MINDSHARE THEATREWORLD EDITORIAL
Farewell TheatreWorld has witnessed several
support it received from an entire
Goh of E&E Singapore, Bui Xuan of
industry upheavals and itself
ecosystem of readers, advertisers,
Tecnics Vietnam, James Li of China Film,
undergone many transformations in its
contributors, tradeshow operators, staff
Ying Gang of CFEC China etc.
journey of 15 years since 1999.
members and others. Some names that
However nothing could be as striking
stick out include Bob, Andrew and
as this edition published by
Mitch who helped TheatreWorld at the
Network208 a media start-up.
major tradeshows ShoWest now
Yes TheatreWorld has changed hands
CinemaCon, CineEurope, ShowEast
and embarks on a new journey!
and CineAsia.
TheatreWorld was founded by me as a
Amongst international advertisers the
platform for the cinema exhibition
big brands were always kind and
industry of not just India but Asia and
generous when the going was good for
the world. In 1999 Asian cinema
them. Peter Seager of Dolby, Christoph
exhibition industry had begun to
Bauer of Kinoton, Ray Boegner of
multiplex and modernise itself and was
Strong, Jack Kline of Christie, Clint
in need of a publication that could serve
Koch of USL were regular advertisers,
its interests with news, views,
Off and on were Jim Murray of DTS,
technology, releases and more. Cinema
Charles Goodsell of JBL & Crown,
owners and operators did not know how
Norm Schneider of Smart, Andrew of
to transit from single screens to
Harkness Hall, Murray of Vista etc. Of
multiplex, how to decode the technology
course, in lean years advertising is the
jargon that was being thrown at them,
first casualty and support dwindled but
how to upgrade without being taken for
we used to soldier on and the support
a ride, etc etc. TheatreWorld was the
would return.
answer. As the cliché goes … we were at the right time, at the right place, doing the right thing!
For TheatreMagic, the India pages, we got ample support from advertisers like
A special word for our printer Narendra of Ramya Reprographics. A lot of credit goes to him for the superb production values and adhering to impossible timelines. And to Kiran of Mindworks for unstinting web support. Not to forget the team at TheatreWorld. For a start-up that was based on a passion for the industry with no business plan the initial years were very, very tough. However hope, optimism and a lot of hard work, literally burning the midnight oil, kept us going. For this I have to thank our first editor, Vishwa, and his team of Subba, Ranga, Mahrukh, Dinesh. Later it was Johnny, Ramya and still later Ram, Raghav, Bobby, Yash, Naga … wherever you guys are god bless you. Apologies if I have missed names but my gratitude extends to one and all.
Sanjay of Monee in the initial years and
Am sure the new team at Network208
Very quickly TheatreWorld gained not
later Ranjit of Scrabble. Ram of R&S,
will continue the legacy of a top notch
just acceptability but recognition and
Rajan of Hi-tech, Galalite, Barco India,
publication that has a finger on the
appreciation worldwide. I vividly
Harman India etc. Some of the major
pulse of the industry and serves its
remember 'Chuck' Goodsell of JBL
chains would also come in, especially for
patrons well. The cinema exhibition
always with a good word
our Annual Edition, included PVR, Inox
industry continues to evolve and a
"TheatreWorld is very focussed on the
and the erstwhile Fame, Cinemax etc.
publication like TheatreWorld will
exhibition side of the business as compared to other comparable magazines that fill their pages with movie releases aggressively promoted by the studios". This sentiment was shared by many others that propelled us forward.
One of the major features we did was Agents of Change wherein we highlighted major countries of Asia and equipment integrators, who helped exhibitors to make that paradigm shift,
platform to serve its myriad needs. I wish Network208 all success, and should I say, the 'new' TheatreWorld, more glory and fame.
take that technology leap, to forge ahead in the industry and benefit the patrons
In this journey of 15 years there would
immensely. Rey and Emil of Arrays
naturally be a lot of people to thank. The
Philippines, Joon Ho of Eugentek Korea,
success of TheatreWorld stems from the
Sittiporn of Goldenduck Thailand, Ronald
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always be needed as an independent
Sandeep Mittal
Founder Editor Publisher
Value -
contents
150 (US$ 15)
This issue of TW has two sets of page numbers - International pages TW-1 to TW-60 for TW, and India pages TM-1 to TM-16 for TM. TM is inserted between pages TW-50 and TW-51 of TW.
Issue # 63 May-June 2014 TW-8 TW-23
INSTALLS TW-30
Golden Village Bishan:
Renovated with Motion Tech
TECHNOLOGY TW-31
South Korean Cinema Halls with
ScreenX Technology
SPECIAL FEATURE TW-33
Raghavendra T Editor-Publisher +91 9980 208 208 raghav@network208.com
Cinema in the
South West
TRADESHOWS
Sandeep Mittal Founder Editor Publisher
TW-43 Review -
Authors & Writers TW-45 Preview -
Heti Dave Jim Slater Mansi Modak
FIRST PERSON
Venkatesh Roddam
TW-49 Making 3D More Crystal Clear Printing Ramya Reprographic, Bengaluru
ENTERTAIN WORLD TW-51
PVR Cinemas
Unmatched Movie Experience! TW-55
F
U T U R E
R E L E A S E S
RNI # KARENG02795/10/1/2002-TC
TM-3 TM-9 TM-10
INDIA PLEXING TM-10
Big Cinemas
Bigger and Wider
BUSINESS TALK TM-14
Big Cinemas
Retelling the Retail Tale
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May-June 2014
Published by Raghavendra T on behalf of NETWORK208 013, Skylark Enclave, 5th Main, Jagadish Nagar, New Thippasandra Post, Bengaluru 560 075, India info@network208.com www.network208.com
TheatreWorld is a bi-monthly publication, on the motion picture exhibition industry, for private circulation. It reaches out to subscribers, mainly theatre owners and trade professionals around the world. Additional copies are being promoted at major international industry tradeshows. TheatreWorld seeks the healthy promotion of the theatre industry through dissemination of useful information. Some of the information is compiled from industry sources, trade journals, company brochures for the benefit of readers, especially, theatre owners. TheatreWorld acknowledges with thanks the authors and publishers of these printed materials. Views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and not necessarily of TheatreWorld. TheatreWorld is a trademark under registration. The contents of TheatreWorld are under copyright registration. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Unsolicited printed material is welcome but no responsibility is undertaken for the same and will not be returned. TheatreWorld does not take responsibility for the absolute accuracy of information published.
Christie D4K25 Projector Wins PIPA Award Christie, a global audiovisual technologies company, is proud to announce that it recently received the first ever PIPA Award for the Christie D4K2560 DLP 4K projector with TruLife electronics at Prolight + Sound 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany. For the past 15 years, the Musik Media Verlag publishing house in Germany has organized the highly regarded Musikmesse International Press Award (MIPA), which honors the outstanding products for the music industry. Following the success of MIPA and to celebrate its 15th year, Musik Media decided to create the Prolight + Sound International Press Award (PIPA) for the first time. PIPA is an award that recognizes the best products in the professional audio and video industry, and is voted for by a global community of over 100 trade journalists working in the Pro-AV industry. Nominated in the "Video / Projection Devices" category, the Christie D4K2560 with TruLife electronics won the award, having fended off competition from Digital Projection's HIGHLite Laser 12K and Panasonic's DZ12K projectors. The award-winning Christie D4K2560 is a high-end 3-chip DLP projector that has native 4K (4096 x 2160) resolution, offering ultra-realistic images and smoother video. In addition, the PIPA award particularly highlights the achievement of the unique Christie TruLife electronics, a breakthrough in high frame rate and high-resolution video projection. Christie TruLife enables 4K DLP at 120Hz performance through its support of a video-processing pipeline of up to 1.2 Gigapixels per second - 10 times faster than full high-definition bandwidth - which not only benefits the Christie D4K25 and D4K35, but also permits the Christie Mirage 4K25 and Christie Mirage 4K35 to support various 3D interconnectivity formats.
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Klaus Hilles, regional sales director DACH (Deutschland, Austria, Switzerland) for Christie, was presented with the award at a joint evening ceremony for the MIPA and PIPA awards at the Prolight + Sound show in Frankfurt; over 300 representatives of international manufacturers and distributors were in attendance. Afterwards, Michael Garrido, senior product manager, Christie, commented, "It gives us great pleasure to receive this PIPA award and I would like to thank the international press for voting for our Christie D4K2560 DLP projector with TruLife electronics. It is particularly pleasing to see our products and technology being recognized in this way, especially as 4K is such a key focus for Christie."
Christie Provides Digital Projectors and Installation Services as Premiere Sponsor of Lollipop Theatre Network Outdoor Cinema Installation by Christie's Managed Services Team Brings "The Magic of Movies" to Hospital-Bound Children Christie, a global leader in visual display solutions, is pleased to announce its donation of digital cinema technology and installation services as a Premiere Sponsor of A Night Under the Stars, Lollipop Theater Network's fundraising event on April 26. Installed by Christie's Managed Services team, the Christie Solaria Series projector and Christie Vive Audio immersive cinema system will provide hospital-bound children the opportunity to experience the magic of movies through the screening of 20th Century Fox's animated hit, Rio 2. The event will be staged outdoors at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio lot in Burbank, California, and will also feature family friendly activities, food and beverages, music, and autographs from attending celebrities.
Established in 2001, Lollipop Theater Network has spent the past 12 years working to bring blockbuster movies to children confined to hospitals due to chronic illnesses or life threatening diseases. Through its collaboration with organizations such as Christie, Lollipop has screened more than 290 films for hospitalized children across 18 states nationwide. Christie CEO Jack Kline has always been impressed by the extraordinary work of Lollipop Theater Network. Inspired to take on a more active role in supporting Lollipop's cause, he recently became a member of that organization's Board of Directors. "Community outreach has always been important to us here at Christie, and the mission and goals of Lollipop Theatre Network are not
only easy to admire, but are undertakings that we are thrilled to help support," said Kline. "Our renowned digital cinema technology will provide Lollipop with the opportunity to give these children an authentic movie theatre experience." "As a nonprofit, our organization's success depends on the generosity of our community, and the immense support Christie has given us has been essential in bringing our vision to life for the upcoming A Night Under the Stars event," said Evelyn Iocolano, executive director and cofounder of Lollipop Theater Network. "We have always appreciated Jack Kline and Christie's support of our organization and we welcome Jack as a new Board member. It has been great to work with Christie's Managed Services team, whose superior level of professionalism and technical expertise will help us achieve our ambitious goals on behalf of so many deserving children."
To "light up" Rio 2 on the big screen, Christie is providing the Christie CP4220 projector, which delivers the brightest image and highest resolution in its class, as well as the most robust and cost-effective 4K DLP Cinema solution. Christie will also provide the innovative Christie Vive Audio immersive cinema system, which unlocks the full potential of leading DCI digital cinema audio formats. The setup includes five Christie CDA5 amplifiers, a combination of subwoofers, and a variety of screen channels and
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surround speakers. As well, the Christie SKA-3D digital cinema processor, which complements Christie Vive Audio, is being provided. Christie's Managed Services team will supply complete technical support for this event, expertly installing the digital cinema equipment. They are skillfully compensating for many environmental challenges typical of outdoor settings to create the optimum viewing experience for the audience. "In installing the equipment for this event, we needed to overcome a number of technical and design challenges to ensure safety and deliver vibrant and clear visuals in an unusual, outdoor environment," said Sean James, vice president, Christie Managed Services. "From mounting and aligning the projectors to safely running power and speaker wires while protecting the equipment from the elements, this event has engaged our team throughout the installation from every angle." As a new member of Lollipop's Board of Directors, Kline joined well-known entertainers such as Anne Hathaway and Billy Bush, who are also on the Board. He is hoping to install permanent equipment in Children's Hospital of Orange County to provide a more secure and permanent screening room for the hospital's patients. The facility is one of the many hospitals nationwide with which Lollipop Theatre Network works.
USHIO and Christie Conserve with Solar Energy Project In a joint effort, USHIO Inc. (USHIO) and Christie, a wholly-owned subsidiary, have continued their mission to be both environmentally conscious and more energy efficient by recently completing solar energy panel installations in both of their
USA headquarters in Cypress, Calif., USA. USHIO and Christie are excited to have this newest part of our energy conservation efforts up and running, which was necessitated by increased energy consumption in all areas, necessitated by company growth, with large increases occurring in all three buildings. A solar energy feasibility study was performed in 2012 to determine if solar panel installations would be a cost effective alternative that would help reduce the cost of electricity consumption and reduce greenhouse emissions. The conclusion was that there would be significant savings in energy use and expense if solar panels were installed, with a payback period on the capital investment of seven years. In addition, the decision to move forward on the installation was enhanced by government incentives and accordingly, the objective of a 15 percent reduction in energy use over the first three years was set. This objective coincides with a request from Christie's parent company, USHIO, to reduce CO2 emissions from energy consumption as outlined in the latter's Phase 4 Environmental Action Plan. The project included: one 177.5 kW DC, 155.6 kW AC roof-mounted photovoltaic system (710 Sharp ND250QCS modules) at 5740 Cerritos Avenue; one 112 kW DC, 95.16 kW AC roof-mounted photovoltaic system (448 Sharp ND-250QCS modules) at 10550 Camden Drive and one 258 kW DC, 226 kW AC roof-mounted photovoltaic system (1032 Sharp ND-250QCS modules) at 5440 Cerritos Avenue. All systems were installed by Independent Energy Solutions, Inc. of Vista, CA. As part of the system, monitoring equipment with realtime Web feeds were installed, with the output displayed on the Christie 速 MicroTiles display in the lobby of USHIO and Christie. The display will show what energy is being produced each day and each month,
and cumulatively for all to see. The information will also be expressed in interesting and comparative environmental metrics, such as how many trees would be needed to produce the equivalent amount of CO2 saved, or the equivalent energy production as car mileage. With the solar panels installed and the system recently up and running, Christie and USHIO are pleased to have furthered the initiative to promote and initiate systems that are environmentally aware. Christie's Environmental Management System, created over seven years ago, has implemented and managed programs and awareness within the company. Some of these initiatives include: higher efficiency light fixtures, eco-friendly materials, a recycling program, a hazardous and universal waste diversion program, a ridesharing program, a landscape irrigation water conservation program, a paper reduction program, and more. The recent launching of the solar panel project further enhances the company's efforts to promote and support the environment. "At Christie, we recognize our responsibility to control impacts to the environment from our business activities, products and services. We are fully committed to environmentfriendly solutions for current and future generations," said Jack Kline, Christie CEO. "As an industry leader, we are committed to the prevention of pollution and continual improvement through implementation of our environmental management system. Since achieving ISO14000 certification in 2007, Christie's offices in Cypress and Kitchener (Canada) have been constantly improving. For example, in Kitchener, the recent expansion to the facility was designed to meet a LEED Gold standard for green buildings and the current recycling program was expanded with the acquisition of three new recycling stations."
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Cinemark Chooses Christie Vive Audio Christie, a dominant brand in the digital cinema projection market, announced that Cinemark Theatres has installed the Christie Vive Audio cinema sound system in its state-ofthe-art Cinemark XD: Extreme Digital Cinema auditorium at the Cinemark StarCreek 16 in Allen, Texas. The 282seat premium auditorium, which includes Auro 11.1 by Barco audio platform, features a huge, wall-towall screen and plush seating for maximum comfort; and now, Christie's leading-edge immersive line array technology that makes every seat the best seat in the house. "We applaud Cinemark for adding a critical piece of the cinema experience with the decision to install our Christie Vive Audio solution in their premium XD Auditoriums," said Craig Sholder, vice president, Entertainment Solutions, Christie. "We believe the performance of our line array speaker technology provides a great audio experience to their XD guests, in every seat." The innovative Christie Vive Audio system unlocks the full potential of the DCI digital cinema audio format and supports leading formats such as Auro 11.1, Dolby Atmos , 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound. It is comprised of wall and ceiling surround speakers that use unique ribbon driver technology in a line array design, purpose-built for cinema environments. Christie Vive Audio speakers featured at the Cinemark XD: Extreme Digital Cinema auditorium include
the Christie LA3 series for screen channels, wall and ceiling surrounds and the Christie S218 subwoofer. "We are excited to add the Christie Vive Audio solution to our Cinema XD auditorium," said Damian Wardle, SVP Theatres Technology & Presentation at Cinemark. "Offering the ultimate in immersive cinema sound is part of Cinemark's commitment to bringing the highest quality movie-going experience to all our guests." Phil Hacker, director of Presentation at Cinemark added, "We continue to seek out and bring the latest technology to our guests and the new generation of immersive sound is the differentiating factor. For Cinemark, Christie Vive Audio continues that objective and allows us to take full advantage of powerful immersive technology such as Auro 11.1, to bring our guests a movie-viewing experience that is also unmatched for its audio clarity." Recognized for their exceptional timbre matching, enhanced voice intelligibility, and low distortion, the Christie Vive Audio speakers' unique line array design increases the optimal-listening area up to four times that of the standard point source systems. The complete Christie Vive Audio solution includes ceiling surrounds, wall surrounds, screen channel speakers, subwoofers, and Class D amplifiers. The system is ideal for traditional and premium largeformat auditoriums, as well as postproduction studios and screening rooms.
