation was carried out by Christie partner Kaurus, who opted for a Christie CP4420-Xe with 2.0KW LB Xenon and Premium High Contrast Zoom lens.

“At GABHA, we knew we needed the premiere projector for the job,” says Andrew Francis, partner and senior colorist at GABHA. “This was so we could compete on the world’s stage and enable our collaborators to experience their projects in the best environment. Peter and the Kaurus team were highly recommended by various leading post- filmmakers. They all agreed there would be nobody else they would suggest for a build of this quality.”

The brief to Kaurus was the theatre and projection system needed to be similar or better than a Hollywood suite. “Christie was chosen for this project because they have been designing and manufacturing the very best of DCI projection for cinema for many years,” says Peter Sutton, technical director and co-founder, Kaurus. “The performance level of its product has been the cornerstone to the mastering of hundreds of film and TV projects. Christie delivers images with sharp detail, colour accuracy, consistency, and flexibility. This collective is key for integrator and client trust.”

“This Series 4 DCI-compliant projector from Christie has upped the ante on specifications for 4K with a 12G input capability. It caters to the latest advances in post-production infrastructure and the most recent specifications for HDMI for alternative content. The new suite of lenses also offers outstanding optical performance.” Francis, who has been digital colour timing

for the last 12 years, added, “We knew this suite wasn’t going to be straightforward, mainly because the site selected wasn’t a green space. We were able to fit out this beautiful theatre into a unique open space in this Georgian building in the heart of Dublin. The results are sensational!”

“Without trust in the integrator, the manufacturer, and the product, a post facility can’t realise its goal. They provide a space with the right tools and skillsets which their clients –the filmmakers, advertising agencies and documentary makers – trust to finish their particular labour of love,” adds Peter.

“One of the most gratifying aspects of what we do was typified with GABHA. They work on very high profile, globally far-reaching projects and saw what they felt Dublin, and Ireland as a whole, needed. Discussing every aspect of this suite with them – from concept to a functioning service – and having them take on board our opinions and suggestions was an absolute pleasure.”

Acuity Announces Acquisition of QSC

ACUITY, a market-leading industrial technology company, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire QSC for a purchase price of $1.215 billion, or $1.1 billion net of approximately $100 million in present value of expected tax benefits.

“In our Intelligent Spaces business we are delivering meaningful outcomes for end users that are powered by disruptive technologies and that generate strong financial results,” said Neil Ashe, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Brands, Inc. “QSC has built a differentiated cloud-manageable AV and control platform that controls what happens in a built space. Our acquisition of QSC builds on our vision of data interoperability as we continue to make spaces smarter, safer and greener.”

QSC delivered sales of approximately $535 million for the twelve months ending August 31, 2024.

“We are excited to be joining a company that is aligned around our long-term mission and shares our values,” said Joe Pham, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of QSC. “Our shared vision of how we can leverage data with our technology solutions will elevate our ability to service our end-users and drive growth.”

Samsung Onyx at Pathé Palace, Paris

FOLLOWING a five-year renovation, Paris, France’s Pathé Palace cinema has reopened with six Samsung Onyx cinema LED displays; an 8K screen, known as The Wall, in the lobby; and Smart Signage displays around the cinema. Of the six Onyx LED screens, four are 4K, measuring over 10m wide, and two are 2K, measuring 5m side.

Samsung Onyx is the world’s first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-certified cinema LED display for theatrical exhibition. With luminance up to 300 nits, Onyx screens are more than six times brighter than typical film projectors.

“These six cutting-edge Samsung Onyx LED screens juxtapose brilliantly against the historic cinema, blending the classic with the modern to give moviegoers a truly unique experience,” said Menno van den Berg, President, Samsung Electronics France. “The stunning visual quality that these displays provide will engage the audience on another level and do full justice to each filmmakers’ vision.”

“Films are most powerful when they fully immerse us in their worlds, and technology plays a crucial role in that magic. Samsung Onyx screens elevate the theatrical experience with pristine blacks and exceptional clarity, making every frame feel startlingly real.” said Jacques Durand, Chief Information Officer, Pathé Group.

Samsung Electronics has also previously equipped Pathé cinemas with its Onyx LED screens at Pathé Beaugrenelle in Paris and Pathé Bellecour in Lyon.

Cinemex decides to transition to Unique X

UNIQUE X, the leader in digital cinema technology, is excited to announce a new long-term partnership with Cinemex, one of the world’s largest cinema operators with 2,663 screens throughout Mexico. Unique X is now servicing over 45,000 cinema screens worldwide, making it the world’s largest theatrical solution provider.

This strategic alliance signifies a major shift as Cinemex upgrades to Unique X’s advanced cinema management and advertising technologies.Under this new fiveyear agreement, Cinemex will adopt Unique X’s cutting-edge solutions: RosettaBridge Eco Theatre Management System, RosettaNet Circuit Management System and Smart Trailering. This upgrade replaces older technologies, enhancing efficiency and functionality while integrating seamlessly with Cinemex’s existing use of Movie Transit and RosettaLive. The shift to Unique X’s market-leading advanced systems will streamline operations across Cinemex’s vast network, introducing superior automation capabilities, significantly boosting operational efficiency and driving cost savings. Moreover, the integration of the Advertising Accord will empower Cinemex to optimise its advertising strategy, thus maximising revenue and offering a more tailored advertising experience to its audience. Francisco Eguren, Cinemex COO, welcomed the new partnership with enthusiasm, stating, “We are confident the transition to Unique X’s full suite of technology represents a crucial advancement for our Company. It will not only increase revenue and streamline our operations but also greatly enhance our customer experience. We are excited to be at the forefront of cinema technology.”

Roger Harris, CEO of Unique X, also underlined the value of the partnership, “We are delighted that Cinemex has chosen Unique X. Their decision to switch to our complete portfolio of software solutions is a testament to the quality and innovation we bring to the cinema industry. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship that will undoubtedly benefit both parties and set new benchmarks in terms of both revenue generation and operational efficiency”.

This partnership promises to position Cinemex at the forefront of cinema technology, continually pushing the boundaries of the cinematic experience.

Miraj Cinemas Selects Barco as Preferred Projection Provider in India with Qube

BARCO the leader in laser-powered cinema solutions, and Miraj Cinemas, one of India’s largest movie cinema circuits, recently announced a new partnership that will bring Barco’s laser technology to the chain’s cinemas across India. The 3-year deal makes Barco the preferred provider of visualisation solutions for Miraj, covering new sites and tupgrades. As part of the agreement, Barco’s award-winning laser projectors will be supplemented by the integration of Barco Alchemy ICMP media servers and an enhanced service agreement. Cinema integration partner Qube Cinema, will handle local service and install.

Miraj is one of the fastest growing cinema circuits in India, with nearly 200 screens across 50 locations today. The brand’s focus on luxury and comfort pairs perfectly with the elevated viewing experience delivered by Laser by Barco. Now, Miraj patrons will enjoy bright, high-quality movie presentation on screen,

while relaxing in plush seating and indulging in fresh, made-to-order cuisine. The new deal with Barco will see laser projection installed in both standard and PLF auditoriums at the circuit.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with Barco, to elevate our theatres with their state-of-the-art laser projectors. This collaboration represents a significant milestone in our relentless pursuit of delivering the ultimate cinematic experience to our patrons. By integrating Barco’s advanced laser technology and Alchemy ICMP media servers, we are poised to redefine visual excellence across our locations. Our audience can look forward to an immersive, high-quality movie experience that perfectly complements the luxurious comfort for which Miraj Cinemas is known,” said Amit Sharma, MD, Miraj Entertainment Limited. “Furthermore, at CinemaCon 2024, we have reinforced our

commitment to elevate our visual presentation and grow our branded premium format footprint. These collaborations, alongside our work with Barco, underscore our dedication to setting new industry benchmarks and ensuring that our patrons enjoy unparalleled movie viewing.

Mr. Harsh Rohatgi, CEO of Qube added, “We are excited to play a role in this partnership between Miraj and Barco. As an organisation that is passionate about cinema, we believe in providing the best solutions that help our theatre clients deliver unparalleled visual and auditory experiences. As Barco’s only authorised integrator in India, we advise many of our cinema clients to choose their laser projectors for unmatched projection quality. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Barco and supporting Miraj in delivering excellent cinematic experiences to audiences.”

Supporting The Global Industry

WHAT a busy end to 2024 it’s proving to be for CTC on so many fronts and much busier than we envisaged when talking to colleagues during our annual networking reception at CineEurope attended by more than 250 members, sponsors and friends.

Firstly, we’re delighted to welcome Jennifer Morgan from UniqueX and Loys Philibert from ADDE in France to the Board of Governors. Jen and Loys’ unique skillsets and experience will provide us with insights and expertise in a number of key areas where our members are constantly asking for support and in the case of Loys, further regional coverage in France. If you want to know more specifically about Jen, take a look at the Q&A at the back of this very publication! We’re also working on expanding the Executive Team further to provide us with better global coverage to support our members and help us better understand local market requirements..

The team has also been busy on a number of fronts delivering key outputs for the industry. We were pleased to get the brilliant

CTC EXECUTIVE TEAM

podcast team (Mike Bradbury, Kevin Markwick and Toni Purvis) back together after a hiatus to put out the latest episode of “In The Pub with Mike Bradbury” (bizarrely entitled “Baseball Batted To Death In The Desert), released at the end of September and the team recently recorded the 14th episode during the Norwegian Cinema Conference which will be out at the end of November. And talking of Norway, the team continued to support the wonderful Film & Kino team at the Norwegian Cinema Conference, this year held in Lillehammer. CTC provided an “In The Pub” live session with the podcast team to round out the first afternoon of the technology session as well as a further two hours of technology-based programming featuring topics such as laser projection, automation and sound levels in cinema.

But that global support extends beyond Norway with the team also supporting colleagues at UNIC during the recent Cinema Days in Brussels where the team delivered a keynote session on Cybersecurity as well as supporting one of the round table sessions for the technology group.

Join our cause

Behind everything that we do at the Cinema Technology Community is a passion for ensuring that moviegoers have the best cinema experience possible.

With a surge in membership during 2024 from Australia and New Zealand, we took the opportunity to send Sandie Caffelle to AIMC to meet our new members, gain a better understanding of the educational requirements for this important territory and work out how we can support the event organisers in future years. If all that wasn’t enough, the team recently released a new white paper focused on Cybersecurity in Cinema and how we protect digital assets and data which is available for members from the CTC web site. With support from the UK Cinema Association, we’re carrying out a survey of UK cinemas to identify training requirements for a new round of courses in early 2025. We’re also working on delivering a new range of educational materials suitable for newcomers to the industry which will be delivered in December.

