TheatreWorld ::: November-December 2014

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Issue # 66 November-December 2014

The amusement of watching a movie on a big screen is indeed the best thing about a film viewing experience. Moviegoers prefer cinema halls to alternative home entertainment today, thanks to the advancement in technology such as Immersive Sound, 4K Clarity and mind blowing 3D visuals. In fact, the Immersive Sound and 4K has entered home entertainment, thus narrowing the gap between television and cinemas. With the home entertainment getting upgraded from 5.1s and 7.1s to Auro and Atmos, Immersive Sound is all set to be the next generation sound format globally.

Dolby announced that with effect from 1 November 2014, the Dolby Atmos Cinema Processor CP850 list price will be reduced by 20 per cent - a welcoming development for cinema owners. Dolby can now expect more installations in the future. The company has already crossed the 200 Atmos-title milestone and many more are to come. The big news is that Dolby Laboratories has completed its acquisition of Doremi Labs. Now, the best digital cinema processing and playback solutions will come from one single window.

The launch of USLs new DAX-16N digital to analog audio convertor is really a great innovation in the current scenario of Immersive Sound.

The Laser projectors are yet to make their presence felt in a significant way as several countries haven't seen their first laser projector so far. Let's hope, in the coming year, cinemas have bigger budget for these projectors.

The last season of this year is witnessing some of the best blockbusters of Hollywood, Interstellar and Gone Girl, as we await Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Hunger Game: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Equalizer. In India, Happy New Year joined the INR200cr club and went on to be the box office hit of the year.

Now the country is waiting with bated breath for the release of Rajinikanth's Lingaa and Aamir Khan's PK. Talking of CineAsia, TheatreWorld has been a regular participant at the event since 1999. We, once again, are very pleased to showcase TheatreWorld at the Asia's only representative tradeshow and convention. We express our gratitude to the organisers for allowing us to become a part of the 'CineAsia landscape'.

Like every year, bringing out our Anniversary edition gives us a great pleasure.

Since 1999, our founder Mr Sandeep Mittal has been bringing you the best of theatre world from "behind the screens" and now I have taken the mantle.

We pledge to go beyond the usual journalistic traditions and the good news is you shall see the change from the year 2015.

Stay tuned and see you all at CineAsia 2014!

Raghavendra T Editor-Publisher

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Raghavendra T Editor-Publisher +91 9980 208 208 raghav@network208.com

Sandeep Mittal Founder Editor Publisher

Authors & Writers Asra Shaheen Heti Dave Michael Karagosian Samir Mistry Savita V Jayaram

Clancy D’souza Sales & Marketing +91 78753 29282 clancy@network208.com

M Naga Bhanu Online & Social Media Printing Ramya Reprographic, Bengaluru 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

RNI # KARENG02795/10/1/2002-TC 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.

contents

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-28 for TM. TM is inserted between pages TW-50 and TW-51 of TW.

TECHNOLOGY TW-27 3D Screens Compared!

TW-28 Explaining Various Film Formats

INSTALLS TW-37

Enhancing JT Cinemas with

Immersive Sound!

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Cineplex Elevates

"Strictly Adults Only" Experience!

SPECIAL FEATURE

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TW-30

Embellishing World Cinemas by Era!

TRADESHOWS

TW-40 INSTALLS

TW-42 Review -

TW-46 Rreview -

TW-49 Preview -

Asia's Largest Multiplex is Now Open!

ENTERTAIN WORLD TW-51

Lotte Cinema World Tower:

Major Cineplex:

Redefining Cinematic Experience!

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F

U T U R E

R E L E A S E S

TM-3

INDIA PLEXING TM-8

PVR Strengthens its Presence:

Largest Multiplex in Hyderabad TM-12

TM-16

Miraj Cinemas

Setting New Milestones!

TECHNOLOGY TM-21

New Delhi will now experience

'Barco Auro 11.1' Immersive Sound Technology TM-22 The Evolution of Cinema Sound!

BUSINESS TREND TM-23

Re-released Kasturi Nivasa in Colour to

Recreate History in Kannada Cinema TM-24

PVR Live & PVR Superplex:

A World-class Concept!

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Redefining Seating Comfort Since 1921

Barco's Laser Projector Wins Lumière Award Digital cinema leader Barco announced that its 4K laserilluminated projector has won a 'Technology and New Product' Award from the International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society. With the award, which was presented during a gala luncheon at Paramount Pictures (Hollywood), the Society recognises Barco's laser projector technology for its superb technology, which will help drive the digital cinema industry forward. For Barco, the award is proof that its efforts to take cinema to the next level are clearly paying off.

For the fifth year now, the 3D Society Awards laud companies and organisations that, through their 'innovation and impact', make movies and content more exciting and successful. "The 19 companies honoured came from brilliant teams in 10 countries including the US, China, Japan, Korea, England, Wales, France, Belgium, Germany and Canada. Hollywood and all of us in entertainment are being enriched by a truly global marketplace of brilliant new ideas for making our content more exciting for audiences everywhere," said Society President Jim Chabin. Society Awards chairman Buzz Hays, Studio Chief of the True Image Company, added: "We were amazed at the range of entries, from lasers to hologram technology. These are amazing technologies that will be captivating movie fans and TV audiences in the next few years."

Since the first demos in 2012, Barco has been the frontrunner in laser projection, establishing an early lead in laser illumination technology. The award-winning DP4K-60L is the first of its type capable of showing 4K content at 60 fps and 3D movies in 4K resolution at such high brightness levels. "The new laser projector clearly meets the needs of cinema exhibitors, who are always looking for more light output," said Wim

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thereby underscoring its commitment to the entertainment business. As a member of the 3D Society's Executive Committee and Board of Governors, Buyens joined Walt Disney Studios' Mike DeValue, chairman of the Society, in a panel discussion on 'the Future of Content' during the opening session of ConTech 2015, a seminar set up by the 3D Society and the NAB show.

Strong|MDI Introduces PREMIUM HGA 1.9 Screens Buyens, Senior VP Entertainment at Barco. "We are delighted that the International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society acknowledges our efforts and our leadership in this industry, confirming how our highbrightness laser projection technology will leverage the cinema experience. It is a real honour to win this Lumière statuette!"

Over the past few years, Barco has significantly strengthened its foothold in the digital cinema market and worked hard to deliver innovative solutions that help exhibitors take cinema to the next level. Barco's laser projector is just one result of these efforts, as is the Auro 11.1 immersive sound format.

Both are gathered under the name 'CinemaBarco', together with other Barco innovations like the Barco Escape panoramic movie format.

Barco Escape debuted recently at five Cinemark Theaters in the US, with Fox's release of The Maze Runner.

Barco also announced its plans to bring a recent live performance of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga to Barco Escape theatres in early 2015.

A few weeks ago, Barco joined the Society as a founding member,

Strong|MDI, a subsidiary of Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (NYSE: BTN), announced the release of PREMIUM HGA 1.9 gain screens with a half gain angle of 30° for venues looking to optimise viewing angle in both 2D and 3D. PREMIUM HGA 1.9 offers the best available balance between brightness and a wide viewing angle. The ultraresistant coating offers more even light distribution, deeper and more defined images. In fact, for the same foot-lambert, the PREMIUM HGA 1.9 screens offer approximately 30% more light reflecting from the entire screen. The high contrast ratio also provides increased 3D precision.

"The viewing experience is definitely enhanced with the new PREMIUM HGA 1.9 screens we recently installed.

The high contrast images sweep more evenly across the entire screen surface and provide the quality we look for in our premium auditoriums" says Dan Huerta, VP of Sight & Sound Technology at AMC Theatres.

In the development of this new screen the Strong/MDI R&D team has dramatically improved viewing angle while maintaining optimal screen

reflectivity and coating durability.

When it comes to achieving these goals, PREMIUM HGA screens lead the way. "The advent and growth of premium theatres requires a new generation of high-tech screens. Our specially formulated coatings contribute to providing the superior viewing experience expected by venue owners and movie-goers alike," says Francois Barrette, GM, Strong/MDI.

YMAGIS Launches its New Software Dedicated to Theatres' Automation YMAGIS, the specialist in digital technologies for the cinema industry, announces the launch of the product line "MUSIC" including several software based on a TMS solution (Theatre Management System) which helps exhibitors to manage and monitor the programming of their shows and to operate their projection booths automatically.

Thanks to these new solutions, exhibitors will also be able: - to monitor all their programming and manage the reception of any digital content (movies, trailers, advertisements, etc.), with versions available for single cinemas (Melody software) and also for whole cinema networks (Symphony software); - to extend TMS' traditional features for an integrated and automatic management of projection booth's equipment (Harmony software).

In addition, YMAGIS launches Orchestra, a new "all-in-one" concept for cinema owners, a server combining reception and storage housing all the software solutions developed by the Group, JAZZY which allow to them handle data of content broadcasting.

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Product of the MUSIC line are designed for Multilanguage and YMAGIS will benefit from the acquisition of dcinex, which should be finalised after the Shareholders' Meeting held on October 20, to also sell these software packages to dcinex' customers all over Europe.

The MUSIC software will be sold both as a user licence and as a SaaS subscription and should contribute to the Group revenues from 2015.

USL, Inc. Announces the DAX-16N Compatible with Dolby Atmos Ultra Stereo Labs introduces the new DAX-16N, a digital to analog audio convertor with a BLU link interface.

The BLU link interface is now approved by Harman International Industries and is compatible with Dolby Atmos. The DAX- 16N was on display, along with many other USL cinema products, at the ShowEast convention, October 27-30, at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida.

The DAX-16 converts digital audio to analog for standard cinema amplifiers and is ideal for a cinema auditorium with behind-the-screen amps, often used in boothless cinemas. Features include remote monitoring of the outputs and amplifier returns with streaming audio on a web browser. Remote bar graphs display the output levels and amplifier returns for all channels. The GUI configuration can route any input to any output and the levels are fully adjustable. The outputs are on DE-15F (HD-15) connectors and drive the amplifiers directly.

Configuration data can be saved to an SD card for portability and backup. The front panel also has "signal present" LEDs on all outputs.

The DAX-16 is available in two

versions. The DAX-16N accepts digital audio from a BLU link source such as the Dolby CP850. The DAX-16S accepts AES/EBU digital audio (16 channels on two RJ45 connectors).

"The new DAX-16 fills out our D to A convertor product line. The series includes the DAX-202, DAX-602 and the DAX-802. Along with these three D to A convertors, all three of the JSD series audio processors have full D to A functionality," stated Tom Atkison, USL's Production Manager. "The inclusion of the new DAX-16 brings our D to A product line up to six different versions, giving our cinema customers a wide selection to choose from."

With the DAX-16, USL, Inc. continues to bolster its already extensive collection of digital cinema product offerings with advanced digital audio processors, monitors, crossovers, accessibility solutions, and test equipment. USL has delivered more than 33 years of pioneering technical advancements for the motion picture industry, and is the 2013 recipient of the prestigious International Cinema Technology Association's Manufacturer of the Year award.

Dolby Atmos Surpasses 200-Title Milestone Dolby, returns to ShowEast 2014 to display the best in cinema technology, paving the way for nextgeneration cinemas. On the audio side, the company will be highlighting the Dolby Atmos sound format, which has been installed or committed to in more than 750 screens worldwide.

Highlighting Dolby Atmos momentum, the company revealed that 16 new Hollywood titles are coming to the big screen in Dolby Atmos, increasing the number of announced titles to more than 200 since the sound format's launch with

DisneyoPixar's Brave in 2012. Dolby Atmos comes full circle, hitting its 200th confirmed title with DisneyoPixar's Inside Out. New Dolby Atmos titles are currently scheduled from major studios including DreamWorks Animation, Lionsgate, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Marvel Studios and Pixar Animation Studios.

Four Warner Bros. releases, American Sniper, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and In the Heart of the Sea, are also scheduled to be mixed and released in Dolby Atmos.

Now Showing and Upcoming Dolby Atmos Titles 2014 Scheduled Releases: •

Twentieth Century Fox - Book of Life - October 17, 2014

•

Disney - Big Hero 6 - November 7, 2014

•

Lionsgate - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 - November 21, 2014

•

Twentieth Century Fox, DreamWorks Animation Penguins of Madagascar November 26, 2014

•

Twentieth Century Fox - Exodus: Gods and Kings - December 12, 2014

•

Warner Bros. - The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies December 17, 2014

•

Twentieth Century Fox - Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb December 19, 2014

•

Universal Pictures - Unbroken December 25, 2014

2015 Scheduled Releases

•

Warner Bros. - In the Heart of the Sea - March 23, 2015

•

Disney, Marvel Studios The Avengers: Age of Ultron May 1, 2015

•

Disney, Pixar Animation Studio Inside Out - June 19, 2015

•

Warner Bros. - The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - August 14, 2015

Dolby Atmos Now More Affordable Effective 1st November 2014, the Dolby Atmos Cinema Processor CP850 list price will be reduced 20 per cent and is now US $26,665. The most popular object audio format in the world, Dolby Atmos enjoys support from all the leading server vendors.

In addition, more than 40 Digital Cinema Package facilities and 100 sound mixing facilities are now equipped to deliver Dolby Atmos movies.

Interstellar Scores Record Global Launch In Imax Imax announced that Paramount Pictures' and Warner Bros. Pictures' release of writer-director Christopher Nolan's Interstellar blasted into Imax theatres in record-setting fashion, grossing $20.5 million from 574 Imax locations worldwide. Domestically, Interstellar scored $13.2 million in 368 Imax theatres, which equates to approximately $35,900 per screen; internationally, the film earned $7.3 million in 206 Imax theatres, for a per-screen average of more than $35,400.

•

Warner Bros. - American Sniper January 16, 2015

•

Disney - McFarland USA February 20, 2015

•

Twentieth Century Fox Kingsman: The Secret Service February 23, 2015

In North America, 19 of the top 20 locations for Interstellar were Imax screens, helping to drive the largestever box office percentage for a firstrun Imax release domestically, with approximately one-quarter of the box office coming from Imax.

•

Lionsgate - Insurgent March 20, 2015

In total, the worldwide opening weekend box office for Interstellar in

Imax surpassed the company's previous November global opening record of $17.1 million.

Internationally, Interstellar now ranks first among all Imax 2D openings, as well as first for a November release in Imax. The film saw exceptional results in Imax territories including Germany ($40,000/screen), France ($43,000/ screen), the U.K. ($45,000/screen), Singapore ($65,000/screen), Australia ($72,000/screen) and South Korea, where the film scored $76,000 per screen, on pace to secure the territory's highest opening ever in IMAX. Weekend results did not include China, where the film is set to open later this week on 170 Imax screens.

"Interstellar is the ideal movie for Imax and fits squarely within our wheelhouse - it's a movie about space, by one of the world's finest filmmakers with whom we've partnered successfully over the past decade and features over an hour of footage specifically filmed with Imax cameras - all combining to deliver an experience you can't replicate anywhere else," said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, Imax Corp. and CEO of Imax Entertainment. "Globally, Imax screens continue to play to sold-out crowds and we expect strong wordof-mouth to propel Interstellar well into the holiday season. With huge thanks to Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and our partners at Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.

Pictures for their support and collaboration, we are extremely excited that Interstellar has launched with record-setting results."

In a successful run-up to the film's nationwide domestic launch on 7th November, Paramount Pictures released Interstellar two days early at 42 North American Imax film-based locations, where the film grossed $1.2 million, with a per-screen average of more than $28,500. The international IMAX roll-out of Interstellar began on 6th November.

