MINDSHARE THEATREWORLD EDITORIAL
Issue # 81 March-May 2018
In this digital era, when five different kinds of screens (cinema, mobile, laptop, tablet & television) are already jostling for audience attention, is there enough space for the sixth screen i.e. Virtual Reality (VR)? Will it find favour with an audience who is juggling with gadgets and hard pressed for time? The VR technology per se is growing extensive globally. With the Regal Cinemas recently launching IMAX Virtual Reality Centre at NYC Times Square, looks like the future is gearing up for this format. Regal Cinemas announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Cineworld, the UK's largest cinema operator, to acquire Regal. With this merger, Cineworld will be the second largest cinema chain globally. With the lifting of the ban on commercial cinemas in Saudi Arabia, the red carpet rolls out for theatres after 35 long years! This is a huge moment in history as global cinema operators collaborate with prestigious partners to lead the development of world-class cinemas in the Kingdom (read exclusive coverage in this issue). Samsung's LED screens are picking up but they received a lukewarm response from the exhibitors. However, the RGB Pure Laser Projectors are getting installed aggressively. Less than a month after hitting theaters, Black Panther has officially made over $1 billion at the global box office. It is now the fifth Marvel film in history to cross the mark, after The Avengers, Iron Man 3, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Captain America: Civil War. It's also the first film of 2018 to hit $1 billion worldwide. The established and successful Hindi film actor Ajay Devgn is all set to make the big debut in film exhibition business. He will be launching his own chain of multiplexes, under the brand name NY Cinemas, across India. The actor recently acquired six single screens in Uttar Pradesh and plans to convert them into multiplexes. He also has plans to buy about 100 screens across the country. Sanjay LeelaBhansali's magnum opus Padmavaat is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made at a production cost of INR 2.15 billion (US$33 million). But the film was more in news for facing numerous controversies. The film released amid insane and violent protests. Despite not being released in some states of India, it grossed over INR 5.64 billion (US$86 million) at the box office, becoming a commercial success and one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. The film that witnessed the dream run at box office is none other than Tiger ZindaHai. The sequel to EkTha Tiger has grossed US$87.32 million (INR 569 crore) worldwide, including INR 434.82 crore (US$67.11 million) in India, and US$20.3 million (INR 128.9 crore) overseas. In what was seen as a season of protests in South India, the majority of the 4,500 theatres showing regional language films had stopped screening from March 2. They were protesting against Digital Services Providers for their monopolistic ways. Players such as UFO, Qube and PXD charge a weekly Virtual Print Fee (VPF) for providing digital projection equipment. The cinema producers alleged that they had been charging a high fee and it needs to be reduced. Hoping the face-off is resolved at least by the time this magazine issue is out in print... TheatreWorld is once again the media partner at CinemaCon, Las Vegas, USA to be held from 23-26 April 2018. See you all soon! Do not forget to pick the magazine copy at CinemaCon!!! Raghavendra T Editor-Publisher DISCLAIMER - TheatreWorld Magazine does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information, product or service represented within our magazine or web site. The information provided is for knowledge or entertainment purposes only. TheatreWorld Magazine does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information found within said articles or advertisements. The views and opinions of the authors who have submitted articles to TheatreWorld Magazine belong to them alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreWorld Magazine or its staff.
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Raghavendra T Editor-Publisher +91 9980 208 208 raghav@network208.com
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Sandeep Mittal Founder Editor-Publisher RNI # KARENG02795/10/1/2002-TC TheatreWorld is a quarterly 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.
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contents
This issue of TW has two sets of page numbers - International pages TW-1 to TW-64 for TW, and India pages TM-1 to TM-34 for TM. TM is inserted between pages TW-58 and TW-59 of TW.
TW-8
SPECIAL STORY TW-30
Alejandro Ramirez Magaña
TW-36
INSTALLS TW-39
CJ CGV Installs
Premium Audio Systems TW-40
Majid Al Futtaim Opens
I N S TA L L S
Truly a Global Cinema Exhibitor TW-34 Curtains Up for Cinemas in Saudi Arabia
MBO's Unique Cinema Experience in AEON Falim
VOX Cinemas at City Centre Alexandria TW-42
Kinepolis Inaugurates
New Landmark Cinema in St Albert TW-43 Yashan International VIP Theatre
TW-48 The Experience of Cinema, Re-engineered TW-49 Accessibility Technology Requirements for Cinema TW-52 Virtual Print Fee (VPF) Basics
TRADESHOWS
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
TW-54 Preview -
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Samsung Electronics
Theatre of the Future
TW-57 Review TW-59
F
U T U R E
R E L E A S E S
TM-3
INDIA PLEXING TM-12
Mahasakthi Talkies
Selling Happiness with Every Ticket! TM-18
Bharath Cinemas
The Perfect Place to Unwind in Manipal TM-24
Mukta A2 Cinemas
Affordable and Luxurious Cinematic Experience PVR Cinemas
Creating Memories Pan India
BUSINESS TREND TM-29 Hyderabad Leads in New Mall Space Addition TM-30
Miraj Cinemas
The Rapidly Growing Empire
SPECIAL FEATURE TM-32 Marred by Controversies, Blessed by Box Office
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TM-20 INDIA PLEXING
TM-25
The Entertainment Park
Ticket to Relaxation!
AMC Theatres Crosses 12 Million AMC Stubs Member Households
AMC Theatres announced that AMC Stubs, the company's loyalty program, has continued its brisk growth and now stands at more than 12 million member households, giving AMC incredible insight into the moviegoing histories and habits of more than 30 million moviegoers in the United States. With its AMC Stubs loyalty program now at more than 12 million members, and the U.S. average of 2.6 people per household, combined with AMC's best-in-class website and mobile app, AMC's ability to track movie-going preferences and turn that data into actionable marketing initiatives is better than it's ever been before. "The movie industry is more dynamic and complex than ever before, and data providing insights into the movie-going habits and behavior of more than 30 million Americans is of incredible value to both AMC and to our studio partners," said AMC CEO and President Adam Aron. "Add to that the nearly 7 million members of our loyalty programs in Europe, and it is clear that AMC is building a valuable trove of information that will benefit the industry for years to come. We have every intention of expanding our global base of loyalty
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customers to 50 million and beyond in the foreseeable future." In July of 2016, AMC announced a relaunch of AMC Stubs, to increase the appeal of its paid, premier tier and to add a free tier. At that time, the AMC Stubs membership in the United States sat at approximately 2.5 million households, a membership level that had not changed in approximately three years. During the next year and a half, the household membership level has nearly quintupled in size.