If you share that ambition, please join our community today by heading over to our site: cinema-technology.com

2025 promises to be an even busier year too with ambitious plans to support our near 1,000 members in more than 85 countries including localisation of content in to a number of major languages. Our mantra has always been learning without barriers, so our membership continues to be free for everyone in the cinema industry. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up via our web site (www. cinema-technology.com) and if you’d like to reach out to the team with requests for resources you’d like to see, drop us a line at info@cinema-technology.com

Richard Mitchell (President), Graham Lodge (Vice President), Joseph Boutros, Mike Bradbury, Sandie Caffelle, Chris Connett, Mark Kendall, Peter Knight, Sarah Lewthwaite, Adam MacDonald, Saul Mahoney, Jennifer Morgan, Andre Mort, Markus Overath, Loys Philibert, David Pope, Toni Purvis, Ulf Qvicklund, Simon Tandy, Patrick von Sychowski, Kristina Warner and Paul Willmott

Richard Mitchell, President, CTC

SUMMER OF

TWO HALVES

AT THE GLOBAL BOX OFFICE

An initially slow start, impacted by 2023’s Hollywood strikes, has gradually built towards a blockbuster midsummer – driving momentum into the all-important final quarter of the year.

Lucy Jones, Executive Director, Comscore.

fter a strong Q1, we had to wait until midJune for summer to really get animated with Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 releasing just weeks apart in mid-June and early July. Top 2024 release Inside Out 2 is now the biggest animated release of all time with over $1.68 billion worldwide, and passed last year’s leader Barbie ($1.44 billion) to become the eighthbiggest release of all time behind Titanic. Second-placed Deadpool & Wolverine followed in late July and overtook Iron Man 3 to rank at No.7 in MCU history, close behind 2018’s Black Panther’s $1.34 billion. Strong word of mouth and repeat viewing propelled both titles: Deadpool & Wolverine scored the highest audience rating among all summer releases in our PostTrak UK exit poll and 28% said they would watch it again at the cinema. Inside Out 2 was rated sixth-highest among all 36 summer releases surveyed, and 34% of children aged 6-12 wanted to watch it again at the cinema. As well as leading the 2024 chart, it’s remarkable how significantly this year’s sequels have out-paced their prior instalments. Inside Out 2 has almost doubled the gross of 2015’s Inside Out; Deadpool & Wolverine is already almost 70% higher than 2018’s Deadpool 2.

The same pattern was seen for Dune: Part Two, Godzilla x Kong, Kung Fu Panda 4… the list goes on. The achievement is particularly special as most prior films were released in the record-breaking years pre-pandemic.

Despite these strong individual performances over the summer, the overall box office hasn’t matched up to 2023 with most territories showing deficits at the end of August and the global box office down 13% year-to-date. This year started strongly, running ahead of 2023 in the first quarter, but the impact of the writers’ and actors’ strikes pushed back release dates and deprived the market of the superhero release that has traditionally kicked off the summer in early May.

Focusing on cinemas across Europe, France, Germany and Spain all have local titles in their Top 5 films of the year, all led by local comedies.

Taking Europe as a whole, five of the Top 20 films this summer were European productions or co-productions. This is an unusually high number and reflects the impact of the US strikes as well as the current strength of French productions. In comparison, summer 2023 saw only one European film rank within the European Top 20, the French/ US/Japanese animation Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie. French films dominated the summer 2024 chart with half of the Top 20 European productions coming solely or jointly from France, led by comedy smash Un P’tit Truc en Plus (A Little Something Extra) taking almost €80 million across Europe and achieving over 10 million admissions within France. UK, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Germany also scored local hits. The Garfield Movie pulled in the greatest proportion of infrequent attendees, with 33% of UK audiences only attending once or twice a year. At the opposite end of the spectrum, only 6% of attendees at Kinds of Kindness were infrequent cinemagoers.

MAJOR TERRITORIES1ST 8 MONTHS OF THE YEAR

It may come as a surprise to many readers of Cinema Technology Magazine that – as well as paying rental (a varying share of box office income) to film distributors for the right to play their films - all UK cinemas are also expected to make a separate ‘music rights’ payment to cover the film’s soundtrack.

UK CINEMAS GEAR UP FOR MUSIC RIGHTS BATTLE

Phil Clapp, CEO, UK Cinema Association

The reasons for this are lost in the complexities of UK copyright law, but in the main, reflect the unique position that music holds in that world, and the extent to which it is ‘carved out’ from other rights, such that when a studio or other producer secures a particular composition for their film, they pay only what is termed a ‘synchronisation fee’, covering the right to include that music, but not the right of others –cinemas included - to play it.

If that sounds a little odd, its logic it has to be said continues to baffle many cinema operators not just here but across most other global film territories, many of whom operate within a similar framework. Only colleagues in the US are untouched by this issue due to the so-called ‘bars and grills’ provisions in US federal law.

In the UK however, this requires all cinemas at the start of each year to provide PRS for Music – the designated ‘collecting agency’ for such payments to composers and songwriters –with a forecast of their likely admissions or box office for the forthcoming 12 months, such that they can be invoiced for the relevant amount.

Agreed Tariff

Any calculation of the money owing is made according to an ‘agreed’ tariff, an arrangement which currently allows a cinema operator to choose to pay 1 per cent of box office or via a predetermined ‘pence per admission’ (PPA) figure. This dual approach, which dates from the last major negotiation on the tariff in 2005, was and is intended to recognise the wide variety of business models across the sector and to ensure that those venues charging lower ticket prices are not unduly disadvantaged by some notional average.

Even so, the idea that the tariff is in any way ‘agreed’ is very much open to debate. PRS for Music operates a monopoly – a cinema cannot decide to pay some other collection agency, nor in truth can songwriters or composers ask another UK organisation to collect on their behalf. As a result, the ability of the cinema sector (in this context in the guise of the UK Cinema Association) to genuinely negotiate is hugely restricted.

Ultimately, the only recourse the UK Cinema Association has, should it object to changes to the Tariff, is to make a referral to the Copyright Tribunal, a division of the High Court. Given the potential costs involved, this has very much remained the ‘nuclear option’ and – gritting their collective teeth – UK cinema operators have over more than a decade grudgingly agreed to an annual ‘roll-over’ of the tariff save for an inflationary increase in the PPA measure.

Even while that uneasy truce held sway however, the Association was aware of the deep-seated unhappiness of its members and the very real possibility that PRS would – as it has done in other sectors – come back in due course and demand an even bigger slice of the cake. Thus since 2012 and at the insistence of our side, the tariff has no longer been presented as one ‘agreed with the UK Cinema Association’.

PRS having pushed for just such an increase in mid-2019, the arrival of the COVID brought a swift end to that discussion and marked in truth a short-lived period when many operators (who had paid significant amounts to PRS at the start of 2020 in anticipation of what looked on paper like being another record-breaking year) were grateful for the flexibility shown by that organisation.

Proposed New Tariffs

With the sector still very much in the early stages of recovery, it was therefore doubly surprising (and unwelcome) when PRS

Any calculation of the money owing is made according to an ‘agreed’ tariff, allowsing cinema operators to choose to pay 1 per cent of box office.

The last major negotiation on the tarrif was nearly 20 years ago, in 2005.

returned in early 2023 with a set of immeasurably worse proposals which – if implemented – would see all cinema operators pay more, some significantly so, and would open up a new front in terms of areas where that organisation saw potential additional revenue streams for its members.

Specifically, PRS proposed that the dual tariff set out above be replaced by one based only on an elevated PPA measure, and that for the first time there should be an allowance for booking fees in the payments made to them by cinema operators.

The detail proposed made clear (and was acknowledged by PRS without any embarrassment in a public consultation document issued last summer) that the impact of these changes would be felt most acutely by smaller operators, with one worked example of a small single site suggesting an increase in payments of as much as 82 per cent. Calculations undertaken by the UK Cinema Association based on real-world numbers provided by similar venues suggest that this is by no means an exceptionally high figure.

PRS has justified the underlying change to the tariff on the basis of an increase in the amount of music used in films in the time since 2005 but have been unable to provide reliable and consistent figures to support its case.

And nor has it acknowledged the undeniable ‘windfall’ enjoyed during the decade before COVID arising from the massive investment made by cinema operators in digitisation, premium screens, recliners and all other manner of improvements to the cinema-going experience, all of which served to boost admissions and box office – and so payments to PRS – whilst PRS members sat by, sharing none of that investment or risk.

Indeed, there is more than a suspicion that having enjoyed the good times, PRS is now looking to bolster its income during recent challenging trading conditions for the cinema sector.

Referral to the Copyright Tribunal

As a result of all of these considerations and more, and the seeming determination of PRS to impose the new tariff on cinema operators regardless of any lack of justification, the UK Cinema Association reluctantly concluded in June of this year that it had been left with no alternative other than to refer the current and proposed tariff to the Copyright Tribunal.

This is not a process to be entered into lightly, and should it go to its full extent, then the UKCA could be facing significant legal fees and an exercise which could take as long as 18 months before it is resolved.

But the principle – and the potential prize not just of seeing off such exorbitant demands but also realigning the tariff to more appropriate and reasonable level – are clear.

So this is a fight which the UKCA is very much up for, with all members large and small backing efforts to explore every legal argument and a refusal to accept any further unwarranted call on already scant sector finances.

One worked example of a small single site suggesting an increase in payments of as much as 82

L A S E R ILLU MINATION IN CINEMA PART 1

The use of electronic devices in cinema and the large screen projection world has been around for decades. In fact, Laser Projection has existed for over 30 years although in a different form to today. In this new series, we’ll explore laser projection and the impact and challenges it presents across the entire cinema ecosystem.

Peter Wilson and Kommer Kleijn, IMIS Fellow Emeriti.

ormal digital cinema has existed since around the year 2000 when standardisation discussions started in earnest. The Hollywood Studios took a great interest in this and created the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) to create a common requirements specification for their content to be shown. DCI (www.dcimovies.com) was launched in 2002 and still updates its website when technology advances enabling new features.

The Standards Authority chosen to generate Digital Cinema Standards is the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) https://www.smpte.org/ of which I am a life Fellow. Kommer is also a Fellow. This is an American organisation run under ANSI Rules (American National Standards Institute) https://www.ansi.org/ . The Jurisdiction of SMPTE Standards is USA only even though they are voluntarily in common use worldwide. The finished SMPTE Standards are also passed through the International Standards Organisation (ISO) so in fact they have become International Standards. So, in a nutshell the committee work is carried out by SMPTE and the generated Standards Documents are then fast tracked through International Organisations. The result of this is that there is essentially one system in use worldwide for mainstream Digital Cinema of a consistently high standard.