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MasterImage's High-Brightness HORIZON3D Cinema System Receives 2014 Technology Award The International 3D and Advanced Imaging Society honoured 19 companies and organisations for "Advancing the Entertainment Industry through Technology," during the Society's 5th Annual Entertainment Technology and New Product Awards ceremony held at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.

MasterImage 3D was honoured with the Society's Lumiere statuette for its high-brightness HORIZON3D digital cinema system. The HORIZON3D is the latest in MasterImage 3D's line of premium cinema systems. This innovative three-beam lightrecycling system achieves industryleading brightness and colour fidelity as the first system to reach lightefficiency levels of 33%.

The HORIZON3D's distinctive optical configuration accommodates contemporary auditoriums with wider screens and more immersive, stadium seating. The result is capabilities of a 0.8 throw-ratio (exhibitor measurement for distance from lens to screen divided by the width of the image).

"As a founding member of the Society in 2009, MasterImage 3D continues to champion the 3D market and advance 3D cinema technologies," said Society President Jim Chabin. "We are proud to recognise the HORIZON3D system as the latest chapter in this tradition."

"The Society's Technology Awards are a milestone for how advanced imaging companies innovate immersive visual experiences," said Younghoon Lee, Chairman and CEO of MasterImage 3D. "It is an honour to be a part of the Society and community of companies and organisation that are passionate about making 3D movies a more and more enjoyable activity."

This is the third year MasterImage 3D

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has received a Lumiere Award. Last year the company was recognised for their CellMatrix3D technology for autostereoscopic (glass-free) 3D optics for 3D mobile devices.

MasterImage 3D was first acknowledged for their original MI2100 digital 3D cinema system which went on to be their flagship MICLARITY3D line.

Barco Auro 11.1 Makes Taiwanese Debut with Black and White Auro 11.1, the immersive cinema sound format of global digital cinema leader Barco, has recently made its debut in the Taiwanese movie industry. The action

blockbuster Black and White: The Dawn of Justice - released on 2 October - is the first Taiwan-made movie to be mixed in the format.

Created by an international production team, the movie currently runs in theatres across China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

Set in the fictional metropolis of Harbor City, Black and White: The Dawn of Justice is the sequel to 2012's Black and White: The Dawn of Assault. For this latest instalment, director Tsai Yueh-Hsun pulls out all the stops to create a movie that is much grander in scale than its predecessor: an international team of filmmaking professionals, 3D production companies from Asia, Europe and the US, unique special effects, and - for the first time ever in Taiwan - the immersive cinema sound format: Auro 11.1.

Using a 3D sound reproduction speaker layout based on three axes (width, depth and height), the Auro 11.1 system creates a life-like acoustic experience. By allowing sound to come from all around and above, moviemakers are given a powerful tool to immerse their audience in what's happening on screen. The latest instalment in the Black and White series lends itself perfectly to present the spectacular possibilities of the format: from the high-speed car chase that opens the movie, to the heroes' breath-taking attempts to save their city from total destruction.

Black and White: The Dawn of Justice is the latest addition to an impressive list of movies mixed in Auro 11.1 by Barco. Over the last few months, the format was featured in blockbusters like Transformers: Age of Extinction, How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Lucy, Kanchi and many, many others.

And the list of Auro-powered releases keeps growing, with the more recent The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, John Wick and The Penguins of Madagascar.

Harkness Screens Launches New Clarus XC 270 Surface Harkness Screens the world's leading screen technology company and thought-leader in on-screen brightness has launched a new higher gain version of its 4th generation 2D and 3D screen surface, Clarus XC. Shipping in late 2014, the new Clarus XC 270 screen surface benefits from d-smooth coating technology which 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.

"We developed our new higher gain Clarus XC 270 screen surface to allow cinema exhibitors struggling for on-screen brightness particularly in 3D to benefit from all of the visual performance improvements from using Clarus XC technology such as contrast, colour accuracy, image detail and 3D depth whilst increasing centre screen brightness," says Richard Mitchell, Head of Global Marketing at 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.

Mitchell adds, "The unique coating technology in Clarus XC 270 allows peak brightness at the centre of the screen to be increased by over 12% against our traditional Spectral 240

3D screen whilst not impacting on visual hotspot or uniformity. Clarus XC 270 provides a unique opportunity for exhibitors around the world to improve the brightness levels from their 3D screens and the quality of the visual performance all at the same time."

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.

Clarus XC technology is available in four different gain levels, 1.4, 1.7, 2.2 and 2.7 designed to suit all digital cinema environments from small screening rooms through to large format theaters. To date over 500 Clarus XC screens have been installed globally.

GDC Opens New Offices in S達o Paulo, Brazil and Lima, Peru In order to serve its growing customer base in Central and South America, GDC Digital Cinema Network USA ("GDC DCN"), a subsidiary of GDC Technology Limited (GDC Technology), announced the opening of new offices in S達o Paulo, Brazil and Lima, Peru.

Focused mainly on providing VPF administration and technical services to clients in Brazil and the rest of Central and South America, respectively, these new offices - being the 10th and 11th international outposts - reaffirm the group's commitment to markets in both regions.

To date, 50 exhibitors in the region are committed to GDC's VPF programme - 19 under the management of GDC's Brazil office and 31 under that of GDC's Peru office. The new teams comprise 13 professionals with great local knowledge across operations, legal, finance and technical services, and are fully operational as of August 2014. These markets are of growing importance to the company, and GDC's six staff in S達o Paulo, and seven in Lima, are primarily focused on providing the most accurate and efficient VPF administration, while at the same time offering local customers quality support on products and spare parts.

"These openings are an important move, to ensure that top of the line service and support are continuously provided to customers in Central and South America," said Dr Man-Nang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. "We are confident that both of these offices will enhance our ability to deliver quality products and effective local support, especially on VPF administration, thus helping our customers to succeed in a fast changing and competitive market."

"Over the years, our customers in the region have rapidly grown their businesses. They need, more than ever, a reliable partner who can provide an efficient and sophisticated level of sales and support coverage. I believe this was the right time to launch these offices in S達o Paulo and Lima," Dr ManNang Chong added.

Nick Conti, Vice President of Business Development at GDC DCN, said: "Together our offices in the region will allow the company to better serve existing and future VPF customers. Local knowledge and same-language support will be invaluable. We're excited to bring our business model - an efficient and practical local VPF service - to this market."

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Digital Cinema Projection and Audio Technologies from Christie on Show at AIMC 2014 Christie, participated in the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) 2014, which took place at the Pavilion Convention Centre, Jupiters Hotel & Casino at Gold Coast, Australia, from October 12-16.

Christie is showcased its state-of-theart cinema and audio solutions, which include the Christie Solaria One+ digital cinema projection solution, as well as Christie Vive Audio that offers truly rich, dynamic and detailed sound. On display are various Christie Vive Audio speakers of varying combinations, including LA1 and LA3 screen channel speakers, S215 and S115 subwoofers, LA3S for wall surround, and LA3C for ceiling surrounds, as well as Class D amplifiers. In addition, a Christie QuadHD84 LCD panel featuring full QuadHD resolution (3840 x 2160) and true 60Hz refresh update rate is used to showcase various content, including a video of New Farm Cinemas in Brisbane, which has become the first cinema in Australia to be equipped with Christie Vive Audio.

"As a trusted brand in the digital cinema projection market, Christie has always been at the forefront of the most current digital cinema technologies available worldwide.

We're very pleased to offer our leading cinema solutions, including

Christie Vive Audio, to the cinema industry in Australia," said Lin Yu, vice president, Christie Asia Pacific.

"Through our continued participation in AIMC, we hope to further strengthen the Christie brand and our cinema offerings in Australia and New Zealand, and work even more closely with our partners to provide better service and support to valued customers in this region."

Michael Bosworth, general manager, Christie Australia, added, "AIMC is one of the leading cinema events in Australia and we're pleased to present our latest digital cinema and audio technologies that are positioned to help exhibitors maximise the returns on their investments, provide movie-goers with the best possible visual and audio experience, and at the same time, reinforce Christie's position as a leader in the digital cinema projection market."

Bosworth joined a team of local industry experts who represent the cinema distribution, exhibition and industry technology sectors for a panel discussion titled “The Future Looks Bright” which took place on October 14. The event examined the ever-changing, fast-moving and dynamic business and panellists shared their perspectives on what the future holds for the cinema industry in Australia and New Zealand.

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In conjunction with AIMC, a group of special guests were given an exclusive demonstration of Christie Vive Audio acclaimed for its truly rich, dynamic and detailed sound as well as a presentation on Vive Audio's ribbon driver technology on October 12. Those who attended the event were entertained by the astounding audio, as well as visuals projected from the Christie Solaria CP2215 DLP digital cinema projector.

Besides the demonstration, Christie conducted workshops that highlighted the features and advantages of its leading cinema solutions, including Christie Vive Audio, Christie Duo™ and laser projection technologies. The first workshop, titled "Future-proofing the Sound Experience in Your Theatre with Christie Vive Audio, a Dolby Atmos Compatible Format", was jointly presented by Patrick Artiaga, director, Audio Solutions, and Chris Roles, manager, Audio Solutions, at Coolangatta Room II on October 14. The session will highlight the technologies behind the innovative Christie Vive Audio, which offers exhibitors the opportunity to provide audiences with the ultimate movie-listening experience, and why it is the best choice for theatres planning to implement Dolby Atmos.

The second workshop, titled "Tomorrow's Innovation Today: High Performance Xenon Lamps, Christie Duo™ & Laser Projection Technologies", was presented by Jim Dukes, product manager, Lamps, Duo and Laser.

Kinoforum's First Installation of Barco Auro 11.1 Immersive Sound System in CIS Countries Digital cinema leader Barco announced the first installation of the Barco Auro 11.1 immersive sound system in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Kinoforum, a subsidiary of Barco's Korean digital cinema partner Seoul Incorporate, installed the system in its brand-new preview theatre in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The official inauguration took place on 10 October, in the presence of industry leaders and politicians.

The installation is part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Kinoforum and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Film and Culture. "With this agreement we encourage the introduction of new technologies in the national cinema industry," comments Isarberov Ulan, Vice President of the Kyrgyz film council. Hyunsoo Kim, Kinoforum's founder and president, concurs: "Thanks to this government collaboration, we can provide cinema exhibitors in Kyrgyzstan, and CIS as a whole, with the means to astound their audiences."

The installation of the Barco Auro 11.1 technology is Kinoforum's first answer to the MoU and was officially presented on 10 October during the opening ceremony of Kinoforum's preview theatre - which features 250 seats (including 50 VIP

seats), a 12-meter-wide screen, and a Barco digital cinema projector. The preview theatre is located in the National Library of Kyrgyzstan, also known as the cultural heart of the country. The National Library houses most foreign cultural councils (Britain, Russia, Turkey, China and Korea). Apart from Bectenalieva, other renowned guests attending the ceremony were Jyldyz Bakashova, Director of the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kerimova Gulmira, President of Kyrgyzfilm (The national film studio of the Kyrgyzstan republic), Kanybek Osmonaliev, chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Sports committee in the Kyrgyz Parliament, Bektenaliev Muktaliev, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Film and Culture and ambassadors and counsellors from different European, Arabian and Asian countries. At this event with about 100 VIPs, Barco also showcased its wireless presentation system ClickShare for the first time in the CIS countries.

Unlike conventional 5.1 surround sound systems, the Barco Auro 11.1 sound system is designed along three axes: width, depth, and height.

"Kinoforum's advanced preview theatre is the perfect environment to experience this innovative technology for the first time," Kim added. Wilfried Van Baelen, CEO of

Auro Technologies, adds: "It's great news that we are taking the immersive sound of Auro 11.1 to new countries around the world. We hope that this first installation in Kyrgyzstan is followed by many others in the CIS." "With 16 Barco Auro 11.1 installations in Russia and this first installation in Kyrgyzstan, it's clear that the CIS countries are ready for an exciting, new sound," says Dongkyu Lee, Digital Cinema Division manager at Barco Ltd. Korea. "Obviously, we are delighted to see the format spread across the world. We are convinced that Auro 11.1 will provide movie aficionados in Kyrgyzstan and beyond with an unparalleled experience."

Deluxe Tapped

by China Film for Mastering Services Deluxe has entered an agreement with China Film Co. Ltd. to provide mastering services for motion pictures released in the China Giant Screen (CGS) format.

As part of the agreement, the companies will develop a 115,000cubic-foot mastering facility and screening room in Los Angeles.

Deluxe announced its agreement with the Beijing-based company at ShowEast 2014, the annual trade show for cinema operators from the U.S. and abroad that's now under way in Hollywood, Fla. "The CGS format offers not just an enlarged image but an image that's greatly enhanced to accommodate the large format," said Joe Hart, senior vice president of Deluxe Digital Cinema. "Deluxe is thrilled to provide the state-of-the-art mastering services required.

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We expect the new mastering facility and screening room to act as a real showcase for the format and related technology."

The CGS format produces projected images of more than 65 feet wide and 35 feet tall.

"CGS, as a premium large-format cinema system based on proprietary technology, has won wide support both from China and the international community, including most major players from Hollywood," said Lin Minjie, chairman of China Film Digital Giant Screen (Beijing) Co. Ltd. "We are very excited to work together with Deluxe in providing mastering services for CGS screens and promoting CGS systems in the broader market. Our joint effort will undoubtedly bring even more successes to CGS and deployments of the system."

Deluxe Digital Cinema, or DDC, has a long track of service to global distributors and exhibitors. Its comprehensive menu of services includes: mastering for multiplelanguage 2D or 3D motion pictures; subtitling, titling and foreign titling; restoration and preservation solutions; and digital effects such as title-sequence design, motion graphics and 3D animation.

Harkness Screens and Highlands Technologies Solutions Announce Partnership Agreement Harkness Screens and Highlands Technologies Solutions (HTS) announced an agreement to exclusively link Harkness Screens' technology to HTS Qalif measurement devices.

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The two companies will jointly market an integrated screen monitoring package combining Harkness' screen optimisation software and high performance screen surfaces with the Qalif. In field pilots will commence soon with both partners committing to launch a full service package at Cinemacon 2015.

The key elements of the package can be seen on Harkness and HTS trade booths and websites with immediate effect.

The new integrated package will allow cinemas to optimise presentation quality at design stage and then maintain this for the lifetime of the screen.

Commenting on the announcement, Harkness CEO, Mark Ashcroft said "this is another element in our screen lifecycle management portfolio.

Working alongside partners to ensure the best presentation within the cinema is fundamental to our approach."

HTS CEO, Patrick Zucchetta said, "With such a bundle initiative, we are proud to be linked to Harkness to help the exhibition industry to improve the overall projection quality and at same time optimise the cost of ownership."

MasterImage 3D Challenges RealD's Intellectual Property Portfolio MasterImage 3D, a worldwide leader in 3D display technologies for digital cinema, challenged the validity of four of RealD's 3D polarization patents by filing five petitions for Inter Partes Review (IPR) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. MasterImage 3D asserts that RealD's patents claim to have invented techniques that have been

well-known for decades and should never have been granted.

MasterImage 3D pursued the IPR as a faster legal resolution than the patent lawsuit filed by RealD against MasterImage 3D. In the opinion of MasterImage 3D, RealD's improper patent protection stalls competition in the 3D business. A correction would encourage innovation in 3D technology to the benefit of both moviegoers and the exhibition industry.