Cinemark Announces Grand Opening in New Caney, Texas Cinemark Holdings, Inc, a leader in the motion picture exhibition
industry, announced the grand opening of its new 10-screen theatre in New Caney, Texas. Located at 21750 Valley Ranch Parkway, the new Cinemark Valley Ranch and XD will feature Luxury Lounger electric recliners in all auditoriums, an XD: Extreme Digital Cinema auditorium and a Cinema CafĂŠ with an expanded menu including beer, wine, and frozen drinks. The Cinemark Valley Ranch and XD Theatre features an XD auditorium, Luxury Lounger recliners and an expanded concessions menu. "This theatre is Cinemark's 14th location in the greater Houston area and an exciting addition to the Valley Ranch Town Center," stated Mark Zoradi, Cinemark's CEO. "We invite the community to come enjoy this upscale new theatre and take advantage of all of the great things it has to offer including our new Movie Club membership program." Cinemark Movie Club is a unique monthly movie membership program offering exclusive benefits including one 2D ticket per month, concession discounts, waived online ticketing fees, and more for just $8.99 per month. Movie-lovers can instantly join and begin taking advantage of their benefits by downloading the Cinemark app or by visiting cinemark.com/movieclub. In the upcoming weeks at the Cinemark Valley Ranch and XD theatre, Movie Club members and film fans alike can see a variety of Hollywood's blockbusters including Maze Runner: The Death Cure, Fifty Shades Freed, Peter Rabbit and Black Panther.
At the new 10-screen cinema complex, Guests will experience cutting-edge technology and customer-preferred amenities including: •
Cinemark's Luxury Loungers electric-powered, plush, oversize recliners with cup holders and footrests in each auditorium
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A Cinemark XD auditorium - the No. 1 private label Premium Large Format (PLF) in the world featuring the largest screen in the theatre and custom surround sound
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A state-of-the-art viewing environment with wall-to-wall screens and enhanced sound systems in all auditoriums
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4K digital projection powered by Barco projectors; RealD 3D capability in several auditoriums
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Reserved seating in all auditoriums with online and kiosk ticketing available
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A Cinema Café featuring chicken tenders with wedge fries, individual-sized pizzas, pretzel bites, hot dogs, scooped ice-cream and Starbucks espresso drinks as well as beer, wine, frozen margaritas and strawberry daiquiris
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A self-serve concession stand offering popcorn, Coca-Cola fountain drinks and favorite candy brands
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Special discount pricing for EarlyBird, Senior Mondays, Discount Tuesdays and Active Military
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A party room available for rental for birthday parties and other celebrations
The new Cinemark Valley Ranch and XD theatre has a variety of Grand Opening activities planned including Live radio station remotes on Saturday, Feb. 3 with 107.5 The Eagle from 2-4 p.m., 94.5 The Buzz from 5-7 p.m. and 104.1 KRBE-FM from 7-8 p.m. Radio personalities will be giving away special prizes throughout each afternoon and evening.
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Cinemark Promotes Sean Gamble to Chief Operating Officer and Appoints Wanda Gierhart to Chief Marketing Officer Cinemark Holdings, Inc, a leading motion picture exhibitor, announced that Sean Gamble has been named Chief Operating Officer in addition to his current role as Chief Financial Officer. Cinemark has also expanded the leadership team with the appointment of Wanda Gierhart to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. With Mr. Gamble's Chief Operating Officer promotion he will take on further responsibility for global content programming, business development, purchasing and investor relations, while maintaining oversight for Cinemark's financial operations, information technology and advanced analytics. Mr. Gamble has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Cinemark since August 2014. Prior to joining Cinemark, Mr. Gamble worked for the Comcast Corporation as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Universal Pictures within NBCUniversal. He also held multiple senior leadership positions within the General Electric Company. Mr. Gamble graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. "Sean has proven himself to be an outstanding partner in overseeing the Company's financial direction, operational execution, strategic vision and growth initiatives," stated Mark Zoradi, Chief Executive Officer. "He has been deeply involved in the
Mr. Sean Gamble
Company's cross-departmental business decisions and has added tremendous value with his extensive financial and operational education and experience. We are thrilled to recognize his significant contributions with this promotion." Mr. Zoradi continued, "We are also incredibly pleased to welcome Wanda to our Cinemark family and executive leadership team. Wanda's extensive retail marketing background will provide great insights and augment the strength of our global marketing organization." Ms. Gierhart is a thought-leader in customer engagement strategies and has been named as a "Top Woman in Cross-Channel Retailing" and as Brand Innovators "Top 50 Women in Brand Marketing." She played a key role in driving the Omni-Channel strategic vision and subsequent transformation of the NMG brand by enabling a customer to shop any time and from any mobile device. She has also been recognized for her ability to drive a brand, engage audiences and positively impact customer behavior. Before joining Cinemark, Ms. Gierhart served as Chief Marketing Officer for several organizations, including Neiman Marcus Group, Design Within Reach and Limited Brands. Ms. Gierhart has executive leadership experience as President and CEO of TravelSmith. Wanda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from University of Nebraska.
Ms. Wanda Gierhart
Regal and IMAX Launch Virtual Reality Centre in NYC's Times Square Regal Entertainment Group, a leading motion picture exhibitor owning and operating one of the largest theatre circuits in the United States, in partnership with IMAX, unveiled the new IMAX VR Centre at Regal E-Walk Stadium 13 & RPX in Times Square, New York City. Regal's new IMAX Centre is one of only six in the world, and invites guests to experience other worlds with immersive, multi-dimensional virtual reality experiences, including movie entertainment content and games. The mind-shattering IMAX VR experience will be available at E-Walk starting today, and Regal looks forward to sharing the state-of-theart technology with its guests. The Centre features a unique combination of premium technology and world-class content that lets users see, feel, move and play in new worlds in a powerfully immersive and realistic way, just as Regal's IMAX theatres offer moviegoers a differentiated and best-in-class film experience. With groundbreaking VR headset technology, 360-degree sound and sophisticated room tracking, players will be instantly transported into new interactive virtual worlds that are more realistic than anything imaginable. "Regal strives to offer the ultimate in cutting-edge technology, and this VR Centre is unlike anything our guests have experienced," said Ken Thewes, Chief Marketing Officer at Regal Entertainment Group. "Our partnership with IMAX allows us to offer virtual reality options that are in high demand with today's movie fans, and create bigger and better opportunities for our guests. The IMAX VR Centre is a huge technological leap, and a fantastic advance for the Regal experience." The Centre, which will be located on the fourth floor of the Regal E-Walk Stadium 13 multiplex, employs a new design - proprietary to IMAX - to allow multiple players to enjoy
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highly interactive, exciting, moveable VR experiences in an extremely social environment. The Centre will consist of two "pods," which are designed to optimize user mobility and interaction in virtual environments and can be adapted for specific content experiences - whether single or multi-user, as well as a GloStation a new hyper reality escape room VR experience that allows up to 4 players at a time to compete as a unit with free-roam mobility. "We look forward to expanding our longstanding partnership with Regal to usher in the next evolution of immersive entertainment - starting with the launch of IMAX VR at one of its most prominent multiplexes," said Mark Welton, President, IMAX Theatres. "As one of the most heavily trafficked tourist destinations in the world, Times Square is an ideal location to introduce IMAX VR to a wide range of audiences from all over the world." The VR Centre will continually feature an array of new, premium interactive content experiences that are each expected to range between eight and 15 minutes in length. Regal looks forward to sharing this innovative technology and offering crowd-pleasing experiential opportunities at E-Walk throughout the holiday season. Paired with luxury recliners and a continually expanding concession menu, the theatre is raising the bar for movie fans everywhere.