Sonic Celebrates Milestone with 1,000 Christie Projectors Christie, a global leader in digital cinema technology, is proud to announce an impressive achievement from long-term partner, Sonic Equipment Company, which recently reached a milestone with the installation of its 1,000th Christie Solaria Series DLP Cinema projector. Sonic's reputation for providing current and future Christie customers with unparalleled technical support and maintenance has made them a popular and trusted provider of cinema sales, service and installation. The partnership has allowed the two companies to leverage each other's strengths and resources in order to offer superior services to their customers, resulting in Sonic's cumulative sale of more than 1,000 Christie projectors. "Our valued partnership with Sonic has proven to be integral to our objective of providing exhibitors with the breakthrough technology needed to create the bright, vivid images that movie-goers have come to expect," said Craig Sholder, vice president, Entertainment Solutions at Christie. "Sonic's success is our success and helps strengthen our leadership in the exhibition industry. Our partnership continues to grow as we blaze new digital trails with technologies that include High Frame Rate and the Christie Duo 'big screen' premium products. We also look forward to working with Sonic to debut such 'coming attractions' as the groundbreaking Christie '6-Primary' laser projector." Christie's wide range of affordable and innovative digital cinema projectors mapped perfectly with Sonic's mission to help smaller theatre circuits and individual screen owners make the film-to-digital conversion, providing the same care in designing, installing and servicing theatre venues as the nation's largest chains were enjoying. The result is that Sonic has an exceptional industry reputation as the 'one-stop
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shopping' cinema sales provider for hundreds of locations across America. "The close relationship and positive experiences we have had working with Christie is a testament to Christie's exceptional customercentric approach to business, with products and service that are second to none," said Eric Olson, director of operations for Sonic. "Most importantly, our partnership has been tremendously beneficial to our customers, many of whom have facilities that presented installation challenges due to the older nature of the buildings. Together with Christie we helped them achieve best-in-class cinema for the ultimate benefit of their audiences."
Christie Vive Audio Powers CinemeXtremo Audi in Mexico Christie, the world's dominant brand in the digital cinema projection market, announced that Grupo Cinemex, the sixth largest cinema chain worldwide, is installing Christie Vive Audio ™ surround sound solutions in their current CinemeXtremo auditoriums powered by Dolby Atmos ™ sound technology. Dolby Atmos unleashes the full potential of sound by allowing filmmakers to easily place or move sounds anywhere in the movie theater with object-based audio to create a lifelike, virtual reality audio landscape. With these installations, Cinemex becomes the chain with the largest number of
premium auditoriums in Latin America to feature the unrivaled combination of Dolby Atmos and Christie Vive Audio. Cinemex's CinemeXtremo auditoriums feature giant screens, 100 percent digital cinema projection, and ergonomic seats for the ultimate in movie-viewing comfort. Christie Vive Audio, installed by Christie's Managed Services team, features efficient ribbon driver technology and a unique parabolic line array design in a single compact cabinet to deliver exceptionally even coverage throughout the auditorium. Each CinemeXtremo auditorium, specially configured to meet Dolby Atmos specifications, is being upgraded with varying combinations of Christie Vive Audio LA3 screen channel speakers, S215 subwoofers (for full range frequency response), S218 for Low Frequency Effects (subwoofers) channels, LA3S and LA5S for wall surround, and LA3C for ceiling surrounds. "Cinemex is focused on continuous innovation, investing in the best technologies and most modern facilities. We are passionate about providing our patrons with the most memorable movie-viewing experience they have ever known," said Rolando Maggi, director of infrastructure, Grupo Cinemex. "To that end, we are committed to opening new CinemeXtremo auditoriums throughout Mexico equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and we selected Dolby Atmos and Christie Vive Audio for their exceptional power and performance that ensure our patrons experience the magic of immersive cinema sound." The complete Christie Vive Audio solution includes industry-first line array designs for ceiling surrounds, wall surrounds and screen channel speakers, integrated with unique subwoofers, and powered by Class D amplifiers.
Cinemagic to Digitize National Chain
Cinemagic, a cinema chain focused on building cinemas in towns between 50 and 70 thousand inhabitants of Mexico, and Christie, the dominant brand in the global digital cinema projection market, today announced the joint digitization of 70 screens currently operated by Cinemagic in Mexico. Christie will supply an assortment of Christie Solaria One+ and Christie CP2220 projectors to the Cinemagic complexes, facilitated by Scrabble Entertainment, an international deployment entity whose financing of DCI-compliant digital cinema projector conversions helps all manner of cinemas make the move to digital technology. "With Christie supplying the highest quality of digital cinema equipment and technical support, Cinemagic will be able to offer to our audience the best quality in cinema projection in each of the cities we serve," said Roberto Quintero, CEO, Cinemagic. Cinemagic is to be commended on its mission to bring cinema to the small communities without entertainment options in Mexico," said Ernesto Armus, general manager for Christie Mexico. "We are honored to be part of its mission and are committed to supplying Cinemagic with the world's leading digital projection hardware, software and services." Roberto Quintero said, "We are confident that with dedication, effort and together with our strategic partners, we will ensure the growth and consolidation of our project to successfully bring cinema to the small communities of our country."
Yes Planet Cinema with Harman's JBL and Crown As if vibrating chairs, gusts of wind, thunder and lightning was not enough, the Israel Theaters Group which owns Cinema City International, recently added a Barco Auro-3D advanced sound system to the three largest theaters at the Yes Planet complexes in Rishon LeZion. This next-generation multidimensional sound system features HARMAN's JBL loudspeakers and Crown DSi 2000 amplifiers. "We are using JBL loudspeakers in the movie theaters we set up in Israel and abroad, and this time we chose to upgrade and work with Crown's new DSi Series amplifiers, which turned out to be a perfect combination and a winning formula for reliability and uncompromising sound. The combination of Crown and JBL gives perfect results," said Ilan Schor, Cinema City International's technical manager. By implementing loudspeakers in the ceiling as well as the sides of the theater, the Barco Auro-3D system effectively immerses the viewer in an omnidirectional aural experience. The JBL loudspeakers installed were: 21 JBL ScreenArray 3732 loudspeakers, 36 JBL 4670D loudspeakers, 12 JBL 3678 loudspeakers, 30 JBL 4645C subwoofers, 114 JBL 8340A Surround loudspeakers, 124 JBL 8320 Surround loudspeakers and 18 JBL 8350 Surround loudspeakers. Schor added, "This time we chose Crown's DSi series of amplifiers with built-in DSP, which includes perfect compatibility with every loudspeaker and enables simple and easy control of each component in the system. Also, the DSi-8M projection booth monitors also enable us to fully monitor the system during the screening." A total of 126 Crown DSi 2000 amplifiers were installed in conjunction with 24 Crown DSi-8m state-of-the-art monitors. As sound is an inseparable part of the movie-viewing experience, this upgrade not only offers the viewers a
new and exciting sound quality, but makes it easy for the staff to operate and monitor the system as well. Rarely can one find a cinema system with a more streamlined integration as the one between JBL and Crown.
The Premiere of 4K HFR Oklahoma! The opening night premiere of the 4K HFR Oklahoma! was shown on a 66-foot screen. Oran was glad he got to watch the run-through at the TCL Chinese Theater the night before because he spent the first half-hour of the premiere watching the reaction of the crowd. "The audience was thrilled to see such beautiful images on the screen," Oran said. "The Qube server and 4K IMB allowed this presentation to be as close to the uncompressed source as possible. We couldn't be happier with the end result of our high bitrate DCP being streamed by Qube's server to the projector." "It was the best digital film I've seen," agreed Chapin Cutler, who was also co-technical director of the TCM Classic Film Festival. "The fact that we filled the 950-seat theater on a Thursday evening to see a movie made in 1955 is quite an accomplishment, and, thanks to Qube, the quality of the exhibition was stunning." "It is my hope that, in future years, the TCM Classic Film Festival will be showcasing more of these 4K, 500 Mbps DCPs," Christopher Reyna said. "We'll be counting on Qube Cinema to help us make this happen." May-June 2014
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Cinex Selects Barco and Bardan Exclusively to Outfit its Entire Circuit with Barco Projectors Barco, the worldwide market share leader in digital cinema, in collaboration with Bardan Cinema, a full service distributor and digital cinema integrator serving Latin America, is empowering Cinex (Suramericana De Espectaculos) to elevate the quality of cinema entertainment in Venezuela with its new ultra-bright DLP Cinema® projectors. Venezuela's cinema industry has experienced positive changes, with national and foreign cinema box office continuously growing, providing an opportunity for Cinex to proceed with a comprehensive digital cinema conversion for all of its complexes. A positive relationship between Bardan and Barco over the years has facilitated Cinex' decisionmaking process, fostering excellent cooperation and understanding of the exhibitor's needs among all parties. Fully confident in the timing of this deployment, Cinex will ultimately install 70 Barco digital cinema projectors, choosing from a wide array of options to ensure the perfect match for every screen. Delivering a heightened cinema experience "We at Cinex are engaged in a medium- to long-term investment plan focused on incorporating the latest technology and innovation into our business operations. Our goal is to provide a new cinema experience to our customers by offering the best and widest array of products and services, thus clearly differentiating Cinex as being on the cutting-edge in the Venezuelan market. Partners like Bardan and Barco are key players in helping us to reach our goals," said Santiago Otero, President of Cinex. Dedicated to full service integration and support Barco provides 24/7/365 onsite technical support through local service teams, with parts conveniently available from eight locations in Latin America. In addition, Barco's installation and advanced service certification training is available in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Mexico City, Mexico;
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and Sacramento, California. Like Barco, Bardan maintains a keen dedication to the full continuum of customer support, from site planning to projector selection, sales and installation, to comprehensive technical assistance. "Not only does Barco offer the most robust and high-performing projectors on the market for the lowest, long-term operating cost, but their fervent commitment to Bardan to adapt to the individual needs of exhibitors in regions like Venezuela makes them an invaluable partner in serving discerning clients such as Cinex," said Daniel Benitez, CTO of Bardan Cinema. "As they have continued to establish themselves as a leader in digital cinema, Cinex has shown a deep dedication to providing the Venezuelan people with a superlative moviegoing experience. Bardan is proud to take this journey with them." Committed to movie exhibitors in Latin America "We have steadily grown our commitment to serving the unique needs of our cinema customers in Latin America, and Cinex is a perfect example of what's possible if an exhibitor is focused on offering a high-quality moviegoing experience," comments Ney Corsino, Senior Vice President of Barco,
International Sales. "We are delighted to partner with Bardan to deliver solutions that will take Cinex to the next level in cinema entertainment."
Cinemaxx Taps Harman's JBL and Crown HARMAN Professional announced that Indonesian cinema exhibitor Cinemaxx has partnered with HARMAN to equip more than 300 new screens with JBL Professional ScreenArray ® loudspeakers, powered by Crown amplifiers, over the next 12 months. In the years ahead, Cinemaxx may outfit up to 1,000 screens throughout Indonesia with JBL and Crown. Cinemaxx is a new cinema exhibitor that is planning 150 locations across 77 cities. The HARMAN systems at these theaters will feature JBL cinema systems, powered with Crown DCi amplifiers. In addition, up to 100 screens will feature Dolby® Atmos™ cinema audio technology. "Our goal is to provide the best possible cinema experience to moviegoers in Indonesia," said Brian Riady, CEO, Cinemaxx. "With HARMAN as our technology partner, we are confident that we will amaze moviegoers throughout Indonesia and keep them coming back to Cinemaxx theaters!" "Cinemaxx is dedicated to providing its customers with the most cuttingedge and immersive cinema experience available, as evidenced by its commitment to outfit up to 1,000 screens with JBL and Crown," said Thomas Marcher, Director of Sales, Asia & Pacific, HARMAN Professional.
'Wir waren Könige' First German Movie Mixed in the Auro 11.1 Immersive Sound Format Global digital cinema leader Barco is pleased to announce that 'Wir waren Könige' is the first German movie mixed in the Auro 11.1 immersive cinema sound format. Thanks to the rich natural sound produced by Auro 11.1, moviegoers will be fully immersed in the suspense of this movie thriller. An independent feature film production co-produced by ZDF and ARTE, 'Wir waren Könige' will be released in Germany in Summer 2014. "We are happy that we can add this German movie to our list of 20 feature films that are already confirmed to be mixed and released in our immersive cinema sound format during 2014," comments Brian Claypool, Senior Director of Strategic Business Development at Barco. "What's more, more than 25 postproduction studios around the world have already installed the Auro-3D® Studio System and we're now working with various postproduction houses in Germany to install the system in their facilities. Gaining momentum with exhibitors at Kino 2014 in Baden-Baden, moviegoers will soon be able to enjoy more German movies mixed in truly natural cinema sound." Creating truly natural sound André Bendocchi-Alves, Supervising Sound Editor and Re-recording Mixer for 'Wir waren Könige', considers Auro 11.1 to be a fantastic tool for creating a truly natural and immersive cinema sound experience: "After 30 years in cinema sound, I can finally hear what I always thought it should sound like." 'Wir waren Könige' Written and directed by Philipp Leinemann, 'Wir waren Könige' is a
thriller that revolves around a SWAT team in which each member is fighting for his position as the ministry plans to cut several units in cost-saving measures. As the team is under special observation, and each team member needs to do his utmost, the tension and competition within the team grows. The most natural acoustical experience Developed by Auro Technologies and powered by Barco, Auro 11.1 by Barco is designed in accordance with a sound reproduction layout consisting of three layers (traditional Surround Sound with Height and Overhead layers), which enables studio sound mixers to move objects around in space to create the most realistic and acoustically perfect experience. Auro 11.1 is fully compatible with existing audio equipment and current workflows. The Auro 11.1 sound technology provides the best acoustic experience at the most commercially viable price point in the market, and it does so without needing to create object-based soundtracks that are designed to be optimized for the consumer market.
Caribbean Cinemas Completes VPF Deployment with GDC Technology GDC Technology Limited ("GDC Technology"), a world leading digital cinema solutions provider, is pleased to announce that Caribbean Cinemas, the largest motion picture exhibitor in the Caribbean Islands, has completed its digital conversion under GDC Technology's VPF agreement, covering an additional 148 screens over 20 theatres across the Islands including the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Aruba, St. Lucia and Antigua. GDC Technology currently manages over 4,600 screens across 600 VPF agreements with worldwide content distributors and exhibitors. Under its VPF agreement with Caribbean Cinemas, GDC Technology supplies digital cinema servers while Ballantyne Strong integrates and installs GDC servers with NEC Display Solutions projectors. "Through our experience of having deployed GDC servers in the past, it was natural to move forward with GDC's VPF program in tandem with Ballantyne Strong's integration services as we have been very pleased with the level of responsiveness and attentive service that GDC has always provided," said Robert Carrady, President and CEO of Caribbean Cinemas. "We are thankful for the opportunity and excited to demonstrate why GDC Technology is such a great fit for Caribbean Cinemas," said Dr. ManNang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. "We are dedicated to help exhibitors like Caribbean Cinemas convert from traditional to digital under a VPF program that is designed to be extremely simple, transparent and flexible. Caribbean Cinemas is able to enjoy the longterm benefits of its circuit-wide digital roll-out."