"As per the expert guidance of Matthew Brennesholtz, an independent cinema technology consultant and holder of 23 patents, there is a broad history of prior art techniques to increase the output of digital projection," said Michael Karagosian, principal at MKPE Consulting. "Much of what RealD accomplishes and claims ownership to was previously documented in prior patents and technical literature. It seems clear this prior art invalidates many of their patent claims."

MasterImage 3D's Patent Office challenge diminishes RealD's patent infringement lawsuit filed against MasterImage 3D's new cinema system, HORIZON3D. The HORIZON3D inventive approach utilises a three-beam, polarizationrecovery technology. The HORIZON3D's optical configuration achieves industry-leading brightness (as high as 33% light efficiency), high contrast and clarity, and satisfies contemporary auditorium designs that have very wide-screens with immersive stadium seating (as low as 0.8 throw ratios).

MasterImage 3D has already successfully challenged the validity of RealD's utility model patents in China and Russia for lacking novelty and inventiveness. The company continues to compete with RealD for 3D cinema presentation in every market around the world.

Cinemagic Selects GDC's SX-3000 IMB for the Digital Rollout of 180 Screens GDC Technology Limited (GDC Technology), a world leading digital cinema solutions provider, announced that Cinemagic a Mexican cinema chain that takes the modern, high-tech movie theatre experience into smaller communities in Mexico - has committed to install 180 units of the company ' s SX-3000 Standalone Integrated Media Block (SX-3000 IMB) over the next three years. With the deployment of the industry-leading IMB, moviegoers can enjoy the highest quality of movie screening.

Cinemagic, the second largest independent exhibitor in Mexico, has an aggressive expansion plan.

Founded in 2005, it currently manages a total of 77 screens at 15 movie complexes throughout Mexico and has confirmed it will expand its footprint into the United States and Guatemala. The newly-purchased IMBs will be installed at Cinemagic's new complexes in Mexico, Guatemala and the United States in three phases: they will be fitted in 60 individual theatres, across 10 locations, in each of the next three years. Cinemagic's expansion will contribute significantly to its goal of delivering affordable, high-quality entertainment options for all moviegoers.

Roberto Quintero, CEO of Cinemagic, commented that: "GDC Technology has been a strategic partner for Cinemagic.

After considering all the options in the market, we selected GDC Technology based on the server's quality, in-country tech support, and competitive offer."

Dr Man-Nang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology, said: "We are delighted to be selected by Cinemagic, demonstrating once again our superior technology, product quality, reliable local support and commitment to bringing the best in digital cinema to all

moviegoers. In partnering with Cinemagic, we are committed to providing high quality cinema solutions to help grow its business in the years to come."

As the industry's first standalone IMB, the SX-3000 IMB sets the standard for simple and hassle-free digital cinema solutions. The SX-3000 IMB significantly lowers operation, maintenance and installation costs by eliminating the need for an attached server - while offering High Frame Rate capability in both 2D and 3D, live 3D support, digital connectivity for alternative content such as 3G HD-SDI and HDMI input with image-scaling.

Dolby Acquires Doremi Lab Dolby Laboratories has completed its acquisition of Doremi Labs. The deal advances Dolby's mission to improve the cinema experience, enable new forms of storytelling, and accelerate the delivery and deployment of innovative solutions to exhibitors.

The acquisition establishes Dolby as a leader in audio and video playback solutions with a comprehensive product portfolio for the cinema exhibition industry.

"We are thrilled to bring together two teams that are committed to delivering the best digital cinema processing and playback solutions," said Kevin Yeaman, President and CEO, Dolby Laboratories. "Delivering deeply integrated audio/video playback solutions will allow us to accelerate innovation and deliver amazing experiences for exhibitors and audiences."

Arts Alliance Media Takes Cinema Advertising To the Next Level Leading cinema software company Arts Alliance Media (AAM) is to showcase its revolutionary cinema advertising software, AdFuser, at the SAWA (Screen Advertising World Association) Biennial Convention.

AAM was a sponsor of the event in Berlin (October 5 - 8).

SAWA is the global trade body of Screen Advertising companies and associated companies that supply services to the screen advertising industry, and the organisation holds a convention every two years to focus on the latest developments in the world of screen advertising and bring together an array of international industry leaders. The trade body represents the cinema medium in over 35 countries around the world.

Arts Alliance Media is an event sponsor for the first time, and as part of the event showcased its AdFuser software, designed to deliver better advertising to the cinema screen and in the lobby. AdFuser, recently bought by one of the pioneers of cinema advertising in Norway, Media Direct Norge (MDN), has been designed specifically for digital cinema to increase revenue and make the cinema advertising process easier. Features include improved campaign targeting which allows brands to reach exactly the audience they want using a variety of targeting rules including cinema location, date or time of day, film genre or rating, or even nearby retail locations.

AdFuser automates the entire process of getting ads onto the cinema screen. Once the campaign targeting has been decided, AdFuser automatically inserts the relevant ad

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media into the right spots in playlists, which are then sent electronically to the right screens ready for playout.

This process replaces time-consuming and inaccurate ad management where human error often led to the wrong ads being shown on screen.

Advertisers also now have complete visibility over when and where their ads played, with AdFuser's comprehensive reporting which uses data pulled directly from playback logs at each screen to provide an automated and accurate record.

In addition to being able to offer a better, more targeted service to advertisers, media agencies can also benefit from improved inventory management. With AdFuser, they can see exactly which spots are available to sell with a real-time inventory built from the cinema's POS system. AdFuser harnesses the benefits of digital cinema and makes it easier and quicker to get ads on screen, attracting new advertisers to the medium and enabling responsive copy changes.

The benefits of cinema advertising are also opened up to local advertisers, who can use AdFuser to enter campaigns directly into the system without the need for a media agency to devote sales resource to service this demand.

Eric Stevens, Commercial Director of Arts Alliance Media, said "We're very happy to be sponsoring the SAWA Convention for the first time, and look forward to being in Berlin and learning about new exciting technology applications and how the world of cinema advertising is changing to take advantage of all digital cinema has to offer. I encourage anyone who wants to learn about how software can enable better advertising and increased revenue to come and see us at the convention."

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Cineplanet Completes Extensive Digital Cinema Conversion with Barco & Bardan Barco, the global leader in digital cinema projection and Bardan Cinema, a full-service distributor and digital cinema integrator serving Latin America, have elevated the entertainment quality of Cineplanet's 200+ movie theatres and are moving forward by outfitting numerous new theatres.

Cineplanet has proven itself to be one of the most enlightened and progressive players in the Latin American market, constantly dedicating themselves to enhancing the experience they provide their moviegoing clientele. They have modernised their theatres with premium amenities and the best 3D technology to meet the demands of an increasingly sophisticated audience.

One essential ingredient in the success of their mission to provide the highest quality cinematic entertainment available has been employing the diverse lineup of digital cinema projectors offered by Barco, from their compact DP2K-10Sx with integrated media server for smaller auditoriums to the impressive DP4K-32B for its largest movie houses.

"In placing our trust with Bardan and Barco, we knew that we would receive the hands-on attention and unwavering dedication to our needs necessary to achieve a smooth conversion of our cinemas," comments Fernando Soriano, CEO for Cineplex S.A. "We also highly value their superior customer service and support, which will ensure

reliable operation of these outstanding projectors for years to come."

"We are honoured to celebrate the completion of Cineplanet's digital conversion, which represents a new era in progressive cinema entertainment in Latin America," comments Ney Corsino, Senior Vice President, International Sales for Barco. "We look forward to their next phase of digital cinema deployments, which will strengthen our presence here, bringing expanded resources to the region for the benefit of all exhibitors."

Bardan Cinema has orchestrated all aspects of these deployments for Cineplanet. Calling upon their halfcentury of experience in the cinema industry, they coordinated logistics and technical design for all sites across Cineplanet's vast territory, ensuring both a smooth transition to digital and the highest calibre results in the region.

"I'm sure I speak for Barco as well as for us here at Bardan when I say that we deeply appreciate the opportunity to continue serving Cineplanet as they move so solidly into the next era of cinema," comments Daniel Benitez, CTO for Bardan Cinema. "The coming years promise to be very exciting ones in the world of cinema and we are grateful to be working with such strong partners on both sides of the equation: reliable vendors like Barco and bold, motivated exhibitors like Cineplanet that are always looking to better serve their patrons."

Ster Cinemas select Unique Digital's RosettaBridge TMS Ster Cinemas in Greece has selected RosettaBridge TMS developed by Unique Digital Ltd for their digital cinema deployment in Greece, supplied and installed by dcinex. Ster are a significant exhibitor in Greece with 3 cinemas and 27 screens and will complete the TMS deployment during Q4 2014. In addition Ster will be utilising Unique's estate management solution RosettaNet as well as Basekey™ KDM delivery service.

RosettaNet is a full Cinema Network Management system that allows programming, monitoring and support of an entire estate of digital cinema projectors, servers and other IP connected devices. RosettaNet connects directly to any RosettaBridg TMS via a secure internet connection and allows global operations relating to content and playlist management.

Security is ensured through the provision of user defined logins and access roles, as well as optional onetime verification codes.

RosettaNet provides operations staff and management oversight on all operational issues relating to KDMs, playlists, content and device status with comprehensive messaging and alerts. The ability to monitor the status of all screens and devices in an estate, create and deploy centralized playlists and booking schedules, coupled with a wealth of new technical and commercial data will allow Ster to unlock the true benefit of their all-digital cinema estate, thus adding value and reducing cost.

Basekey provides fully automated distribution and delivery of KDMs to every playback server in the network via a centralised web interface.

Studios and distributors simply upload new keys using a secure login and each RosettaBridge TMS automatically distributes keys for its site directly to the screen playback servers. Full delivery audit data is

available and exhibitors benefit from significant operational savings. In addition the Basekey Portal provides a full Trusted Device List (TDL) of all connected DC equipment within the estate that is always up to date.

"Following a successful demonstration and trial during the Film Festival of RosettaBridge and our ability to provide a VPF finance and deployment solution in Greece, we are delighted to be working with Ster to supply this complete suite of RosettaBridge TMS and KDM delivery applications developed by Unique," said Till Cussmann Vice-President Exhibitor Services.

Rod Wheeler, Sales and Marketing Director of Unique Digital Ltd commented, "We have worked closely with dcinex sales and technical teams over the summer within the Greek market and are delighted that they have been able to include Ster in their digital deployments in Greece."

Odeon Cinemas Select Unique Digital's RosettaBridge TMS Odeon Cinemas in Greece has selected RosettaBridge Theatre Management System developed by Unique Digital Ltd for their digital cinema deployment in Greece, supplied and installed by dcinex.

Odeon are a leading exhibitor in Greece with 6 cinemas and 52 screens and will complete the TMS deployment during Q4 2014.

interface. Key features include a scalable library server, agnostic player and projector remote control, automation control and content distribution with all elements being managed using a simple drag and drop browser based GUI. "We are delighted to be working with Odeon to supply Unique's market leading TMS solution RosettaBridge," said Till Cussmann Vice-President Exhibitor Services, adding "following a challenging period in the local market Odeon are looking forward to optimising their cinema operations and RosettaBridge provides the full range of features required to accomplish this."

Rod Wheeler, Sales and Marketing Director of Unique Digital Ltd commented, "The addition of the Odeon circuit in Greece to dcinex's VPF backed deployments is a major milestone and we are delighted to be working with them in delivering our RosettaBridge TMS solution."

Harman's JBL Professional Unveils 5628 Cinema Subwoofer Harman's JBL Professional has introduced the new 5628 dual 18inch cinema subwoofer. The 5628 offers increased SPL and extended frequency response, delivering world-class audio quality to largeformat auditoriums.

Features: •

The high-power and lightweight 5628 is a front-loaded, vented subwoofer enclosure that houses

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two of JBL's exclusive 2269H Ultra Long Excursion 18-inch Differential Drive woofers.

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This woofer features neodymium magnet, dual voice coils and dual gaps, JBL's exclusive Vented Gap Cooling and ultra-robust composite cone for high excursion and extra-long life.

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The woofer is capable of a peakto-peak maximum excursion of 89 mm (3.5 inches).

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The 5628 offers 4,000 watts continuous pink noise and 16,000 watts peak power handling capacity.

•

It features a large vent area for high output with low distortion, making it ideal for a variety of cinema applications as well as club environments.

The new 5628 meets demands for a high-output subwoofer with extended frequency response in large-format cinema environments and is an ideal solution that is easy to install while featuring JBL's worldclass performance

Barco and Kinepolis Bring Barco Escape in Europe Digital cinema leader Barco and the Kinepolis group launched yet another European première together. Belgian moviegoers can immerse themselves fully into the world of Fox's new release, The Maze Runner, thanks to the brandnew, panoramic Barco Escape theatre configuration at Kinepolis Antwerp and Brussels.

The decision to introduce Barco Escape at the Kinepolis flagship cinema fits within the strategic partnership agreement that both cinema pioneers signed earlier this year, out of a joint commitment to take cinema to the next level.

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The concept behind Barco Escape technology sounds simple, yet is ground-breaking: by combining three digital cinema projectors with three screens - one at the front and two angled screens on either side of it -, Barco Escape creates an amazing panoramic presentation that immerses the audience into the movie. The Maze Runner by 20th Century Fox is the very first film specially prepped for this theatre configuration. The choice to provide Barco Escape footage for this movie is perfect: thanks to the new format, the audience feels pulled into the maze at key moments of the film, just like the boys in the story. The Maze Runner debuted in September at five US Escape theatres. The Kinepolis flagship cinemas of Antwerp and Brussels will be the first in Europe to feature Barco Escape equipment.

The new, ultra-wide Barco Escape movie format is just one of Barco's many recent innovations to help exhibitors advance cinema and, consequently, attract new audiences. In its constant search for ways to reinforce its frontrunner reputation in the cinema industry, the Kinepolis Group has always strongly supported Barco's vision

and been amongst the first to adopt new Barco technologies from 3D digital cinema (2007) and 4K technology (2011) through to Barco's 60,000 lumen, laserilluminated projectors earlier this year. The decision to install the DP4K-60L laser projector at four Kinepolis cinemas was the first in a series of joint Barco-Kinepolis initiatives that were laid down in a partnership agreement between Barco and Kinepolis. The installation of Barco Escape marks a next step in the cooperation between the two cinema aficionados. In the future, Kinepolis theatres will also feature Barco's interactive content leveraging technologies.

"Barco and Kinepolis share a common drive to regularly offer new experiences that take cinema to new heights. We are glad to première Barco Escape here in Europe together with this long-term customer, or rather partner, that Kinepolis Group is," says Wim Buyens, Senior VP Entertainment at Barco.

USA Drive-Ins Selects NEC as Exclusive Supplier for Digital Cinema Projectors NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced its selection as exclusive supplier of digital cinema projectors to USA Drive-Ins, a motion picture exhibition company solely dedicated to the revitalisation of the classic American drive-in.

The company will exclusively use NEC Display NC3200S and NC3240S digital cinema projectors in this initiative to increase the number of drive-in theatres in the US. The locations will present family-friendly films in an all-

American experience. USA Drive-ins has executed an agreement to partner with the iconic American restaurant experience Johnny Rockets.

"This effort embodies a deep belief that people should have greater access to movies and that families should experience the fun of going to the drive-in," said Bill Dever, Managing Director of USA Drive-Ins. "We are excited about partnering with NEC and GDC Technology, a digital cinema solutions provider.