Toby Bradon Appointed Managing Director of Vue Internationalin Italy Toby joins TSC from Vue International's headquarters in London where he was previously Executive Director of Strategy & Business Improvement. In his previous role Toby worked with the senior management teams across the Vue territories, which included working extensively with the TSC team, in developing plans for the future growth of the business. In addition Toby oversaw Vue pricing activity along with the delivery of strategic projects within the business. Toby will now lead the delivery of a number of significant investments and developments to build on TSC's customer experience including trialling Vue's industry leading Recliner seat, upgrading the Retail offer with new products and service offers and rolling out the Vista operating system across the circuit. Toby will look for opportunities to grow the existing TSC circuit including by way of inmarket acquisitions. Toby will also continue the work already underway with other leading industry figures in Italy to help develop strategies to grow Italian cinema admissions across the whole year for the benefit of everyone in the industry. Prior to joining Vue International in 2009, Toby previously worked at
management consultancies AT Kearney and McKinsey & Company. Steve Knibbs, Chief Operating Officer at Vue International commented: "I am absolutely delighted to be announcing Toby's appointment as our new Managing Director in Italy. It is always very satisfying to be promoting talent from within the business and Toby is a great example of our commitment to this strategy. Toby understands our business philosophy extremely well as he has played an integral role in developing our strategy in his previous role. We have a great team at TSC and I look forward to seeing the business grow under Toby's forward looking leadership." Toby Bradon commented: "I am really excited and look forward to working with the highly experienced and talented people throughout The Space Cinema. I relish the opportunity to further develop this great business ensuring The Space Cinema is the first choice for cinema entertainment in Italy."
Regal Entertainment to be Acquired by Cineworld Group Regal Entertainment Group announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Cineworld Group PLC for Cineworld, the U.K.'s largest cinema operator, to acquire Regal, a leading motion picture exhibitor owning and operating one of the largest theatre circuits in the U.S. Under the terms of the Agreement, Regal stockholders are to receive $23.00 in cash for each share of Class A and Class B common stock, for a total transaction value of $5.9 billion, including the assumption of debt and net of cash acquired. The offer price represents a premium of 43.2% over Regal's 30-day unaffected weighted average share price of $16.06.
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The transaction has been approved unanimously by Regal's and Cineworld's Boards of Directors. The Anschutz Corporation, which owns approximately 67% of the combined voting power of Regal's outstanding shares of Class A common and Class B common stock, has signed a voting and support agreement to support the transaction. Global City Holdings B.V. ("GCH") and the trustee of trusts of which Cineworld's Chairman, Anthony Bloom, is a potential discretionary beneficiary, collectively owning approximately 28.8% of Cineworld's ordinary shares, have signed irrevocable undertakings to vote in favor of the transaction and rights offering. The transaction is subject to regulatory review, approval by the shareholders of Regal and Cineworld and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018. "We are excited to have reached an agreement with Cineworld, at a price that represents a meaningful premium on Regal's unaffected share price for our shareholders. Since becoming a public company, Regal has focused on delivering superior shareholder value, including return of capital in the form of regular and special dividends," said Amy Miles, CEO of Regal Entertainment Group. "We believe the transaction announced today provides compelling value for our stockholders." "We believe this partnership with Cineworld will enhance Regal's
ability to deliver a premium moviegoing experience for customers and further build upon our strategy of introducing innovative concepts and premium amenities designed to enhance the value of our theatre assets. The combination of our two great companies, Cineworld's tremendous success in the UK, as well as other markets they have entered since, and Cineworld's commitment to maintain a strong presence in the US and Knoxville, provide a global platform positioned for continued growth and innovation," Miles concluded. Mooky Greidinger, CEO of Cineworld Group PLC said, "We have long had high respect for Regal and for its strong position in the largest box office market in the world and we are delighted that the Regal Directors have unanimously approved the agreement. Regal is a great business and provides Cineworld with the optimal platform on which we can continue our growth strategy. Both companies are strongly committed to bring a high end cinematic experience to their customers. Consolidation is an important move forward and the best practices we have successfully rolled out across Europe will be the key driver to continued success. We strongly believe in our strategy which is to create 'The Best Place to Watch a Movie!' We have great teams at both Regal and Cineworld and we trust that based on their skills and professionalism we will lead the joint company to become a great success story."
Major Cineplex Partners with True Digital & Media Platform The company Major Cineplex Group Public Company Limited's (PLC) and True Digital Platforms & Media Limited rewarded the teachers on the Teacher's: Free 1 seat movie tickets for teachers and coaches. In addition, teachers can be eligible through the true you application, just show the code. Get free ... 46 ounces of popcorn and 2,000 ounces of 22 oz.
4DX Forms New Partnership with Golden Screen Cinemas 4DX, an innovative cinema technology featuring moving seats and environmental effects, has strengthened its hold on the Asian market by signing a binding MOU (memorandum of understanding) for a partnership with Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) in Malaysia. The announcement was made at the CineAsia trade show being held at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, December 11-14. This MOU with GSC and CJ 4DPLEX will bring a 4DX theater to the GSC Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru location by early 2018. This location is GSC's only site in the state of Johor and is accessible to an estimated 2 million
people - all of whom live 30 minutes from the mall by car. GSC is Malaysia's largest cinema exhibitor, which operates a total of 328 auditoriums in 35 locations across the country. GSC also operates 73 auditoriums in 12 locations in Vietnam. "As one of Malaysia's leading cinema exhibitors, Golden Screen Cinemas is committed to innovating and diversifying our offerings to deliver new and enriching cinema experiences for customers. Our partnership with 4DX is the next step for us to bring to life the magic of cinema, as 4DX intensifies the experience of the movies to be even more immersive, engaging, and meaningful than before," said Koh Mei Lee, CEO of Golden Screen Cinemas. "We believe that 4DX, as one of the world's leading technologies in premium cinematic entertainment, will transform the way Malaysians enjoy films at our cinemas, offering unforgettable sensory experiences you just can't get at home. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with 4DX, as we aim to extend the 4D cinematic experience to movie-goers all over the country," she added. "It is a great pleasure for us to announce that we start our business in Malaysia with GSC. We are very excited into a new market and looking forward to offer this unique moviegoing experience to Malaysian movie fans," said Byung Hwan Choi, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX.