Standards bodies do not necessarily reinvent the wheel and often use or refer to other authorities / bodies. For example, D-Cinema Standards use NIST (National Institute for Science and Technology) specifications for security systems and CIE1931 (Commission Internationale d’Eclairage / International Commission on Illumination) for colour reproduction. So why this series of articles? As we’ll explore in more detail in future articles, there are rumours of colour discrepancies between what is seen by the Director in the Colour Grading Suite and what is showcased in mainstream cinema. This goes against the grain of the whole rationale of Digital Cinema and the process of standardisation. This issue seems to coincide with the introduction of Narrow Band Laser Illumination Technology in both cinemas and Colour Grading Suites. The rumours have steadily gathered pace so it is important to understand why this may be happening and what can be done to ameliorate the effect.

Why are Narrow Band lasers promoted for big screens?

Although initial investment can be higher, primarily there is a big advantage in power consumption and maintenance costs

with the additional benefit that the maximum light output for a single projector can be higher compared to lamp-based projectors. The downsides to Narrow Band Laser Illumination are Coherent Light Speckle and Metamerism (showcased in the June 2024 edition of Cinema Technology Magazine) where colours can appear different from more traditional projectors and also different between individual people. Both effects were known about for many years, although doubts existed about their extent.

What has gone wrong? Well, for one, when the reference Colour Space was noted in CIE1931, lasers did not exist so no measurements were made with Narrow Band Primary Laser light sources, essentially monochrome colours so their effect on metamerism in human vision and measurement techniques was not well understood back then (1931). Furthermore, as narrow band colour light was not part of nature during evolution, it may cause unexpected reactions in the human visual system.

For the technical description of the multiple issues embedded in this problem, we pass to Kommer Kleijn, an IMIS life member, SMPTE Fellow and Honorary member of IMAGO (International Federation of Cinematographers https://www.imago.org/). Kommer was Chair of the Imago Technical Committee for many years as well as a regular contributor to the EDCF Technical Module which I chaired for many years in the early days of digital cinema and its standardisation.

RGB laser light in cinema projection

On March 8 2024, an IMAGO ITC (Imago Technical Committee) meeting was held on the subject of issues cinematographers and colour graders had noticed with the use of RGB laser D-cinema projectors. I was asked to provide some explanations, as I have been following this subject for some time now as both an audio visual perception researcher and a cinematographer. Ahead of the meeting I attempted to prescribe the issues.

When the change from film projection to digital presentation first came about, much attention was given to guaranteeing continuity to filmmakers that their creative decisions about colour and contrast would remain unaltered in the commercial cinema theatre, as had been the case with analogue film projection. With electronic projection, it was feared that, like with television, individual projectors would be each adjusted differently and that movies would look different on projectors using different imaging technologies, as there were at that time DLP (Texas Instruments Digital Light Processor), DILA (JVC Digital Image Light Amplifier) and SXRD (Sony Silicon Crystal Reflective Display) imagers with Xenon (xenon gas arc lamp) and UHP (Ultra High Pressure Mercury) light sources. Great care was taken to alleviate all the concerns and the filmmakers’ community was assured that movies would look exactly the same on all current and future projectors and systems. To practically realise this, a series of technical measures were taken which were among others disabling access to the contrast, saturation and black level settings on the projectors and the design and adoption of a new DCP file format that defines “to be perceived colours” (XYZ coordinates in the CIE1931 diagram) rather than RGB values to steer the projector. This file format defines what must be seen, and not how the projector must be steered. Projector steering then is calculated on the fly by the projector itself, with the manufacturer taking responsibility for calculating the correct steering needed for the correct colours to be seen. Now colour rendering becomes independent from the physical projection technologies used.

All decisions are done in the grading room and should reproduce in every commercial cinema with precision. This given promise has been a condition for the filmmaking community allowing them to embrace digital projection, a promise that has been kept quite well for a number of years. I think this is worthy of serious congratulations to all involved in cinema presentation, equipment manufacturers, standardisation, and filmmaking.

Now, decades later, there seems to be some challenges emerging as film makers increasingly report not retrieving the colours chosen in the grading room, when seeing their movie in certain commercial theatres. Having a triplemonochrome spectrum in an RGB projector rather than a continuous spectrum seems to cause some practical differences. I have tried to separate these into groups. Three concern colour perception, one concerns an artefact, and one concerns image texture perception. A sixth is about a separate projector advancement and is not colour, but contrast related. These issues will be explored in detail in future articles in CT Magazine. The image below shows the spectrums of the discussed light sources overlaid to provide context for the next instalment in this series.

SPECTRUMS FOR XENON, PHOSPHOR-LASER AND RGB LASER LIGHT SOURCES FOR D-CINEMA

Metrology of Screens

The development of screen technology is a long process that can take many years to complete. Behind the screen sits a substantial amount of research and development, testing and evaluation before the product comes to market. As a screen manufacturer, in recent years, we’ve been challenged by exhibitors and indeed projector manufacturers to help solve the issue of laser speckle, most prominently seen in RGB projectors.

What is Laser Speckle?

While most of us probably already know what laser speckle is, for those not familiar, it is an interference pattern that can affect all laser projectors. There are different types of laser projectors, and the point at which speckle becomes a problem when it disrupts the viewing experience for the audience. Speckle is subjective with further factors affective the visual impact that a movie goer will experience such as distance from the screen, brightness levels, movie content type and eyewear.

Projector manufacturers have worked hard to mitigate the effects of speckle and there have been significant advancements in this area over the years. Today, speckle particularly seen in RGB isn’t quite the issue it was five years ago, but it still remains.

In Premium Large Format cinemas, techniques such as vibrating the screen using transducers are sometimes deployed in order to help mitigate speckle. Additionally, the type of screen surface being projected on can influence the visibility of laser speckle, or what we often call the “visual impact perception.” This covers factors such as distance from the screen, brightness levels, types of content, and more. As a screen manufacturer, we have to consider various factors, including customer requirements. Factors such as gain, which is the reflectance factor of the screen, the half gain angle, 3D properties, contrast, surface finish and mechanical properties - because all of these requirements play a role in how the screen interacts with a laser projector.

The R&D Process

Our research and development process starts with us identifying a product requirement and market need and then determining a variety of routes to help deliver the correct product. This is a complex process made up of a multitude of parameters including coating material selection, coating particle size and particle distribution size. Typically we’ll start with the creation of

thousands of samples of potential screen surfaces based on these parameters. We’ll examine different properties and consider the factors to ensure that we can eventually deploy screens that meet the requirements of different cinema environments.

Metrology

When interpreting large amounts of data, we follow a process that consists of four stages to help us identify and create the perfect screen, particularly for laser projection. The first stage takes place in our laboratory, where we primarily focus on evaluating speckle contrast ratio using a camera system and bespoke software at a fixed distance. This process provides valuable insights into the performance of our screen technology. Whilst laser speckle contrast ratio is a crucial metric, it only tells part of the story in our development process. This ratio, while relative, provides valuable

Matt Jahans, SVP, Harkness Screens

feedback on the presence of speckle on a projected surface. However, it’s essential to understand that speckle contrast ratio cannot replicate what the human eye can perceive. It doesn’t account for viewer distance from the screen, movie content, brightness levels, or the position of a projected image. In the second stage, also undertaken in the laboratory, we conduct the first subjective laser speckle visual impact evaluations, to those same samples. This involves using the human eye to assess the actual visual impact of the technology.

In step three, we scale up potential candidate products from small samples to larger cinema screens and take these into our projection suite which allows us to look at screens in more depth and the impact these may have in a real-world environment. This evaluation is crucial as it doesn’t always directly correlate with the speckle contrast ratio measurements taken in the laboratory.

Factors such as speckle depth perception, movie content, hot spot an angles and brightness levels, all play a significant role in the overall visual impact. Our projection suite has been purposely designed to accommodate screens up to 12 metres in width with a gridded floor plan allowing us to quickly evaluate screens alongside different projectors at varying throw distances, angles and screen curvatures. We’re also able to compare and contrast these against existing screen products which have known characteristics such as speckle, half gain angle and hot-spotting to identify differences in performance and how these potential new screens impact the projected image. During this evaluation stage we focus around mixed-scene movie content looking at both bright and dark scenes, as well as white and primary laser sources.

Our final stage is to move potential candidate products in to real-world testing in cinemas with different projectors and screen widths up to 20m. At this stage, evaluation also centres around mixed-scene movie content looking at both bright and dark scenes, as well as white and primary laser sources.

Limitations of laser speckle validation

Laser speckle contrast ratio is relative and often too difficult to correlate to the movie experience. Within our industry, we often struggle to curate fair and controlled trials given that often the parameters of testing and evaluation change. Comparing and contrasting different cinema auditoria and making a subjective opinion is fraught with risk because there are too many variables, be that geometry, wall coverings, projection, screen gain, brightness levels and even content. That’s why the controlled environment of our projection suite where variables can be managed, and in most cases eliminated, is essential in developing robust and high performing screen products. When looking at screens, especially when comparing two screens side by side, there can be a big difference in brightness due to potential differences in gain, which may not accurately reflect real-world conditions. To address this, we are now adopting a one-at-a-time model for demonstrations, where we showcase the main screen and then bring in a secondary screen for comparison, adjusting light levels if necessary to provide a fair trial. Of course, one of the key factors in evaluating speckle is the human eye and in turn eyewear. The human eye perceives light, colours and speckle in different way. As a new varifocal glasses wearer, I notice that I now see speckle in a narrower part of the hotspot compared to before.

And the problem with speckle is once you’re used to seeing it, you cannot unsee it and in fact your eye is often drawn towards it. For example, if you start up close to the screen you will see

The validation process of Harkness’ new Hugo SR laser screen technology.

Our projection suite has been purposely designed to accommodate screens up to 12 metres in width

speckle. So over time we’ve learned through evaluation to start at the back of the auditorium and move closer towards the screen rather than the other way around. Moving gradually closer helps to identify when speckle becomes noticeable, offering a different evaluation perspective.

Guidance for assessing speckle in cinema

It’s important to consider how one can create a fair evaluation including the entire system such as projector technology, screen type, and auditorium geometry, as each component can significantly influence the overall experience. Different projector technologies, such as RGB, laser phosphor, or RB laser, have their own strengths and limitations, and it’s crucial to choose the right technology for a specific environment.

The plan is to move potential candidate products in to real-world testing in cinemas with different projectors and screen widths up to 20m.

There is little doubt however that the issue of speckle will be one that’s solved in the not too distant future through a combination of projection and screen technology choices and development. Whilst laser projection technology has come on significantly in the past few years and speckle mitigation is now much improved, there is still work to be done. The introduction of HDR (high dynamic range), higher brightness levels and wider colour gamut will likely pose new challenges for speckle reduction and mitigation and these present challenges for screen technology development. However with robust evaluation methodologies we are confident in our ability to create screens that ensure movie-goers will receive the very best viewing experience.