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Sales of Digital Cinema Projectors with Award-winning DLP Cinema Technology Surpass 100,000 - Screen Milestone Texas Instruments announced that more than 100,000 global movie theatre screens use its DLP Cinema technology. More than 8 out of 10 of the world's screens, from art houses to multiplexes, count on DLP Cinema to enable new possibilities for big screen content and experiences. TI and its customers, Barco, Christie, and NEC, showcased their latest projector models on the tradeshow floor and other venues at CinemaCon 2014. Demonstrations include innovative laser illumination models. "The digital cinema revolution has raised the presentation standards of quality and consistency in cinemas around the world. More than ever before, audiences everywhere can see on screen exactly what movie makers imagined for them," said John Fithian, president and chief executive officer, NATO. "On behalf of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) and our members worldwide, we congratulate the TI DLP Cinema team and their customers, Barco, Christie, and NEC, for their contributions to the cinema industry." Benefits and impact of DLP Cinema technology include the following: •
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For directors and content creators: Digital cinema has ushered in a new era where the artist's vision can come to life with immersive qualities and features, such as digital 3D and high frame rates (HFR). With the high speed (144 Hz) and high brightness of DLP Cinema technology, the cinema industry is now better equipped to stay ahead of home entertainment and other options to watch content. For exhibitors: Digital cinema allows for pristine quality showings of movies and alternative content from the first day of release to the last showing. Most importantly, all DLP Cinema-
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powered projectors are DCIcompliant and light sourceagnostic, and they offer awardwinning color reproduction. •
For audiences: Digital cinema provides a visual experience beyond what is possible via home theater installations and mobile devices. DLP Cinema technology is used to illuminate all IMAX® digital and other premium large format screens. DLP Cinema technology also offers the possibility of augmented reality, interactivity and even holographic-style showings.
"With this milestone, the filmmaker's true vision is now coming to life in nearly every cinema around the world," said Dave Duncan, manager of TI's DLP Cinema & Professional Display and DLP Front Projection Products. "For the DLP Cinema team, the real cause for celebration is that more than 10 years of development and innovation are being enjoyed by millions of moviegoers." With DLP Cinema technology used in projectors around the world - from S2K models designed for small screens to enhanced 4K models used in premium large format screens - the 100,000-screen milestone marks the beginning of cinema's digital era. Based on information from the Theatre Distribution List database, in the period between March 1, 2013, and March 1, 2014, 21,927 new DLP Cinema screens were installed worldwide. The highest growth region for new screens was Asia Pacific, with 8,780 (a 38 percent boost) during the same period. The EMEA region followed, installing 6,474 more screens during the year. The Latin America region installed 3,766 new screens, representing an amazing growth of nearly 75 percent. IMAX digital screens powered by DLP Cinema climbed to 692 theatres globally (354 in North America and 338 internationally).
GDC Technology Announces VPF Deal with Chile’s CineHoyts GDC Technology, a world leading digital cinema solutions provider, is pleased to announce that it has signed a VPF agreement with Cine Hoyts Spa ("CineHoyts") for its conversion to digital cinema, covering more than 157 screens over 23 theatres, and the deployment of SX-3000 Standalone IMB and Portable Storage throughout Chile. Cine Hoyts, part of Grupo Chilefilms Holding, is a market leader and over time it has established itself as the standard of excellence in the exhibition industry in Chile. Its digital roll out involving the installation and integration of DCI-compliant projection systems began in the first quarter of 2014 and is expected to be completed by August this year. "After a careful evaluation process, we at CineHoyts decided to use GDC Technology's digital cinema servers and storage solutions for all our digital installations. The performance and reliability of its products combined with its worldwide VPF operations experience in Asia, North America and Latin America has made this a perfect choice for our move to digital," said Cristián Varela CEO of Grupo ChileFilms. "The agreement reflects the commitment of both CineHoyts and GDC Technology to offer audiences a superior way to experience movies," said Dr. Man-Nang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. "We have been in the digital cinema industry since year 2000, we understand the challenges of conversion from analog to digital cinema. We are glad to continue providing high quality and transparent VPF services with the state-of-the-art digital cinema equipment to a growing number of LATAM exhibitors from which they can enjoy peace-of-mind in their digital conversion."
Royal Films and Bardan Select Doremi For Deployment of 130 Screens As the South American market continues to rapidly expand, Doremi, the global leader in digital cinema technology, has reached a major agreement with Royal Films, one of Colombia's largest cinema operators, through Bardan Cinema, one of Latin America's largest integrators. Further expanding Doremi's presence in the continent, this agreement adds 130 ShowVault/ IMB servers to Royal Film's theaters. With in-territory staff, service centers and multi-lingual technical support staff, exhibitors like Royal Films respect Doremi's and Bardan's commitment to the South American market. Coupled with Doremi's comprehensive product line and reputation for high performance and Bardan's service and support, the choice was clear. "The quality of Doremi's server products and level of customer support they offer is unparalleled in the market today," commented Daniel Benitez, CTO of Bardan Cinema. "Given their technology's track record, we felt Doremi would be the correct choice for the significant leaps Royal Films is taking as a leader in Latin American cinema." "The greatest factor in our decision was the always-valued advice of Bardan Cinema - who is handling our entire digital roll-out and providing us with technical guidance combined with the reputation of Doremi's ShowVault/IMB for providing the best state-of-the-art cinema server technology," added Habib Osman, CEO of Royal Films. "South America's cinema industry is rapidly expanding and Doremi has been a leader in this market since day one," said Jason Vreeman, Doremi Senior Sales Manager, Latin America. "Royal Films is an important,
forward-thinking operator that represents the next generation of exhibition in Colombia and we are happy to assist their growth with our technology."
Doremi Delivers 6,000,000 Cinemark Shows Across 3,916 Screens with an Unparalleled up Time of 99.992% Uptime in 2013 The world's third largest theater chain, Cinemark USA, Inc., continues to see outstanding performance as it leverages a comprehensive set of cinema technologies provided by industry leader Doremi Labs. As 2014 progresses the actual numbers continue to stay extremely high. In approximately six (6) million performances in 2013, Doremi's servers have delivered 99.992% uptime for Cinemark and its customers. "The reliability of Doremi systems is extremely valuable to our operations" said Damian Wardle, SVP. Global Theatre Technology & Presentation, Cinemark Theatres. As a pioneer in the theatrical exhibition industry, Cinemark has used Doremi technology to take the cinema entertainment experience to outstanding levels of performance within our 298 theatres and 3,916 screens in 40 states. The Cinemark technology lineup includes the Doremi 2K & 4K IMB (Integrated Media Blocks) with ShowVault. Also at work are the unique Doremi accessibility products, the Fidelio, for the visually impaired and CaptiView Closed Captioning Systems. The Doremi TMS (Theatre Management System) provides a comprehensive and intuitive user interface designed for non IT users, giving booth operators the ability to take charge with a few hours of training.
Cinemaxx to Roll Out 100 Dolby Atmos Screens in Indonesia Dolby Laboratories and Lippo Group announced today that Cinemaxx, a new exhibitor under Indonesia's Lippo Group, has committed to installing Dolby Atmos in 100 cinema screens over the next three or more years, with 30 of the 100 screens scheduled to be launched by the end of May 2015. With this news, the revolutionary new Dolby Atmos速 cinema sound format reaches a significant milestone: more than 600 screens worldwide have now been or are scheduled to be equipped for Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by giving filmmakers the creative freedom to easily place or move sounds anywhere in the movie theatre to create a lifelike, virtual reality of sound and the most engaging cinema experience ever. "Dolby looks forward to working with Cinemaxx to bring the ultimate cinematic experience to moviegoers in Indonesia," said Mahesh Sundaram, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Dolby Laboratories. "With Dolby Atmos, you feel as if you are in the movie, not merely watching it. We are confident that moviegoers will go back again and again to Cinemaxx once they enjoy their first Dolby Atmos film." "Our goal is to offer state-of-the-art technology with first-class amenities," said Brian Riady, CEO, Cinemaxx. "With Dolby Atmos, we aim to take the Indonesian cinematic experience to the next level." Dolby Atmos has quickly become the preferred choice for nextgeneration cinema sound among major studios, award-winning filmmakers, and exhibitors around the world.
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Qube Cinema Enables Historic Screening of Digitally Restored Oklahoma! Qube Cinema participated in a landmark screening of the restored and digitally mastered Oklahoma! at the TCM Classic Film Festival on April 10 at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Attendees, including Oklahoma! lead Shirley Jones, were treated to a 4K high frame rate (HFR) premiere of the classic musical projected onto the large screen by a 4K projector containing the Qube 4K Xi integrated media block (IMB) and relying on a high bitrate DCP streamed by the Qube XP-I server. This historic screening of the 1955 Todd-AO classic is the first time a high bitrate and HFR DCP has been created and exhibited as part of the restoration of a feature film classic. "Both Festival goers and industry pros in attendance were stunned and amazed at the sharpness, color saturation and brightness of Oklahoma! at this higher resolution and frame rate," said Christopher Reyna, co-technical director of the TCM Classic Film Festival. "The higher bitrate made the 4K presentation an amazing treat for the 59-year old Todd-AO restoration, establishing a new benchmark for digital restoration." The Qube Cinema XP-I server is capable of streaming up to 1 Gbps of uncompressed data to the Qube 4K Xi IMB, delivering 4K resolution at 30 fps. For the Oklahoma! premiere, the XP-I server streamed the high bitrate DCP at 500 Mbps and 30 fps to a Xi IMB embedded in a 4K Christie projector. The Qube XP-I server and dual 4K Xi IMBs are currently installed in many giant screen museums across North America, notably the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences and Moody Gardens, where they are used to exhibit true 4K 3D presentations. "Qube has already completed 500 Mbps installations for 4K giant screens in museums and science centers," Reyna explained. "With this Oklahoma! presentation, Qube is
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"For more than 40 years, Dolby has provided innovative technology to the cinema exhibition industry, offering storytellers the tools and technology to express their visions in new ways," said Camille Rizko, Founder and President, Doremi Labs. "But more importantly,Dolby shares our commitment to working closely with exhibitors to bring amazing experiences to moviegoers." The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including review by US and international regulators. Depending on these conditions, the transaction is anticipated to close by the end of 2014. The impact of the acquisition on fiscal year 2014 revenue and non-GAAP results is not expected to be material.
helping define advances in both mastering and exhibition technology that will benefit mainstream 4K theatrical exhibition as well."
Dolby Signs Agreement to Acquire Doremi Labs Dolby Laboratories, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Doremi Labs, the leading provider of digital cinema video playback solutions. Together with Dolby's award winning Dolby Atmos object-based sound platform, Dolby and Doremi will enable exhibitors and content creators to redefine the movie experience for audiences around the world. Dolby is acquiring Doremi for $92.5 million in cash plus an additional $20 million in contingent consideration that may be earned over a four-year period. "Dolby and Doremi Labs have complementary technology expertise and solutions," said Kevin Yeaman, President and CEO, Dolby Laboratories. "Together we'll be able to advance the pace of innovation and create the kind of cinematic experiences that drive movie attendance for our exhibitor partners."
Technical Training by Doremi in China Proves Valuable for Chinese Partners Doremi Labs, the global leader in Digital Cinema server technology, reinforced its position in the Chinese cinema market by initiating a series of customer response training seminars with several established partners in China. Already well entrenched in the region, these sessions ensured Doremi's strong influence within the territory as China's cinema market continues to flourish. CFG-Barco, Sony China, Time Antaeus and Universal Cinema Services sent a combined total of fifty five (55) technicians to Doremi's technical training for in-depth education on how to better support this vital customer base. The training was also attended by Emily Flu, owner of Beijing Instar Trading Co. Ltd, as well as the company's entire team. Beijing Instar Trading is a Doremi dealer and integrator, and has been an invaluable extension of Doremi's efforts in the region.
The training events were led by Doremi personnel - Dan Hammond, Director of Cinema Technical Services and Jose Hughes, Technician, Cinema Technical Services. Plans for upcoming training events are in motion and are set to commence in May 2014. These in-territory staff and operators respect and trust Doremi's technology. They appreciate Doremi overall commitment to the Chinese marketplace and want to be a part of its future growth. Coupled with Doremi's comprehensive product lines and reputation for high performance, audiences in China - and around the world - can be assured that their cinema experience will be unparalleled and truly inspiring.
Cinemaxx Indonesia Selects Barco and GDC Technology for the Digital Rollout Cinemaxx, a new exhibitor under Lippo Group in Indonesia, has selected Barco and GDC Technology as its technology partner for its digital cinema deployment. The deployment features the supply of digital projectors from Barco and a wide range of digital cinema equipment and services from GDC Technology, including servers, Theatre Management Systems (TMS), Network Operations Center (NOC) as well as total system integration support. Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group is a leading property developer with significant investments in retailing, media, hospitality, financial services, energy, IT, and healthcare. Riding upon its ownership of over 40 shopping malls in Indonesia, Lippo Group is planning to further expand the exhibition industry by rolling out high-end cinemas with close to 300 screens this year and at least 1,000 screens over the next 5 years. In addition to digital cinema servers,
Cinemaxx will also deploy GDC Technology's TMS to manage and automate the running of its digital screens. Currently, over 12,000 screens across 1,700 theatres worldwide are successfully managed by GDC Technology's TMS. Cinemaxx will be supported through GDC Technology's NOC service from Singapore as well as an Indonesian GDC Technology office, which is scheduled to begin operations this year. GDC Technology will spearhead the digital deployment as a total system integrator, providing comprehensive and quality installation and integration support for Cinemaxx. "Lippo Group is one of the largest owners of shopping malls in Indonesia and we plan to leverage our strength as astute property developers to expand our multiplex network aggressively," said Brian Riady, CEO of Cinemaxx. "With dedicated support from GDC Technology and Barco, who are both committed to driving state-of-the-art digital cinema technology, we have confidence to provide the best possible cinema experience to moviegoers as a new and powerful cinema operator in the market." "We are pleased to have won the trust of Lippo group in bringing a substantial increased foot print of Digital Cinema into Indonesia. The strong line up into a common vision of the 3 companies; Cinemaxx, Barco and GDC Technology have made this a very important project in our increasingly trust of customers of using Barco as their projector of choice. We are pleased to work hand in hand with GDC Technology to roll out and service Cinemaxx for its digital cinema equipment," said Wim Buyens, Senior Vice President Entertainment and Corporate of Barco. "We will provide the highest quality option for exhibitors and we are committed to the success of Cinemaxx as it enters the exhibition market." "We truly value our partnership with Barco and are thrilled to be working with them on the digital cinema rollout for Cinemaxx," commented
Dr. Man-Nang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. "We are honored that Cinemaxx has chosen GDC Technology for its digital cinema roll-out. We look forward to supporting Cinemaxx in its future expansion that will address the expectations a rising Indonesian middle-class that is thirsting for entertainment."
Volfoni Denies RealD's Allegations Of U.S. Patent Infringement Global 3D technology solutions leader Volfoni confirmed that it will vigorously defend the U.S. patent lawsuit brought by RealD Inc. against Volfoni's groundbreaking 3D cinema system, SmartCrystal™ Diamond. Volfoni asserts that RealD's allegations of U.S. patent infringement are without merit, and that its SmartCrystal™ Diamond system uses an innovative, original technology. At this time, RealD has no corresponding international patents for the U.S. patents at issue in the lawsuit. "Volfoni has always had an honest relationship with its clients and we are appalled at these allegations by RealD. Since the very beginning of Volfoni, innovation has been at the heart of our strategy, apparent in our motto 'Creative 3D Technology,' and our product SmartCrystal™ Diamond," said Thierry Henkinet, President of Volfoni. "At the same time, Volfoni respects the intellectual property of other companies while protecting and standing behind its own products." Volfoni has retained leading intellectual property law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP. "We intend to vigorously defend and pursue Volfoni's rights, and expect to achieve a successful outcome to the lawsuit," added Harold A. Barza of Quinn Emanuel.
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CMS-2200 "Next Generation" Cinema Media Server Impresses European Cinema Owners USL, Inc.'s innovative CMS-2200 Cinema Media Server with solid-state drives and patented immersive audio technology is receiving outstanding reviews from cinema owners, engineers and integrators, as new installations continue to grow on a global level. The CMS-2200 will be on display during the CineEurope. Clint Koch, USL's Sales Director, states, "The comments from our dealers, cinema engineers and integrators, have been very positive." One dealer wrote, "The CMS-2200 is a very easy-touse system. The interface is very intuitive and straightforward. With the added CMSA Automation unit, it feels like there is nothing we can't do. I love knowing that we have the best possible technology for our theaters. The solid state drives make this very fast and reliable." Another dealer wrote, "USL did it again. Put together the CMS-2200, CMSA-100, and a JSD processor in each auditorium and the whole operation can be run from a single laptop with the USL SMS/TMS software. Simple, fast, friendly, and efficient without any compromise on features. Good job, USL." Founder, President, and Chief Technical Designer Jack Cashin, states, "We continue to upgrade the CMS2200. We listen to our customers and add features that they recommend. The response has been very positive and encouraging for our hardworking engineering team at USL." Cashin added, "Every CMS2200 supports our patented immersive audio technology." Updated features include cloudbased TMS Showshare technology, license-free software installs, 3D HDMI (with HDMI 3D compliance), hot swappable USB 3.0 and eSATA ports, faster ingest times, scheduling of alternative content, and direct play from external storage.