These are both cutting-edge companies dedicated to providing the best movie going experience possible."

"We are delighted to be working with USA Drive-Ins to invigorate the classic American drive-in and make it available to families," said Jim Reisteter, General Manager of the Digital Cinema Division at NEC Display. "USA Drive-Ins is evoking a

and technical services from its stateof-the-art network operations centre.

"We're honoured to be leading the USA Drive-Ins deployment with GDC Technology, serve our distinguished role as NEC's master reseller for digital cinema projectors, and also to provide post-sale 24/7 technical support," said Gary Cavey, President and CEO of Ballantyne Strong. celebration of a uniquely American experience, and we're honoured to play a key part."

"GDC welcomes this opportunity to bring the theatre-going experience to more people and applauds USA Drive-Ins for its work," said Dr ManNang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology.

Besides NEC's and GDC's roles in the project, Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTN) is the project's reseller and will provide installation, warranty

Besides the traditional drive-in locations, set for completion in the spring of 2015, USA Drive-Ins also is deploying "pop-up" drive-ins for which it will utilize NEC digital cinema projectors.

All NEC digital cinema projectors are Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) compliant, which allows exhibitors to capitalise on current and future growth opportunities, and can be centrally managed, freeing up onsite theatre personnel for more strategic activities.

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Omega Cinema Systems Appointed As Dealer For Sony Digital Cinema in Turkey Sony Europe confirmed the appointment of Omega Cinema Systems as an official dealer for Sony Digital Cinema 4K projection systems in Turkey.

The new appointment has already been marked by Omega's first market success as a Sony Digital Cinema official Turkish dealer. Omega is supplying 14 of Sony's acclaimed SRX-R510P and SRX-R515P 4K projection systems and Sony TMS Theatre Management Systems into A'City and Park Vera, two new shopping malls in the capital Ankara.

Installation began in mid-October, with completion scheduled by the beginning of November this year.

Izmit-based Omega has provided a wide range of technology, installation and support services to the Turkish cinema industry for over 16 years.

"It's wonderful to welcome a new partner with the calibre, experience and excellent reputation that Omega enjoys in the region", comments David McIntosh, Vice President of Sony Digital Cinema 4K Solutions for Europe and the Americas. "Turkey has been a leader in embracing digitisation, and through our new relationship with Omega we look forward to bringing the best possible cinema image quality and experience to millions more cinemagoers."

Annual revenues for Turkey's box office are worth over 180 million annually, and the total number of screens - currently around 2,000 countrywide - is growing at around 10% year on year. Much of this growth is being generated by explosive demand for brand-new screens in Turkey's urban regions, including retail and leisure centres in Ankara, Istanbul and their environs.

"2015 marks the end of movie distribution on 35mm celluloid in

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Turkey", notes McIntosh. "With time almost up for 35mm film, Turkish operators are leading Europe in their total switchover to the benefits of digital distribution and projection.

Sony 4K puts cinemas in the best possible position to offer their own customers premium picture quality, while enjoying world-class support and affordable running costs - today and tomorrow."

"Omega are delighted to be working with Sony's industry leading 4K digital cinema technology, providing future-proofed and low total cost of ownership projection systems to all exhibitors here in Turkey", comments Fikret Gursoy, General Manager, Omega Cinema Systems Limited.

Interstellar Release in 760 Imax Theatres Imax announced that Paramount Pictures' and Warner Bros. Pictures' release of writer-director Christopher Nolan's Interstellar will receive the widest-ever Imax release globally.

The film began its global launch at select Imax theatres in North America on November 5, and will eventually screen at more than 760 Imax theatres during its worldwide run, including approximately 370 domestic and 390 international Imax locations.

"We've been gearing up for the Imax release of Christopher Nolan's Interstellar for several months now,

and we couldn't be more excited to break down the doors in recordsetting fashion," said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, Imax Corp. and CEO of Imax Entertainment. "This is truly going to be a cinematic event, and Imax is committed to giving the film a widest possible audience."

Approximately 50 Imax locations worldwide will present Interstellar in Imax 70-millimeter film. To help celebrate the film release of Interstellar, Paramount Pictures released the movie to 42 domestic Imax film-based locations on November 5, two days ahead of its nationwide launch. The international Imax roll-out of Interstellar began on November 6 and also includes a China release in approximately 170 Imax theatres on November 12.

Continuing the legacy begun by Imax trailblazer Christopher Nolan and his use of the 15 perf 65mm Imax cameras in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, more than an hour of Interstellar was shot using Imax cameras. Exclusively in Imax theatres, these sequences will expand to fill the entire screen and will deliver unprecedented crispness and clarity and provide audiences with a truly cinematic and immersive experience.

Sequences of Interstellar shot in 35mm film have been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The Imax Experience with proprietary Imax DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with Imax's customised theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Imax And Bona Film Group Sign Three-Theatre Agreement In China Imax and Beijing Bona International Cineplex Investment and Management Co. Ltd., a whollyowned subsidiary of Bona Film Group, a leading film distributor and vertically integrated film company in China, announced an agreement for three new Imax theatres in China.

The deal brings the exhibitor's total Imax commitment to four theatres.

In 2012, Bona opened its first Imax theatre in Tianjin. Under the new agreement, the Company will open an Imax theatre in a new complex in Wuhan and another in the multiplex located at Bona Film Group's headquarters in Beijing. A third Imax theatre will be added to a new multiplex in Taiyuan.

Bona Film Group first partnered with Imax on the release of Bona's martial arts epic Flying Swords of Dragon Gate in 2011. The film went on to become the second highest-grossing Imax Chinese-language title to date.

The film White Haired Witch, which opened strongly in China in August, marked the second Bona Film Group title to be released in Imax.

"The booming film industry in China presents strong growth prospects for our film and exhibition business and Imax is a tremendous partner that has supported our success on both fronts," said Bona Founder, Chairman and CEO Yu Dong. "As we expand our theatre footprint, Imax is a key differentiator that will help us capitalise on the growth opportunities that exist in this highly competitive market."

diversified company that is an important part of China's film ecosystem. We are delighted that Bona continues to invest in Imax and look forward to future film and theatre collaborations with this strategic partner."

AHL to Roll Out 20 Dolby Atmos Screens in Australia Amalgamated Holdings Limited (AHL) and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. announced that AHL has committed to install Dolby Atmos into some 20 new premium cinema screens that form part of its future expansion plans.

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, including overhead, with multidimensional sound to create the most engaging cinema experience ever.

"AHL believes in bringing audiences the latest in cinema technology, and we look forward to delivering to our customers this fully immersive sound experience in our planned premium

cinema screens. By installing the Dolby Atmos sound technology into our theatres, we will ensure our customers enjoy the movies under optimum conditions," said David Seargeant, Group Managing Director, AHL. "Dolby is excited that AHL has chosen Dolby Atmos to be deployed across 20 screens. This marks another significant milestone for Dolby, and we look forward to working with AHL to bring the ultimate cinematic experience to moviegoers in Australia," said Mahesh Sundaram, Regional 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 the cinemas once they enjoy their first Dolby Atmos film."

Dolby Atmos has quickly become the preferred choice for next-generation sound in the cinema, with major studios, award-winning filmmakers, and exhibitors from around the world embracing its approach.

Unlike traditional channel-based sound systems like 5.1, 7.1, and 11.1, which require filmmakers to think about the number and location of speakers, Dolby Atmos allows them to simply designate where in the cinema space each sound should be placed or moved to make audiences experience the film as if they were within its world.

"We are focused on our global expansion as the international box office continues to grow particularly in China where we have been successful playing both the Hollywood and Chinese films," said Imax CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "From film production, distribution, to exhibition, Bona - like Imax - is a

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Japan’s Tokyu Recreation to Receive CineAsia DLP Cinema Marketing Achievement Award Tokyu Recreation Co. Ltd, will be honored with the DLP Cinema Marketing Achievement Award at the CineAsia 2014 Awards Ceremony on December 11th in Hong Kong.

The award will be accepted by Shinzo Kanno, President and Chief Executive Officer.

“We are pleased to announce that Tokyu Recreation is this year’s recipient of the DLP Cinema Marketing Achievement Award,” stated Robert Sunshine, CoManaging Director of CineAsia.

“Within a relatively short period of time, Tokyu Recreation not only brought Japanese cinema into the digital world, but has also increased movie-going in Japan.”

Tokyu Recreation Co., Ltd. is a Japanbased company mainly engaged in recreation-related business operating in four business segments. The Image segment is engaged in the operation of cinemas, the planning and production of events, as well as the movie distribution and promotion businesses.

Accepting the award on behalf of Tokyu Recreation is Shinzo Kanno, who in March 2014 was promoted to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. He joined the company in 2007 as Executive Director and was subsequently promoted to Senior Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer prior to his being appointed President and CEO. Since joining Tokyu Recreation, Mr. Kanno has explored new possibilities in movie theatre operation in the Japanese market and embarked on the digitalization of Tokyu’s multiplex circuit, “109 Cinemas.” He was also the driving force in introducing the IMAX Digital Theatre System, and contributed most in the current popularity of Premium Large

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Screen Format in the Japanese market. He opened Japan’s first IMAX Digital Theatre in 2009 at 109 Cinemas Kawasaki, providing impressive and inspiring movie experiences to audiences, and creating a new movie fan base.

Currently, Mr. Kanno plays an active role with a broad perspective for innovation and development in the Japanese movie exhibition industry, not only as CEO of Tokyu Recreation, but also as Vice Deputy Chairman of the Japan Association of Theatre Owners; a position he assumed in June 2014.

Cinema 21 to Receive CineAsia Distributor of the Year Award Indonesian Film Distibutor, Cinema 21 Group, will receive the 2014 Distributor of the Year Award at the CineAsia Awards Ceremony on December 11th at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. The award will be received by Benny Suherman, Founder & Chairman; Harris Lasmana,Vice Chairman; Suryo Suherman, President; and Sacheen Lasmana,Vice President.

“It is an honour for CineAsia to present Cinema 21 Group with this year’s Distributor of the Year Award,” stated Robert Sunshine, CoManaging Director of CineAsia.

“Cinema 21’s progressive and amazing growth over the past couple of decades has made them the leading distributor and cinema exhibitor in Indonesia.”

Cinema 21 Group started as a film distribution company in 1969, and since 1991 has been the distributor for all major Hollywood films in Indonesia. In 1977, the group

expanded into the cinema exhibition business, making Cinema 21 the largest cinema chain in Indonesia.

Benny Suherman, Founder & Chairman, started his career as a film distributor in 1969 and is responsible for expanding Cinema 21 to include cinema exhibition by establishing three cinemas named Mandala, Plaza, and Golden in the capital city of Indonesia. Suherman is recognized as the pioneer of multiplex cinemas in Indonesia while continuing to expand its film distribution business. In 1991, he was appointed the Indonesian distributor for all of the Hollywood majors. He was also honoured as CineAsia Exhibitor of the year in 1996.

Harris Lasmana,Vice Chairman of Cinema 21, began his career over four decades ago as a film distributor.

In 1985, he formed a partnership with Benny Suherman to establish an extensive distribution network called Cinema 21, offering a variety of films in Indonesia. Since 1991, Cinema 21 has exclusively distributed MPAA studios’ films in Indonesia. Lasmana received the CineAsia Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 for his noteworthy contribution to the Indonesian cinematic industry, as well as the Chevalier d’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government in 2006. Mr. Lasmana is also a founding member of the Jakarta Film Festival.

Suryo Suherman, President, started his career as Cinema Operations Officer of Cinema 21 in 1994. In 1996, as Vice President, he was responsible for Cinema Operations & Business Development of Cinema 21. From 1997 to 2000, he was Director of Cinema 21 and was named President in 2000.

Sacheen Lasmana,Vice President, began his career in 2004 as Manager of Acquisitions for Cinema 21 in Indonesia, responsible for film distribution across the country.

In 2010 he was appointed Vice President.

Toho Cinemas to Bring the First Imax Theatre to Downtown Tokyo Imax and Toho Cinemas, Japan’s highest-grossing exhibition company and subsidiary of Toho Co. Ltd., the largest film production and distribution company in Japan, announced an agreement for an Imax theatre to be added to Toho’s new development in Shinjuku, the commercial, business and entertainment center of Tokyo.

Japan, we’ve witnessed the power of Imax to deliver a differentiated experience that will attract audiences,” said Mr. Kazuhiko Seta, President of Toho Cinemas Ltd. “As such, the addition of an Imax theatre in the iconic Shinjuku area, at the Toho Cinemas Shinjuku, will create a landmark entertainment destination for the city of Tokyo.

Harman's Sambandh 2014 in Sri Lanka

The new construction project will include a hotel, restaurants, retailers and the Toho Cinemas Shinjuku where Imax will serve as the multiplex’s anchor entertainment attraction. The deal marks the Company’s first agreement with Toho Cinemas and the first Imax theatre to be located in downtown Tokyo.

Imax opened its first commercial multiplex theatre in Japan in 2009 and has since expanded its contracted commercial network to 23 theatres, of which 17 are open. The demand for The Imax Experience continues to grow as evidenced by recent Imax releases including Transformers: Age of Extinction, and Godzilla, which are among our highest-grossing opening weekends ever in Japan.

“Japan is the third-largest film market in the world and as evidenced by this agreement and our recent box office success, our activity in this market continues to increase,” said Imax CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “It has been our experience that when new exhibitors enter our business, especially in a market with strong results, it often leads to greater demand. As such, we’re delighted to welcome Japan’s number one exhibitor to the Imax business and bring the world’s most immersive cinematic experience to such an iconic site in Tokyo.”

“With the tremendous Imax success of Godzilla and Transformers in

Conversations, Harman Groove, Harman Insights and Harman Live.

"The theme of Sambandh 2014 was to celebrate partnerships and welcome the future. And because we had so much to communicate and collaborate on, for the first time ever have decided to host this event in the culturally rich & vibrant Colombo. Our theme of 'Partnering with the Future' is especially relevant as we continue to offer products and systems that provide the growing India market with a more comprehensive portfolio of audio, lighting and control solutions than ever before." stated Ankush Agarwal, Director, Marketing, Harman Professional India.

Harman Professional's dedication to the Indian professional audio market continues to grow stronger as demonstrated at its Sambandh 2014 business conference held in Colombo, Sri Lanka recently. This year's key message was "Partnering with the Future," with an emphasis on integrating new product lines, brands, technologies and business strategies into emerging opportunities for Harman Professional in India and Sri Lanka.

This event also marks the addition of Sri Lanka as a portfolio market for Harman India's professional business in the sub-continent.

Sambandh is Hindi for "connection" and at this year's 2-day conference, the Harman Professional India team connected with dealers, systems integrators, consultants and end users, Harman executives and product specialists from around the world, in an attempt to collaborate and celebrate partnerships.

Branching out from previous years' events, Sambandh 2014 featured four main segments: Harman

4th MPA-China Film Screenings Underscores Expansive Partnership MPAA Chairman and CEO, Senator Chris Dodd, and Paramount Pictures COO, Frederick Huntsberry, cohosted a gala reception and screening of Outcast at Paramount Studios, opening the 4th China International Co-production Screenings. The week-long series of film screenings and events in Los Angeles, jointly organised by the MPA and the Film Bureau of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT), aims to highlight co-productions between China, US and other international co-production partners.