Spcine in Brazil Selects Christie Projectors Christie, a leader in creating and delivering the world's best visual and audio experiences, announced that Spcine, a Brazilian public cinema chain focused on bringing cinemas to low income areas in São Paulo, has deployed Christie digital cinema projection systems in its 20 recentlyopened theatres in the city. The installation was carried out by Christie partner Seal Telecom. Spcine circuit is the largest network of public cinemas in Brazil and one of the most important in Latin America. With 20 screens available in 15 CEUs (Unified Centers of Education) and five cultural centers, Spcine offers subsidized ticket prices, in effect democratizing access to audiovisual entertainment to a larger audience. It is already the second largest chain in the city of São Paulo, and it offers a mix of Brazilian films and international successes.
Ricardo Laporta, Territory Sales Manager, Cinema, Christie Brazil, said "We are honored to be part of Spcine's mission and to be identified with its cause. We are confident that by offering its audiences a host of entertaining and informative movies and shows, using Christie's economical, reliable and technologically-advanced digital cinema projectors, we will ensure the growth and consolidation of this project to successfully bring cinema to the low income communities of São Paulo." Spcine called for a public tender to provide the projection systems. As a result, its technical team immediately noticed the Christie difference. "The fact of the matter is that the Christie
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projectors were the ones that best adapted to the technical specifications detailed in the call, with affordable prices," said Cristiano Felicissimo, Pre Sales Director at Seal Telecom.
Seal Telecom has installed the Christie CP2308 model, a 3DLP Cinema projector for screens up to 35 feet, in all 20 theatres. With a robust and user-friendly 2K design, the CP2308 is a low cost of ownership solution in a compact footprint that brings smallscreen exhibitors an affordable entry into digital cinema. It can project DCI, 3D and High Frame Rate (HFR) content at 9,000 lumens within the DCI color space and up to 10,000 lumens when presenting alternative content. All the theatres have also been equipped with the Dolby 5.1 sound platform. Cristiano Felicissimo added that "The CP2308 is a high quality projector that guarantees flawless performance, quality and brightness. In addition to these features, Christie Brazil provided us with fast post-sales back up and support. From the moment of pre installation until after installation, Christie's team was present to ensure that the entire project would be a success." With a total investment of US$2.5 million, Spcine offers 6,500 seats and 200 weekly screenings and hopes to attract 63,000 cinema goers a week (960,000 per year).
Golden Screen Cinemas Returns to Johor with GSC Paradigm JB Malaysia's leading cinema exhibitor, Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) officially launched its latest theatre,
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GSC Paradigm JB. At 60,000 sq. ft. with over 16 screens and more than 2,000 seats, GSC Paradigm JB is the largest cinema in the state of Johor. The cinema will also be the first in Malaysia to feature 4DX, the leading 4D cinematic technology developed by South Korea's CJ 4DPLEX, which brings movies to life through motion and environmental effects. Feel the magic of cinema in four dimensions: With GSC's new premium cinema format, 4DX offers movie-goers a completely immersive cinematic experience by enhancing on-screen visuals of action-packed blockbusters with over 20 special signature effects. This includes vibration and motion-activated seats, as well as environmental effects like wind, fog, rain, lightning, and scents, which work together cohesively to deliver a multi-sensory experience. "We are proud to launch GSC Paradigm JB, our latest multiplex and the first to offer 4DX - the world's leading technology in premium cinematic entertainment. 4DX will transform the traditional filmviewing experience for audiences, leaving them even more immersed and engaged than before, as it intensifies high-energy movies and delivers an unforgettable sensory experience you just can't get anywhere else," said Ms. Koh Mei Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Golden Screen Cinemas. A visual and aural feast for the senses: More than just 4DX, GSC Paradigm JB cinema will also bring GSC's proprietary premium large screen format, GSC Maxx to Johor. At a sizeable 21.5 metres in width, the GSC Maxx in GSC Paradigm JB is the largest cinema screen in south Peninsular Malaysia, and will also be
the first to feature an end-to-end audio experience powered by Dolby audio solutions. This includes the combination of a Dolby Integrated Media Server IMS3000, Dolby Multichannel Amplifier, and SLS Cinema Series Speaker System, which is designed to give audiences the most spectacular, fully immersive aural experience available to date. The setup enables complete, integrated audio from Dolby Audio 7.1 to Dolby Atmos, regardless of the size of the auditorium. Bigger and better than before: As the newest and largest cinema in Johor, GSC Paradigm JB's auditoriums boast cutting-edge cinema features including D-BOX motion seat technology, Dolby Atmos, and THXcertification, all of which provide top-notch cinematic entertainment. The multiplex will also be the first GSC in Malaysia to feature full laser projection in all its halls, offering sharper, higher contrast visuals that bring out the movies in eye-popping colour. GSC Paradigm JB will also bring GSC International Screens to the south with dedicated halls that will showcase arthouse and foreign films, as well as alternative content such as concerts and sporting events among others. This ensures that audiences in Johor will have access to more than just movies. For those who prefer a little luxury on their visit to the movies, there are also two Premiere Class halls available, which offer greater comfort and space. Premiere Class comes with its own standalone washroom and a shared lounge with a reading corner for guests. GSC Paradigm JB also features a cafĂŠ for casual dining, where customers can enjoy handmade gourmet burgers, freshly brewed coffee, and all-natural cold-pressed fruit juices. "Together with WCT Holdings Berhad, we have made a combined investment of over RM44 million to ensure that GSC Paradigm JB is wellequipped to meet the needs of our
customers, so that they will be able to enjoy more when they come to our cinemas. These features in our cinema, both familiar and new, reaffirm our commitment to innovation, as we continue to diversify our offerings to deliver new and enriching cinema experiences for our customers," added Ms. Koh.