THE FLIGHT OF CINEMA

How flying 4D cinemas are bringing the thrill of theme parks to the big screen

Cinema has always been a journey. From its humble beginnings as sideshow attractions at fun fairs to the grand picture palaces of the early 20th century, the evolution of cinema has been intertwined with technological innovation. Today, that journey continues as Flying 4D Cinemas, a thrilling immersive experience first pioneered in theme parks, are now emerging as potential game-changers in the world of traditional cinema.

Peter Knight, Commissioning Editor, CT Magazine

As immersive technologies like IMAX, 3D, and 4DX demonstrate, much of what we now associate with modern cinema has roots in theme parks and tourist attractions. In this article, we explore the rich history of how cinema and theme park technologies have co-evolved, and consider whether Flying Theatres, popular in venues like Legoland Windsor and Disney’s Epcot, could make the leap into mainstream cinemas.

From Bioscope Shows to Grand Picture Palaces: A Shared Evolution

The roots of cinema can be traced back to fun fairs, where moving pictures were first shown as part of bioscope shows.

These early screenings, housed in small tents or makeshift stalls, were hand-cranked and rudimentary, but they sparked the public’s fascination with moving images. Cinema at the time was just another novelty, much like the circus or magic lantern shows. But that was all about to change. These bioscope shows were vital stepping stones toward cinema’s permanent establishment. They captivated audiences, providing a unique experience unlike anything else available at the time. However, these were not standalone attractions but were usually part of larger entertainment packages offered at fairs, carnivals, or traveling shows. This relationship between cinema and popular entertainment was an early indicator of the ongoing exchange of ideas between the two worlds.

ARE WE AT THE DAWN OF SHARED IMMERSION?

Richard Mitchell, President, Cinema Technology Community

If you were sat on a beach, you’d be forgiven for missing a technology showcase that absolutely blew up on social media over the course of August and drew particular attention and excitement of football (soccer) fans around the world. At a quick glance the photos looked like the image had been taken inside Old Trafford (Manchester United’s home ground), but it quickly became obvious that this was definitely not the location, in fact it was more than 5,000 miles away from Manchester, on another continent!

Situated in Inglewood, Los Angeles between the SoFi stadium (home to the Los Angeles Rams owned by Stan Kroenke – also the owner of Arsenal Football Club) and the soon to be opened

Intuit Dome (home to the LA Clippers –one of Los Angeles’ two NBA basketball franchises owned by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer) is Cosm (www.cosm.com) a large scale experiential space that offers a glimpse in to the next generation of live entertainment broadcast and presentation to audiences wanting an out-of-home or school experience. Be it sports, theatre, concerts or even education, Cosm’s space can cover it! By re-purposing planetarium display technology, Cosm have been able to create a shared immersive experience called “The Dome”, a 1,500 seater auditorium spearheaded by an 87ft

LED screen (12K

and

Dome offers a 180° viewing experience with images sweeping over the heads of audiences enjoying the action in a multi-tiered seating area comprising comfortable sofa seating and in-seat dining up close to the screen and standard stadium seating to the rear of the auditorium.

But the Dome technology is merely one part of a complex technological piece comprising a number of entities that combine to provide an entire end-to-end solution that encompasses production software, video capture, studio, content delivery and venues (including the Fulldome network). The upshot is the ability to showcase deeply immersive content (up to and including 360° footage) to a large audience, content that would typically only be experienced at an individual level using a VR headset, thus creating a Shared Immersion experience.

12K

horizontal

10k vertical). The

Shared immersion

In cinema, we frequently refer to the shared experience - a fundamental principle of cinema but with shared immersion, we go one stage further with users engaging together in the immersive environment rather than being passive to the content provided. Think about virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), or other immersive technologies and the way in which users are brought together in a digital environment, now imagine that in a large collaborative space, one where users could solve puzzles, explore worlds, play games or simply have shared context and content, all within a social environment. And what Cosm and in particular, the Dome removes is some of the core technical considerations that sit behind those creating shared immersion for other mediums including headsets, such as synchronisation, latency and scalability (in terms of the number of users and equipment) because everyone has a view of the same content at the same time.

Great, a new way of exploring content but how is it relevant to cinema and how might it fit inside the current estate and what are the challenges? Let’s explore these.

Magi Pod

The concept isn’t newto cinema, in fact back in 2016, the late filmmaker Douglas Trumbull proposed the Magi Pod, a concept very similar to Cosm on a smaller scale that would sit inside an existing cinema auditorium creating a premium small format concept using existing cinema technology. In fact you can read all about it in the September 2016 edition of Cinema Technology Magazine and there’s still many sources available online. It’s a terrific concept, but it was probably a good five years and a pandemic ahead of its time. Whilst the Magi Pod was developed to utilise existing projection technology and a Torus screen (a doublecurved frame) to envelop an audience and create immersion, beyond the size ratio (screen to movie-goer), alone, the Magi Pod likely wouldn’t have added much more to the story telling experience. But it was clear to see where Douglas’ mind was

headed. He’d seen the potential in VR for a technology that would allow content creators to develop more immersive content with richer story-telling – he’d seen that in 2016 long-before VR had really moved outside of early technology adoptions in the industrial spaces such as Occulus Rift and HTC Vive.

At least 10 years to perfect

Truthfully VR has taken a while to catch on in the consumer space, longer than many predicted for a number of reasons including the costs involved in hardware and software development, the development of professional use cases that help drive adoption and drive down costs, the software platforms and workflows on which 360° content could be created needed significant refinement, and the technology needed significant improvement. In 2016, I was fortunate enough to spend five minutes in 360° rendered virtual cinema with an Occulus headset. Whilst a fascinating experience, that brief period of time left me with profound motion sickness because the content had been quickly curated on software platforms that couldn’t make you feel as though your feet were grounded.

In 2017, one of CTC’s first deliverables after its rebrand was to host a seminar in London focused around VR and AR in cinema. One of our guest speakers Harry Mathias (https:// www.harrymathiasimages.com/ ) then Professor of Cinematography at San Jose University highlighted these precise issues during his keynote address and referred to a study undertaken by Dr. Michael Korpi of Baylor University in the USA that VR was likely ten to fifteen years away from being visually correct, a study that’s proven to be eerily correct.

A report commissioned by the International Data Corporation (IDC) and published through Statista in 2023 showcased the growth in VR headset shipments and future projections as far as 2027. In 2022, the report claims that 8.55 million VR headsets shipped globally with forecasted growth

Football and UFC showcased inside of Cosm’s Dome.

to 9.59 million units shipped in 2023 and 24.65 million in 2027. A later report also available via Statista suggests that in 2023 the number of new shipments hit 11.20 million – nearly 17% above the IDC forecast. If that trend continues in 2024, it’ll point to VR adoption in the consumer space happening faster than expected. Why? What’s driving it? Lower cost, better defined software platforms and content creators acquiring the necessary experience to create compelling, immersive and engaging content primarily in the gaming space which is seemingly converging more and more each year with movie-making.

So what’s holding content creators (including movie studios) back from investing in more immersive content? In short, lots of things!

Cost

Let’s start with the biggest one of all… The production cost of 360° content is exponentially higher than producing standard movie content. Outside of animated content, the equipment required is substantially more expensive, setup and shooting is vastly more complicated, would likely require a bigger cast and crew and the editing and postproduction process would likely require bespoke hardware to stitch the image together. From a studio perspective, if the business case for converting a 2D movie to 3D is often lacking, even with an established technology infrastructure that allows 3D content to reach a mass audience, how would a business case be formulated for such a technological leap without any hardware infrastructure?

Playback Infrastructure

Outside of Cosm’s incredible sites, the Sphere in Las Vegas, planetaria, Fulldome installs and VR headsets, there really isn’t an infrastructure for showing 360° content. A typical cinema auditorium simply could not showcase such content properly and whilst Douglas Trumbull’s Magi Pod concept could close the gap, it would still be incredibly limited in terms of genuine immersion. So where’s the content going to be shown?

Content Curation

For 360° content to be truly engaging and indeed different, it needs to be curated in a way that allows the user to guide themselves through the content. That freedom to explore removes a lot of the linearity of storytelling that cinema is used to which in turn makes curating content much more difficult and in turn expensive. And if it’s content for non-headset experiences, who is going to control the content because traditional storytelling is by definition linear and then if this content is linear, how much value is there over a typical movie?

Target Audience

Let’s assume that market forecasts are correct and by the end of 2024, there are 24 million VR headsets deployed globally. To put that in to some perspective, that figure broadly matches the 2022 box office admissions in the Netherlands. So VR headset owners/users represent a very small audience for content creators. Even if we assumed that each VR headset was shared with four people, that’s still only a maximum audience reach of under 100 million people representing the

17%

Reports suggest that in 2023 the number of new shipments hit 11.20 million –nearly 17% above the IDC forecast.

24m

By the end of 2024, there will be 24 million VR headsets deployed globally.

2023 box office admissions of Germany. So for an audience to be substantive enough for content creators such as movie studios to be able to financially justify the increased cost of production for new content such as 360°, we’d need to see headset sales in the high hundreds of millions, maybe even billions rather than the tens of millions they’re currently at. Whilst we’re seeing a premiumisation of cinema currently, there’s no guarantee that such a concept would resonate with the movie goer. Even if specially designed spaces existed to show such immersive content, would the average movie-goer be interested in sitting through a three hour movie in that format? Is it too immersive? Most VR content is short in length for many reasons, some of those issues highlighted above focused around cost and production, in fact most if not all VR movies released so far tend to be animated and less than 30 minutes in length, the latter I’m sure might excite exhibitors.

So. where could 360 fit in to a cinema?

Being able to extend the storytelling experience beyond the big screen could be where it’s best suited either as a pre or post-show add-on. The cinema space often has everything required to create such an experience the two biggest being physical space (height as much as footprint) and technology infrastructure.

Picture if you can a much smaller scale version of Cosm, a lobby style experience that’s combined with the movie ticket to create a compelling offering. It could be a pre or post-show that’s part of the story, an interview with the cast, a press junket, or even a ‘making of’.

Pre-Covid the studios dabbled with 360° content, some it was both exciting and incredibly engaging. In 2018, Paramount Pictures’ curated some remarkable 360° content to support the release of Mission Impossible: Fallout. The footage, although only three to four minutes in length, offered the

Limited Cinematic Use?

Of course, not every movie lends itself to 360° content and pre or post-show experiences so any type of hardware would need to have a wide use and a strong business case behind it. It could be a space that allows social interaction and therefore cinemas to gain more profile information on their visitors, for example the space could showcase an upcoming trailer, finish with a selfie booth experience that sends the photo straight to the users social media profiles. Instantly an opportunity to target market the movie when it’s released. An installation could also allow for gaming,

viewer the opportunity to watch and listen to Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill and Chris McQuarrie showcasing some of the stunts in the movie including Tom flying a helicopter through a narrow canyon and doing a corkscrew dive over the edge of a cliff. You can still see some of this content on YouTube. Not only was the content fascinating but incredibly immersive. I was fortunate enough to witness around eighty people visit a temporary installation and see this and other 360° content in small groups.