China currently stands as one of the largest markets globally for American films, and has continued to grow dramatically over the last decade. In the last five years, it grew nearly 300%, peaking at a total of $3.6 billion in 2013. In the first nine months of 2014 it rose 32%, reaching $3.55 billion, already nearing last

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year's total. It is predicted that, by year end, China's total box office will likely reach another landmark at $5 billion. Exhibitors have been building new state-of-the-art cinemas at such a rate that by the end of 2013, China had over 18,100 screens in operation. In 2014, new cinema screens are being built at a rate of 13 per day and will top 23,000 by year end.

"This event provides an exceptional forum for members of our industry to continue our cultural and creative exchange and foster collaboration with the esteemed Chinese film industry," said Frederick Huntsberry, Chief Operating Officer of Paramount Pictures. "We are honoured to be hosting some of China's most esteemed and acclaimed filmmakers and are tremendously excited about the future as we continue our successful Chinese collaborations."

"These important relationships and cultural exchanges enhance the stories that US and Chinese filmmakers deliver to audiences around the world," said Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, "Sino-foreign and other international co-productions provide an opportunity for creators to view their craft through scopes that they might not otherwise consider, boosting creativity, technological advancements and the viewer experience. I hope that we can continue to build on this cooperative environment that sustains long-term growth for the film and television industry around the globe."

La Peikang, Chairman of China Film Co., Ltd., and head of the Chinese film delegation, said, "The events in Los Angeles will provide a perfect platform for audiences to see the latest Sino-foreign co-productions and exchange ideas on possible new partnerships and feature film projects.

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USL, Inc. Introduces the New LSS-100P Light & Sound Sensor Ultra Stereo Labs Inc., a leader in digital cinema technology, has started to ship the latest version of the LSS-100: the new LSS-100P. The LSS-100P allows exhibitors and industry network operation centres to continuously monitor on-screen technical performance to ensure the highest presentation quality. New and upgraded features include, power over Ethernet, a precision photopic luminance sensor, an IR sensor, DSP processing, contact closure script start, and XML post to HTTP server. The new LSS-100P, along with many other innovative USL products, was on display at the ShowEast Convention, October 2730, at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida.

The LSS-100P provides daily testing for digital projection and sound equipment in each auditorium. The test show, Light & Sound Test (LST100) is available on a USB flash drive or as a free download from the USL website. A single cue at the beginning of the show commences the LSS-100P's capture of screen luminance, screen chromaticity and sound pressure levels for each speaker. These tests can detect issues with speakers, amplifiers, crossovers, projector luminance and projector colour. The test results are logged, limit checked and available directly

on the LSS-100P as an HTML table and graph. The results can also be downloaded as a CSV file for further analysis, or they can be posted in XML to an HTTP or HTTPS server for centralized data collection.

"We have been delighted by the continued strong industry acceptance of the LSS-100. After listening to comments and input from industry field technicians, our team of engineers created new features and upgrades that will enhance use and testing with the new LSS-100P," stated Jack Cashin, USL, Inc.'s founder, president and chief technical designer. "The downloadable test shows the LST100, complements the LSS-100P. It allows for industry cinema owners and their technicians to obtain improved test collection and data for their continuous review and analysis that will ultimately assist in more precise fieldwork assignments and improve overall maintenance," added Cashin.

For over three decades, USL, Inc. has been a global leader for technical achievements in the design, manufacturing, research and development of cinema products. It is the 2013 winner of the International Cinema Technology Association's Manufacturer of the Year award.

• TECHNOLOGY •

3D

Screens Compared!

3D 3D

It's difficult to have a conversation about 3D screens without RealD entering the discussion. RealD, however, is facing its share of challenges, not the least of which is the potential of a hostile takeover.

Its licensing model is not sustainable.

Exhibitor spreadsheets indicate it's cheaper to buy than to lease. RealD's 3D cinema technology is no longer a monopoly. The company is facing stiff competition, which it is attempting to eliminate by claiming patent infringement. (Consider how successful this strategy has worked for Apple with Samsung.) While the threat of lawsuit was enough to cause Volfoni to back down, it didn't stop MasterImage from charging forward this month, filing an Inter Partes Review (IPR) with the US Patent Office to invalidate RealD's light-doubling patents. But if there is an area where RealD may have claim to true innovation, it is in its screen technology. And even here, RealD's ability to stand out appears to fall "flat." (Please forgive the pun.)

Polarized 3D requires metallic screens to preserve polarization of light, which is required for polarized glasses to appropriately direct left and right images to the eyes of the audience.

While the name "silver" is the marketing term used, the metal commonly employed is aluminum.

Aluminum flake powder has many industrial uses, providing a wide market that keeps cost down. Alternative manufacturing methods raise the cost of the particle, which must be taken into account in real-world applications.

RealD's contribution is a process for the production of engineered aluminum particles and the coating of these particles onto screens. The result is its "Precision White" technology.

– Michael Karagosian

While RealD has a patented a process for engineering particles, it doesn't own the process for manufacturing screens that use its particles. So far, only MDI has developed a process for manufacturing such screens, comprising its HighWhite screen line.

The expense of MDI's RealD screens, and the limitation of sales to RealD installations, has not contributed to its popularity among exhibitors.

However, the technology has proven to be immensely popular among screen manufacturers, who are bending over backwards to beat RealD with more affordable, high performing products. Underscoring the unaffordability factor, MDI developed its own in-house competition to its RealD HighWhite line to better capture sales. But Harkness is in the game, too, and not to be dismissed.

The competition for high performance 3D screens can't help but benefit exhibitors, but the surprise is that it took so long for the screen companies to wake up. The screen companies are the secret benefactor of 3D movies, as silver screens have a replacement cycle measured in years, producing a nice flow of recurring revenue, while flat screens have a replacement cycle measured in decades. Thus, its smarter to drive sales of 3D screens, and this warrants research to provide better products.

By simply studying graphs on websites, it's not obvious how far silver screens have advanced, or how the different makes and models compete. Wide viewing angle being the feature most sought after, the chart below graphs viewing angle of new generation silver screens. To see

how they measure up, MDI's HighWhite (RealD) screens are included in the chart for comparison, along with the old stalwart of silver screens, the Harkness Spectral 240.

As you can see, the Harkness Clarus XC140 exhibits a nearly identical viewing angle as the MDI HighWhite 1.4 (if not slightly better), and MDI's own Premium HGA 1.9 matches the HighWhite 2.0 up to 25 degrees. All of the screens shown have a wider viewing response than the older Harkness Spectral 240.

It's unlikely that research in improved screen performance will stop here.

Once the R&D bug has taken root, better ideas are likely to emerge.

RealD may not be realizing an ROI for its efforts, but it should be thanked for kicking a sleepy industry into gear.

(The author Michael Karagosian is President of MKPE Consulting LLC, consultancy for business development of new technologies in cinema, and publisher of mkpeReport) November-December 2014

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• TECHNOLOGY •

Film Format Series - II

Explaining

Various Film Formats Over the Years In the previous issue (September-October 2014), we started this series and discussed about 35mm film format and its variants. In this issue, we continue with 8mm, 16mm and CinemaScope.

8mm It was introduced in 1932 by Eastman Kodak Company as a new film format by utilising a special 16mm film having double the number of perforations on both sides. Since the 8mm frame was one-quarter the size of 16mm, this method reduced by a factor of four, the amount of film necessary to give the same running time - four minutes - as a standard one-hundred-foot length of 16mm stock.

16mm 16mm reversal film was introduced in 1923 by Kodak for amateur filmmaking. The first entertainment film to be shot in 16mm was'Sundown Riders' [1944, by Alan Stensvold]. A couple of years later, 16mm film became an exclusive format of professional filmmaker.

CinemaScope Introduced by 20th Century Fox in 1953, it is also known as Anamorphic Lens system, as it is based on Anamorphoscope system [using an Hypergonar lens] developed by the Frenchman Henri Chrétien.

Fox secured the world rights to this system and the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company perfected Chrétien's lens. When it set up CinemaScope as a new standard,

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20th Century-Fox thought it had covered all legal bases. Fox intended to own the use of the process and license it to other companies.

Unfortunately, Fox soon discovered its rights were limited to the patents it had obtained from Professor Chrétien and H. Sidney Newcomer, an American who had also been experimenting with anamorphic lenses in the 1920's. Other basic design patents of CinemaScope were considered to be in the public domain.

The production start date of 'The Robe' had been delayed several times, with Fox reporting that it was having difficulties in deciding in what process the picture should be filmed. In January 1953, Fox announced that studio president Spyros Skouras had negotiated the purchase of the rights to a 'new French large-screen process which projects a picture two and a half times the size of today's normal

screen image and uses only one strip of 35mm.' At first called Anamorphoscope, the process, eventually named CinemaScope, was invented by Henri Chrétien in 1927, and promised a three-dimensional effect due to its wide field of vision.

Chrétien initially attempted to interest Hollywood movie producers in his invention in 1928, but they were distracted by the advent of sound. Chrétien also revealed that J. Arthur Rank once held an option on his lenses. Rank's option lapsed, however, and on February 6, 1953, Fox reported that it had signed a ten-year exclusive contract to manufacture and distribute all CinemaScope lenses in countries except France and its colonies.

Chrétien was to receive one dollar for 'each lens [made for CinemaScope] throughout the world, plus a small annual fee for ten years. In addition, he has been given a contract to produce 250,000 lenses.'

Fox decided to shoot 'The Robe' in CinemaScope, with full tests in the process beginning on February 28, 1953.

Unlike other widescreen processes, CinemaScope required only one camera and one projector. Using a special, anamorphic lens mounted over the camera's normal lens, CinemaScope was able to capture a

• TECHNOLOGY • wide-angle image that was 'squeezed' onto a regular strip of 35mm film stock. The image was then 'unsqueezed' during projection through the use of another special lens attached to the projector, so that the resulting image was at a ratio of 2.55:1 instead of the then-standard 1.37:1.

The film was projected onto a slightly concave Miracle Mirror screen, which was much wider than an ordinary screen, although the exact size depended on the theatre in which it was installed. [The screen installed in the Roxy Theatre in New York was 68 feet wide by 24 feet tall.] The screens, which had a metallic surface, were also capable of being used for 3-D or standard format pictures.

In order to solidify CinemaScope as the industry's new standard, Fox offered it to other studios rather than retaining it for its own exclusive use.

The first major demonstration of CinemaScope was held in Los Angeles on 18 March 1953, with footage of the New York harbor,

a sequence from 'The Robe', clips from 'How to Marry a Millionaire' and a musical number from 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' being shown. The demonstration was a success.

Hollywood Reporter noted that several major studios were interested in or had committed to CinemaScope, and that numerous films using the process were in the planning stages.

The lenses necessary to shoot the pictures had to be licensed from Fox, and prices varied depending on the amount of equipment required and the number of pictures for which it would be used.

Paramount, one of the few studios not using CinemaScope, promoted its own process, VistaVision, which employed a ratio of 1.85:1 and was not an anamorphic process.

In a interview, director Henry Koster described how frustrating using CinemaScope was during production of 'The Robe', as the lenses had to be focused separately, and frequently were not in focus at the same time,

necessitating retakes. Eventually a system to mechanically and automatically focus the lenses was perfected. Additional problems that had to be surmounted to accommodate CinemaScope were drastic changes in lighting, placement of actors within a scene and the type of film stock used.

According to sources, 'The Robe' and a few subsequent Fox CinemaScope productions were shot on a type of Eastman negative stock that proved unsatisfactory. Later films used a new Eastman 'tungsten balanced stock', which was easier to light during production and to use to print multiple positive copies. News items noted that, even though onscreen credits of 'The Robe' state 'Color by Technicolor', the Technicolor plant only processed the Eastman Color film, and that technically, the colour was by Eastman. Stereophonic sound, which had been experimented with as early as 1916, was used in conjunction with CinemaScope.

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Embellishing World Cinemas

by Era! When we talk about embellishing world cinemas, we are referring to the transformation in design, dĂŠcor and spacious expanse in new-age cinemas with VIP zones to offer customers a complete experience. Many multiplex chains, with large number of screen offerings springing up now, have contributed to this transformation in world cinema spaces and fuelled the growth trend.

In a candid conversation with Eranna Yekbote, one of the leading architects spearheading the change in world cinema design in India and on a global level, TheatreWorld explores an opportunity to get insights from the man who has transcended boundaries to redesign spaces and embellish dĂŠcor in world cinemas across markets with huge untapped potential.

Eranna Yekbote Era Architects

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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • The movie-going experience today has undergone a massive transformation and service providers can no longer hold a tunnel-vision approach on what customers expect as they enter a cinema space. The minutest details matter and go a long way in contributing towards the overall cinematic experience, be it comfortable seating arrangement

to start with, easy maneuverability, quick box office access, well-lit pathways, spacious lobbies, and inviting décor with a relaxing ambience to elevate the standards sought after by a movie-goer from a cinema chain. Creating an indelible impression on the viewers’ minds is more important than ever before as it offers them a compelling reason to visit the cinemas time and again.

Era Architects designed over 800 cinemas worldwide. What do you think about the growing scope of cinema industry in India?

Era Architects started off as a small practice and the very first project was about designing a popcorn counter in one of the major cinemas in Mumbai. It was the right time then when multiplexes were springing up.

The first big project was for Fame

Embracing Grandeur and Finesse Bringing in an element of finesse and grandeur to the ordinarily looking cinema spaces, can be quite a daunting task and challenge. These places are so designed intricately for exquisiteness, mesmerizing appeal and relaxing ambience, to suit different lifestyle choices of the urban, rich and the elite masses spanning across different markets and continents. The country focus as of now for Era Architects has been the Middle East markets, wherein Era has been working on three new projects in Abu Dhabi, followed by a project in Lahore, Pakistan, Oman and some small projects in other markets as well.

The one certain fact of all the uncertainties that prevail in the industry among competitors is that the world cinema design

transformation is here to stay for the times to come. As cinemas transition for easy accessibility on to the handsets and mobile devices of customers, the movie going experience for viewers in high-end multiplexes with VIP zones and Gold Lounges will be the next trend. The evolving cinema space will aim to create for nurtured experiences with better sound and advanced projection capabilities. The trend is now picking up momentum and is here to stay.

Spearheading this change, Eranna Yekbote of Era Architects, has completed a landmark cinema project in Abu Dhabi called NOVO, with three more projects in progress in the Middle East and one of them in Pakistan, which will be completed

by Q4 of 2015. Key highlights of some landmark cinema design offerings by Era Architects:

The Novo Cinemas Novo Cinemas is an eight-screen landmark project recently completed in Abu Dhabi. The cinema is located at World Trade Center Mall in (old central) Abu Dhabi with an 8-screen seating arrangement – wherein seven are regular screens and one a VIP screen. The total seating capacity of the seven screens at Novo Cinemas are 1,414 seats; while the VIP screen which is also called the “7-STAR” has a seating capacity of 62 seats only.

The eight screens are separated on two levels – 5 screens located on Level 1 and the remaining three screens, on Level 2.

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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • Adlabs dating back to April 2002 and since then there was no looking back. We did many projects with prestigious clients like PVR, Big Cinemas and many more in different countries namely – Bangladesh, Africa, Oman and then forayed into the Dubai market. Besides designing cinema spaces, Era Architects is also briefly involved into concept design for shopping malls, hotels and retails.

Era has been working on 7 to 8 hotel projects with some being in resorts in Africa, and luxury Marriott Hotels in Raipur and Bilaspur, Sarovar Hotels and Daiwik Hotels now completed in Rameshwaram and work in-progress at Tirupati, Shirdi and Dwarka.