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This "next generation" server features a cross-platform Android, xOS (MAC), iOS (Apple), Linux and Windows-based Screen Management System (SMS) and built-in automation with an optional CMSA100 expansion unit. It supports 4K, High Frame Rate 2K, and is HDMI 2D and 3D compliant. Two USB 3.0 ports allow accelerated ingest of content and enable live streaming. The CMS-2200 is a compact, projector-mounted unit, which comes with a clear, concise operation manual and online videos for smooth, efficient installation. Also supported in the CMS-2200 is MPEG 2 for alternative content.
Motion Picture Solutions Acquires Arts Alliance Media's Content Services Division London-based digital cinema companies Motion Picture Solutions (MPS) and Arts Alliance Media (AAM) announce that AAM's Content Services business has been acquired by MPS. The combined entity, operating as Motion Picture Solutions, will form Europe's largest and most experienced independent mastering facility, serving a range of clients from major studios to independent film makers. The deal is part of a wider on-going cooperation between AAM and MPS to deliver the most compelling digital cinema content delivery and
management solution to distributors and exhibitors by fusing together the best of both companies' hardware and software products. Matthew Aspray, Chief Operating Officer of MPS, said "We are delighted that the AAM Content Services team are joining MPS. Our pooled resources will ensure that our existing and new clients receive innovative high quality digital cinema mastering services for years to come. Our future collaboration with AAM will enable us to launch new solutions in KDM delivery, dynamic content ordering and distribution." Howard Kiedaisch, Chief Executive Officer of AAM added "The new MPS team will be 100% focused on content services and bring together the best from both groups to create an unrivalled leader in Europe. Also, being able to collaborate rather than compete against each other makes perfect sense for both AAM and MPS, but more importantly allows us to offer the highest quality solution for our distributor and exhibitor clients." AAM and MPS have both been working on digital cinema content delivery technology for several years. As part of the collaboration they will be working on integrating the technology to provide the strongest solutions for the exhibition and distribution communities. AAM's expertise with exhibitor-side software and MPS's leading position with hardware for electronic delivery (LANsat), gives the companies an unparalleled offering to cinemas for receiving content seamlessly. AAM's Content Services division is expected to have transferred communications and billing to MPS by 1st June 2014. All of AAM's Content Services staff will be transferred to MPS, and the company will continue to be based at its West London location. Other areas of MPS & AAM's businesses are unaffected.
NEC Display Solutions Shipping Digital Cinema Projector with Laser Light Source NC1100L Projector World's First Digital Cinema-Compliant Projector with Laser Light Source Built-in. NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced today the availability of the NC1100L Digital Cinema projector, a laser-light source projector targeted to exhibitors with small screens or projection booths as well art houses, mobile cinemas, theaters in universities and public buildings. The NEC digital cinema projector will be demonstrated at CinemaCon 2014, the official convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners, running today through March 27 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nev. As part of NEC's Digital Cinema Projector Series, the NC1100L projector using a laser-light source delivers 2K DCI-compliant cinema quality, which translates to an image brightness of 14-ft-L (using a 1.8 gain screen) on screens up to 36 ft./11m in DCI color. It is the world's first Digital Cinema-compliant projector with laser light source built-in. "We're excited that exhibitors will now be able to take advantage of the NC1100L's many advantages, including reliability, no downtime, and almost 20,000 hours of lifetime(*), resulting in a lower total cost of ownership," said Rich McPherson, Sr. Product Manager for Projectors at NEC Display Solutions. "This latest NEC breakthrough widens the opportunities for exhibitors with small screens and non-traditional venues to build lasting experiences with their audiences." Easy to operate with user-friendly accessibility, the NC1100L projector features the industry's first compact lightweight laser projector that is exhaust free for installation within the theater or projection booth.
The NEC Integrated Media Server (IMS) offers a trouble-free, one-stop solution for exhibitors and other organizations, while the projector's High Frame Rate (HFR) capability offers excellent picture quality. Its allin-one Integrated Media Server (IMS) and 2TB RAID5 Storage Server offer versatile connectivity and savings with fewer peripheral devices needed. Among the key features of the NC1100L Digital Cinema projector: •
Lower total cost of ownership (TCO) with up to approximately 20,000 hours of expected light source usage
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2048 x 1080 resolution and 1750:1 contrast ratio
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Several bayonet lens options for easy installation, enabling motorized zoom, focus and shift capabilities
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Suitability for floor and ceiling installation with no exhaust system required
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Air cooling with dust-preventing electrostatic filter
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Built-in 2TB RAID5 Storage Server, 2 x 3GSDI, and 1 x HDMI Interfaces, advanced network and built-in GPIO functions
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The same IMS (NP-90MS01) for NC900C available with the NC1100L
The NC1100L comes with a two-year limited warranty (for U.S. and Canada only), including parts and labor.
Doremi DCP Servers and Media Blocks Now Support Dolby Atmos Digital Cinema Technology leader Doremi today announced that its DCP line of servers (DCP2000 and DCP2K4) and integrated media block (IMB/ShowVault solution) now supports Dolby Atmos®. Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by giving filmmakers the creative freedom to easily place or move sounds anywhere in the movie theater to create a lifelike, virtual reality of sound and the most engaging cinema experience ever. For content creators, Dolby Atmos provides innovative support to the creative development process. Coupled now with Doremi media management and delivery, audiences around the world can be sure that the experience is faithful to the filmmaker's intent.
"Doremi has always strived to deliver a feature set that benefits the exhibitor," said Michael Archer, Vice President of Doremi. "Dolby Atmos has been demanded by our customers and we are happy to deliver this immersive audio technology." Integration of Dolby Atmos into its comprehensive product line builds on Doremi's reputation in the cinema business to deliver high performance digital cinema technology. May-June 2014
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Doremi Releases Updated Version of CineAsset Mastering Suite Doremi, the world's leading digital cinema server developer announced today numerous upgrade features to its software mastering suite. CineAsset incorporates all of Doremi's essential workflow tools including CineExport andCinePlayer into one suite. The comprehensive array of tools allows the creation, management and playback of encrypted (Pro version) and unencrypted DCI compliant packages from essentially any source. CineAsset includes a unique editing application for generating DCPs and CineAsset Pro includes the ability to easily generate KDM's for any encrypted content in the database. Added features included in the recent 6.4 software release include: •
Updated render engine for faster JPEG2000 encoding
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CineInspect - DCP validation tool
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Direct DCP import with DKDM support
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Support for H.264 encoding
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Support for VC-1 wrapping (no encode)
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Extended command line support for KDM generation and CineInspect
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Extended multimedia export including QuickTime (MOV), MPEG, image sequences and raw data
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Support digital cinema naming convention v.9
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Improved 24bit audio support
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Ability to burn subtitles onto encoded image
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SMPTE subtitle support for 2D and 3D
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Support Archive Frame Rates for D-Cinema (16, ~18, 20 and ~22 fps)
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Ability to download DCP's from attached servers to the local database
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Many other interface and ease of use enhancements
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The newly added features were a result of feedback obtained from clients through their involvement in feature films, festival entries, advertising and post production. We are dedicated to continually providing the best solutions to our clients through constant upgrades and updates to our product lines" stated Michael Archer, VP Digital Cinema, Doremi. Doremi Labs, with its comprehensive product line, is experiencing significant growth as it expands globally. To date, Doremi has seen worldwide shipments exceed 55,000 units.
USL Introduces the New CMS-2200 USL, Inc. announces the product launch of the innovative CMS-2200 Cinema Media Server with solid state storage for the digital cinema industry. The new server features cross platform Android, xOS (MAC), iOS (Apple), Linux and Windows based Screen Management System (SMS) and built-in automation with an optional CMSA-100 expansion unit. The CMS-2200 received rave reviews in January when it was used to demonstrate USL's implementation of immersive sound technology at the
International Cinema Technology Association seminar series, in Los Angeles. The CMS-2200 supports decoding of 4K, High Frame Rate 2K images, and is HDMI 2D & 3D compliant. Two USB 3.0 ports allow accelerated ingest of content and enable live streaming. CMS-2200 is a compact, projectormounted unit and comes with a clear, concise operation manual, and online videos, for smooth, efficient installations. Also supported in the CMS-2200 is MPEG 2 for alternative content. Solid state drives (instead of standard mechanical hard drives) provide years of maintenance free operation. The CMS-2200 includes the USL patent pending implementation of immersive sound, and pre-renders object-based sound within the media block, eliminating the need for an expensive external rendering system. The CMS-2200 features multi-screen support and the ability to transfer keys and content from a library server or manager's station. Founder, President and Chief Technical Designer, Jack Cashin, and his engineering team at USL, Inc. recognized the need for a full featured, economical "stand-alone" cinema media server. This culminated in the creation of the visionary and inventive CMS-2200. "Our cinema media server gives digital cinema operators the capability of storing and presenting 2K, 2D & 3D movies in HFR, up to 60 frames per second," stated Jack Cashin. 4K 2D movies can be shown at rates up to 30 fps. "USL has already demonstrated the advantages of rendering immersive sound within the media block. We are active in the SMPTE standards committees on immersive sound to ensure the CMS-2200 will play DCPs with standardized immersive sound," added Cashin.
The CMS-2200 bolsters USL, Inc.'s extensive collection of digital cinema products, which includes advanced digital audio processors, monitors, crossovers, accessibility equipment and test equipment.
Theatre Management System (TMS-1000) and Quality Management System (QMS-1000)
GDC Technology's Theatre Management System (TMS-1000) is a powerful tool that offers users a centralized point of control for an entire cineplex. More than 12,000 screens in over 1,700 theatres worldwide are being managed by GDC Technology's TMS-1000 to automate and streamline their operations. The latest TMS version 4.0 with new architecture design and multiple feature enhancements is scheduled to be released before CinemaCon 2014. Users will experience a new design of user interface with full control of cinema equipment including servers, projectors and sound processors, easy scheduling with POS integration and faster content verification process. Moreover, the Quality Management System (QMS-1000) which can be integrated with the TMS-1000, performs automatic monitor and data analysis of luminance, chromaticity and sound-pressure level. It provides test reports in multiple formats and carries out intelligent and automatic adjustment to ensure high quality movie experience.
Harkness Screens Screen Lifecycle Management Apps Pass 2,500 Downloads Harkness Screens the world's leading screen technology company and thought-leaders in on-screen brightness has announced that its suite of apps designed to aid in the process of screen lifecycle management recently passed 2,500 downloads. "The response to the apps since we launched the suite just under a year ago has been nothing short of phenomenal, says Richard Mitchell, Worldwide Marketing Manager at Harkness Screens. "The download numbers alone are quite staggering, especially for a niche and focused market like cinema. These figures don't include those using the tools via our website so the true size of the user base is likely to be far more significant. We're truly delighted that these tools have gained industrywide recognition and become part of architects, exhibitors and installer workflows," he adds. Harkness Screens launched the range of screen lifecycle management tools at CinemaCon 2013 on the Apple iOS platform to critical acclaim releasing the Digital Screen Modeller (a realtime 3D modelling simulation tool for examining light on screen in an auditorium) and the Digital Screen Archiver (a secure database system designed to aid cinema operators in the process of on screen brightness management). In October 2013 both apps were launched on the Android platform. In January 2014 Harkness Screens announced the launch of its third utility the Digital Screen Calculator released on both Apple iOS and Android. The Digital Screen Calculator is a tool designed to enable cinema operators or installers to quickly ascertain capability in terms of brightness levels based on equipment choices. Mitchell explains, "We've seen many examples of how the apps are
enabling our user base to make more informed decisions on design, build and equipment specification, all aimed at providing the public with the best possible 2D and 3D viewing experience. One of the key successes for our registered user base has been the free e-Consultancy service provided by our Technical Team. The service has provided detailed advice and support to exhibitors seeking to optimise their operating environment through equipment choice and screen optimisation (curving and tilting)." Since release Harkness has continued to update content and add new functionality to its apps, culminating with a new release of both the Digital Screen Modeller and Digital Screen Calculator at CinemaCon 2014. The latest releases include constant height screens, multiple projectors and the new Clarus XC screen family launched by Harkness Screens. In the Digital Screen Modeller, the new DCI/SMPTE light measurement standard has been added to allow exhibitors to simulate light measurement more accurately in a 3D environment. "These apps have real value and the key is to keep building on their success by adding more relevant and useful content. We have some quite impressive development plans in place for all three apps and we're working on a significant update to the Modeller to include some of the key requests from our users. We're also working on a fourth screen lifecycle management app which is currently in testing and we hope to release both this and the Modeller update in late June. We want to help exhibitors globally to realise the full potential from their auditoria and equipment in terms of brightness levels and we believe the apps are key tools in achieving this," Mitchell concludes.
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Harkness Screens Launches New Clarus XC 2D/3D Screen Family Harkness Screens the world's leading screen technology company and thought-leaders in on-screen brightness has launched its brand new 4th generation 2D and 3D screen surface, Clarus XC. Clarus XC technology is the result of significant work by Harkness' Research and Development team and brings together a number of proprietary technologies to create a screen surface for the age of immersive cinema which has been approved by major Hollywood film studios. "We developed our new Clarus XC screens to provide cinema operators with the ability to optimise digital projection and improve overall light distribution across the screen for polarised 3D; a key customer requirement. It is these conditions where light loss is proven to be most significant and where consequently presentation quality can sometimes be below the standard required," says David Harrison, Technical Director of Harkness Screens. Designed to work with all passive 3D systems, Clarus XC screens create visibly deeper 3D content which draws in the audience creating a more captivating viewing experience. A whiter look under projection mean that colours look visibly richer and more accurate both in 2D and 3D resulting in a more defined, sharper and crisper picture. Dan Huerta, VP of Sight & Sound for AMC Theatres, one of the early adopters of Clarus XC at their Burbank 16 site explains that, "our initial tests of the new Clarus XC cinema screen from Harkness produced very encouraging results, with perceived sharpness and color accuracy in both 2D and 3D. AMC has historically been a leader when it comes to cinema sight and sound technology, and we are excited to work with Harkness on this new product line."
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The new 4th generation d-smooth coating technology has specific properties more commonly seen in white screens. This technology enables Clarus XC screens to benefit from significantly improved light distribution compared to traditional 3D silver screens. Through this, visible hot-spotting is reduced and uniformity is greatly increased, making compliance with 2D industry standards more easily achievable. Harkness' proprietary and unique seam welding process along with Harkness' brand new d-smooth coating technology means Clarus XC screens have no visible seams under projection conditions and most importantly a smooth visual finish. Clarus XC technology is available in three different gain levels, 1.4, 1.7 and 2.2 designed to suit all digital cinema environments from small screening rooms through to large format theaters.
the most appropriate solution for any specific cinema application, we also recognize that so many choices can make it challenging to select the best package. The new Online Application Guide makes that selection much easier. Simply enter a few basic parameters for your application, click "View Results", and you'll get a basic system package which can be used as a starting point to tailor the most optimal system configuration for your requirements, at the most costeffective price. The new Online Application Guide can be accessed at appguide.qsccinema.com or directly on this website at qsccinema.com/resources.
New DepthQ CineBright Brighter 3D from Lightspeed Design
QSC Launches New Online Design Tool QSC has launched a new online tool to help make it easier to select the most appropriate system of QSC cinema products for a specific application. QSC offers the industry's most comprehensive catalog of cinema audio products, including processors, amplifiers, and loudspeakers. Although such a wide selection assures that we can provide
Lightspeed Design, announced DepthQ CineBright, a highbrightness passive polarization solution for 3D digital cinema. The new system, with patent-pending light recycling, delivers a dramatically brighter 3D image for your guests while maintaining DepthQ's superior optics, speed, sharp focus, low-crosstalk, advanced heat protection and 5 year optical warranty. Increased light efficiency coupled with the shortest dark time in the industry provide new revenue-generating and cost-saving opportunities through flexibility in screen, audience and lamp sizes. DepthQ CineBright begins shipping Q2 2014.