But what struck me most with the Mission Impossible content was that the audiences had the same reaction to the moment Tom tipped the helicopter’s nose over the edge of the cliff, every person held on to a hand rail and leaned forward as if they were in the helicopter. It doesn’t get much more immersive than that!

advertising, education and professional hire allowing content creators with a place to examine their content in a shared space. Perhaps such an experience could be used for private hire to deliver a small scale version of what Cosm delivers, the ability to watch live content such as sports with a small group of friends in an experience that cannot be had at home. There’s potentially limitless possibilities, it just requires creative thinking, strong content and of course financial investment.

So, whilst for the moment this might all seem a little future gazing, the reality is that the

age of immersive and indeed 360° content is fast approaching and we need to think about how we as an industry can utilise it best. Cosm has shown there’s an appetite for a specific type of content in a shared environment with a high ticket price, the forecast for VR headset sales shows there’s an appetite amongst consumers and if that growth curve continues, inside ten years there could be more than half a billion headsets globally!

There’s undoubtedly potential for the cinema industry, we just need to think about what that is now and how it might be deliverable.

A potential shared immersion lobby experience showcasing 360° content from Mission Impossible: Fallout.

SAFEGUARDING THE MODERN MOVIE EXPERIENCE

THE CINEMA INDUSTRY, LIKE MANY OTHERS, HAS UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES. FROM DIGITAL PROJECTION SYSTEMS TO ONLINE TICKETING PLATFORMS AND MOBILE APPS, CINEMAS NOW RELY HEAVILY ON DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY AND PROVIDE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE FOR MOVIEGOERS. HOWEVER, THIS INCREASING RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY ALSO BRINGS SIGNIFICANT CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGES.

WHILST MOST CINEMA OPERATORS HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR IT INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS SAFE AND SECURE, THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF EXHIBITORS LARGE AND SMALL THAT HAVE HAD THEIR SYSTEMS COMPROMISED BY CYBERSECURITY ATTACKS. HERE WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMON TYPES OF CYBERSECURITY THREATS FACING CINEMAS AND HOPE THAT THESE HELP TO RETAIN FOCUS ON ENSURING IT SYSTEMS REMAIN PROTECTED.

Abridged from an upcoming CTC White Paper

The Importance of Cybersecurity

in Cinemas

Cinemas, like other businesses, collect and store large amounts of sensitive information, including customers’ personal and financial data, employee records, and proprietary content such as unreleased films. This makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking to steal data, disrupt operations, or pirate digital content. A data breach or cyberattack in a cinema can have far-reaching consequences, including financial loss, reputational damage, and legal liabilities under data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or in America and specifically California, the Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

COMMON CYBERSECURITY THREATS IN CINEMAS

1 Data Breaches

Cinemas handle vast amounts of customer data through ticket sales, loyalty programs, and online transactions. Hackers target this data to steal personal information such as credit card details, email addresses, and home addresses. Once stolen, this information can be sold on places such as the dark web or used for identity theft and fraud.

For example, a breach in a cinema’s online ticketing system could expose customer payment details, leading to financial fraud and legal consequences for a cinema. In 2020, a leading cinema chain experienced such an attack, highlighting just how vulnerable cinemas are to such attacks.

2 Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts critical systems or data, locking them until a ransom is paid to the attacker. In the cinema industry, ransomware can target all systems including ticketing or even internal networks if they have vulnerabilities, potentially reaching in to auditorium

equipment, causing widespread disruption. For instance, if a cinemas point-of-sale system is compromised by ransomware, ticket sales and concessions could come to a standstill.

3 Piracy and Digital Content Theft

Cinema is big business and movie content has a value to hackers. DCPs are highly valuable, and cybercriminals often seek to intercept or steal them for piracy. Unauthorised copies of films can leak online, resulting in huge losses not just for cinemas but also studios.

It’s not just cinemas though, hackers also target postproduction companies or production studios to steal unreleased films or scripts, as was seen ten years ago when a one movie studio was attacked with several unreleased movies leaked online along with sensitive company data.

4 Point-of-Sale (POS) System Vulnerabilities

Cinema POS systems handle sensitive financial data, making them prime targets for cyberattacks. If attackers manage to inject malware into a cinema’s POS system, they can steal customer credit card information or tamper with sales data. This can result in not only financial loss but also significant reputational damage.

5 Phishing and Social Engineering

Phishing is one of the most common methods used by cybercriminals to infiltrate a company’s network. Cinema employees may receive fraudulent emails or messages that appear to be from trusted sources, tricking them into clicking malicious links or downloading harmful attachments.

Once inside the system, attackers can gain access to sensitive information or install malware that can cripple the cinema’s digital infrastructure.

CONSEQUENCES OF CYBERSECURITY BREACHES IN CINEMAS

1 Financial Loss

The immediate financial impact of a cyberattack can be devastating. This includes costs associated with data theft, ransom payments, legal fees, regulatory fines, and loss of revenue due to downtime or damaged reputation.

2 Reputation Damage

A breach of customer data can severely damage a cinema’s reputation. Customers are less likely to trust a company that cannot protect their personal and financial information, leading to lost business.

KEEPING CINEMA SAFE

It’s important to not take your eye off the ball, because criminals are constantly evolving their attacks in order to gain access to systems. There’s no foolproof way of preventing every cybersecurity threat entirely, because some aren’t yet known, but you can prepare for known threats accordingly and ensure you’re at least doing the right things.

1 Robust Firewall and Antivirus Protection

Advanced firewall and antivirus software are essential to protect the digital infrastructure from malware, viruses, and unauthorised access. Regular updates to these systems are critical to defend against evolving threats.

2 Data Encryption

Sensitive data, including customer information and payment details, should be encrypted both in transit and at rest. Encryption ensures that even if a breach occurs, the stolen data remains unreadable to unauthorised parties.

3

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Implementing two-factor authentication for employees accessing sensitive systems adds an extra layer of security. By requiring a second form of verification, cinemas can reduce the risk of unauthorised access due to stolen passwords or credentials.

The Role of Government and Industry Regulations

As cyber threats evolve, governments and regulatory bodies are increasingly focusing on enforcing data protection laws. For example, in the United States, CCPA provides residents of California with greater control over how their personal data is collected, stored, and used. Similarly, GDPR applies strict data protection regulations to businesses operating in the European Union. Cinemas, like all businesses, must comply with these regulations by implementing adequate cybersecurity measures and being transparent with customers about how their data is collected, used and protected.

3 Operational Disruptions

Malware attacks can cause widespread operational disruptions. A ransomware attack on a chain of cinemas, for instance, could force them to close temporarily, leading to loss of revenue and frustrated customers.

4 Legal Liabilities:

Data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA require businesses to safeguard customer data. If a cinema fails to implement adequate security measures and suffers a breach, it may face heavy fines and legal action.

4 Regular Software Updates and Patches

Vulnerabilities in outdated software are a common entry point for cyberattacks. Cinemas should ensure that all systems, from POS software to projection equipment, are regularly updated and patched to address any security flaws.

5 Employee Training

Employees are often the first line of defence in cybersecurity. Cinemas should regularly train staff on best practices for recognising phishing emails, avoiding suspicious downloads, and safeguarding sensitive information.

6Network Segmentation

By segmenting the cinema’s network, critical systems (such as payment processing or digital film distribution) can be isolated from less secure parts of the network. This limits the spread of malware or ransomware and ensures that an attack on one system doesn’t compromise the entire operation.

7Incident Response Plan

Every cinema should have a well-defined incident response plan in place. This plan should outline the steps to be taken in the event of a cyberattack, including how to contain the breach, notify affected parties, and recover systems as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

From ticketing systems to streaming platforms and digital film distribution, cybersecurity is essential to keeping the cinema infrastructure secure. By investing in robust cybersecurity strategies, cinemas can protect themselves against cyber threats, safeguard customer trust, and ensure that moviegoers continue to enjoy the magic of cinema without interruptions or security concerns. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the cinema industry must remain vigilant and proactive in its cybersecurity efforts and if you’re in any doubt about any of the above, make sure you speak to a cybersecurity expert!

Analyst,

IN FILM + CI N EMA ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Clearer picture of supportive tools emerging with disruption also on the table

David Hancock, Chief

Media & Entertainment, Omdia

JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, I WROTE ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR CINEMA TECHNOLOGY. ON RE-READING THE PIECE, THE TONE WAS CAUTIOUS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY ON OUR EXISTING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STRUCTURES, EVEN IF I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE POSITIVE SIDES OF AI.

Necessary Framework

By its very nature, AI moves fast and it has developed much since then. The intervening year has made it apparent that not all AI is equal, and it is also more apparent to all that a framework is needed to keep AI’s potential for bad in check. The recent Council of Europe agreement on the human rights aspect of AI negotiated between 57 countries, and signed by UK, US and the EU amongst others, is a clear sign of this acceptance. The EU’s AI Act and the US Executive Order on AI, as well as the US Copyright Office’s Part 1 of Copyright and AI report, also work in the same direction. Today’s AI revolution, if that is what it is, has often been compared to the original Industrial Revolution. The latter changed the world we lived in at the time, setting us on the path to the global economy we have now. The main effect of the Industrial Revolution was to massively increase individual and therefore aggregate productivity, enabling progress to be defined in economic terms. The AI Revolution has the capacity to do the same, if handled correctly. There are several aspects to the spread of AI within our industries, and indeed the world, and they reduce down to two main effects for industry: AI can be supportive of the existing structures or AI can be disruptive and create the new. The reality will be that it will be a proportion of both, and initiatives such as the legislation named above will aim to find the most positive blend of those two drivers. But as I wrote last year, “Regulation may mean stifling the advances in AI and their potential applications which also means stifling competition and natural technological advances. This is not always a popular trade-off” as regulation may also stifle productivity gains.

AI in Media and Entertainment Space

Leaving aside the conceptual, for now let’s focus on the supportive uses of AI within our industry. Artificial Intelligence is in its infancy for mainstream usage, including within the film and TV sectors. The accelerated pace of interest in the past two years is down to the public release of some general use applications, such as ChatGPT, but companies are still mainly at an early stage, testing for potential uses and seeing where AI delivers productivity gains.

The current testing and development phase will continue for some time, and some potential uses will not be useful and discarded but as the tools improve around continued usage, companies will adopt the interesting bits of AI into their workflows and daily operations. Even though AI will reduce content production costs, producers must resist replacing creativity with AI. Keep the focus on the creative elements that distinguish high-quality content which will be a crucial differentiator amongst platforms, streamers and content formats.