Sometimes destiny plays its part and directs your course in life, which holds true as in the case of Eranna’s experience. He says, “I thought of

diversifying into hotels in between but I got introduced to a client in cinemas in Dubai (one of the biggest operators in the cinema chain) and after which I secured three big cinema projects in Dubai and since then designing cinema spaces took the lead on a professional front. During this period, fortunately I also got an offer to be a speaker at the CinemaCon 2013 in Las Vegas. This gave me an opportunity to get introduced to cinema operators

Novo Cinemas, positioned at a cornered two-corridor intersection of the mall on two levels, has been successful in grabbing maximum attention due to its colorful frontage.

The frontage of Novo Cinemas has a large LED dynamic display wall with changing colours and letters to give visitors a futuristic entry into the cinema setting. The cornered entry to the cinema allows for greater depth to transcend the visitor to an out of the world feeling with a “wow” impact on their minds. This is not all that Novo Cinemas has in store for the first-time entrant, the ceilings and flooring reflect and mirror the décor to guide the visitor, through the walkthrough to inside the auditoriums.

The most distinguishing design aspect at Novo Cinemas, implemented by Era is the fluidic design of columns. If you see the

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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • across the globe.” Eranna has been appreciated for his contribution to redesigning world cinema spaces at CinemaCon 2013.

I think people in India do much better work in design and experience than what we generally see outside India.

Some people in India are very good with design sense as you see in projects executed by PVR, Inox or Big Cinemas.

Not drawing comparisons to any markets as in particular, but the “wow” factor to attract customers to cinemas seem to be amiss in global markets. Though they are large in

image above, there are two columns at the center of the lobby. These columns originally had service pipes around it. Hence to not disturb the service pipes, a fluidic design element was created around it to add onto the oomph factor.

As you enter the cinema lobby, the punch line with “cinema quotes” are displayed on the floor. The spaces are well-lit with vibrant colors on the walls and glossy exteriors.

The red glossy look on the walls towards the restrooms exudes glamour and sophistication with a floating appeal. Primarily, Eranna came up with the concept of design for Novo Cinemas to redefine curvature beauties and hence, asymmetric curves were beautifully etched on the ceiling and throughout to showcase depth, while guiding the visitors through well-lit pathways. The

the number of screens, they lack fine detail in understanding of cinemas.

Right from arrival point to what you can expect in a lobby to seating arrangement – entertainment architecture plays a crucial role.

As we forayed into the Middle East markets, we realised that there is tremendous scope for exploration because the number of screens is more and the turnaround time is significantly less in comparison to India. This primarily being, dry construction works used in Middle East and in India it is wet works for construction. Also the shopping malls

in Dubai are huge, with most of the projects being landmark projects.

This gives an added advantage to Era, as creativity can go limitless, without boundaries to explore new facets to design and produce innovative concepts.

Which are the major countries growing in the world of cinema?

In world cinema, China is a growing market followed by Middle East wherein many cinema projects are coming up. Also there is 2020 Expo coming up in Dubai. Doha again has grown tremendously to welcome new cinema projects and diverging

overall design theme is fluidic in nature to reflect the flow of elements, which look different but yet are in sync with each other to represent one central theme.

Cine Royal at Delma Mall, Abu Dhabi The Cine Royal project completed at Delma Mall in Abu Dhabi was a renovation project and work was done only on the lobby. Eranna explains his experience and inspiration behind transforming the lobby space with a tree at its centre.

“When I first entered the lobby of this cinema, there was central column that was right in the middle. I thought of highlighting this column as the key feature on entry. Drawing inspiration from the movie Avatar, wherein the Tree happens to be the center of attention, I designed the

column to resemble the tree depicted in the movie ‘Avatar’.”

There is a café and box office at the backdrop, but there are branches placed in between as in a manner to beautify the décor and reflect depth without impacting visibility for visitors’ right till the end of the lobby.

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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • focus towards other markets in Africa, South East Asia and Europe.

Era Architects is keenly focused on Middle East markets to include Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and UAE. There are some other projects coming up in other parts of the globe – in Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Bangladesh. During the last six months in Q1 and Q2 of 2014, Era has focused its cinema designing strength on an upcoming project in Lahore, Pakistan called “Universal Cinemas.” This is the very first flagship project by the Nishat Chunian Group in Lahore, to be situated inside the Emporium Mall.

This will be a 9-screen cinema and the other in Multan will be 2 screens.

Tell us more about the changes in world cinema design over the years.

World cinema has changed over the years because of the change in the type of systems like change in projection system and digitalization has changed the design architecture.

Earlier projection rooms were the norm, but today projects are coming

up without projection rooms. To cite examples, earlier it was impossible to design cinema spaces under 4 metres, but today we are undertaking commercial cinema projects being done in 4 metres with stadium seating arrangement and compact design for circulation and projection within the auditorium. This is indeed very challenging. Besides, considering the change in projection size and systems, digitalization has made possible incorporation of 20-30 screens in a multiplex. There is an increasing need for number of screens in cinemas because more screens facilitate time management within the same space size.

How do you compare the cinema design of today and yesteryears?

This is another Cine Royal project located at Deerfields Mall in Abu Dhabi which is a 14-screen multiplex.

There are 11 regular screens and 3 VIP screens here. The unique aspect of this cinema is the point of entry, which is at an upper level and visitors to the cinema will have to come down (a level below using the escalator) and walk through till the end of the corridor.

In the VIP lobby, you can see a canopy like effect on the ceiling that

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Beside size and décor(s) what are the factors taken into consideration when designing a cinema?

There are two important factors taken into consideration when designing a cinema. One is to make boxes (the right circulation of people, right kind of boxes and cinema is all about proportion). This is one important factor. Other than this, the number of screens, seating arrangement, the flow of people, the exit, the location of concession, kitchen, box office and all come under space planning.This is a separate chapter in itself.

The entire ambience is made-to-suit lifestyle preferences of those in Middle East and exudes an Arabic appeal to the entertainment architecture. The entry is signified by a cage like appeal on the outside (depicting stars and moon), while the flooring pattern depicts an Islamic design resembling feathers of a peacock placed one above the other to create an embossing effect and harmonious feel.

Cine Royal at Deerfields Mall, Abu Dhabi

The corridors have been well designed with parametric line formation on the ceiling. These parametric designs are incorporated as a theme between the screens as well.The entry is further highlighted with chandeliers on top.

Design architecture in cinemas has evolved and grown to meet diverse needs. Earlier, cinemas had big lobbies and focused on intricate detailing. Today the entire dynamics of operation has changed to make it faster, simpler and hassle-free process for the visitor to maneuver around the cinema spaces. Post designing, the general turnaround time that it takes to complete 4 to 5 cinema screens is approximately four months.

looks like a paper sculpture, and chandeliers with glimmer flowing down to touch an iconic statue placed at the center in gold.

The washrooms have no doors, which mean visitors can walk into the washrooms directly from the cinema spaces to enhance the fluidic theme and design composition. The walls in the washroom have a gradient of gold leaf mosaic tiles with a full length mirror to heighten the length of the ceiling and glittering chandeliers on top to create a grandeur, palatial effect.

• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • The second most important factor is how you decorate with colours, signage, flooring, ambience, look and feel of the décor etc. There is nothing other than size and décor in particular when refurbishing spaces.

At Era, we delve into many details when designing a cinema, right from the point of entry to exit is well planned with appropriate creative signage’s and attractive relaxing ambience.

Open Cinemas is a new concept that is soon picking up trend, wherein there is no demarcation for entry to cinema spaces. There is a seamless walkthrough from malls to the cinema with no need for a glass door entry point or whatsoever. Also open concession and box office are two other new concepts into focus.

Tell us more about the design challenges.

Cinema design is getting more unique because of unique concept malls coming up. This makes designing a complex process as there is a need to be more creative and innovative. Designing of boxes and decorating the same is a challenge, which varies according to operator preferences. Like for example, cinemas in Middle East have more spacious seats as in comparison to India, with modern look and fresh lighting, latest in upholstery and

attractive signage for a “wow” factor and mesmerizing experience.

Elaborate on role of cinema builders and designers in securing the right acoustics.

Today we have to design to hear. You cannot have a very noisy or disturbing space. Hence it is very important for architects or developers to make quite spaces for good human hearing, which means designing sound as well. Generally there should be some absorbing surfaces in the lobby to cut disturbing noises that are generated in the box office and concession areas. Some acoustically absorbing materials on walls and floors should be used for noise reduction.

Multiplex or single screen, which is the right move for world cinema?

Shed light on the future of world cinema in the next 5 to 10 years.

What are the changes you foresee?

Multiplex is always better because of the number of choices they offer.

Single screen option is very limited.

Today it is the world of choices, so single screen is not something we should even consider.

Today in cinemas, there is volatility prevailing among operators in India, with many operators merging with the competitors. Hence these mergers and acquisition are leading to development of a single multiplex

City Cinemas in Salalah, Oman

Upcoming Project: Universal Cinemas in Lahore, Pakistan

The City Cinema project in Salalah, Oman has three screens placed in a row, with a long lobby connecting all three. There is a long avenue of chandeliers throughout the lobby; the flooring is black with parametric designs on walls. VIBGYOR colours are used across the lobby and box

office is not open. The three screens have a seating capacity of 178 to 196 seats each. Adhering to the seating preferences of women in Salalah, separate waiting arrangements have been made for women at City Cinemas by setting up a private ladies lounge.

The Universal Cinemas project is a first-of-its-kind, 9-screen flagship project of Nishat Chunian Group in Lahore, Pakistan. This 9-screen cinema will be located inside the Emporium Mall that is currently under construction. The entry as with the rest of the projects is a whole new experience for the cinemagoer – a whole new concept that makes entry an inviting experience by constructing two new bridges to enter the cinema lobby.

As you arrive at the non-ticketed space, you will find the entire massive attractive lobby embracing you with a splash of colours on ceilings to parametric curved lines on the walls and roof surfaces. The highlight of this cinema space is

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• S P E C I A L F E AT U R E • chain. The Indian cinema market is getting consolidated, so is this change witnessed world over, in Middle East and other parts of the globe like Europe and US. Increase in the number of screens and digitalization will signal the new era in cinemas, with advanced sound systems and technologies creating a need to upgrade cinemas in every five years. When it comes to the Indian cinema market, Laser projection is going to create demand for sharpness and crispness in image quality, better sound quality with upgraded speakers. Era Architect is now working on a project where laser projection is used at Imax. This project has been recently announced in Middle East and will be coming up in the next 2 years.

What are the current ongoing and future projects at Era Architects?

Era Architects is having some of the best projects in cinemas. The best part is when you work in global markets you grow to better understand different needs of different customers from different countries and regions.

Then design seems to know no limit,

with passionate involvement of the team to work on interesting projects say, 25 screen cinema projects in Middle East and such as these.

Era Architects is also working on designing auditoriums to make it business class and first class, wherein all services will be offered at the place you are seated. The movie going experience will be high end.

Commenting on the digital multiplexes coming up in Pakistan and single screens soon shutting down, I recollect an interesting

columns are kept extremely simple and clean. The studio which is a VIP area has two screens for the elite.

Screen No. 4 and 5 are large screens.The total seating capacity of this cinema is 1,797 seats (inclusive of all screens).

Looking Beyond...

The cinema-going experience today is now shifting focus from movie content in itself to include ambience, look and feel of the décor, the acoustics, projection, lighting, sound, food and beverages, seating infrastructure and a lot more.

introduction of a novel concept – an “open box office” which allows for an immersive experience into the décor for the cinemagoer. The

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As the era of digitalization dawns, so does the magnitude of challenges presented increase. Movie goers today look for reasons beyond just the movie watching experience alone to visit a cinema chain. The

mention made by someone from the cinema business I met. He said, “An entire generation is lost watching movies in a single screen and now that multiplexes are soon coming up, we see cinema patrons coming back to cinema halls to watch movies. A huge untapped potential for interesting movie content can now be explored in Pakistan.”

He further added: “Most of the cinema content is from Bollywood (India). Hollywood cinemas are not much in demand in Pakistan.”

answers to why visit cinema is most sought after.Hence designers and developers are required to stay abreast of the changing lifestyle preferences and offer what’s next to the Gen Next consumer.

The world cinema space is gradually transforming to embrace grandeur in its appeal and offer viewers moments of leisure, to cocoon in the lap of luxury and transcend into a whole new world of breath-taking experiences. Entertainment architecture has evolved to incorporate lifelike images and themes, exploring creative realms to elevate standards and spoil consumers for choice. The experience today is not just restricted to cinemas alone but is slowly seeping its way to deepen roots in new shopping malls structural design elements and retail design as well.

• INSTALLS •

Enhancing JT Cinemas with

Immersive Sound!

JT Bioscopen is the oldest and second largest cinema chain located in the Netherlands with no less than 22 cinemas. Following the opening of JT Hoorn and JT Hilversum, JT Eindhoven will open its doors end of this year. In 2015, JT Alkmaar, another new cinema, will also open its doors to the public. This makes JT Bioscopen the fastest growing cinema chain in Europe.

JT Cinemas has spent the last few years investing in new sites and upgrading its existing venues to offer Dutch audiences the best possible experience. Working closely with leading cinema solutions provider dcinex, JT has chosen Alcons Audio systems for the cutting edge Dolby Atmos installation at its Kerkrade site.

JT distinguishes itself from its competitors by having the highest quality cinema technology in its venues. When Dolby approached dcinex to see if any of the company's clients were interested in Dolby Atmos, JT was the obvious choice.

Once JT was on board, Alcons proribbon loudspeakers were the ideal choice to help deliver the required audio quality.

"We believe that innovation drives cinema business and, of course, with digital technology there's been a lot more innovation than before," says Matthew Jones, dcinex General Manager BeNeLux. "One of JT's new build projects was a cinema in Kerkrade, where they wanted something really spectacular. They asked dcinex to find something that would be exceptional… not just good, not just high quality, but nearing absolute perfection.

"Our first thought was to talk to Alcons about facilitating the Dolby Atmos system at Kerkrade. We've known them for a while and we think that, in terms of quality and

being able to reproduce audio in the way it's meant to sound, their system is probably the best on the market."

The venue presented a number of challenges, not least of which was its size; with 480 seats, this is one of the larger rooms fitted with the Dolby Atmos system.

"It's much larger than a typical cinema auditorium, which made it difficult to work with conventional speakers or amplifiers. There aren't really the surround loudspeakers available that could provide the amount and quality of sound we needed from a single speaker. So we asked Alcons if they could work with us in designing a custom system," says Matthew.

Alcons took 36 of its standard four inch pro-ribbon drivers, plus 12 of its six inch pro-ribbon drivers and mounted them in bespoke, custom designed surrounds, creating the CRS12 and CRS12/60GT units. These were complemented with five threeway, tri-amped CR4 units and eight CB362 twin 18" subs to deliver a solution that was able to produce all of the required SPL, but from within normally-sized enclosures.

Driven by 14 Sentinel3 and 5 Sentinel10 four channel Amplified Loudspeaker Controllers, totalling 76

amp.channels, the result was a system that would suit both the quality and aesthetic demands of JT and the technical demands of Dolby.

"The experience for cinema goers is absolutely fantastic," Matthew adds.

"At some of the first performances people got up and applauded the sound. Even if they don't understand exactly what they've heard, they know it's something special and that it's of a very high quality. It keeps bringing them back and so has had a very positive effect on audience numbers."