Christie's RGB Pure Laser Projector for Cinemas Christie introduced the Christie CP4325-RGB pure laser cinema projector, which delivers a premium movie-going experience to mainstream theatres. Featuring CineLife electronics and RealLaser illumination, this compact, all-in-one DCI-compliant projector excels in image quality and operational lifetime, while providing a low cost of ownership. With the CP4325-RGB, exhibitors can fill their auditorium seats by attracting audiences with incredibly colorful and detailed, trueto-life images. "With its innovative all-in-one, 'next generation' direct- coupled RGB illumination system, the Christie CP4235-RGB is the most advanced laser projector on the market," said Allan Fernandes, senior manager, Product Management, Global Cinema, at Christie. "Using next generation, pure red-green-blue direct-emitting laser technology, the CP4325-RGB offers the most authentic and immersive cinema experience for the mainstream market. It offers all the advantages of a high-performance laser projector in a compact 'all-in-one' form factor that eliminates the need for subambient external cooling, while providing rich colors, higher contrast ratios, and the lowest total cost of ownership of any projector in its class." Based on feedback gathered during recent factory tours, in-depth demonstrations and event showings
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to Christie's global customer base, the CP4325-RGB promises to be a welcome addition to the cinema value chain, with exhibitors and post-production houses eager to put its potential to work. It is wellpositioned to become the benchmark for laser-based cinema projection and exemplifies Christie's technological leadership in the cinema market. "Our longstanding, strategic relationship with Christie has delivered thousands of digital cinema projectors to theatres across China," said Jack Wang, Chief Technical Officer, Wanda Cinemaline Corporation. "As we continue to grow our domestic cinema-market share, we are looking closely at the Christie CP4325-RGB RealLaser projector as a strong candidate for our lineup." "HOYTS Cinema Technology Group has always prided itself on introducing technologies that deliver the ultimate visuals for the best cinematic experience, witness our installation of the Christie CP42LH3DLP 4K RGB laser projector for our 390-seat "Xtremescreen" premium auditorium in October 2016, at the HOYTS Chadstone complex," said Adam Wrightson, General Manager, HOYTS Cinema Technology Group. "Given Christie's pedigree and our reputation for innovation, it's no wonder that HOYTS has already ordered several units of the Christie CP4325-RGB projector, which leverages the many
features of the CP42LH but shrinks the footprint with a breakthroughdesign that eliminates the need for external chillers," Wrightson added. "Our customers deserve the best, so to light up our Super EMAX theatre in Novi, Michigan, with its 92 ft (28 m) by 40 ft (12 m) screen, we've installed a Christie CP42LH 3DLP 4K RGB laser projector," said David Zylstra, VP of Technology, EmagineEntertainment. "But technology is always improving and so I'm delighted that, with the launch of the CP4325-RGB, Christie is introducing its RealLaser lineup of all-in-one projectors; a family which has the potential to 'future proof' our Novi and other auditoriums across the U.S. heartland." "The three CP42LH projectors we have installed so far in our premium auditoriums have given us an incredible competitive edge in the market," said Luis Millรกn, owner of the Spanish cinema chain Odeon Multicines. "Our customers love the picture and really notice the difference in color saturation, clarity, brightness and higher contrast image quality. So we are looking forward to the launch of the CP4325-RGB with its innovative and compact form factor design that reduces system complexity and cost, while also providing a wide color gamut," added Millรกn. "Department of Post is an innovative, agile and collaborative post-house, aiming to provide filmmakers access to the best technology the world has to offer," said James Gardner, CTO, Department of Post. "In keeping with our mission, the Christie CP4325-RGB RealLaser projector is an essential addition to our facility, with exceedingly accurate colour rendition, vivid black and white contrast and overall brightness that enables us to promise our clients the highest possible quality projection of their work in a professional environment," said Gardner. "The CP4325-RGB is the forerunner of a line of Christie RGB pure laser projection solutions intended for
mainstream cinema applications and as such is an ideal replacement product for exhibitors wishing to upgrade existing installations, as well as for new-build cinemas and retrofits," said Brian Claypool, vice president, Product Management, Global Cinema, at Christie. "With its compact footprint, long operational life, increased performance capabilities and elimination of consumables, the CP4325-RGB is a game-changing proposition for mainstream auditoriums looking for a performance upgrade when investing in their next generation cinema experience, rather than settling for just a technology swap," added Claypool. Employing next-generation RGB pure laser devices, Christie's advanced research and development teams have been able to eliminate the need for any external cooling, drastically reducing system complexity and cost, while ensuring an impressive and reliable operational life of more than 30,000 hours, with only a 20 percent loss in brightness over this time. The CP4325-RGB boasts a contrast ratio of up to 6000:1 and provides better uniformity and a wider color gamut than other cinema projection systems. In addition, the projector's compact form-factor means that it can be easily integrated into standard cinema booths. The Christie CP4325-RGB, like its fiber-coupled sibling - the Christie CP42LH - offers a wide color gamut exceeding DCI P3 specifications, enhanced contrast ratios and high frame rates (HFR) compatibility. The CP4325-RGB features Christie's new CineLife Series 3 electronics and embedded cinema automation for streamlined playback, scheduling and content management. Field tested on more than 100 screens since 2014 with the next-generation Christie IMB-S3, the CineLife Series 3 electronics also provides backwards compatibility with existing Series 2 IMB architectures.
HOYTS Purchases Christie CP4325RGB Pure Laser Projectors Christie announced that HOYTS has purchased several units of the newlyintroduced CP4325-RGB pure laser cinema projector to deliver unmatched visuals in mainstream auditoriums and post-production facilities in Australia and New Zealand. The acquired units will be installed at HOYTS' upcoming flagship "all RGB laser" cinema complex located in Docklands, Melbourne, as well as in Auckland-based post-production house Department of Post. The installations will be carried out by HOYTS Cinema Technology Group (CTG), which offers its extensive service and support capabilities to members of the exhibition and postproduction industries in Australian and New Zealand. "With Christie's new CP4325-RGB pure laser projectors, we endeavour to deliver the best visual experience possible in every auditorium at our new cinema in Docklands and at post-production facilities such as Department of Post," said Adam Wrightson, General Manager, HOYTS Cinema Technology Group (CTG). "Christie RGB pure laser projectors are the future of cinema projection and the gold standard for that technology. We're very confident that the CP4325-RGB will deliver rich and vibrant visuals in mainstream auditoriums, as well as for filmmakers and post-production facilities." Michael Bosworth, General Manager, Christie Australia, added, "We are delighted that HOYTS has purchased our next generation CP4325-RGB pure laser projectors following its official introduction at CineAsia 2017. This exemplifies the strong trust and confidence that HOYTS and HOYTS CTG have in our new product to deliver unrivalled cinematic performance. At the same time, it reinforces our vision that RGB pure
laser will become the standard for mainstream cinema in the very near future." Besides the new CP4325-RGB projectors, HOYTS' Docklands site will also install the Christie CP42LHfibrecoupled RGB pure laser projection systems in two XtremeScreen premium format auditoriums equipped with screens of over 20 metres wide. Each CP42LH unit will be upgraded to 60,000 lumens to deliver the brightest and most engaging visuals. "This will be our second and third CP42LH systems installed at HOYTS cinemas in Melbourne delivering the ultimate cinematic experience available to our guests. In addition to the Christie RGB pure laser projection systems powering the visuals, every auditorium at Docklands will also have Dolby Atmos sound," said Wrightson.