Project Conception

From the inception of a creative film and TV project there is potential for AI to play a role at all stages of the production process. AI presents writers, producers, casting agents and others with research tools to explore ideas and workshop concepts, generate storyboards and speed up the casting process. In 2022, Alphabet’s DeepMind AI created Dramatron, an AI writing tool designed to assist script writers by generating and expanding on narrative points and characters. Dramatron’s creations are by their very nature formulaic, however the creators emphasise its purpose is not to replace the writer, only to assist by providing procedurally created plot tools to help move the story along. AI extracts data, including emotions and story arc, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms. The first AI-written short film was Sunspring in 2016, by a program called Benjamin. In the story-boarding part of the process, tools like Mootion, D-ID, Cuebric and Maverick offer AI-driven storyboard and marketing video generators. The tool can either be prompted by a single sentence or users can upload the whole script. From this starting point, a whole storyboard can be created, scene by scene.

Other AI tools, such as Largo and Casting Droid, can help casting directors filter out unsuitable actors, using headshots, but also to filter in suitable actors matching certain casting criteria. These tools can aid the casting team, including an actor’s market worth in box office terms, uncovering new and/or overlooked talent but these tools do not replace the human ability to recognise nuance and make subjective decisions.

VFX

On screen, the most visible uses of AI occur in VFX, CGI and film editing. AI is used to de-age or age the same actor in a film, which can be a creative choice distinct from flashbacks. It can also improve the creation of dead or make-believe characters or animals. Disney’s FRAN software is a neural network that can deage an actor without VFX. Weta Digital used current and old images of Will Smith (from earlier shows) to cut his age in half on Gemini Man. Robert de Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci were de-aged in The Irishman without the use of a mo-cap stage and headgear (like Weta did), which is why the film took four years to shoot and

post-produce. In animation, and movie making VFX, a task that is suited to the use of AI is rotoscoping, which can be laborious for VFX artists. Rotoscoping is a technique that cuts out an object so it can be used in a different setting or background. AIdriven rotoscoping tools include Adobe After Effects, Silhouette FX, Nuke and Fusion.

Production Workflows

AI is also being used to improve post-production workflows, such as video editing, colour grading, and sound mixing, using data to understand the various elements that go into those areas and making informed decisions in line with the overall desired feel of the film. AI can bring down the cost of using CGI, and post-production in general, by automating repetitive and time-consuming parts of the workflow. Disney’s FaceDirector software can create composite expressions, so that a director can adjust actors’ facial expressions in post-production without any retakes. This technique was used in Avengers: Infinity War.

On Set

AI is also having an impact on set and in a world’s first, CMR-M1 is a prototype camera that is being used to generate AI images, and image filters, as well as using real imaging. The AI augmented camera is a joint development between creative agency SpecialGuestX and production house 1stAvemachine. The equipment serves as an interface between the camera and AI models, with users able to toggle between real and AI-generated overlays. The product is not available for commercial release, as it is designed as a testing prototype, but is designed with commercial scalability in mind once the concept has been proved. While AI has been used for camera movement in both Virtual Production and location/studio shoots, this machine is the first example of an AI-enhanced camera.

Increasing Content Circulation

Further down the pipeline, historically, much film and TV content has not been dubbed due to the perceived link between cost and reward. Dubbing costs around ten times that of subtitling and takes around 6-12 weeks to do. For smaller films looking for audiences outside their domestic territory, this can be prohibitive. Of 38 markets I surveyed in a recent research report, dubbing was identified as the preferred method of consuming foreign language content in 11 of them. Where dubbing is the norm for watching films in another language, the cost restricts potential circulation. A dubbed version helps to increase accessible provision, and therefore the audience base for a film, and increases cultural diversity. AI opens the possibility to expand the accessibility of dubbed content making it more widely accessible to smaller producers and less commercial titles.

AI can be a game changer for dubbing content but there are limitations and questions around the ethics of using AI, such as suitable disclosure. However, AI is not currently able to produce a fully dubbed feature on its own. Of greater use right now is the ability of AI to achieve good lip-sync (tools such as TrueSync and DeepEditor) for movies and creating digital faces, which is key to improving the quality of dubbed films. For more generic dubbing, AI has been useful for content where lipsyncing was not important (such as documentaries), but as the tech improves the ability to inject emotion into AI voices, this will spread to encompass more challenging content.

Theatrical Release

Distributors use analytics to support scheduling, optimising release dates to

suit predicted audience behaviour. Distributors can amend their marketing campaigns as they go, as data feeds back into the AI tool being used about real-world patterns. AI-driven chatbots can also help deliver personalised movie marketing campaigns to customers and answer general enquiries.

Algorithms are used to improve the prediction of movie box office. Warner Bros works with Cinelytic, signing a deal in 2020 to use its project management system, which includes predictive revenue assessment, and overall film package value. Back in 2018, Fox developed a system known as Merlin, using Google’s servers and open-source AI framework TensorFlow to match audiences with movies.

For the exhibitor, one of the promised benefits of digital cinema was greater flexibility of scheduling. Cinema programmers know their job, but additional help from analytics is possible, by predicting performance on a given day (taking into account data including weather, critical rating, day of the week, time of year and more) and scheduling films screen by screen. Vue Entertainment has been using AI in its film scheduling for nearly ten years now, building its own model that now uses no human element in its scheduling, which is far from the norm. As a result, 46% of films screened are in foreign language, high for a UK multiplex circuit. Its AI system went through 53 models in beta testing over 2 years.

Exhibitors also use chatbots to assist customers, and to streamline the ticketing process, but they are also embedded in social media to point people towards relevant films. UK’s Odeon Cinemas launched the first European chatbot in 2016, developed by Gruvi. AI can also allow interactivity in the concessions area, allowing customers to create unique snacks.

Careful Usage... for now!

These very concrete examples of AI use in the industry highlight how supportive AI tech can be for individuals doing a job. Many of these functions do not replace all human activity, but they do support it.

The tool needs creating, the process needs calibrating and the output needs quality checking and amending. The mechanistic parts of artistic processes can be done without as much human input, leaving artists more time to focus on the creative side of the job. This seems to work in the favour of smaller players, as AI serves to reduce the disparity between small and large budgets, allowing lower budget content to increase production quality. Not all AI uses will win out over traditional ways of doing things in M&E space, and it cannot yet replace the human ability to assess subjectively and to understand nuance. For now, companies need to reject AI evangelism over functional testing and usage evaluation of tools that actually help increase productivity and quality. The dust is settling on the early days of the AI revolution, and the picture that is emerging may be less alarming than some feared.

For this edition’s CTM showcase, CTC

Governor Sandie Caffelle showcases muvi Cinemas from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A SPOTLIGHT ON...

muvi Cinemas’ 5th Anniversary

On the 10th of August 2024, muvi Cinemas celebrated the 5th anniversary of the opening of the company’s first location in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company, which is the only homegrown Saudi cinema brand operating in the Kingdom today, has been able to successfully grow during the past 5 years to become the leading exhibitor both in terms of screen share and market share. muvi Cinemas has opened 21 locations with 195 screens during this period, with plans for another three locations to be opened before the end of 2024.

muvi Cinemas CEO, Adon Quinn explains “The opportunity to be part of history in the Kingdom has been one filled with excitement. When designing our first locations we had the opportunity to look at what the rest of the world was doing and take snippets of the best in class to integrate into our designs. We knew our customer-base in KSA had visited the best cinemas globally during their travels, and we needed to ensure we provided our guests with the best possible experience in their home country.”

The company has invested heavily in technology and experiences, with a commitment to providing presentation

Sandie Cafelle, Governor, CTC

muvi Suites, a VIP format with premium recliners.

standards that are the best available in Saudi Arabia. muvi is proud to offer their customers numerous concepts and to have implemented nothing short of the industry’s best technologies, ensuring the best possible experience for their guests. The concepts available across muvi Cinemas include:

muvi Suites, a VIP cinema that offers the most comfortable seating using large leather recliners with electric controls, builtin personal dining tables and a call button so guests can take advantage of personalised service and food delivery directly to their seat without missing a second of the movie.

muvi Boutique, a boutique cinema offering of bespokethemed cinemas with distinctive auditorium designs including Beverly Hills, Paparazzi, Library and London that are very Instagram friendly whilst having the highest quality of sight and sound. The creation of muvi Boutique came to life with the company’s seating partner Ferco Seating utilising the Tala seating range for these auditoriums.

muvi Junior, an auditorium finished with brightly coloured wall panels and seating that is low set colourful and bright. Muvi Junior is equipped with a party room and extra activities for young cinemagoers to enjoy the latest animated family titles in a room created for the young and young-at-heart.

Premium Formats

On the PLF front, muvi currently has 3 Dolby Cinema auditoriums and 8 of its own PLF screens branded Xperience being powered by CGS technology from Barco. muvi is excited to be launching its first IMAX location in October 2024 followed by an additional 3 IMAX locations in the coming months.

In addition to this, muvi launched the first Ultra 4DX screens in the region earlier this year to go along with the 8 ScreenX locations strategically located across the Kingdom. muvi was also responsible for the launch of the first Samsung Onyx LED screens in the Middle East when launching 3 locations in 2020.

Modern and inviting lobby spaces with eye-catching designs.

Mark Smith (Technical Director) provides a further overview on the technology investment the business has made:

“All muvi ScreenX and Ultra 4DX auditoriums feature “Immerse”. Immerse is a 7.4 channel audio system developed by KRIX Loudspeakers and Trinnov Audio.

The Trinnov Ovation processor provides the highest quality audio playback by using their proprietary phase correction and time alignment software to create an immersive audio experience with greatly enhanced low frequency energy.

Dolby ATMOS or IMMERSE audio systems are standard in our VIP Suites, powered by QSC power amplifiers and speaker systems by KRIX help deliver the best possible sound.

In terms of screens, we utilise a range of screens to suit each auditorium. For our 2D auditoria, we use Harkness’ Matt Plus and Perlux HiWhite and for our polarised 3D auditoriums, we use Clarus XC screens. We specify Harkness’ Mini Perf for all screens as we believe this helps to minimise Moiré effect (caused when the pixels and perforations sometimes line up creating a

shimmering effect around the perforation). But key to us is carefully selecting the correct screen with the chosen projector. This helps us to, where necessary, create the headroom in to projector whilst ensuring the best possible presentation quality utilising screens with Barco’s DP4K-BLP-HC (laser phosphor and high contrast) projectors. We really can be proud of the extremely high standards we deliver to our customers.”

Local Content Leading the Way

In addition to being the leading exhibitor in KSA, the company is across the film eco-system through muvi Studios and its distribution joint venture “Front Row Arabia” with UAEbased Front Row Filmed Entertainment. muvi Studios is focused on local language content having already successfully released 3 Saudi films and 2 Egyptian films in cinemas. Sattar and Mandoob El Lil are Saudi films under muvi Studios, and rank as the two highest Saudi films in KSA box office history. The success of the titles to date has led to more focus and growing the film slate in coming years. The KSA market appears to be likely to see local language content making up as much as 50% of box office market share in the next 2-3 years highlighting the importance of increased output of local language content.

muvi Boutique with its distinctive design.