Such is the success of the installation, it is reported that the new cinema is attracting moviegoers from as far as 300km away.

"The Dolby Atmos system equipped with the Alcons pro-ribbon sound system is, without doubt, the single most qualitative audio system I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing in a cinema. And I can tell you, I have heard a lot of them," comments Albert Jan Vos, operational director of JT Cinemas. "This combination truly allows crystal-clear, high definition audio with perfect intelligibility and no distortion, even at high volume levels, and fully engages the cinema audience in its movie-going experience."

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• INSTALLS •

Cineplex Elevates

"Strictly Adults Only" Experience!

Kids are barred from entry into this exclusively designed cinematic zone meant for "strictly adults," which will be soon opening up at Cineplex Odeon Queensway theatre, tentatively around January 2015. Now couples can make most of their private moments through an immersive, comforting high-end movie experience along with a lavish spread of exquisite cuisines to feast every palate as much as the senses. TheatreWorld delves into the latest Cineplex "Adults-Only" theatre for the elite and the privileged.

The new 20,000 square feet VIP lounge at the upcoming movie theatre designed exclusively for adults will open doors for public by January next year. Cineplex VIP Cinemas Don Mills is the first Canadian movie theatre only for adults. It is an entertainment promising venture instituted by the Scotiabank, one of the leading financial services providers in Canada.

Cineplex VIP Cinemas Don Mills is located at Shops at Don Mills - 12 Marie Labatte Road in Toronto, near the intersection of Don Mills Road and Lawrence Avenue East. The theatre features five auditoriums with a seating capacity of more than 500 seats.

The Cineplex VIP Lounge is designed with state-of-the-art architecture, infrastructure and refined tastes. The VIP auditorium features full stadium seating with large luxurious seats and tabletops embedded at the armrest.

Ordered items will be delivered directly to the guests at their seat.

Guests can also enjoy the licensed lounge before and after the movie.

Surpassing Expectations Cineplex caters to the minutest of details during design with made-tosuit offerings that leave an everlasting impact on the minds of cine-goers. Cineplex has taken a step ahead of its competitors in the entertainment space by targeting niche adult cinemagoers in Canada with many VIP offerings coming up soon in GTA. Exclusivity in style, décor and tastes form an integral part of the VIP menu

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offerings, served right at the seats of the movie watchers. These encompass a wide choice of tasty retreats to feast every palate ranging from a selection of salads to an artisanal cheese plate from Toronto's famed Cheese Boutique, calamari to bruschetta. To complement the sumptuous entrees are a selection of flatbreads and wraps, a chicken parmesan sandwich, fish, chips and a lot more.

When it comes to high-end cinematic offerings, how can guests be deprived of drinks and refreshments, before, during and after the movie?

Guests now get to enjoy beer, cocktail, wine or martini right at their seats when watching a movie.

Exemplifying svelte right from the point of entry to the ambience, look, design, comfort and feel of the auditoriums, Cineplex ensures and understands that the visitors are not just looking for a visual retreat. They are looking for much beyond than what goes visual, a thorough feast to relax their senses. To meet such

increasing demands, privileges such as reserved seating, licensed auditoriums, a licensed lounge, premium in-seat service and lot more are in store for the elite.

"We look forward to bringing Canada's most in-demand moviegoing experience to Toronto," said Ellis Jacob, President and CEO, Cineplex Entertainment. "Our VIP Cinemas have been overwhelmingly popular wherever they've opened in Canada, and we expect our Don Mills location will be no exception."

Through opening of this cinema at Queensway, Cineplex now operates VIP Cinemas in 11 locations across Canada, including three others in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA): Cineplex Cinemas Queensway and VIP; Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Dundas and VIP and Cineplex Odeon Varsity and VIP. Plans are underway to open two additional VIP cinema zones in the GTA by the end of 2015 to include Cineplex Cinemas Downtown Markham and VIP in late 2014 and

• INSTALLS • Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Eglinton and VIP (currently SilverCity YongeEglinton Cinemas) in 2015.

Plans Ahead

Comfort and Convenience Besides the oversized extra-wide seats that are generally reserved, guests can also opt for recliners in the front rows or get comfy with their partners at the back. All of the seats have a side table, arm rest and ample legroom space, to allow latecomers to pass by without feeling the need to stand up during the course of the movie.

Taking advantage of the optional valet service, elite and premium visitors can enter the movieplex through a separate VIP entrance at the Queensway theatre, to be greeted and led to their seats by a host at the doorway.

Visitors can further collect prepurchased tickets at the box office and check in their coats at a depot, which looks more like a hotel lobby and lounge. To the sides, there is a long-bar and double-sided fireplace with cozy seating arrangements in muted colours at the backdrop, herringbone tile floors and dark wood accents to lend an exquisite appeal to the uniquely designed concession. The décor is well balanced to reflect positivity in the ambience with bright colours, and clean interiors lead your way to the traditionally designed 15 auditorium spaces next door.

branched overseas at different locations globally to deepen its roots, sowing the seeds of success with every new venture in opening.

Cineplex was the first to be credited to bring VIP cinema experience to Canada by opening small theatres at the Varsity some 15 years back.

Post launching the VIP cinemas at Silver City Oakville in 2007, others followed suit in London and Ontario - British Columbia, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Quebec. In the case of Queensway, 8,000-square feet automatically came in from the three theatres completely rebuilt for the VIP wing, plus 12,000 square-feet got added to incorporate two new theatres, lounge facility and unisex washrooms with private water closets. The state of entertainment architecture and services offered by Cineplex in U.S, Britain and Australia speak volumes about the Canadian hybrid model.

Cineplex Cinemas Downtown Markham with newly designed VIP auditoriums at SilverCity Yonge and Eglinton is signaled to open up in early 2015.

As recently, Cineplex came up with another interesting idea to reach out to its patrons by offering the first Imax screening of Bollywood action hit Dhoom 3 through its new SuperTicket bundling system.

According to this system, moviegoers will pay one price for an admission ticket and get an access code delivered on their handsets for an UltraViolet download of the film, ahead of its digital release. About 5million Canadian residents have already taken advantage of this promotion. Also the company's Scene point card offers valuable marketing information to retain customers in addition to their loyalty program.

Cineplex aims to be a torchbearer for its competitors in the cinema industry by serving as a guiding light to revolutionize the cinematic experience - through introduction of novel concepts that seek beyond movie content, primarily drawing visitors to a movie. Targeting niche sections of the populace with highend cinematic extravagance, the "adults only" theatre concept has definitely been one of the remarkable unique forays made by a cinema chain in the business to maximize profits and increase retention.

To avoid distraction, no food and beverage will be served to guests during the movie. Half price on Tuesdays and many schemes such as US$ 7 to US$10 VIP surcharge on basic VIP admissions of $12.99 and above present lucrative purchase options for visitors to unwind at any point of time depending on the day of the week. This is wallet friendly as well.

From Where it All Began The novel idea of VIP cinema offerings mushroomed way back when Cineplex started off with Varsity and since then the idea has November-December 2014

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• INSTALLS •

Lotte Cinema World Tower:

Asia's Largest Multiplex is Now Open!

Located in the highest landmark in Korea, Lotte World Mall, the Lotte Cinema World Tower is the largest multiplex in Asia with 21 theatre auditoriums and over 4,600 plush seats for maximum comfort. Each theatre, housed on separate floors, will have its own unique concept and interior design based on an "art movie city" theme. The screen in its 21st auditorium currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest permanently installed 35mm cinema screen in the world, measuring an enormous 34 metres by 13.8 metres.

Lotte Cinema World Tower is also home to the largest 4D theatre in Korea, equipped with dynamic motion seats and other special effects.

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All auditoriums are complete with Christie digital cinema solutions, including the flagship Christie Solaria Series projectors, Christie Vive Audio surround sound systems, Christie ACT Digital Cinema Theatre Control and Christie Integrated Media Block (IMB). The installation of this extensive range of cinema solutions

by Christie and its Korean partner Eugenetek Corporation is one of the biggest entertainment solutions projects undertaken by both teams in Korea.

Audiences can expect nothing but the best visuals from the Christie Solaria CP2215, CP2220, CP2230 and CP4230, which utilise the latest generation DLP Cinema electronics platform. Among the seven auditoriums fitted with Christie Vive

Audio, five are specially configured to meet Dolby Atmos sound technology requirements.

Filmmakers use Dolby Atmos to place and move sounds anywhere in the movie theatre, including overhead, to make film audiences feel as if they are inside the movie and not merely watching it. Rounding out the impressive list of installed products are the Christie ACT and Christie IMB solutions designed to provide the best performance and reliability in terms of theater automation control and content delivery.

Lin Yu, vice president, Christie Asia Pacific, said, "Christie is honored to work with Lotte Cinemas to have our most advanced and comprehensive range of cinema solutions installed in all auditoriums of Asia's largest

• INSTALLS •

multiplex. The audience can look forward to be wowed by our brilliant projection and audio systems that offer truly immersive and memorable experiences. Lotte Cinema World Tower is certainly one of the world's premier cinema destinations and we are proud to be a major part of this project."

"We're very excited to install an extensive range of Christie digital cinema solutions, including the Solaria Series projectors and Vive Audio cinema sound systems in our latest multiplex which ranks among the best in the world," said Gwan Ro Lee, executive director, Lotte Cinema.

"Christie's visual and audio solutions are well known for their high quality and reliability that is backed by industry-leading service and support.

We have utilised a number of Christie products at various locations and are confident that the complete cinema solutions fitted at our Lotte Cinema World Tower will offer the best and the most lifelike visual and sensory cinematic experience for all movie patrons in Korea."

The Solaria Series offers precise vivid colour with superior contrast ratios and the light output necessary to light up even the largest auditoriums. The clear choice for any cinema exhibition environment, it is fully capable of providing the world's most brilliant images, the highest level of content security, the easiest adaptability, operation and maintenance. Fully DCI compliant, and built on Christie's extensive cinema experience, the Solaria Series is ready for the next evolution of digital cinema displaying premium 4K content or 2D/ 3D 2K High Frame Rate (HFR) feature films and alternative content in its original format.

Complementing the stunning visuals is the innovative Christie Vive Audio, which offers rich, dynamic and detailed sound that unlocks the full potential of the DCI digital cinema audio format and supports leading formats such as Dolby Atmos, 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound. It consists of wall and ceiling surround speakers that use unique ribbon driver technology in a line array design, purpose-built for cinema environments. From the thundering roar of an airplane flying overhead to the delicate hums of insects in flight, the Christie Vive Audio system envelopes audiences with dynamic, detailed and captivating sound.

Joon-Ho Lee, president, Eugenetek Corporation, commented, "Lotte Cinema World Tower is one of the biggest projects that we have ever embarked on and we are thankful to be given this opportunity to be involved in this major installation.

We have worked closely with the team from Christie throughout this project and are proud to present the best-quality picture and sound to the audience with Christie's cutting edge cinema solutions."

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REVIEW

12-16 October 2014 Gold Coast, Australia

The 69th Australian International Movie Convention was held at Jupiters Hotel & Casino on Queensland's Gold Coast from October 12-16.

An expanded Trade Show with many new suppliers provided business opportunities as exhibitors met with delegates interested in expanding, refurbishing, converting or upgrading cinemas and equipment.

The Trade Show café, supported

by Grinders, provided the perfect place to enjoy some time-out from a very busy programme of activities, and the array of games machines supplied by Intencity, offered light relief as delegates challenged their skills and peers.

an exciting showcase of product reels and movies set for release in the coming 12 months and beyond.

Movies provided for a wide range of tastes and included:

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LOVE IS STRANGE (Rialto Distribution)

•

HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 (Warner Bros)

•

TOP FIVE (Paramount Pictures)

•

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (Universal Pictures)

•

DUMB AND DUMBER TO (Universal Pictures)

•

NIGHTCRAWLER (Madman Entertainment)

•

STILL ALICE (Icon Film Distribution)

•

FURY (Sony Pictures Releasing)

•

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY (Walt Disney Studios)

The Movies...

The major and independent film distributor presentations provided

•

TheatreWorld magazine at AIMC

The Stars...

AIMC 2014 welcomed some of Australia's best known stars to present footage of their latest works: •

Russell Crowe introduced a sneak peek of his debut film as a director, The Water Diviner

•

Michael Caton and Director Jeremy Sims introduced some scenes from Last Cab To Darwin and Jacki Weaver filmed a special message

•

John Jarratt and Kaarin Fairfax shared a first look at their upcoming film Stalkher

The Networking...

The social and networking events allowed delegates to relax and catch up with colleagues and friends.

Some international stars recorded messages: •

•

Eddie Redmayne - welcomed delegates to the Australian Premiere of The Theory of Everything Angelina Jolie - previewed Unbroken

•

Vin Diesel - talked Fast & Furious 7

•

Simon Pegg, Director Terry Jones and Mojo the Dog Absolutely Anything

•

Ben Stiller - talked about Night At The Museum Secret Of The Tomb

The Speakers...

Steve Cox - Managing Director, Dymocks Group of Companies presented a session Putting The Customer First explaining the strategy that successfully overcame the tough retail environment, the growth of ebooks and the threat from overseas online competitors.

Paul Johnson - Chairman, Movie Times presented an update on the recently relaunched industry initiative Movie Times.

Robert Mayson - Managing Director, RealD Europe Inc provided some highlights of

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recent consumer market research on 3D in the Australian Market.

Ian Sutherland - Group Director Marketing, Amalgamated Holdings Limited led a panel of industry experts from exhibition, distribution and technology companies in a discussion on our ever-changing, fast-moving and dynamic business.

John Jarratt, Kaarin Fairfax and Alan Finney presented a first sneak peek of Stalkher - Australia's own 'Misery meets Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

Lori Flekser - Executive Director, IP Awareness Foundation, released new independent research on film piracy, with insights from filmmakers Jeremy Sims and John Jarratt.

Danny Lachevre - Managing Director, FanForce presented a revolutionary new online platform for exhibitors, distributors and fans that offers new choices for cinema audiences.

Rachel Okine - Senior Production & Acquisitions Executive and Alaric McAusland - Managing Director, Deluxe Australia, provided an introduction to the Natalie Miller Fellowship and its objectives and outcomes for inspiring the future female leaders of the screen industry.

The Welcome Function hosted by Schweppes Australia on the Pavilion Lawns was a relaxed start to a busy week. The function was followed by the Australian Premiere of THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING thanks to Universal Pictures. Four Hollywood lookalikes added a touch of fun and glamour to the events.

The Deluxe Network Bar situated in the Atrium Bar was the place to be each evening after the scheduled convention activities had concluded.

Trivia Challenge hosted by Quiz Master Des Partridge (former Journalist and Film Reviewer with The Courier-Mail) and AIMC compere Todd Widdicombe made for a dynamic, fun and competitive evening.

Congratulations to the winning team - A STREETCAR NAMED TRIVIA - on a tremendous job.

The convention wrapped up with incredible industrial and technical laser effects, and entertainment from the talented Luke Kennedy plus the Allstars dance band.

Delegates adjourned to the Deluxe Network Bar in the Pavilion Gallery to challenge the experts with their dance and karaoke skills.

REVIEW

27-30 October 2014 Florida o USA

ShowEast 2014 welcomed its visitors again at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida from 27th to 30th October 2014.

This year's ShowEast was better than ever with lots of new programming, new special events, more film screenings and product presentations, a more comprehensive Trade Show and much more.