GDC Technology Unveils Complete Cinema Solutions at CinemaCon GDC Technology, a world leading digital cinema solutions provider, had showcased a comprehensive set of reliable and cost-effective digital cinema solutions at CinemaCon 2014. SX-3000 Standalone IMB with Portable and/or Enterprise Storage
ranging from 4TB, 6TB to 8TB of redundant hot swappable storage. Content Library Adapter (CLA1000)
USHIO Offers a Full Line of DXL Lamps for BARCO DP2K-10Sx
The Content Library Adapter (CLA1000) is a solution which can help exhibitors transfer and safeguard content in an easy and cost effective manner. It complements GDC Technology's scalable storage solution with a number of noteworthy features. First of all, it is applicable to various
The revolutionary SX-3000 Standalone IMB is the industry's first standalone IMB which eliminates the need for an external file server and therefore reduces maintenance and operation costs. It fulfills all Hollywood specifications including multiple image resolutions and high frame rate ("HFR") playback in both 2D and 3D. It also supports the needs of alternative content screening such as automated DVD/Blu-ray playback and 3D live screening without additional hardware being required. The SX-3000 Standalone IMB works seamlessly with Portable and/or Enterprise Storage, which provides scalable and reliable storage to manage movie content. Portable Storage is a compact and light device which provides up to 3TB of hot swappable storage. It can be easily mounted on all types of DLP Cinema projectors and is perfect for boothless cinema design, whereas Enterprise Storage, is designed for enterprise level storage management and can be easily inserted into the projector pedestals. Enterprise Storage provides larger storage options
TMS platforms including Windows and Linux which easily interfaces between backup storage and TMS. Content can be either ingested to a TMS library and backup storage simultaneously or just be selectively transferred from a TMS library to backup storage. Secondly, it can help minimize downtime with backup storage as content can be replicated for backup storage anytime. Backup storage can be easily detached from the CLA1000 user interface to replace a failed storage device, thereby minimizing downtime. The CLA-1000 can also help save time and labor costs of transferring content for theatres without any TMS as it allows content transfer via a standard OS computer control interface. Exhibitors can save costs by i) transferring content from one screen storage device to another through Ethernet cable without physically relocating a device and ii) transferring content from a CRU to multiple screens simultaneously through a Local Area Network instead of ingesting content manually from a CRU to storage devices one by one.
USHIO, the leading lamp manufacturer for digital cinema projectors, has the largest line-up of Xenon lamps for all brands and types of digital cinema projectors. All lamps are certified by the projector manufacturer. USHIO's latest release is the line-up of 0.85kw, 1.6kw and 2.2kw DXL lamps for BARCO's new DP2K-10Sx projector. With these new lamps USHIO is now able to offer a complete line of DP2K-10Sx lamps from 0.85kw-2.2kw. All lamps are certified by BARCO NV. USHIO is very dedicated to the cinema market. USHIO follows the market closely and work to address the needs of cinema operators. In the final stage of the global roll-out. USHIO recognized the trend towards implementing smaller projectors early and started to develop lamps that are suitable for these projectors. Today USHIO's new lamps DXL850W, DXL-16BAF and DXL-22BAF arrive in the market so that USHIO can match the operators needs for lower power and lower cost of ownership.
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QSC Introduces New DPA-Q Network Amplifiers Designed specifically for use with the Q-Sys Network Audio Platform, QSC Audio Products, LLC is pleased to announce the new DPA-Q Network Amplifier Series. DPA-Q amplifiers combine high power output with Q-Sys network connectivity and processing to create the ultimate audio routing and power solution for cinema sound applications. Q-Sys, introduced by QSC in 2007, is an extremely powerful yet simple-touse digital audio network platform that has been installed in hundreds of large commercial applications around the world. Since it is completely scalable, it's also a costeffective option for cinema operators who want to take advantage of the benefits offered by a networked audio solution. With the new DPA-Q amplifiers, putting a cinema's audio system on the network is as simple as plugging in an Ethernet cable. Network access offers many benefits, including the ability to monitor and control cinemas from anywhere with network access. "Until now, applying the concepts of audio networks in cinemas has not been practical for most cinema operators. Proprietary solutions or costly infrastructures put it out of the reach of the average multiplex. With Q-Sys and DPA-Q amplifiers, all that has changed," says Barry Ferrell, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for QSC Audio Products. Q-Sys uses industry standard layer-3 IP technologies, combined with Q-LAN, QSC's own IT-friendly media distribution technology, which uses off-the-shelf networking components, enabling
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Q-Sys to operate over standard Gigabit Ethernet with no proprietary network equipment required. DPA-Q network amplifiers operate like other Q-Sys peripherals using the same standard layer-3 networking technology for audio streaming, routing, control, and monitoring. All amplifiers feature Flexible Amplifier Summing Technology (FAST), which enables better power allocation by distributing the total amplifier power across one, two, three or all four outputs, enabling amp channels to be combined for maximum current or voltage output. The largest models are capable of up to 5,000 watts continuous and peaks of up to 8,000 watts. Redundant rear-panel Ethernet jacks on the amplifiers simplifies Q-Sys integration. Adding DPA-Q amplifiers to a new or existing Q-Sys design is easily done via the Q-Sys Designer software. Each housed in a 2U rack-mount configuration, DPA-Q Network Amplifiers feature new QSC proprietary class-D power devices, which enable multi-channel, high performance power. The DPA-Q lineup includes the DPA4.2Q (400W/ Ch @ 4 ohms continuous, 500W/Ch burst), the DPA4.3Q (625W/Ch @ 4 ohms continuous, 1600W/Ch burst) and the DPA4.5Q (1250W/Ch @ 4 ohms continuous, 2000W/Ch burst). The rear panels feature four (4) balanced Euroblock Mic/Line input connectors that are onramps into the Q-Sys system, and four (4) Euroblock loudspeaker connectors. In addition, eight bi-directional GPIO connectors offer additional functionality, like
automation of masking systems and curtains, which, combined with iOS mobile device control, make DPA-Q Network Amplifiers an essential part of a "boothless" cinema concept. DPA-Q Series Network Amplifiers will be available beginning in May 2014.
MiT Introduces the MOVING iMAGE LIFT
The Moving iMage Lift mounts to the rear wall of an auditorium. It consists of a quiet projector enclosure 'pod' riding on a vertical track. The system raises the projector into position where it will have a clear sightline to the screen for projection, and lowers it to a convenient height for service. The product facilitates a "boothless" cinema design. Features: •
Automatic safety interlock
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Key switch to raise and lower the unit included
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Various projection heights may be selected at installation
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All parts made from rugged formed and welded steel
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Projector enclosure has removable side panels for service
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24”sq. projection port included as standard with water clear, A/R coated glass
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Interface plate at the top of the system facilitates electrical and HVAC connections
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Included 8RU of standard 19? rack mounting under the projector
Q-Sys for Cinema Immersive Audio At CinemaCon 2014, QSC Audio Products demonstrated a versatile processing platform that can accommodate any object-based or channel-based immersive sound format. Q-Sys, the company's network audio platform, now has the capability to directly accept a network connection from a Dolby CP850 processor, and it can also function as the rendering engine for MDA, the multi-dimensional audio format developed by DTS, Inc. Immersive sound, which features a three-dimensional array of loudspeakers and the ability to place sounds anywhere in the cinema, offers filmmakers more creative freedom in the production of a cinema soundtrack. It also offers cinemagoers a much greater sense of engagement with the action on screen. Although standards are still being proposed, there are several formats which have been developed to produce the immersive audio
experience. Leading formats today include Dolby Atmos and Barco Auro 11.1. MDA is a newer, nonproprietary, open platform solution, proposed by the MDA Cinema Proponents Group (of which QSC is a member). In their booth CinemaCon, QSC demonstrated Q-Sys with Dolby Atmos and MDA format object-based sound, through a scaled-version of a complete QSC cinema audio system. With Q-Sys, an all-digital connection is maintained from the D-Cinema server all the way to the power amplifiers. This minimizes unnecessary digital-toanalog and analog-to-digital conversions, which can add cost and compromise sound quality. From a Dolby CP850 Atmos Cinema Processor, a simple Ethernet cable is
all that's required to connect to a Q-Sys Core processor, which then connects to QSC DPA-Q network amplifiers over Q-LAN, QSC's media distribution technology. Combined with the appropriate QSC DCS loudspeakers, a complete QSC system with Q-Sys provides the most costeffective solution for Dolby Atmos and other immersive sound applications. Q-Sys Core processors also provide audio signal processing including Intrinsic Correction, QSC's proprietary method for optimizing the performance of QSC loudspeakers. "All loudspeakers have certain inherent anomalies that affect the sound quality to some degree," explains Barry Ferrell, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for QSC Audio Products. "Intrinsic Correction corrects these behaviors in cinema loudspeakers, removing any anomalies from the equation of factors that affect measured response and, ultimately, the quality of sound.
• INSTALLS •
Golden Village Bishan:
Renovated with Motion Tech Golden Village Multiplex is Singapore's leading cinema exhibitor with 11 multiplexes housing 87 screens with locations at Yishun, Bishan Junction 8, Tiong Bahru Plaza, Jurong Point, Tampines Mall, Marina Square, Great World City, Plaza Singapura, 112 Katong, City Square and VivoCity, home to GV's flagship cinema and Singapore's only megaplex. Golden Village was established to develop and operate modern, luxurious multiplex cinemas and is the first local cinema company to personalize the movie-going experience through its Movie Club program. Golden Village Multiplex had renovated its Golden Village Bishan (GV Bishan) recently and here how it is.
After a month-long renovation, the newly-renovated Golden Village Bishan (GV Bishan) has re-opened its doors, presenting a new movie-going experience through the introduction of D-BOX motion seats whilst providing added value to its many patrons through student deals and free movie tickets giveaways.
New Highlights at GV Bishan: D-BOX Motion Seats Taking the movie-going experience to an exciting new level, the revamped GV Bishan will feature D-BOX motion seats, which are programmed with movements and sensations to complement the action on screen. Equipped with three types of intelligent movement (subtle pitch, roll and heave), the D-BOX motion seats move patrons gently forwards and backwards, from side to side and up and down in perfect synchronisation with the action on screen. These elements come combined create an immersive cinematic experience. At GV Bishan, which is the first cinema in Singapore to feature these unique motion seats, the film to make its DBOX debut is Need for Speed which will open on 13 March 2014. This will be followed by Captain America: The
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Winter Soldier (27 March) and Noah in 2014. "The introduction of D-BOX at GV Bishan is yet another milestone for Golden Village as we seek to improve the movie experience by enabling patrons to experience a truly immersive cinematic experience. We are looking forward to receiving feedback from our patrons after they have seen Need for Speed and our fans can be assured that we are looking to provide many more exciting D-BOX films in the coming months", said Ms. Clara Cheo, Chief Executive Officer, Golden Village Multiplex Pte. Ltd. Tickets for the DBOX experience for 2D titles at GV Bishan ranges from $11.50 from Monday-Thursday to $15.50 from Friday-Sunday, eve of public holidays and public holidays. Tickets for D-BOX 3D movies are priced at $14.00 from Monday-Thursday and $20 from Friday-Sunday, eve of public holidays and public holidays. Students enjoy a
concession rate of $10 for 2D films and $12 for 3D films respectively.
Free Tickets for the First 100! To celebrate the re-opening of GV Bishan, Golden Village is giving away free movie passes to the first 100 customers
More Bang for its patrons As part of Golden Village's promise to provide added value for its patrons, it has introduced a number of promotions which will be available at the newly-revamped GV Bishan: •
The More, The Merrier Student Offer - Patrons who present their student cards can receive greater discounts when they come in bigger groups (Eg. A group of three at $7 per ticket, a group of four at $6.50 per ticket, a group of five can enjoy a movie for as low as $5.50 per ticket)
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The $4.50 Student Combo Patrons who present their student cards can enjoy popcorn combo at just $4.50 (UP -$7.90)
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Get Poppin' with 8 Days - Patrons can redeem a free 32oz popcorn with the 8 Days popcorn box when they purchase 2 movie tickets at GV Bishan
• TECHNOLOGY •
South Korean Cinema Halls with
ScreenX Technology Overview - ScreenX: Developed by South Korea's biggest theatre chain CJ CGV, 'ScreenX' is an innovative type of cinema technology that offers 3D movie effects without the use of special 3D glasses. This technology uses theatre walls as additional screens to deliver a panoramic 270-degree view, giving people an unforgettable cinema viewing experience. No hyped promises, no 3D glasses, no rocketscience technology, and no fake facts - ScreenX simply intends to offer a great viewing experience that seconds none other!
The Technology - from 3 dimensions to 3 walls: People love to visit theatres as the cinema experience they get in the theatres is way beyond what they would get, had they been watching the same movie at home, and it is no secret that if the cinema experience doesn't remain unique, immersive, and exclusive, it undoubtedly runs the risk of completely fading away. This is why, cinema producers need to constantly stay abreast with the technology and trends in order to keep the audiences involved, and give them a reason to visit theatres to go to the movies. If the audiences do not get something appealing out of going to a cinema hall, they wouldn't miss visiting theatres and thus, the
urge to go for movies would die within them. This is exactly why cinema giant CJ CGV came up with the latest technology called "ScreenX". In 1915, the introduction of the 3D format had led to a lot of hype and popularity amongst masses and it reached its peak with Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 movie titles 'Dial M for Murder', followed by 'Jaws 3D' released in the 1980s. The introduction of IMAX too, supported in keeping the 3D format alive as it offered a greater screen size and resolution as compared to conventional film. People preferred watching movies in IMAX as the overall experience of watching movies on really wide screens seemed to be quite engaging and innovative. However, the 3D format had begun to
lose out to widescreen formats like Cinemascope as the cost to build new halls that supported the technology was very high. Today, the demand for 3D formats is reasonably high but owing to the elevated initial expenses, filmmakers are a bit too cautious while making their movies in 3D, in place of the traditional 2D format. CJ CGV's 'ScreenX' is the latest entrant in the cinema technology world that has grabbed the attention of many across the globe. ScreenX requires filmmakers to shoot the same scene using three different cameras from three different angles in order to create the wider "surround" effect by utilizing three huge screens of the theatre - the one in the middle and the other two walls on either side of the middle one - thus making people
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• TECHNOLOGY • feel more involved while they watch a movie. This technique demands that filmmakers take the two new side screens (walls) into consideration while shooting scenes for their movies, as this is what will result in a perfect 270-degree shot that will give the audiences a panoramic viewing experience. What's best is that watching movies with ScreenX technology doesn't require special 3D glasses, and thus it becomes convenient to switch attention between screens with naked eyes. The prime objective behind inventing this technology is to give the audiences a cinema experience that goes beyond the 3D and 4D one. Movies with ScreenX technology offer audiences an innovative viewing experience as audiences can watch the movie showcased on three screens instead of a single one in the cinema halls. The initial viewing may be a little difficult as it may confuse the audiences whether they must look left, right, or centre, but once the technology grasps the audiences' attention, it becomes pretty easy to settle in to the entire three-screen experience.
The first movie - The X: "The X", directed by Kim Jee-Woon and premiered at the Busan International Film Festival, is a halfhour spy thriller and a first of its kind movie that uses the ScreenX technology. It was shot with three cameras simultaneously and had more than 30 people lined up directly
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behind the cameras with lights installed on overhead cranes. The X portrayed this format in a dream sequence and a chase sequence that particularly used the two side walls (painted in grey to reflect the footage better), to offer a hyper-wide panorama as its participants were split by a central screen. The movie and the technology received much appreciation with the director describing the entire shooting
experience as "like hell and a nightmare."
The Road Ahead: Installing the ScreenX technology in theatres comes with logistic challenges as the effect of this technology is lessened in the seats that are positioned at the sides of the cinema hall. Reportedly, the initial installation cost ranges between $139,300 and $185,800 per screening room. CJ CGV already has about 40 ScreenX screens set up in around 40 South Korean theatres, and has plans to expand to overseas cinemas soon, given that it has interests in Hong Kong, China, and the United States. That said, this technology aims to provide an unimaginable movie viewing experience that viewers will not be able to get at home, as the ScreenX will make the movie seem to jump off the screen with the intention to deliver a more immersive movie watching experience through a patented multi-production method.
• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E •
Cinema in the
South West I had been meaning to find out more about cinemas in Devon and Cornwall for some time, but it was the fact that the 2013 Projection team of the year award was won by the team at the Plaza, Truro that triggered this visit. Other colleagues on the Cinema Technology Committee had visited the site during the previous months, so I wanted to see what was happening in this attractive part of the world, although the weather in late November wasn’t exactly what I would have planned.
Jim Slater took a long drive to look at cinemas and to talk with cinema people about this area where truly independent cinema continues to thrive.
I had known of the Williams family, who run the WTW chain, for many years, with their proud claim to have been ‘bringing the big screen to Cornwall since 1945’. Mark Williams, Director of WTW Cinemas and son of the still very active David Williams, who was awarded an MBE for services to regional cinema, was kind enough to arrange some visits to their cinemas and to make the contacts for me to visit some cinemas of the neighbouring Merlin Cinemas group, run by Geoff Greaves.
It was quite an itinerary, and I was conscious that I would still need to visit some of the Scott Cinemas before this report could be considered anything like complete. I was fascinated to try to find out just why the independent sector is obviously thriving in this part of the UK. The over simplistic answer seems to be that the area is regarded as too remote and too difficult to get to by the major chains, (and long may it stay that way!) but from my talks the real reason is that the area is phenomenally fortunate to have at least three totally enthusiastic cinema group proprietors who have loved the cinema world so much that they have been prepared to make massive investments over a number of years. The fact that they are still in business and actually thriving says that they have made wise decisions, but some of the eye-watering sums involved in new buildings and new equipment really must be put down to sheer love of the cinema business.
WTW, an independent, family-owned cinema company has been in the cinema business for over 65 years. It operates 14 screens on four sites in Cornwall, at St Austell, Newquay, Truro and Wadebridge.
St Austell White River Cinema is part of a modern shopping centre in the town centre of St Austell, and opened its doors for the first time in December 2008. The cinema was the first purpose built cinema complex to be built in Cornwall for over 70 years and features all the latest in cinema technology. I met Jordan Riley (below) who is Technical Manager at the site - he and long -time experienced projectionist Lee W ade, who was off sick at the time of my visit, run the place between them, with two Duty Managers. The cinema has four screens, all decorated in a similar ‘no frills, modern multiplex’ style with attractive lighting, uninterrupted sightlines and plenty of legroom between seat rows. Each auditorium has wall to wall screens for maximum picture size. The auditoria are all on first floor level which can be accessed from the
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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E •
Left to right: The White River Cinema frontage in a St Austell shopping centre. The foyer and bar area. The largest (250 seat) auditorium the other three are almost identical except for size. Note the WTW ‘patent’ carpet pattern that is repeated throughout WTW cinemas. The spacious projection room at St Austell - Screen 1 has both 35mm and digital projectors.
ground floor via lift and stairs. In each screen there are two rows of leather ‘rocker’ seats which are unique to Westcountry Cinemas. Screen 1 has 250 seats, Screen 2 160, Screen 3 145 and Screen 4 130. The auditoria for screens two to four are equipped with Digital 5.1 sound systems, whilst Screen 1 uses Dolby 7.1 surround sound. All Screens feature NEC Digital Projectors, and Screen One retains the ability to show 35mm film, although Jordan said that the 35mm kit hasn’t actually been used for a while now, but he ensures that it is ready for action by running the projector from time to time. It was interesting to learn that the cinema is equipped with an Arqiva satellite system which is used for both Live Event performances and for the delivery of some movies on DCPs. Others still come in on hard-drives, and ads from Pearl and Dean are received via the Arqiva system. Screen One has a MasterImage 3D system. There is no premium charged for 3D screenings; customers are charged £1 for the glasses, but many now bring their own. WTW Cinemas
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were an early adopter of 3D and have experience of three different 3D cinema systems over recent years. It was interesting to hear about the practical problems of dealing with ‘active’ glasses - so many of these expensive items were broken or stolen - and to learn that they have found that the MasterImage 3D technology is simple for the team at the cinema to operate and that the projection box preparation required is minimal. Sound Associates installed and support the MasterImage 3D systems at all the WTW cinemas. Each auditorium at White River has designated wheelchair spaces, infrared hearing systems, audio escription and subtitling facilities. The cinema also has an attractive licensed bar on its first floor for patrons to enjoy a quiet drink prior to the start of the film. Mark Williams told me that the cinema is actually the third cinema in St Austell that WTW Cinemas has operated, having previously been in charge of The Capitol in Alexandra Road, which I saw in its current ‘Bingo Hall’ guise, and The Film centre in Chandos Place, and he was
proud to remind me that White River Cinema was awarded the RAAM UK Independent Cinema of the Y ear award in 2011. The WTW White River Cinema is at White River Place, Saint Austell, Cornwall PL25 5AZ.
Newquay After the drive from St Austell to Newquay there was no chance of missing the superb modern architecture of the Lighthouse Cinema, which proved equally dramatic both by day and by night. The Lighthouse Cinema opened in May 2011, bringing the world of big screen entertainment back to the town for the first time in 16 years. It sits on a sharply sloping corner site, which I was interested to learn had previously held the Victoria Cinema, which was just one of three cinemas in Newquay at that time. There are four screens, two on the ground floor and two on the first floor, which are accessible via stairs or the foyer lift. The cinema features all digital NEC projection, Screens One and Four
• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • feature MasterImage 3D systems. All auditoriums have wall to wall screens; screens two and three have Dolby Digital 5.1 sound systems and screens one and four feature Dolby Surround 7.1. Each screen has designated wheelchair spaces, infra-red hearing systems, audio description and subtitling facilities. Screen 1, the largest auditorium, with 201 seats, has a raised stage area and facilities for live entertainment, conferencing and special presentations. I was particularly impressed by the extra facilities in the screen one projection area which has a full mixing desk and lighting control set up, with a powerful ‘follow - spot’ that is used for many of the stage shows. The projection areas are fairly spacious and it was good to see everything clean and tidy. The huge ground floor foyer features the box office and concession areas alongside a small licensed bar for patrons to enjoy a drink prior to their movie starting . I was somewhat amazed to see the foyer packed with people on a cold and wet Tuesday night in November (above), and after pulling my leg with ‘it’s always like this at The Lighthouse’ David explained that there was a charity event taking place that evening , where they would be showing that perennial favourite ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’! Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay (WTW), King Street, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 1AA. Top: The Lighthouse, which is eye-catching both by day and by night Technical Manager Matthew Philp shows off the lighting and sound mixing equipment notice the large ‘follow-spot’ over his shoulder. Centre-The spacious projection box in Screen 4 showing the NEC projector and the MasterImage 3D filter system and right David Williams (L) and Mark Williams pictured outside the Lighthouse. The technical / management team at The Lighthouse, Newquay. Left to right: James Penhaligon (General Manager), Matthew Philp (Technical Manager), John Fitch (Part time Duty Manager), Curtis Prince (Technical Assistant & Duty Manager)
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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E •
Truro My next visit, on the following day, was to the WTW Plaza Cinema in Truro. I had been wanting to see this cinema for myself since several of my CTC colleagues had visited it in recent months and had presented Certificates of Competence to members of staff for their skills in both film and digital projection, as was reported in the December 2013 issue of Cinema Technology. It had also just been announced that after several visits by CTC members, the guys there had won the 2013 Projection Team of the Y ear award, so I was keen to see what they were doing right! The Plaza at Truro is still a traditional style comfortable cinema. It originally opened in 1938, when it was the
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premier venue for film-goers throughout the area. The premises changed hands several times until it was purchased by WTW Cinemas in 1996. F ollowing extensive refurbishment and reconstruction, the Plaza was re-opened to the public in July 1998, and the W illiams family was proud that the Plaza was voted RAAM Independent Cinema of the year for 2006 and runner up in 2009. I met the winning team, who would later be coming up to London to receive their award, as we report elsewhere in this issue. They were Mark Connaughton (Chief Projectionist), Adam W ebster (Projectionist), Stuart Jenkins (General Manager) and Matthew Humby (Manager/Projectionist). Mark and Adam had been traditional 35mm
projectionists, who had been given management training , and all four can now ‘do everything’ around the cinema. The Cinema has four screens, all of which offer state of the art sound and vision equipment. All screens have wheelchair access, screens one and four are on the first floor, accessible via a platform lift and screens two and three are on the ground floor. Hearing loop systems are also available and all four auditoria are fully air conditioned.
• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E •
From top left: The Truro Team L-R: Matthew Humby, Adam Webster, Mark Connaughton, Stuart Jenkins. The luxurious Screen 1 at Truro - note the ubiquitous WTW ‘patent’ carpet pattern.. Screen 4 with its interesting murals. In the Screen 2 box, 35mm projection facilities (A VIC 5 and Cinemeccanica platter) sit side by side with the NEC digital projector - and a BKSTS film wallchart.
All screens have Digital NEC projection, and screen two has the capability to show 3D movies through the Real D 3D projection system. Screen 2, which also has a proper stage has kept its 35mm projection equipment, which the team make full use of for special occasions such as the ‘Mark Kermode presents’ evenings, when the famous film critic and broadcaster introduces a film and then hosts a discussion session. We had some interesting discussions about how a movie that did poorly on its initial showings can bring in a full house when Mark Kermode comes along the power of celebrity, I suppose! The cinema is also used for many regional premiers of major film releases. Alternative content has proved very popular at the Plaza, including programmes from the Royal Opera House and National Theatre Live. I was allowed onto the roof to see the satellite dish - as the adjacent photograph shows there is quite a view of the magnificent Truro
cathedral. (WTW) Plaza Cinema Truro, 69 Lemon Street, Truro, TR1 2PN
Wadebridge I didn ’t manage to fit in a visit, but WTW’s fourth cinema, the Regal, Wadebridge. opened in January 1931 and has entertained the people of Wadebridge and North Cornwall for the past 82 years. The cinema has two auditoria, seating 224 and 96 respectively . Theatre 1 is equipped with Pullman seating, and Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound and Theatre 2 has large comfortable seating and 5.1 sound. Screen 2 features the MasterImage Wave 3D system and both auditoria are air-conditioned and have disabled access. Infra-red systems have been installed for the hard of hearing. The Regal has hosted several British Premiers and is used by the major film companies as a venue for the latest releases, with films released concurrently with London and national openings.
Subtitled films can be shown in both screens. Robert W illiams (right), second son of David and also a Director, oversees the Management and Technical aspects of the Regal, as well as having duties in the other cinemas. (WTW) The Regal Cinema, The Platt, Wadebridge, PL27 7AD
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•
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E •
Merlin Cinemas, under Geoff Greaves, their owner and Director operate 11 cinemas around the UK, mostly in the west country but with one about as far east as you can get, In Cromer, Norfolk. I had a chance to look at just three of these, The Regal at Redruth, The Phoenix at Falmouth, and the Central at Torquay, each very different, each focused around the needs of its local community. The other cinemas in the group include: The Studio Cinema at Coleford, The Regal in Cromer, The Flora in Helston, The Embassy in Ilfracombe, the New Carlton in Okehampton, The Savoy in Penzance, The Royal in St Ives, and the Tivoli in Tiverton.
Redruth Something rather special From the outside, with its traditional cinema tower and art-deco facade, I expected to find a fairly oldfashioned cinema inside The Regal, but nothing could have been further from that. I was welcomed by the phenomenally enthusiastic Alex Jones, who is Operations Manager for the whole group and also keeps his hand in with day to day management of the cinema business as General Manager of the Phoenix in Falmouth. Alex is one of those people whose whole life has been in cinema - he told me how he first had a ‘toy ’ projector as a very young child and then went on to work in projection boxes as a teenager, eventually getting to own and operate several cinemas of his own before the depression in the industry caused him to have to pull back.
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In the late 1990s he joined The Rank Group, working as Senior Technician and General Manager for several of their Odeon and Mecca venues, staying with ODEON until shortly after the UCI takeover - winning Multiplex Cinema of The Year and Marketing Cinema of The Year
during his time with them. He now thoroughly enjoys his role at Merlin and obviously puts in a tremendous amount of effort to bring the company’s vision to fruition. Geoff Greaves acquired the Regal in July 1998, and since then the site has
• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E •
Top: Views of the luxurious Screen 7 - real luxury with waiter service for drinks and food Bottom: (L) Screen 4 with sofa seating and (R) Screen 3 with more traditional upholstery
benefited from a massive refurbishment project which has resulted in six modern cinema auditoria plus a superb 650 seat multi-purpose theatre, all within the existing original building. As the sign on the tower outside proclaims, this is a joint cinema and theatre operation which stages regular live shows in the multi-purpose auditorium as well as showing films. Walking through the main cinema entrance doors there is an attractive conventional foyer with box-office and concession facilities. I was interested to learn that they use a ‘Ticket Magician’ box - office system which they have developed in house to suit the precise needs of the group. Alex said that they had looked at the available commercial systems before deciding that it was better to develop their own, largely because of the complexities needed to integrate the live shows and catering facilities that are so important to the success of the Regal within the system. But if you enter the Regal via a door to the right, which previously led to adjacent shops which were
purchased as part of the refurbishment plans, you immediately start to see what really is different about the new Regal and to understand something of the new vision for cinemas that Geoff Greaves is propounding. There is a magnificent bar and restaurant area, as the picture shows, and walking up an ethereal spiral staircase that can just be seen on the left of the picture, you arrive at Screen 7 and can immediately see what ‘ The Screen 7
Concept’ is all about. This, the first of the licensed screens at the Regal, has luxurious leather seats with tables for patrons to eat and drink. There is discrete waiter service during the shows, and a wide range of food that has been carefully selected (not too smelly, not too noisy, not too difficult to eat) so as not to upset those wanting to concentrate on the movie. The seats really are comfortable and luxurious, with masses of legroom. Screens four and five also have eating and drinking facilities with waiter service, and it was interesting to see that the seating is totally different from most existing cinemas, with individual armchairs and sofas, which are very popular with the local people. I was interested to see that some of the screens have 3D , using the Dolby system with white screens and 6K lamps so as to provide the best possible 3D experience. Prices seem more than competitive, and I saw a poster showing that for certain ‘bargain shows’ you can even see a movie with a drink and popcorn, all for £3.95!.
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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • Over the last five years the Regal has been totally transformed with substantial renovation to the structure of the building , a new roof, a complete rewire, the addition of a bar and restaurant, reinstatement of the original open plan foyer, new toilets built and disabled access improvements made. The Regal project was completed, apart from some on-going snagging and tweaking, in July 2013, and the cinema re - opened with a Gala ceremony. But the structure made it difficult to accommodate projection rooms in the normal manner. Some of the projection ‘portholes’ for the new screens, which obviously have to be suitably positioned within the auditoria to get satisfactory images on screen, actually ended up being close to floor level in the tiny projection boxes, and the photograph here shows the unusual arrangements, where the NEC projectors are actually sitting on the floor of the tiny booth. Blade F rampton, who is Technical Manager
Left: floor-mounted NECs. Right: Technical Engineer Blade Frampton standing by the state of the art equipment in the server room which controls all the projection and sound equipment for the various cinema screens.
and the roving engineer of the group explained that the new digital projectors require little maintenance and that easy access doesn’t have to be the first priority. The cinema is controlled from a state of the art server room, which contains all the racks of equipment that would traditionally have lived in the individual projection rooms. You can see from the ‘ racks’ photograph that there is a wide range of equipment installed, and as well as the various receivers and sources for the many
‘live’ events that the cinema carries, it was interesting to see a LANsat box in situ - Blade said that this works very well for DCP deliveries, simplifying the lives of the staff involved. Blade praised Bell Theatre Services engineers for all the advice and help that they give to him, saying that Max has been a useful ‘mentor’ helping him to overcome the different technical challenges that the various Merlin sites have had to overcome. The overall layout of the conversion is fairly complicated for a newcomer, so that some form of ‘ushering’ is needed to direct people to the appropriate screen, and this, together with the previous mentions of ‘waiter service’ led me to speculate that the cinema must employ quite a few staff. Alex told me that the whole concept of the cinema revolves around customer service, so that they do employ more people than would one of the ‘ big -boy ’ multiplexes. The General Manager of the site is Sarah Baker, and the Technical Manager is Miles Cowley . The Regal Theatre - aka Screen One; a traditional old theatre in the most modern of settings As Alex took me into the new Screen One (below) I understood for the first time why the tower outside is emblazoned with ‘Cinema and Theatre’ and why the venue is advertised everywhere as‘ The Regal Theatre’. F or behind the art deco facade outside, Merlin have somehow managed to design and build a traditionally shaped
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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • Regal Cinema and Theatre, 6 Fore Street, Redruth TR1 2PN
The Phoenix Cinema, Falmouth
You can book any of the eight boxes including the Royal Box for your friends for just the cost of the seats. Boxes are named after Merlin cinemas - this one after the cinema in St Ives
theatre, complete with a circle and even some individual theatre boxes. There is every modern facility for light, sound and special effects, with an orchestra pit, and it is a wonder of the world when the big screen flies away to reveal the stage. Yet somehow it is also an excellent modern cinema. Having seen the other projection boxes I guess I wasn ’t surprised to see that this screen is served from an NEC projector built into a roof compartment. The picture bottom left previous page shows a view looking out from the stage, and you can see the NEC projector at the very top. The larger white area below is the operations box from which follow-spot lights and other special effects are controlled. Whilst this is used regularly as a cinema screen, Screen One is truly a theatre - a quick look at their “what’s on?” publicity material shows a remarkably wide range of shows from local amateur groups to top pop artists, from standup comedians to Christmas shows and P antos, and from burlesque shows to live tribute bands. The Regal Theatre really is a huge asset to the area, and Alex reflected on the success of the Merlin business model, saying that the number of people using local cinemas has increased dramatically, and that the advantage they have over the large multiplexes is that local people can walk to the cinema and enjoy a meal and drink and make a real night of it. He, and the boss Geoff Greaves both love the cinema business and particularly local cinemas, having shown that they can be a real focus for the community.