Cinema Technology Magazine has featured stories on MediCinema several times over the years, documenting the growth and impact of this unique charity. As MediCinema celebrates its 25th anniversary and continues to expand, it is the perfect time for an update. With new cinemas being built and plans for further expansion, MediCinema’s journey continues to be one of innovation and hope, bringing joy to more hospital patients across the UK and potentially beyond.

Peter Knight, Commissioning Editor, CT Magazine.

For many, the cinema is a place of joy, escapism, and community. It’s where we are transported to other worlds, our emotions heightened, and where we can forget about the everyday realities for a couple of hours. But for patients in hospitals, this experience can be profoundly therapeutic. For 25 years, MediCinema has been bringing the magic of cinema to hospitals, turning the often stressful and isolating environment into a place where patients can find moments of joy and relief. With several new cinemas established in recent years, it’s time to revisit this remarkable organisation’s story.

The Origins of MediCinema

MediCinema was founded in 1996 by Christine Hill MBE, who was inspired by a moment of simple observation. Hill noticed nurses at St Thomas’ Hospital in London wheeling patients outside to watch boats on the River Thames. This gave patients a brief reprieve from the confines of the hospital ward. For Hill, this moment resembled the experience of cinema, where patients could become absorbed in another world for a brief time.

Determined to create a more permanent experience, Hill envisioned building a real cinema within hospitals, where patients could enjoy the latest film releases in a fully immersive setting. After years of advocacy and fundraising, the first MediCinema was established at St Thomas’ Hospital in 1999. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and the shared cinema experience quickly demonstrated its power to alleviate the stresses of hospital life for patients, their families and medical staff.

With support from the film industry, MediCinema secured access to the latest movie releases, which are today shown in hospital cinemas simultaneously with mainstream cinemas across the UK. Over the years, MediCinema’s reach has grown, becoming a genuine part of the UK healthcare system.

Growth and Expansion

MediCinema currently operates cinemas in six hospitals across the UK: Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, Royal Hospital for Children and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, Serennu Children’s Centre in Newport, Guy’s Hospital in London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, and a pop-up cinema at St Thomas’ Hospital.

Recently, MediCinema has been looking to expand further. A state-of-the-art cinema is under construction at Alder Hey

Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, set to open in autumn 2024. Additionally, there’s an exciting new project in the works for Great Ormond Street Hospital, with initial funding pledged by MediCinema’s long-time partner, The Walt Disney Company.

As MediCinema continues to grow, it is becoming an increasingly recognised non-clinical intervention that improves patients’ well-being during their hospital stays. To date, over 188,000 patients have benefited from MediCinema’s services, and the organisation continues to advocate for building more cinemas in hospitals across the UK and beyond.

Technical Challenges and Innovation

Creating and maintaining a cinema inside a hospital comes with its own set of challenges. MediCinema has had to overcome significant logistical hurdles to make the experience as accessible as possible for all patients.

Accessibility is a primary concern, as MediCinema aims to ensure that patients of all abilities can enjoy the cinema experience. Each cinema is equipped with Dolby Accessibility Solutions (DAS), which provides personal audio descriptions, amplified audio, and closed-caption subtitles on individual handsets. This ensures that everyone, including those with sensory impairments, can fully engage with the films.

On the technical side, MediCinema uses the LANsat system for the distribution of Digital Cinema Packages (DCP). This system allows for the quick and reliable electronic delivery of films, reducing the logistical burden of managing physical media in a hospital setting. In hospitals where NHS networks are not strong enough to handle high-speed connectivity, MediCinema has installed 5G routers to ensure that screenings can continue without interruption.

From left to right, Children enjoying screenings and one of MediCinema’s auditoria with seating and spaces for hospital beds.

The Healing Power of Cinema

MediCinema’s impact on patients is clear, and it is backed by data. Since 2017, the organisation has been conducting bi-annual surveys to measure the effects of its services. The results from the summer of 2024 are particularly striking: of attendees reported a reduction in anxiety and stress after attending a screening. felt less isolated, an important factor in the recovery process. of patients** said that MediCinema screenings gave them a sense of normality during their hospital stay. of attendees** felt better overall after attending a screening. 93% 94% 97% 93%

These statistics highlight the profound therapeutic power of cinema. By immersing patients in the sights and sounds of the big screen, MediCinema offers more than just entertainment—it provides a much-needed escape from the realities of hospital life, building resilience and boosting emotional well-being.

A Global Vision

As MediCinema continues to grow, it is also looking beyond the UK. The organisation believes that the power of film and the shared cinema experience can benefit patients in hospitals around the world. While challenges such as healthcare system differences and logistical issues may vary by country, the universal appeal of cinema makes MediCinema’s model adaptable to other healthcare environments.

Already, MediCinema Italy operates under a separate model tailored to the needs of the Italian healthcare system, showing that this concept can be successfully adapted for different markets.

Looking Ahead

MediCinema has spent 25 years demonstrating the powerful healing potential of cinema. In that time, it has expanded its reach, built new cinemas, and delivered transformative experiences to hundreds of thousands of patients. As the organisation celebrates its anniversary and looks forward to the future, one thing is clear: the power of cinema to bring joy, relief, and a sense of normalcy to hospital patients is as strong as ever.

Through its commitment to accessibility, technological innovation, and deep understanding of the emotional needs of patients, MediCinema has become a vital part of the UK healthcare landscape. And as it continues to grow, its impact will only become more profound, helping even more people to experience the magic of film, no matter where they are or what challenges they face.

CineEurope Review

Toni Purvis, Director, CTC.

CineEurope 2024 took place in Barcelona 17 - 20 June.

June 17-20 2024, saw the return of CineEurope to the always-stunning city of Barcelona. Some might say that the timing of this year’s event was fortuitous. The somewhat slumberous Q2 box office was abruptly roused by the release of ‘Inside Out 2’ the previous weekend, which saw a excellent opening weekend figures. I think it is fair to say that this theatrical success led to relief, excitement, and positivity. And so, the tone was set for this iconic tradeshow.

A key theme emerging from the conference was the industry’s focus on innovation. Exhibitors and technology providers showcased groundbreaking advancements in projection, sound systems, seating, and immersive formats. There was a great sense of collective commitment to enhancing the cinematic experience. This emphasis on technology was coupled with a growing interest in redefining the cinema-going experience.

Innovative Concepts

Several innovative cinema concepts were presented at CineEurope, offering alternatives to the traditional models and offering new

possibilities for audience engagement. During a presentation on new cinema concepts, we were introduced to Oma Cinema, based in Mougin, France who have introduced pod seating, creating a more intimate and personalised viewing experience, without losing the big screen and sound. It was fabulous to see the team from The(Any)Thing introducing their private cinema concept to the audience. You can read all about their exciting model in the March 2024 edition of CT Magazine, for further information. Meanwhile, B&B Cinemas in the US presented a bold vision of cinema as part of a wider entertainment complex, where you can enjoy a round of Pickleball before your screening, and a full 3-course meal afterwards. Now this is something I’d like to experience. These new concepts are a clear example of willingness to experiment and diversify. By

offering unique experiences, these cinemas aim to attract new customers and have the existing patrons coming back for more.

Advances in Technology

Technology is always a key theme at CineEurope and this year was no different. Advancements in projection, sound systems, and screen technology were showcased, demonstrating the industry’s commitment to delivering highquality visual and auditory experiences. The tradeshow floor was buzzing this year, awash with companies from all over the world, and there were plenty of snacks available to accommodate all palettes, for those wandering around. As is customary, the level one meeting rooms had been booked by various big names. Here you could find some demonstrations from the likes of Harkness, Christie, Dolby, CJ 4D Plex, GDC, LG, IMAX, and Barco, some of whom had rigged up some impressive cinematic rooms to showcase new laser technology and the latest in screen and audio technology.

Insights and Efficiencies

This year there was a growing emphasis on data-driven insights. Wednesday introduced panel talks featuring various exhibitors and marketing and cinema insight professionals, discussing the importance of first-party data, understanding digital marketing presence, and utilising web analytics to grow community and loyalty. One theme that cropped up time and time again was a call for more open conversation between distributors and exhibitors to build audiences and optimise marketing strategies. One talk that piqued interest was focused upon unattended retail concepts as a potential area of growth, with exhibitors exploring self-service options for food and beverage purchases. These could range from a contactless vending machine to an unstaffed mini market, with the ultimate aim being for implementation of

One of various networking events

unattended retail stands. These concepts aim to improve efficiency, reduce labour costs, and enhance the overall customer experience, and the data collected so far looks positive.

Looking Ahead

Of course, in between the technical demonstrations and the focus sessions, we had a sneak peek into the upcoming slates for 2024 – 2025. The usual studio suspects came and wowed the audience with what is to come, and this year we saw a lot of animation, sequels, and a sprinkle of new original content on the line-up. This year it was the studio executives proudly announcing that their titles would be released in premium large formats, a topic usually discussed on the tradeshow floor rather than in the presentation theatre,

indicating that the studios now have full confidence that PLF is the way to go. Offering audiences an experience vastly different to what they can see at home, is apparently key. While the overall tone of CineEurope was optimistic, it would be naïve to ignore that the industry continues to face challenges. The ongoing competition from streaming services, coupled with economic uncertainties and presents hurdles for exhibitors. However, these challenges also create opportunities for growth and innovation. By embracing new technologies, diversifying offerings, and focusing on the core appeal of the cinematic experience, cinemas can not only weather these challenges but also thrive. The development of new revenue streams, such as premium large formats (PLFs),

alternative and original content, and enhanced food and beverage options, demonstrates the industry’s ability to adapt and evolve.

CineEurope 2024 showcased the cinema industry’s resilience, innovation, and optimism. The conference provided a platform for industry professionals to connect, share ideas, and explore new opportunities over a tipple or two at the CTC’s drinks reception, or at a local bar with a big screen displaying the Euros. By embracing technology, redefining the cinema experience, and addressing industry challenges, the cinema industry is wellpositioned for continued growth and success. Here’s to the next 12 months!

From left to right: New technology showcase and the CTC members and sponsors reception.

IMIS VIEW

Development Group Team Record Virtual Event

David Pope President, IMIS (International Moving Image Society)

Our first virtual event for members since The Society’s relaunch was recently recorded at the Sony Digital Media Production Centre at Pinewood Studios.

Focusing on Current Developments in Digital Motion Picture Cameras it features international experts on the subject, Will Newman of Sony, and Peter Wilson FBKS. They initially placed developments in a historical context and then quickly went on to discuss and explain current contemporary developments.