GDC Technology Revolutionizes Cinema Management With Machine Intelligence Cinema Automation CA2.0 is the first-ever centralized solution to automatically manage content storage and playback, show scheduling, power supply and screening quality. This powerful solution leverages machine intelligence to revolutionize cinema management for improved efficiency, enhanced reliability and reduced human intervention, all made possible due to its three breakthroughs: •
Breakthrough 1: SCL-2000 Centralized Storage Playback Solution
•
Breakthrough 2: Automatic Content Management and Show Playlist Generation
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Breakthrough 3: Intelligent Cinema Equipment Management
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Barco and China Film Co Agree on New Ownership Structure for Chinese Market Barco, the global leader in cinema technology, announced that it has reached an agreement with China Film Co, Ltd to change the ownership structure of its BarcoCFG joint venture for the Chinese cinema market in conjunction with the strategic joint venture with CFG, Appotronics and CITICPE. Under the terms of the agreement Barco will sell 9% of its shares in the BarcoCFG joint venture to CFG in exchange for 175 million RMB, thereby reducing its stake in the joint venture from 58% to 49%. Barco will continue to act as exclusive OEM partner for all projection and image processing technologies of the joint venture. The joint venture between Barco and CFG was established in 2011 to develop China's digital cinema market through localized commercial operations, business development and assembly of digital cinema products and services. "The combination of Barco's technology and China Film Group's expertise and market access has made meaningful and successful contributions to the development of digital cinema market in China over the past six years, resulting in a current market share of over 50% for Barco Cinema projectors." said Jan De Witte, CEO of Barco. "As the market matures in the larger cities and sales begin to shift to smaller tier 3 and 4 cities, we have agreed that China Film Group is best positioned to lead this next phase of development of the Chinese cinema market. As a 49% shareholder, Barco remains fully committed to the joint venture as a technology partner and provider." The new ownership structure is expected to take effect by mid-2018 pending customary regulatory approvals after which Barco, as a result of the change in control, will
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report financial results of the BarcoCFG joint venture under the equity method. Although the impact of the change in ownership change on Barco's net earnings will not be material, Barco's net sales and EBITDA will not be comparable with prior periods. Once the new ownership structure is established Barco plans to provide pro-forma financial statements for the first half of 2018.
Jackie Chan Cinemas Centralises Operations with AAM Arts Alliance Media (AAM), together with their Chinese reseller Beijing Cserv, announced that Jackie Chan Cinemas will centralise all their operations using AAM's enterprise Theatre Management System (TMS), known as Producer. Jackie Chan Cinemas' rapid expansion in China, from just over 200 screens in 2015 to over 600 this year, exposed their need for greater oversight of their operations from a central point. In order to continue growing sustainably, they will use Producer to standardise their operations and minimise the burden of daily operational tasks on site staff. Producer empowers their head-office in Beijing with full visibility and control over their entire estate's content and screenings. The centralised team can now automate playlist and schedule building, playback, and KDM delivery, for all of
their screens across China. These monitoring and management tools will effectively turn cinema operations into something that happens in the background for site staff. Patrick Zhao, CEO at Jackie Chan Cinemas said "We are continuing to grow at such a pace that we will have over 800 screens by 2018. Producer gives us the oversight and tools we need to add screens to our circuit without duplicating the amount of content management work needed, so our staff can stay focused on providing innovative audience experiences." Jackie Chan Cinemas has been using AAM's TMS, Screenwriter, to manage content, playlists and scheduling on all of their screens since 2015. Upgrading to Producer extends and centralises that functionality, providing Jackie Chan Cinemas with improved control and visibility across their circuit's operations. AAM will deploy Producer together with Beijing Cserv, one of AAM's strongest technical partners in China, in order to provide a seamless user experience. Producer is designed to control and monitor the status of all the sites in a circuit, highlighting any upcoming issues for proactive resolution. In addition to saving site staff time, managing content and pre-show packs remotely reduces the possibility of human error. John Aalbers, CEO of Arts Alliance Media, said "Jackie Chan Cinemas value the quality of their scheduling as one of their strongest selling points, so it was vital that, no matter how many sites they added, they could maintain tight control. Through centralisation, they can continue to grow and deliver on their promises to their customers, without worrying about needing technical specialists at each site. We are delighted to provide them all the benefits of an automated, centralised circuit so they can keep expanding for years to come."
Dolby Laboratories Awarded by the Advanced Imaging Society On January 16, the Advanced Imaging Society (AIS) awards celebrated the 10 honorees of the 2018 Technology Awards and the 13 women who received AIS' Distinguished Leadership Award. Dolby Vision Professional Tools received a Technology Award for bringing color, contrast, and brightness to the High Dynamic Range (HDR) viewing experience. Dolby Worldwide Content Relations VP Ron Geller and Content Solutions Senior Manager Tom Graham accepted the award on behalf of the Dolby Vision Pro Tools team. Dolby's Chief Scientist Dr. Poppy Crumwas among the recipients of the Distinguished Leadership Award, a special honor created by the AIS this year to recognize women who are advancing the field of imaging technology.