I drove to F almouth thinking of my father who had been there with the Royal Navy when I was but a babe in arms and mother who always spoke of it as a wondrous place. These days it is a thriving small town with a population of more than 25,000 with a University, which means that there are plenty of people looking to go to the cinema throughout most of the year. Falmouth University was recognised as a Skillset Media Academy and has all the latest kit from television and radio studios to photo studios, darkrooms, animation studios, digital postproduction studios and even a cinema, although that, thankfully, doesn ’t seem to affect the success of Merlin ’s Phoenix cinema. In 2009 the Merlin team converted the old drill hall in Falmouth into a brand new five screen cinema, The Phoenix. It was a major building project, involving digging down into the ground to make space for two of the screens, and the style of the build continued with the Regal’s Screen 7 concept in providing three licensed screens where customers can enjoy alcoholic beverages and hot snacks ordered and enjoyed from the comfort of their luxury cinema seats. The Phoenix gained the UK Independent Cinema of the Y ear A ward from RAAM in early 2010. Charlie Ryan is Technical Manager at The Phoenix, and I met House Manager Daisy Wren (above) who
runs the place (well, our Alex does chase about rather a lot, even though he is in charge as GM here!) and she told me how she can do and does most of the jobs around the Phoenix, including looking after the projection kit as necessary. The small team enjoy working closely together. Alex summed up his feelings and the aims of the Merlin group with just a few words - “Cinema has to be theatrical, you must put on a show; we need the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the audience to make everything we do worthwhile” Phoenix Cinema, Falmouth 11 Berkeley Vale, Falmouth TR113PL
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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • From top: Great to see that the Phoenix has kept the old alongside the new. Screen 1 - as at many other of the Merlin screens, the ‘tabs’ really do open and close. Screen 5 - The Phoenix Suite, a forty seater luxury cinema with sofa seating and provision for waiter-served meals and drinks. Left: The box for screen 3 - boringly conventional with the projector on a stand, although with a fairly steep rake. Right: the more unusual floor-mounted position in Screen 2 where the original building construction made it difficult to fit in a projection port.
The Central Cinema, Torquay I was pleased to be able to have a quick look around Merlin’s Central Cinema in Torquay on the eve of the CEA South W est Regional meeting . Merlin bought the then recently closed two screen Odeon in 2000, and then gave it the Merlin touch with a dramatic facelift, including a conversion to four screens, all fitted to a very high standard, after which it was renamed the Central Cinema. In March 2010 the Central installed 3D digital on the largest screen in the bay, making it the first cinema in the area to go 3D . I was interested to learn that ticket prices for 3D films at the Central Cinema are the same as those for all other films, with no premium being charged. I was impressed with the comfort of the very traditional Screen in which the CEA meeting took place - a ‘proper’ cinema - and the pictures and sound were great. Merlin’s Blade Frampton showed me the projection rooms, and my visit just happened to coincide with Simon Tandy doing a final tidy-up of the LANsat equipment installation that had been done in the previous few days. The LANsat kit, connected via ethernet cables to a broadband network, allows the cinema to access. (The author Jim Slater is the Editor of Cinema Technology magazine, the specialist publication for Cinema Technical Information. He can be reached at jim.slater@slaterelectronics.com. To subscribe Cinema Technology magazine at www.cinematechnology magazine.com/subscribe.html)
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REVIEW
24-27 March 2014 Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
CinemaCon, the Official Convention of National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) was delighted to return to Caesars Palace and to have The Coca-Cola Company on board as its Official Presenting Sponsor for the fourth straight year. CinemaCon, the largest and most important annual gathering of cinema owners and operators from around the world that more than 5,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry - from the exhibitor, distributor, equipment and concessions manufacturer, marketer, advertiser - all on hand to celebrate the movie going experience and the cinema industry. Commenced on 24-27 March 2014 at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas the response to the show was just as amazing as it could be. From exclusive Hollywood product presentations highlighting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon helped jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season at the box office.
The seminars during the International Day are: •
Staying Ahead of Today's Global Cultural Trends: The Importance of an Adaptable Branding and Social Media Strategy
•
The World of Digital Cinema: The Past, Present and Future
•
The World Has Gone Online: What's Next and What Can You Do About It?
•
"Defying Gravity: Keeping Cinema Relevant in a Growing Multi-Option World"
Awardees during the International Day were: •
"International Filmmaker of the Year" - Carlos Saldanha ("Rio 2")
•
"Rentrak International Boxoffice Achievement Award" - Warner Bros. Pictures
•
"Global Achievement Award in Exhibition" - Eddy Duquenne, CEO, Kinepolis Group
•
"CinemaCon Passepartout Award" - Craig Dehmel, SVP, Sales & Strategic Planning, 20th Century Fox Intl
In returning to Caesars Palace, CinemaCon was able to offer its delegates a modern and upscale conference facility and a one-of-a kind movie going experience in the Colosseum, the 4,200 seat of Caesars Palace. The show began with the 'International Day' on 24 March 2014. May-June 2014
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EVENT CALENDER
2014 16-19 JUNE CINEEUROPE BARCELONA, SPAIN www.cinemaexpo.com
25-27 JULY CINEMA TODAY, CHENNAI, INDIA www.cinematoday.in
Ar. Eranna Yekbote of Era Architects at his stall
The Seminars at CinemaCon:
22-26 SEPTEMBER KINO EXPO, ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA www.kinoexpo.ru
12-16 OCTOBER AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA www.movieconvention.com.au
27-30 OCTOBER SHOWEAST, FLORIDA, USA www.showeast.com
9-11 DECEMBER CINEASIA, HONG KONG www.cineasia.com
2015 MARCH FRAMES, MUMBAI, INDIA www.ficci-frames.com
MARCH CHINA THEATER & CINEMA GUANGZHOU www.gtcff.com
20-23 APRIL CAESARS PALACE, LAS VEGAS, USA www.cinemacon.com
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• Rotten Tomatoes Critics vs. The Audience: The Relevance of Film Critics Today • The State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future • The Affordable Care Act: "Obamacare" - Managing Your Legal Responsibility • Alternative Content Part II: An Open House with Today's Leading Providers of Alternative Content and Event Cinema from Around the Globe • Now Showing at Your Theater: DCDC and the World of Content Delivery • ICTA Presents - The Road to Open Standards for Immersive Audio • Concession Confessions: Lessons Learned and Future Opportunities
• Universal Pictures Special Screening of "Neighbors" • The Walt Disney Studios "Million Dollar Arm"
Big Screen Achievenement Awards • • • • • • • • •
The Movie Screenings at CinemaCon 2014:
•
• Lionsgate's Special Advance Screening of "Draft Day"
•
Breakthrough Performer of the Year - Chris Pratt Rising Stars of 2014 - Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor Comedy Star of the Year - Leslie Mann Male Star of the Year - Adam Sandler Female Star of the Year - Drew Barrymore Lifetime Achievement Award Ivan Reitman Cinema Icon Award - Kevin Costner CinemaCon Vanguard Award Andy Serkis Comedy Filmmakers of the Year Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg Female Star of Tomorrow Shailene Woodley Male Star of Tomorrow Chadwick Boseman
PREVIEW
16-19 June 2014 Barcelona, Spain
CineEurope is the official annual convention of UNIC and the premier get-together of the cinema exhibition community in Europe. It is organised in collaboration with Prometheus Global Media (PGM). The convention offers a unique opportunity to interact with stakeholders from the sector and includes a trade-show of latest products, services and industry trends, an innovative conference programme of highest relevance to European exhibitors and numerous screenings of the most exciting upcoming films. CineEurope will be held from
Floor Plan
16-19 June 2014 at El Centro De Convenciones Internacional De Barcelona, Spain. Top Reasons to Attend •
Preview important and upcoming cinema releases for the European market
•
See exclusive product presentations of films in development and production to make informed programming decisions
•
Find the products, services, technologies and concession items at the trade show to make your theatre a mustattend destination
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•
Network with industry peers at fun-filled events
•
There is no better place than CineEurope to see first-hand what's happening in the European movie industry
Some of the exciting highlights and topics to be discussed at CineEurope are as follows -
•
The Coca-Cola Company Retail Seminar: Reasons to Believe
•
Engaging Audiences
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The Future of Big Screen
•
European Exhibitor Roundtable
•
Alternative Content/Event Cinema
Exhibitors ADVANCED SPECIALTY LIGHTING
604
EZCARAY INTERNACIONAL
636
OSRAM
207
AIRSCREEN Company
823
FANLIGHT
805
PHILIPS LIGHTING
523
ALCONS AUDIO
700
FERCO SEATING SYSTEMS
217
PREFERRED POPCORN
705
AM GROUP / DESTINY
613
FIGUERAS INTERNATIONAL SEATING 201
PCO GROUP
613
ARTS ALLIANCE MEDIA
601
GDC DIGITAL CINEMA
238
PROYECSON
507
ASIMETRIK SES, ISIK ve GORUNTU
717
GetD TECH
729
QSC
629
SUITE E
GOLD MEDAL
306
SCENIC TECHNICAL TEXTILES
639
BECKERBILLETT
127
GOLDEN LINK
427
SEATING CONCEPTS
41
BKSTS
204
GUANGZHOU LIJIANG SEATING
728
SHARE DIMENSION
226
BURGEREE NEW TECHNOLOGY
837
HARKNESS SCREENS
323
SITLAND
623
BUSINESS RUSSIA
727
HCBL 3D
618
SIVE - COMPRAENTRADAS
734
C CRETORS & CO
607
HIGH PERFORMANCE STEREO
817
SKEIE AS
334
CAIZ OPTRONICS
821
HIGHLANDS TECHNOLOGIES
338
SMARTJOG YMAGIS LOGISTICS
135
CHINA FILM EQUIPMENT
834
INDUSTRIAS JOSPER
822
SMARTO TEKSTIL SANAYO TICARET 713
BARCO
INTEG PROCESS GROUP
804
SONY
208
723
ISK OPTICS
327
SPACE SCREEN
239
CINE PROJECT GMBH
307
JACK ROE (CS)
400
STRONG - MDI
105
CINEDAVIS GMBH
704
JBL PROFESSIONAL / CROWN
622
TF CREATION - VELTO
505
CINEMA EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
712
JIMMY PRODUCTS BV
801
The AIRSCREEN Company
CINEMACCANICA SPA
527
KELONIK CINEMA SOUND
426
THEATREWORLD
617
KENCAST
826
ticket.international
317
KINOCREATIV
504
TK ARCHITECTS
605
CHRISTIE
SUITE A
CINE DIGITAL SERVICE
CJ 4DPLEX COCA-COLA
CENTRE LOUNGE
823 Pub Bin
COMPESO GMBH
222
LACIVERT REKLAM
812
TRINNOV AUDIO
305
CRU
405
LARS
825
UNIFET
738
DATASAT DIGITAL
113
LIGHTEC
301
UNILEVER EUROPE
235
D-BOX
517
LINO SONEGO
501
UNIQUE DIGITAL
808
dcinex
313
LIVEN S.A.
404
USHIO
117
DELUXE
516
LOOK 3D
707
USL INC
635
DEPTHQ 3D / LIGHTSPEED DESIGN
241
MARTEK CONTRACTS
422
VCL SOUND EXPERIENCE
212
DOLBY
312
MASTERIMAGE 3D
401
VIP CINEMA SEATING
514
DOREMI
407
MESBUR + SMITH ARCHITECTS
206
VISTA
101
DSAT CINEMA SA
107
MOBILIARIO SA DE CV
819
VOLFONI IBERIA
606
EKRAN PPHU
814
MECHANISCHE WEBEREI BOHEMIA
512
WEAVER POPCORN
616
EOMAC
216
NATAIS
806
XPAND
423
EUROSEATING
123
NCR CORPORATION
513
YMAGIS
129
EYES TRIPLE SHUT SA
624
NEC
SUITE D
Germany's Constantin Film to Receive Independent Film Award at CineEurope
Martin Moszkowicz
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CineEurope will present its 2014 Independent Film Award to Constantin Film at the Final Night Awards Ceremony & Dinner
Reception on Thursday, June 19 at the Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain. The award will be accepted by Constantin Film's Executive Board Chairman, Martin Moszkowicz. For the last 30 years, the name Constantin Film has stood for quality
and success, and the company has played a key role in the development of the film industry both in Germany and abroad. Constantin Film has grown to become the most successful independent production and distribution company in the German media landscape, and
operates on equal footing with the major US studios. Since its foundation by Bernd Eichinger in 1977 as well as under the late leadership of Martin Moszkowicz Constantin Film has become know for major hits, including early successes The Never Ending Story and The Name of the Rose, the international Resident Evil franchise, as well as the recent German box office successes Türkisch für Anfänger and Fack Ju Göhte. Constantin Film's movie productions and distribution titles include comedies, adventure movies, family entertainment productions, action and horror movies, thrillers, dramas, art house
films, and film adaptations - and have captivated an audience of millions since the very beginning. Six of the top 10 German blockbusters of the last 20 years were produced by Constantin Film. "Constantin Film's recent successes have set them apart from all other independent studios in the region," stated Robert Sunshine, Managing Director of CineEurope. "We are incredibly delighted that our partners at UNIC have chosen them as the recipient of this year's CineEurope Independent Film Award." "Constantin Film is a remarkable European success story. We are very happy that they have accepted the award, which demonstrates UNIC's
continued support for independent production and distribution companies in Europe," states Phil Clapp, President, UNIC. "Constantin Film has been at the cutting-edge of highly successful and creative film production and distribution for decades. It is the only company in the German-speaking region that has successfully achieved this at an international level, both with films that reflect European realities as well as with international hits made for global audiences. We are certain that their success will only grow in the coming years and wish Martin Moszkowicz and his team all the best for the future."
Universal's Duncan Clark named CineEurope 2014 International Distributor of the Year CineEurope will present its 2014 International Distributor of the Year Award to Duncan Clark, President, Distribution, Universal Pictures International. This honor will be presented as part a special Universal luncheon on Tuesday, June 17 at Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain. "It is a great honor for CineEurope to be able to single out Duncan for all he has done throughout his career as a respected and admired distribution executive in the business," noted Robert Sunshine, Managing Director of the event. "You could not ask for a more dedicated leader whose passion and commitment to both his company and the industry have helped bring quality films to so many moviegoers around the world. This is an honor so richly deserved by an individual who has demonstrated excellence within every aspect of international film distribution."