In addition, onboard integral camera tools, data recording and the vital roles of the Digital Image Technician (DIT) and the Data Wrangler were also discussed along with the process of colour grading at the shooting stage. The conversation was hosted by Mark Trompeteler FBKS. It’s essential viewing to any members outside of the camera department wanting to gain a valuable insight into this area.

Behind the cameras the IMIS members crewing were David Pope, Paul Whatton and Elliott Hasler. Members can view the event in the member’s area of the website.

Readers of CT Magazine will doubtless find it an ideal primer to widen their knowledge of the industry and understand what is happening at the start of the ‘content journey’ to digital projection.

In other news, we are pleased to announce Phil Dolling has joined our board of directors. Phil is an award-winning programme maker who has worked on documentaries, studio productions and major outside broadcasts. He began as a sound engineer before moving to News and Current Affairs and then into documentaries in Science, Arts and

History. He was Head of BBC Events from 2012 to 2019. Phil is supporting Paul Whatton, the head of our University Accreditation Service which was relaunched this year and is doing exceptionally well.

Long term IMIS/BKSTS members Kommer Kliejn and Peter Wilson have completed a series of exclusive articles for CT magazine to open a debate on Colour Variation in Cinema. Over the last decade, DCI has served directors and producers well in ensuring what they see in the cinema matches what they signed off on back at the studios screening room. Are the standards keeping up with the latest projection technology? Intrigued? Read Peter and Kommer’s first article in this edition of CT magazine.

Note to all IMIS/BKSTS members: If you are reading the printed copy of this magazine, please email info@moving imagesociety.net confirming your postal address to continue receiving a copy.

WICTA VIEW

A Changing of The Guard

Mark Mayfield, President, ICTA.

e hope everyone has had a great summer of 2024; it’s certainly been a busy one.

At CineEurope in June, our international representative organised our annual Barcelona Seminar Series, which featured a full day of programming, including topics such as “Film: The equivalent to vinyl?”, hinting at the continued interest in (and in some cases preference for) the original cinematic medium.

A range of important topics were covered in a new format debuted at CinemaCon 2024 in April. This session covered hot-button, current technical topics such as certificate issues, image artifacts/JPEG2000, and others. One of the most exciting new programs being piloted by ICTA is our new Mentoring Program.

An introductory session was held in Barcelona for attendees of the ICTA Seminar. This program recognises the importance of promoting careers in Cinema technology and operations, and currently has four mentor/mentee pairs and is already showing signs of great success.

EMEA Awards

A key feature of the Barcelona Series is always the ICTA EMEA Awards, which recognises outstanding achievements in theatrical exhibition in EMEA. This year’s recipients went to: CinemaxX Berlin (Vue International), Germany: Best Cinema Refurbishment of the Year

Lumière Cinema Restaurant Café, Maastricht, Netherlands: Best Arthouse Cinema of the Year

The Light Redhill, UK: Best New Build Cinema of the Year

In July, we held our annual Members Convention in Newport Beach, California. This convention was especially memorable as it marked the departure of our beloved long-

time Executive Director, Robert Sunshine. Mr. Sunshine has been running our organisation for over 40 years, and he will of course be dearly missed.

Taking over as Executive Director is Carrie Dietrich, who has been an active board member of ICTA and – coincidentally – also the winner of this year’s “Allen Award”. This award is named after legendary audio guru Ioan Allen and is presented each year at the Annual ICTA Convention to a worthy member who has extolled the same dedication and virtues as Ioan, and has made her mark on the organisation.

New Leadership Team

This year’s convention also marked the changing of the guard of ICTA leadership. Mark Mayfield of Meyer Sound begins a 3-year term as ICTA President. Other new officers include Vice-President, Beth Figge (Dolby), and Theresa English (TK Architects) as Secretary. Doug Sabin of American Cinema Equipment was re-elected as Treasurer for a second term.

Eight business and technical sessions were presented over the course of the 3-day convention. Among the most compelling sessions was presented on the subject of preparing new talent for our industry. Specially, it’s been noted that many film school programs do not include much (if any) coursework on the technologies and procedures of post-production and exhibition.

Education

Education and Training has always been at the forefront of the ICTA mission, and under the leadership of outgoing president Frank Tees of Moving Image Technologies, we’ve made great strides over the past few years. Our “Fundamentals of Presentation Technologies” seminar has now been presented live nine times and has been attended by close to

New ICTA Officers and Executive Director: Pictured from left to right: Beth Figge, Frank Tees (outgoing president), Mark Mayfield, Carrie Dietrich, Theresa English, Doug Sabin.

Amount of business and technical sessions that were presented over the course of the 3-day convention.

Robert Sunshine. has been running our organization for over 40 years.

1,000 learners. This seminar was designed for non-technical management and staff in exhibition and is a crash-course on the basics of audio, acoustics and sound systems, projection, networks and theatre management systems.

A videotaped version of the “Fundamentals” seminar will be going online at www.CineTrain.com beginning this fall. This course also marks the first in a series of forthcoming programs which will be part of an ICTA Certification curriculum.

Watch www.icta-web.com for more details as these programs are announced.

LASS 2025

Finally, we are in the process of organising our annual Los Angeles Seminar Series, which will be held once again at

the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City between January 1315, 2025. This year, we are soliciting presentation topics and papers from all interested industry participants.

If you are interested in presenting a topic or creating (and moderating) a panel discussion for one of the industry’s most prestigious annual technical and networking events, please submit your idea(s) online at www.bit.ly/3B8reje

If your submission is accepted, you will be notified by November 4, 2024, and then we’ll need your final presentation by December 16, 2024.

Of course, if you’re interested in attending the Los Angeles Seminar Series, you can find further details including registration by visiting our web site.

CT: Could you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background?

It was 2008 and I was working in advertising in my previous life, but after seeing a job post to work in a film warehouse, I applied immediately. I had never seen positions in this field before and was desperate to get it. I got the call back for an interview, and when I arrived, I was shown around this warehouse filled with pallets of 35mm & 70mm prints. It was like something out of Indiana Jones. It was magical.

However, the role I had applied for was a manual labour position, moving said pallets, which I was definitely not equipped for with my puny 23-year-old arms at the time. But to my surprise, the MD had another role which I would be better suited to—an account manager for their new client, Warner Bros. I was in! I had just been employed at Deluxe Film Services and was about to start my film career. Dreams really did come true.

After two years working across trade marketing, I transitioned to a WB employee, joining the Theatrical Sales Team where I started in the role of Print & Digital Manager, heading up the delivery solutions for all film releases, screenings, and premieres. I worked my way to Distribution Manager, taking on the trailer strategy, negotiation, and placement duties, as well as working on automating workflows with our TDS, which is where my interest in the technical side of the industry really peaked.  Warner Bros. was home for 11 incredible years.  I released over 250 titles, and while I loved my time there, I knew it was time to take everything I’d learned and try something new.

I moved to Arts Alliance Media in 2020 without knowing what was about to happen to the world. I got stuck into the life of cinema software, where I worked with exhibitor CTOs on their infrastructure. Working across EMEA, I was joining a new world of tech-nerds just like myself, all within the world of cinema! It was great fun, and everyone made me feel so welcome. Unfortunately, as we all know, “the time that shall not be named” came upon us all, and we were stuck doing design sprints online and working on my banana bread. When everything opened back up, I had an incredible new opportunity to come back to the distribution side of the industry. UniqueX was looking for someone to front their MovieTransit Delivery Service for Studio

“...I worked my way to Distribution Manager, taking on the trailer strategy, negotiation and placement duties as well as working on automating workflows with our TDS which is where my interest in the technical side of the industry really peaked.”

Relations, and it felt like the perfect role for me. It combined my favourite parts—working with studios and exhibition to grow business and developing our technology to make tangible improvements to the film distribution lifecycle. I’ve been privileged to be with the

company since 2022. Now, in my new role as Head of Content Services across a number of territories, I’m very excited to be a part of all the exciting developments to come.

I’m excited to see where my journey will take me, and I am committed to continuing to push the boundaries of distribution and technology.

CT: Can you tell us about your current role at UniqueX and what a typical day looks like for you?

Every day is fast moving, and very different.  We are always working on our clients’ titles so every week is release week, across multiple territories. My day can be a mix of working closely with the studios, to working with my project & Network team for the next territory expansion.  Exploring new partnership deals to creating new ways to garner brand awareness.

Currently, our focus has been on our new KDMX platform.  I’m sure like everyone in the industry, we all have the same pain point of KDMS.  Something so necessary to the operational success to a release and yet something that hasn’t evolved for a while. IMO. This partnership between UniqueX & Pixelogic marks what we believe an exciting change to come for the industry to breath some fresh air into KDM releases.  So as you can imagine, we’re all exhausted.

CT: You’ve recently transitioned from Sales and Business Development to Head of Content, how has that shift been for you? It’s been great.  As well as UK & Ireland, I havetaken on Spain & South Africa, with, I hope more territories to be added in the future.  I

Jennifer Morgan, Head of Content, UniqueX.

really enjoy each new territory.  Each one is so different, they work differently, films release differently.  So it’s always exciting for me to learn something new.

My main expansion into the role has been to take on some bigger picture business, hopefully relieving some stress from my boss.

CT: How have your previous experiences prepared you for your new role?

I think because I’ve been so lucky to have had a varied career.  From being on the studio side to growing in the tech side.  I feel i understand the pain points that my customers face. Because I faced them.

CT: As the newest member of the CTC board, what are you looking forward to most?

Oh my gosh, the community.  Sharing knowledge between this group of incredible people across the globe.  Looking for better ways to work together that can help anyone.  I hope I can bring something valuable to the table.

“...Sharing knowledge between this group of incredible people across the globe. Looking for better ways to work together that can help anyone. I hope I can bring something valuable to the table.“

CT: What’s your favourite aspect of working in the cinema industry?

The cinemas of course! I love to visit my favourite places in town.  I love to escape into a film, melt away any stress.  It’s the best fun, even when I watch a horror.  If you’ve ever sat next to me during a horror, you’ll know how ridiculous I am.

CT: What advice would you give to someone considering a career in this field?

I’ll end on two pieces of advice I was given when I started, and I love to share them as I believe they are so invaluable.

Pick your battles… don’t die on your sword. A few years into my role at Warner Bros, I had just started taking over trailer negotiations. During a back-and-forth with one of my exhibitor friends over placement for a release that barely had any admissions, he said, “Pick your battles.” I understood immediately, and it resonated with me.

I’ve kept this in mind in everything I do ever since.

Don’t burn any bridges. This industry is still quite small, and we all rely on the relationships we build. You never know what will happen, so it’s never worth burning those bridges down.

Ultimately, the connections you make and the experiences you gain can lead to incredible opportunities, so definitely embrace every moment and every interaction!