Ymagis Group Announces EclairColor HDR License Program Ymagis Group, the European specialist in digital technologies for the film industry, announced the launch of a Professional License Program for its EclairColor HDR solution in favor of independent film laboratories, content services companies and projection system integrators. EclairColor is an
affordable high dynamic range (HDR) solution used by filmmakers and content creators that significantly enhances the cinema experience by bringing richer colors, greater brightness & definition, more depth of field and more density to the screen. Two license agreements have already been signed with postproduction houses Filmmore (Netherlands) and Dame Blanche (Belgium). Both organizations have undergone the EclairColor certification program to meet the HDR technology requirements. Discussions are currently underway with additional post companies in the United Kingdom, France and the US. The announcement was made in conjunction with the ICTA (International Cinema Technology Association) Seminar Series underway at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. "We are delighted to launch our new EclairColor license program, which allows independent companies other than our Eclair and CinemaNext subsidiaries to work within the EclairColor ecosystem, whether on the EclairColor mastering or color grading of movies, or the installation of EclairColor-enabled projection systems," explains Jean Mizrahi, cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of Ymagis Group. "A few days after receiving the support of Bpifrance Assurance Export for the North American market, this program marks another important step in the acceleration of the development of our HDR cinema solution and confirms our strategy to make the EclairColor HDR business model open to virtually anyone. With EclairColor, we are committed to helping the creative community ensures that the films seen by cinemagoers will be as the artists originally intended. The strict specifications of the EclairColor process ensure consistency between postproduction and cinema projection, thus guaranteeing that the artistic choices and vision of film directors and directors of photography are accurately reflected." "Once our senior colorist Martin Klein had seen the technique
with his own eyes, while overseeing the EclairColor trim pass on Martin Koolhoven's Brimstone in Paris in early 2017, we were convinced this amazing new technology would be the way forward for us," explains Miga Bär, Filmmore's DI Technical Director & Color Management Specialist. "The wonderful thing about HDR is that it's really a technical innovation that will change storytelling and creative decisionmaking. Within HDR images the contrast ratio between white and black is higher than we are used to seeing in cinema and on TV. This results in images that are closer to what our eyes can see, both in brightness and contrast. The result is more lifelike. DP's and colorists can use the extra range the way they see fit. The easiest way to understand without seeing it is to imagine a painter that has worked with 20 different shades of paint forever, and now suddenly has 10 additional shades at hand. He might decide not to use the new colors to their full extent on every painting he makes, but it can open doors that used to be closed." There are currently more than 120 EclairColor-equipped cinema screens with content released in EclairColor HDR every week for a total of 60 feature-length films to date. EclairColor HDR is powered by highly-advanced projection systems available from Sony Digital Cinema 4K and Barco. EclairColor is a revolutionary HDR technology that is affordable and accessible to all cinemas, from arthouses to the largest multiplexes. EclairColor technology was praised by moviegoers in an audience survey conducted in France by an independent body, L'Observatoire de la Satisfaction, which revealed 97.3% of moviegoers that attended the screening of a film in EclairColor intend to repeat the experience and over two thirds will be recommending it to their family and friends. Audiences spontaneously mentioned the beauty of the images, stating they are of superior quality,
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more colorful and brighter in comparison with a standard image. More importantly, the projection in EclairColor significantly increased the level of appreciation of the film versus a screening in standard format.
CinemaNext and Ezcaray International Reach Global Cinema Agreement CinemaNext, the European specialist in cinema exhibitor services and Spanish seating supplier Ezcaray International announced the signing of a distribution agreement for Ezcaray's seating solutions for cinema exhibitors. The alliance recognizes CinemaNext as an official distributor in 17 European countries as well as in the US, Russia, Egypt, Kazakhstan and Morocco. CinemaNext is the exclusive reseller of Ezcaray's full range of seating products for cinema in Germany. "We are very pleased to partner with Ezcaray on a global reselling agreement offering cinema exhibitors some of the most innovative and cost-effective seating solutions available on the market, ranging from VIP or premium to standard options," explains Till Cussmann, SVP CinemaNext. "Founded in 1955, Ezcaray has always had the ability to adapt to our fast-evolving business landscape while placing quality at the core of their work. We are also very pleased to have secured the exclusive rights for Germany." For Pedro Cárdenas Díaz, Head of Sales at Ezcaray, "Two innovative companies sharing a common philosophy and desire to provide cinema exhibitors with the best products tailored for various market segments at a good price have decided to partner. The seating experience is instrumental to moviegoers. Whether reclining backrests, loveseats configuration or VIP seats with slide systems, we can
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meet the specific needs of cinema exhibitors thanks to our comfortproven seating products while offering them added value and potential increased revenue." CinemaNext is the largest cinema exhibition services company in Europe, providing smart, comprehensive solutions across the board, from projection equipment, audio systems, central systems, cinema outfitting and seating, content management, 3D projection systems & glasses, TMS, digital signage and screens to consulting services. Our clients enjoy the highest level of reliability and lowest cost of ownership through our various services: consulting, design & project management, equipment sales and financing, installation, maintenance, support (NOC), online monitoring, spare and consumables, service agreements and supply chain & logistics.
QSC Unveils New Flyable Subwoofers for Cinema QSC, LLC, a leading global manufacturer of cinema solutions, introduces the SB-118F and SB-218F new flyable subwoofers designed for low frequency enhancement in Cinema applications. The subwoofers feature integrated handles and eight built-in mounting points making them ideal for safe and easy suspension from ceilings or walls. The SB-118F has a single 18-inch driver, and the SB-218F has two 18inch drivers. Both subwoofers can be safely suspended close to the ceiling so that interior décor is minimally affected. "This new addition to our loudspeaker lineup provides Cinema owners a cost-effective subwoofer
especially suited for today's popular immersive sound applications," says Barry Ferrell, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for QSC. "Both models feature a 4-ohm impedance rating, so one can use a smaller amplifier to get maximum performance at a lower total cost." The SB-118F/218F covers the frequency range from 37 Hz to 230 Hz and reaches high output performance with 800W/1600W continuous power rating. The custom 800 watt, 18" transducers feature large 4" (101 mm) voice coils and a multi-vented pole piece to ensure cool operation, even at high power levels. These loudspeakers feature two connector types for added flexibility during installation: Neutrik Speak-on for quick connect/ disconnect, and traditional barrier strip connectors for ease of termination in the field.
QSC Celebrates 50 Years and Forward From the humble beginnings as the maker of garage-made guitar amplifiers to today's leading brand of professional AV for live sound, cinema and corporate installations worldwide, QSC moves forward to the future.1968 was a year of seismic change across the globe. Fifty years ago, unrest was fueled by civil rights movements in the United States and protests and revolutions in Europe. Technological innovations included the introduction of the 747 jumbo jet and the first humans to orbit the moon, in Apollo 8. In music, as the Beatles sang 'Hey Jude' and the Rolling Stones rocked 'Jumping Jack Flash', the company known today as QSC was born as Quilter Sound Things in a small industrial building in Costa Mesa, California. The original focus for QSC was handbuilt guitar amplifiers; the company only later transforming and evolving to become a world-leading brand in power amplifiers. "Our early vision
during the year around the globe. More than a golden anniversary, QSC celebrates its "50 Years and Forward", committed to continuing to offer innovations in its company and technologies, new opportunities for people, and solutions for customers across the globe.