Duncan has held the position of President of Universal Pictures International since June 2011. In this capacity, Clark supervises Universal Pictures International's operating companies, United International Pictures (UIP), as well as UPI's independent partners and sales agents. Clark was a key executive in helping to set up Universal's standalone distribution operations internationally as the company transitioned from its UIP joint venture with Paramount Pictures in 2007. He is also responsible for the supervision of the print servicing/post production adaption/delivery for the company's international releases During his years at the studio, Clark has guided Universal Pictures to some of its best years at the international box office. In 2013 the studio crossed the $2 billion mark at the international box office for the first time in its history, propelled by such hits as Despicable Me 2; Fast &
Duncan Clark
Furious 6; Oblivion and Les Misérables. Prior to joining Universal, Clark was a marketing and distribution consultant on Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds and Munich, taking on a similar role on the 21st Bond film, Casino Royale. Clark spent fourteen years at Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures
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from 1986-2000 in New York and Los Angeles - first as head of its international marketing division, culminating in his role as President of the International Distribution. During his years at Sony, he oversaw the release of such critical and commercial hits as Men in
Black; Sense and Sensibility; As Good As It Gets; Jerry McGuire and The Mask of Zorro. As an original resident of the U.K., Clark headed up marketing/ distribution from 1980-1986 for UIP/ U.K., distributor at the time for
Universal, Paramount, and MGM/ United Artists. Clark is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Vue Entertainment's Alan McNair Named CineEurope 2014 International Exhibitor of The Year due in large part to Alan's passion, commitment and over 25 years of experience in the cinema exhibition business.
CineEurope will present
CineEurope will present its 2014 International Exhibitor of the Year Award to Alan McNair, Vue Entertainment's Deputy CEO and CFO. This honor will be presented as part of the CineEurope Awards Banquet on Thursday evening, June 19th at Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain. "It is a great pleasure for CineEurope to be able to acknowledge and pay tribute to Vue Entertainment's Alan McNair for his contributions to cinema exhibition," stated Robert Sunshine, Managing Director of the annual convention. "Vue's success as a market leader in the nine markets that it operates in, is
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May-June 2014
"I am delighted that CineEurope has chosen to acknowledge Alan McNair's outstanding contribution to cinema exhibition across the globe over the last 25 years and more," said Phil Clapp, President of the European cinema exhibition trade body, UNIC. "Through his work at UCI, and of course Vue Entertainment, Alan is recognized by his peers as one of our outstanding cinema leaders. While not one to seek the limelight, the cinemas that he has helped establish and develop speak for themselves as achievements of a man of singular vision and commitment. I join colleagues at UNIC and further afield in congratulating Alan on this much-deserved Award." Each year at CineEurope, the International Exhibitor of the Year award is given to a cinema exhibitor whose accomplishments, new developments, growth, and market leadership make them the standardbearer for the industry. During the past 35 years in the entertainment and leisure business, Alan has gained wide experience in many international markets, first in film distribution, followed by video distribution, and since 1987, international cinema exhibition. Alan's experience and international exposure started with his position as
Financial Controller with CIC Video International where, as part of a small team, he was responsible for establishing operations in 18 markets in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Alan started with United Cinemas International (UCI) in 1989 and in his time there rose to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Alan oversaw the establishment of operations in multiple international markets including Japan, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, and Austria. During Alan's tenure, UCI established itself as a leading international multiplex operator. In 1999, Alan left UCI and joined Tim Richards to start Vue Entertainment. Over the course of the past 14 years, Vue has become a world class operator and developer of modern stateof-the-art multiplex cinemas known for their market leading innovations and analytical approach to business. Following the acquisitions of CinemaxX in July 2012 and Multikino in August 2013, Vue Entertainment now operates over 150 cinemas in nine countries including the UK, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Latvia, Lithuania, and Taiwan. It has over 1,300 screens and over 250,000 super comfortable standard and luxury VIP seats.
Making 3D More Crystal Clear Volfoni, the renowned 3D technology provider, maintains control over its entire manufacturing chain, from R&D to mass production, Volfoni is one of the few companies in the world offering a wide variety of 3D technologies for Cinema. TheatreWorld (TW) speaks to Mr. Alain Chamaillard who is in-charge of EMEA, CIS and Russian markets about its market, technology and future of the company in 3D solutions. TW – Tell us about the Volfoni 3D solutions to cinemas? AC – Volfoni's 3D solutions are aimed at every type of cinema. We offer passive solutions with our SmartCrystal products as well as active solutions with our EDGE glasses. All our products cater to the highest image quality to deliver best 3D experience to the audience. In addition we seek to also offer innovative business models for those who prefer owning over renting or pay license fees for 3D equipment for example. TW – What is the current count of Volfoni 3D solutions across the world? AC – By the end of 2013 we counted more than 1800 theaters equipped with our solutions. And that number has kept growing ever since. TW – How potential do you see the EMEA, CIS, Russia vis-à-vis the global market for digital 3D cinema? AC – Today we see strong growth in Middle East, CIS and Russia with lots of new builds. Volfoni's brand is well recognized in that region and stands for quality installations. For Europe, we see a more mature market. We believe that there are however major
Alain Chamaillard Managing Director EMEA, CIS, Russia
cinema networks that will want to reduce their cost of ownership by turning to a Volfoni System they can own rather than renting other's 3D equipment. So there is also a good potential there.
based on our proprietary Surface Switching Technology. The differences of the design concern the application: •
The Vertical is for standalone and mobile.
TW – Tell us about the SmartCrystal Cinema solution?
•
The Horizontal is for compact and booth-less installations.
AC – The SmartCrystal Cinema line of products is dedicated to the light efficiency and 3D comfort. Our aim is to provide moviegoers the best 3D experience possible. In 2012, we crafted one of the best LCD polarizer on the market: The SmartCrystal™ Cinema Vertical which is powered by our own innovative Surface Switching Technology.
The SmartCrystal Diamond is powered by our own new and patented Triple Beam Technology. Through an enhanced optical engine it provides a LEF of 28%. It's uniquely compact design makes easy to adapt to different installation situations: standalone, compact and booth-less.
Both SmartCrystal Cinema versions Vertical and Horizontal are perfectly designed for smaller 3D screens. For larger screens we have launched the SmartCrystal Diamond with a higher light efficiency allowing even more light on screens. TW – What is the technical difference between SmartCrystal Cinema Horizontal, SmartCrystal Cinema Vertical and SmartCrystal Diamond? AC – The SmartCrystal Cinema Horizontal and Vertical are both
TW – Where is your product manufactured and does it have any warranty? AC – All our products are entirely design by Volfoni in France; they follow a global assembly process that today is mainly based in Europe. As a quality 3D specialist we have been leading the industry by being the first to offer 5 years warranty on all our SmartCrystal family. TW – What was the thought behind getting SmartCrystal to the market? AC – When Volfoni launched the
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TW – What would be the approximate investment for SmartCrystal? AC – Volfoni has always been working with integrators, as such the investment of the exhibitor depends more often on the specific requests he might have along with the 3D System. In any case opting for a Volfoni System has always been worthwhile. TW – Do you have any new launch at CineEurope or Kino Expo this year? AC – In the last 3 years we have been introducing a new product almost every 4 to 5 months. I am sure that at these trade shows we will always have something new to show and we will be pleased to present it there. TW – What are your future plans for developing 3D?
SmartCrystal Cinema, we were shaking up the industry as the first to offer active and passive solutions. The thought was, as with all our products to provide an ever better 3D experience to the audience and also listen to the needs of the exhibitors asking for high quality passive 3D solutions. This same thought and the same dialogue with exhibitors that lead us to launch the SmartCrystal Diamond. With that innovative 3D system we do additionally improve the economics for the exhibitor and assure a quick return on investment. TW – Tell us about the Clip-on 3D glasses with regard to its cost, maintenance and logistics? AC – The Clip-on is the lightest-way to see 3D. It just clips to prescription glasses. It is therefore the ideal accessory that cinemas can offer to their glasses wearing audience. The Clip-On design by Volfoni is
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particularly stylish and sets it apart from other similar systems as it has no moving parts. There is no maintenance to address and logistics for the point of sale have been optimized by special selling displays. Anyone can ask for a sample to get convinced. TW – Is there any particular strategy from Volfoni to promote SmartCrystal in EMEA, CIS and Russia region? AC – In 3D seeing is believing. Therefore we have made a special arrangement to demonstrate our products during CineEurope for our Customers from these regions (suite 131 level 1). On other strategic plan, please allow us to keep a secret or two. Generally Volfoni stands for innovation in 3D systems, highest image quality and being a trustworthy and reliable business partner. We will continue to be just that.
AC – We have a full R&D team dedicated to that question. We believe that we can continue to improve the image quality for 3D films to make the 3D experience just as natural as a 2D experience. Our priorities for this include increasing light efficiency and enhance contrast and color crispness. Additionally we see a lot of 3D demand in professional applications such as Virtual Realty that might cross pollinate the 3D cinema industry in return. As a leading professional 3D system supplier we will benefit from that. TW – How do you see the future of cinema exhibition in EMEA, CIS and Russia region? AC – The regions you mention will develop with two different patterns. In Europe, mainly western Europe, we believe big chains and specialist exhibitors will reinvent the cinema experience, as social meeting place as entertainment event and as place in the city. In the Middle East, Africa, Russia and CIS we will see a lot of very modern new build absorbing immediately these trends and maybe they will also spark some of those trends on their own. So we believe it to be a very innovative space in the near future.
entertainworld
PVR Cinemas
Unmatched Movie Experience! PVR Cinemas, the largest and the most premium film entertainment company which operates a cinema circuit comprising 417 screens in 96 cinemas in 40 cities in India opened its 1st multiplex in Dehradun with four-screens and largest multiplex of Punjab with nine-screens. May-June 2014
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entertainworld Uttarakhand, Dehradun PVR Cinemas, launched its fourscreen multiplex at Pacific Mall, Dehradun. With this launch, PVR marks its debut in Uttarakhand. The PVR multiplex is the largest multiplex of the city, spread across in an area of 30,000 sq ft with a seating capacity of 731 seats. With this launch, PVR reaches the screen count of 408 screens in 95 cinemas in 39 cities across India. The launch of PVR's first multiplex in Dehradun was also
Speaking on the occasion, Mr.
movies as a favorable
witnessed by Himansh Kohli
Gautam Dutta, COO, PVR Ltd,
entertainment activity, we aim
and Devanshu Sharma, star cast
said, "We feel extremely happy
to bring the finest multiplex in
of the movie 'Yaariyan'. The
to mark the debut of PVR
the city to offer quality cinema
stars along with Mr. Gautam
multiplex in one of the most
experience to the cinema
Dutta, COO, PVR Ltd. did a
attractive tourist destinations
goers. With this, we intend to
ribbon cutting ceremony and
of India, Dehradun. Keeping
offer an unmatched movie
opened the cinema for people
into consideration, the
experience to the audience in
of Dehradun.
growing trend of watching
Uttarakhand."
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May-June 2014
entertainworld an unmatched movie watching experience. The design concept is that of a crushed paper look which is innovative and will appeal to audiences. Vitrified tiles and granite are used for the flooring material which looks attractive and adds glamour to the multiplex. The Audis carry a vibrant color scheme of Red. Apart from the immersive design of the multiplex, PVR multiplex boasts of wide array of F&B, 2K Digital projection, 7.1 surround sound, 3D enabled With the opening of a PVR
will now bestow a superior
screens and JBL speakers,
multiplex in the Doon Valley
entertainment center in the
comfortable recliner and prime
which is known to host some
valley. The PVR multiplex has
seats, all packaged to deliver an
of India's best schools and
been designed in a novel
exceptional movie experience
training institutions, the state
manner to add the pleasure of
to the audience of Dehradun.
with Mr. Pramod Arora, Group
cutting ceremony and opened
Considering movies are a
President, PVR Ltd. inaugurated
the cinema for people of
popular source of
the cinema with a ribbon
Punjab.
entertainment for people, PVR
Mohali, Punjab PVR Cinemas, launched its nine-screen multiplex in North Country Mall, Kharar, Mohali. With this opening, the screen count of PVR in Punjab rises to 35 screens with a total of six properties in the cities of Ludhiana, Jalandhar including Chandigarh (Union territory) and now Mohali. The launch of PVR's largest multiplex of Punjab in Mohali (Kharar) was also witnessed by a Bollywood actress, Kangana Ranaut. The celebrity along
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entertainworld is introducing its first gold class experience in Punjab. Spread across an area of 72557 sqft, the multiplex is equipped with a seating capacity of 1547 seats. This launch takes PVR to 417 screens in 96 cinemas in 40 cities across India. On this occasion, Mr. Pramod Arora, CEO & Group President, PVR Ltd said, "After the launch of PVR's second multiplex in Chandigarh, we bring the largest multiplex of ninescreens in Kharar, Mohali. Two things that have always united
response from the people of
sure that movie lovers will feel
Mohali."
an unmatched movie experience."
the people of India are cricket
On the opening, Kangana
and movies; Mohali known for
Ranaut, Bollywood Actress said,
PVR takes cinema watching one
its world class infrastructure for
"Multiplexes have always acted
step higher with its exceptional
cricket will now possess a
as a catalyst to fulfil the
technology. The multiplex
platform for the best & world
growing demand of
boasts of its 2K Digital
class cinema experience with
entertainment. Therefore it
projection enabled with 4K
the launch of PVR in the city.
gives me immense pleasure to
Digital system. It is also
Bearing in mind that Mohali is
be a part of the launch of the
equipped with 7.1 surround
an upcoming residential hub,
first PVR multiplex in Mohali
sound, 3D enabled screens and
PVR is all set to cater to the
(Kharar). With the opening of
JBL speakers.
audience here and hopes to
the largest multiplex and the
receive an overwhelming
first Gold Class in the city, I am
Apart from the best technology, PVR reinforces its commitment to offer exceptional cinema amidst superlative ambience and state of the art facilities to its audience. In addition, the two Gold class auditoriums will have an exclusive lounge with a patisserie counter. All auditoriums possess red color scheme with matching carpet, seats, and wall panels for gold class auditoriums and drapes for mainstream.
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May-June 2014
F U T U R E
R E L E A S E S
A glimpse of movies coming soon… Maleficent
Mom’s Night Out Production Walt Disney
Production TriStar Pictures
Director Robert Stromberg
Director Andrew Erwin
Starring Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley
Starring Sarah Drew, Sean Astin
Genre Action, Adventure
Genre Comedy
Chef
Neighbors Production Open Road Films
Production Universal Pictures
Director Jon Favreau
Director Nicholas Stoller
Starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara
Starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron
Genre Comedy
Genre Comedy
Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Production Summertime
Production 20th Century Fox
Director Dan St. Pierre
Director Bryan Singer
Starring Lea Michele, Martin Short
Starring Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen
Genre Animation, Family
Genre Action, Adventure
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F U T U R E
22 Jump Street
Borgman Production Drafthouse Films
Production Columbia Pictures
Director Alex van
Director Phil Lord
Starring Jan Bijvoet, Hadewych Minis
Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum
Genre Thriller
Genre Action, Comedy
The Fault in Our Stars
Production 20th Century Fox
Director Josh Boone
Director Dean DeBlois
Starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort
Starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler
Genre Drama
Genre Action, Adventure
The Rover Production A24
Production A24
Director Gillian Robespierre
Director David Mich么d
Starring Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy
Starring Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson
Genre Comedy
Genre Thriller
Jersey Boys
The Sacrament
May-June 2014
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Production 20th Century Fox
Obvious Child
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R E L E A S E S
Production Magnet Releasing
Production Warner Bros.
Director Ti West
Director Clint Eastwood
Starring AJ Bowen, Joe Swanberg
Starring John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen
Genre Horror, Thriller
Genre Musical
F U T U R E
Think Like a Man Too
R E L E A S E S
Heropanti
Production Screen Gems
Production Utv Motion
Director Tim Story
Director Sabbir Khan
Starring Adam Brody, Michael Ealy
Starring Tiger Shroff, Kriti Sanon
Genre Comedy
Genre Romance, Action
Transformers: Age of Extinction
The Xpose
Production Paramount Pictures
Production HR Musik
Director Michael Bay
Director A N Mahadevan
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor
Starring Himesh Reshammiya,
Genre Action, Adventure
Genre Thriller
Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty
Kochadaiiyaan Production Eros International
Production Reliance
Director Soundarya Rajnikanth
Director A. R. Murugadoss
Starring Rajinikanth, Deepika Padukone
Starring Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha
Genre Action, 3D
Genre Thriller, Action
Koyelaanchal
Humshakals Production AMA Entertainment
Production Fox Star Studios
Director Ashuu Trikha
Director Sajid Khan
Starring Vinod Khanna, Suniel Shetty
Starring Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu
Genre Action
Genre Comedy
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