ShowEast is the place to be, if you want to do business with the multibillion dollar cinema exhibition and distribution communities. This year, more than 1,300 cinema exhibition and distribution professionals with enormous purchasing power came to the ShowEast trade show to buy equipment and services to better run their businesses. Major, Regional and Independent circuits throughout the US and internationally attended ShowEast to make their purchasing decisions.

TheatreWorld magazine at the ShowEast Pub Bin

At ShowEast, major studio and independent feature films slated for Holiday release were screened to help make informed programming decisions. The latest information on issues affecting the industry such as: Digital Cinema; 3D; Alternative Content; Concessions and much more, to stay current with industry trends; Special programming for the Latin American market; Network at sponsored special events and the

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EVENT CALENDER

2014

products, services and technologies were showcased.

9-11 DECEMBER CINEASIA, HONG KONG www.cineasia.com

2015 25-27 MARCH FRAMES, MUMBAI, INDIA www.ficci-frames.com

20-23 APRIL CAESARS PALACE, LAS VEGAS, USA www.cinemacon.com

9-11 MAY CHINA THEATER & CINEMA GUANGZHOU www.gtcff.com

22-25 JUNE CINEEUROPE BARCELONA, SPAIN www.cineeurope.net

24-26 JULY CINEMA TODAY, CHENNAI, INDIA www.cinematoday.in

SEPTEMBER KINO EXPO, ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA www.kinoexpo.ru

11-15 OCTOBER AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA www.movieconvention.com.au

12-15 OCTOBER SHOWEAST, FLORIDA, USA www.showeast.com

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ShowEast was attended by Theatre Operators/Owners, Film Buyers/ Bookers, Distributors, Concessions Buyers, Theatre Design/ Construction Professionals, Equipment Manufacturers, Marketing/Media Professionals and Advertising Agencies.

Some of the topics discussed at this year's expo were as following: •

Award Presentations Bingham Ray Spirit Award - Randy Ostrow, Independent Producer Al Shapiro Distinguished Service Award - Jody and Stan Reynolds, Sr., Reynolds & Reynolds Inc. Salah M. Hassanein Humanitarian Award - Malco Theatres, Accepted

by Bobby Levy Show "E" Award - Ken Caldwell, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Latin American Market On The Upswing

Movie Screening

•

Global Roundtable

•

Sundance Selects and UniFrance Films' Clouds of Sils Maria

•

Monetizing Your Digital Investment

•

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' McGarland USA

ShowEast University by ICTA and NAC

•

Sony Pictures Releasing's Annie

•

Immersive Seating

•

Warner Bros.’s & New Line Cinema's Horrible Bosses 2

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Lasers vs. Xenon •

Fox Searchlight's Wild

•

Cinema it System - Out of the Booth

•

Universal Pictures' Dumb & Dumber To

•

PREVIEW

9-11 December 2014 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

Come attend the only Pan-Asian Convention dedicated to the Cinema Exhibition & Distribution communities - CineAsia 2014, where Asian cinema exhibition and distribution professionals come to do business. CineAsia 2014 will take place from 9th to 11th December at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

CineAsia is a unique event that brings together Asian cinema industry professionals, from cinema owners and suppliers to film buyers and distributors.

As the sister event to ShowEast and CineEurope, CineAsia maintains the same standards of programming, seminars, special

Show Features Educational Seminars Topics include:

events and suppliers. CineAsia also screens major Asian and Hollywood films and offers educational programmes specifically geared toward the needs of the Asian cinema exhibition community.

Trade Show Find the products and services you need from hundreds of suppliers to the movie theatre industry.

•

Increasing Revenue Streams

•

In-Theatre Marketing

•

Cinema Design

•

Best Practices from Leading Exhibitors

•

Piracy

•

Digital Cinema and much more

Screenings & Product Reels See Hollywood and major Asian films before they are released and find out what the movie studios and distributors have in store..

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Exhibitors Arts Alliance Media

105

Look 3D

Ballantune Strong

101

MasterImage 3D

411

Barco

301

Mediamation

319

Caiz Optronics

811

Mesbur + Smith Architects

315

Christie

201

NCR Corp

316

Coca-cola

116

Newvos Sdn Bhd

808

Depthq 3D / Lightspeed Design

217

Osram

304

Dolby

305

Preferred Popcorn

121

Easi Ticketing

301

Pulz Electronics

317

Ferco Seating Systems

805

QSC Audio Products

100

GDC Technology

313

Screen Solution

104

Gold Medal Products

104

Shenzhen Hengchuangbaolai

810

Golden Link Inc.

120

Sony

211

Harkness Screens

214

Spectro Screen

419

High Performance Stereo

218

THEATREWORLD

Jack Roe Group

804

TK Architects

221

JBL Professional

801

Ultra Stetreo Labs

204

Jos Schneider Optische

220

Ushio

107

Klipsch

319

Vista Entertainment

115

Krian Media

112

Volfoni 3D

301

Krix Loudspeakers

207

Weaver Popcorn

807

Seminars Some of the topics and panels to be discussed are as follows:•

Promoting and Protecting Content in Today's Multi-screen World by Frank S. Rittman, Senior Vice President, Deputy Managing Director & Regional Policy Officer, Asia Pacific, MPA

•

A Panel Discussion Presented by the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) by Ioan Allen, Film Audio Pioneer & Senior Vice-President, Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Panelists - Irving Chee, General Manager, Golden Screen Cinemas, Brian Hall, Exhibitor Consultant, Brett D. Hogg, Senior Vice President, International Distribution, Sony Pictures Releasing International, Sunder Kimatrai, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, Twentieth Century Fox International

•

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Monetizing Your Digital Investment - In-Theatre Pre-Show Entertainment and Lobby Displays by Mark Shaw, Executive Vice President of Operations,

110

Pub Bin

Shaw Theatres. Presenters Adam Cassels, Chief Marketing Officer, Audience Entertainment, Todd Hoddick, Vice President, Barco Digital Cinema, Jon Hussman, CEO, Timeplay, Denys Lavigne, Senior Director, Experience Strategy and Creative Services, CHRISTIE

Award Presentations DLP Cinema Marketing Achievement Award Tokyu Recreation, Accepted by Shinzo Kanno Rentrak's Asian-Pacific Box Office Achievement Award - Paramount Pictures International's Transformers: Age of Extinction Asia-Pacific Copyright Educator Award - Maya Barack-Evans, Indonesia Exhibitor of the Year - Vicha Poolvaraluk, Major Cineplex Distributors of the Year - Harris Lasmana, Benny Suherman, Suryo Sunerman & Sacheen Lasmana, Cinema 21 Group

entertainworld Major Cineplex:

Redefining Cinematic Experience!

Vicha Poolvaraluk Chairman - Major Cineplex Group Exhibitor of the Year Award CineAsia 2014 Hong Kong

Bringing world-class entertainment to the people of Thailand for 20 years now, Major Cineplex Group took a momentous step forward by launching its first Cineplex beyond the shores of Thailand‌ The CineAsia 2014 Exhibitor of the Year Award being presented to Major Cineplex, is indeed a well-deserved recognition for such remarkable achievements.

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entertainworld Major Cineplex, the largest operator of movie theaters in Thailand, has three good reasons to celebrate!

Firstly, Vicha Poolvaraluk, Chairman, Major Cineplex Group, will receive the 2014 Exhibitor of the Year Award at the CineAsia Hong Kong.

Secondly, the theatrical chain is expanding beyond Thailand, with the launch of its first Cineplex in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This is in fact its first venture outside Thailand!

Thirdly, Major Cineplex embarks on its 20th anniversary in the year 2015.

Vicha Poolvaraluk - The Man Who Transformed Movie-Going Culture in Thailand "Vicha's revolutionary vision and innovative thinking have dramatically changed the movie-going culture as an entertainment lifestyle experience in Thailand. We wish Vicha our heartfelt congratulations on the 20th Anniversary of Major Cineplex," states Robert Sunshine, Co-Managing Director of CineAsia. "It is with great honor that CineAsia will present the Exhibitor of the Year Award to Vicha Poolvaraluk and Major Cineplex."

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With a farsighted and insightful vision, Vicha started Major Cineplex in Thailand in 1995. A land of exotic wildlife, breathtaking islands, traditional culinary delights, therapeutic massages and a rich Buddhist heritage, the Kingdom of Thailand has a robust and exportdriven economy. Vicha was perhaps well aware of the immense potential and market for a quality film-viewing experience. He wanted to make cinema an "experience," rather than just 'watching a movie' in a typical

theatre. When the first Major Cineplex opened in 1995, the cost of a ticket was more than double that of the existing single screen cinemas.

But the Cineplex offered so much more in terms of entertainment that Thai movie-goers were willing to pay a higher ticket price. Today, Major Cineplex has over 500 screens in in 74 locations in Thailand. It is estimated that the average Thai watches ten times more movies at cinema halls ever since Major Cineplex established its presence. Among its properties is

entertainworld went with his intuition... "We have been looking to expand to other countries for several years but could not find a project that was both interesting and made good economic sense until this one. Aeon Mall was very reasonable and building an exciting mall in a growing economy with no high-end cinema was perfect for our first cinema operating experience out of Thailand," reveals Jim Patterson, Director for Business Development for Major Cineplex.

Thailand's largest multiplex, the Paragon Cineplex at Siam Paragon, with 16 screens and 5,000 seats, along with the country's only IMAX Theater. Vicha's ventures also include McThai, operator of Thailand's sole McDonald franchise. He is also the owner of Vie Hotel in Bangkok and V Villas in Hua Hin.

Overseas Expansions In mid-2014, Major Cineplex took a bold stride by launching Major Cineplex by Cell Card in Aeon Mall,

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, its first venture outside Thailand. This move, in fact, came as a big surprise to many in the industry. Going by the economic indicators, Cambodia has an average GDP per person of about one fifth when compared to Thailand! Given the statistics, what compelled Major Cineplex to explore Cambodia for its expansion?

Vicha Poolvaraluk was convinced that Cambodia was ready for quality entertainment despite its low per capita income in the region. And he

The world-class Cineplex has 7 screens, including a 4DX and VIP screen, luxurious lobbies, 13 lanes of bowling and a seating capacity of 1,578 - all very high-end, exceeding the quality of most Western cineplexes! "Our bowling is like an entertainment facility on its own.

Some say like a night club. So it is all part of giving a fun experience," says Jim. Cellcard, Cambodia's largest telecom company, signed on for cinema and bowling sponsorship. The other sponsors include Yamaha, CIMB

BOOTH EQUIPMENTS Projectors : Barco DP2K-20C/20B Processors : Dolby CP750 Amplifiers : Crown DSI-2000/6000 Speakers

: JBL

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entertainworld (bank), Coke and Anchor Beer.

Premium Entertainment Experience With spacious and well-designed interiors, Major Cineplex offers a refreshing cinema-going experience.

Vicha pays attention to detail, which is evident in every aspect of Major Cinemas. "We have concentrated on the entire experience, not just seeing a movie. Many Thai and Cambodian people cannot yet afford an expensive home or car but they can taste the good life in a few hours of premium entertainment experience and this is what we aim to deliver.

The experience includes large and nice lobbies you might expect in a fine hotel, top cinema equipment, good service, best popcorn and more," says Jim. "Our uniqueness is largely in providing large spaces at reasonable costs. We obtain reasonable rents to avoid high ticket prices. We are fully integrated so we provide other entertainment like bowling, ice skating and Karaoke as

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well as making and distributing our own films. Our attention to detail in providing both quality products and services is usually noticed by other cinema operators when visiting our place."

With a clear focus on Thailand, Major Cineplex does have cautious expansion plans ahead. "We are actively looking at expansion in the region and hope to announce more

before long. This first venture has been very successful in all ways so we are encouraged to consider more projects. Our focus will remain on expanding in Thailand and producing good Thai films for the region but we will selectively expand in other countries as the right opportunities come up," says Jim.

F U T U R E

R E L E A S E S

A glimpse of movies coming soon…

The Pyramid

Top Five Production 20th Century Fox

Production Paramount Pictures

Director Grégory Levasseur

Director Chris Rock

Starring Ashley Hinshaw, James Buckley

Starring Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson

Genre Horror, Thriller

Genre Comedy

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Annie

Production 20th Century Fox

Production Columbia Pictures

Director Ridley Scott

Director Will Gluck

Starring Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton

Starring Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhané Wallis

Genre Action, Adventure

Genre Comedy, Musical

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Inherent Vice Production Warner Bros.

Production New Line Cinema

Director Paul Thomas

Director Peter Jackson

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin

Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman

Genre Drama

Genre Adventure, Fantasy

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F U T U R E The Gambler

R E L E A S E S The Interview

Production Paramount Pictures

Production Columbia Pictures

Director Rupert Wyatt

Director Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Starring Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman

Starring James Franco, Seth Rogen

Genre Drama

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

Production Walt Disney

Director Shawn Levy

Director Rob Marshall

Starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams

Starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt

Genre Adventure, Comedy

Genre Musical

Selma

Production Warner Bros.

Production Paramount

Director Clint Eastwood

Director Ava DuVernay

Starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller

Starring David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson

Genre Drama

Genre Biography, Drama

Big Eyes

November-December 2014

Into the Woods

Production 20th Century Fox

American Sniper

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Genre Comedy

Unbroken Production The Weinstein

Production Universal Pictures

Director Tim Burton

Director Angelina Jolie

Starring Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz

Starring Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson

Genre Drama

Genre Drama

F U T U R E A Most Violent Year

R E L E A S E S Taken 3

Production A24

Production 20th Century Fox

Director J.C. Chandor

Director Olivier Megaton

Starring Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain

Starring Liam Neeson Genre Action, Adventure, Thriller

Genre Thriller

The Snow Queen: Journey Continues

Escobar: Paradise Lost

Production Wizart's

Production RADiUS-TWC

Director Timur Bekmambetov

Director Andrea di Stefano Starring Benicio Del Toro, Josh Hutcherson

Starring Sharlto Copley, Bella Thorne

Genre Biography, Drama

Genre Animation, Family

The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death

Paddington

Production Relativity Media

Production Heyday Films

Director Tom Harper

Director Paul King

Starring Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine

Starring Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville

Genre Horror, Thriller

Genre Adventure, Family

Black Sea

Predestination Production Stage 6 (Sony)

Production Focus Features

Director Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig

Director Kevin Macdonald

Starring Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook Genre Action, Adventure

Starring Jude Law, Scoot McNairy Genre Adventure, Thrillers

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F U T U R E The Boy Next Door

Production UTV Motion Pictures

Director Rob Cohen

Director Rajkumar Hirani

Starring Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman

Starring Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma

Genre Psychological Thriller

Genre Comedy

Tevar Production Lionsgate

Production Eros International

Director David Koepp

Director Amit Sharma

Starring Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow

Starring Arjun Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha

Genre Action, Adventure

Genre Comedy, Action

Baby

Action Jackson Production Eros International

Production T-Series

Director Prabhu Deva

Director Neeraj Pandey

Starring Ajay Devgan, Sonakshi Sinha

Starring Akshay Kumar, Tapsee Pannu

Genre Comedy

Genre Action, Thriller

Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain

Lingaa

Production Ravi Walia

Production Rockline Venkatesh

Director Ravi Kumar

Director K. S. Ravikumar

Starring Martin Sheen, Rajpal Yadav

Starring Rajinikanth, Sonakshi Sinha, Anushka Shetty

Genre Drama

November-December 2014

PK

Production Universal Pictures

Mortdecai

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R E L E A S E S

Genre Action - Drama