was to take over the world with high-powered, giant guitar amps, but we missed that boat and refocused our efforts on power amps," said Pat Quilter, QSC Founder. "Since the beginning, QSC has always focused on staying close to our customers, which is the foundation for the company's success." "Our story is one of constant innovation and forward transformation, always with the passion to serve our customers' needs," says Barry Andrews, QSC Founder. "When we decided to enter the loudspeaker category, for example, we listened carefully to our customer feedback to develop the acclaimed K Series - establishing an entirely new standard in powered loudspeakers, and rapidly elevating our brand to number one in the category. Our passion to serve our customers is the mission in every aspect of our business." QSC has also always been devoted to building a brand known for unmatched quality and reliability. "We have always strived to achieve operational excellence, by sharpening our focus and building a state of the art factory in Southern California utilizing computercontrolled precision assembly and rigorous testing and control to provide build-to-order flexibility," says John Andrews, QSC Founder. "This has given QSC an unprecedented ability to respond to customer needs by building products on demand. From that first build-toorder manufacturing facility, we've
continuously expanded to our modern manufacturing footprint and supply chain capabilities, which span multiple countries and serve millions of customers throughout the globe." An early pioneer in networked digital audio systems, QSC was the first licensee of CobraNet in 1996. CobraNet, widely regarded as the first commercially successful implementation of audio over Ethernet, enabled QSC to develop industry-first digital audio signal processing and networking solutions that brought new capabilities to demanding, large-scale commercial sound reinforcement applications. Today's acclaimed Q-SYS integrated audio, video and control platform, installed in venues around the world, is the result of those early innovations. "Looking forward, we will continue our commitment to be both a technology platform leader and a customer experience leader in the markets we serve," says Joe Pham, QSC President and CEO. "The future at QSC is about continuing to innovate and deliver connected, integrated technology platforms that elevate customer experiences, create new opportunities for our employees, more value for our partners and new applications and capabilities in the markets we serve. In this world, everybody wins".
Alcons ProRibbons Deliver FLIX Cinema's Platinum Quality FLIX Cinema was founded by Agung Sedayu Group, one of Indonesia's premier development corporations, with its name based on the slogan Fantasy, Live, Innovation and Ultimate EXperiences. Its first venue is at the PIK Avenue mall, in the Pantai Indah Kapuk district of north Jakarta. The five auditoriums, or halls, are labelled Silver, Gold or Platinum, according to the facilities they offer. The premium-priced Platinum Hall offers the highest level of comfort, featuring a premium lounge, fully reclining luxurious seat, soft blanket, side table and a USB charger for all patrons. Complementing these facilities is, of course, the very best sound and picture technology. Kek Chung Sie (or KC) of Jakartabased KC Sound was asked to design the Platinum Hall's audio system. "The Platinum Hall only seats 24 people, but they are willing to pay a premium price for the best movie experience and I felt they deserved nothing but the best available reference sound quality," he says. "At FLIX Cinema, we believe that the ultimate movie experience is all about the best picture and sound -
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the rest, such as 3D or moving chairs, are just gimmicks," confirms David Hilman, Chief Operating Officer at Agung Sedayu Retail Indonesia (ASRI). KC's acoustic calculations showed that an Alcons CRMSC pro-ribbon system would deliver the ultimate sound experience for the audience. He specified a system comprising three CRMSCompact Cinema Reference Monitor System in bi-amp mode, 12 CRMSC-SR compact reference surround loudspeakers and a CB211slFV Larger-format shallow subwoofer system, with front vent for baffle-wall mounting. The system is powered and controlled by three Sentinel3 amplified loudspeaker controllers, plus an ALC2 with DDP Driver for the CB211. "I was able to demonstrate to FLIX Cinema that the CRMSC system offered the best solution and I was very glad they agreed, because it meant we could deliver the first Alcons Audio system to be installed in Indonesian cinemas," says KC. For a premium-priced experience, the equipment has to be the very best, a fact recognised by Yudho Rahutomo, Cinema Technology Manager at FLIX Cinema. "They are excellent speakers! Great dynamics, clean and clear, very crisp highs with no distortion. The sub-bass is also very full and impactful. The system was expensive, but worth having in our cinema," he says. "The customer feedback has been incredibly positive," adds KC. "Every day Platinum Hall tickets are selling faster than any of the other halls, despite the fact that the ticket price is almost three times of the regular (Silver) hall. FLIX Cinema has a policy of two tickets minimum purchase per transaction for the Platinum Hall, but no customer seems to mind. They all say that the quality of the experience is worth the money." "As a result of the Alcons CRMSC system, our customers have given us a very high satisfaction movie experience rating," concludes David Hilman.
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Harkness Screens Official Supplier to 68th Berlin International Film Festival Harkness Screens, the world leader in screen technology and manufacturer of premium cinema screens, has been confirmed as an Official Supplier to the 68th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) due to take place between 15th and 25th February 2018. The Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) was founded in 1951. Today, the festival is not only the biggest audience film festival in the world and one of the most important dates on the international film industry's calendar but a can't-miss cinema fest for all film lovers. The Berlinale presents the entire spectrum of cinema with its wide variety of Sections and Initiatives, all with their specific profile. This year, Harkness Screens will be an Official Supplier to the festival providing a number of Clarus XC 170 screens incorporating Harkness' proprietary 4K Digital Perforation and new Nanolast coating technology throughout venues in Berlin. Festival Director Dieter Kosslick remarks: "As a film festival we always endeavour to present the participating films in the best possible quality. Therefore we are very excited about the support of Harkness Screens to provide state of the art projection Clarus XC screens for our premiere venues Berlinale Palast and Friedrichstadt-Palast amongst others." Designed to present 2D content and to work with all polarized 3D, 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. Clarus XC screens are also regarded as the
screen of choice for polarized laser 3D presentation due to its speckle reduction properties. "We're delighted to be partnering with colleagues at Berlinale to bring our leading Clarus XC screen technology to audiences at what is widely regarded as one of the most important global film festivals," explains Richard Mitchell, VP Global Marketing & Commercial Development at Harkness Screens." Our Clarus XC screens along incorporating our new Nanolast technology will allow venues across the festival to show 2D content with exceptional uniformity, colours and contrast whilst still allowing 3D content to be shown. We're confident that our screens will help provide an unforgettable experience for film-makers and audiences alike," he adds. Whilst improving robustness, Nanolast technology also enhances the visual performance of screen surfaces by creating an even smoother, whiter and more uniform finish. This improvement creates a more immersive viewing experience by increasing the richness of colours, adding further depth of field to 3D presentations and widening viewing angles.
Severtson Screens Features Electric Motorized Cinema Screens at CinemaCon 2018 Severtson Screens, a global leader in innovative and quality projection screens for the cinema, commercial, pro AV, and home theater markets, will feature the SeVision 3D GX Giant Electric Motorized Cinema Projection Screen line during CinemaCon 2018, held in Las Vegas, Nev. from April 2426 at Caesars Palace, booth #2516A.
The screens are available up to 12 meters wide. "Our wildly popular giant SeVision 3D GX projection screens are ideal for large venues where the screen needs raised and lowered, such as in an opera or play house with a large stage environment," explained Toby Severtson, president and CEO of Severtson Corp. "It's also the perfect solution for multi-purpose auditoriums, such as in commercial, university / school, house of worship, museum, and pro AV situations that require large commercial or cinemasized screens, but not in a permanent static installation." The giant electric motorized projection screens are available in all offered gain levels as well as in nonperf, cinema (standard) perf, and microperf so the soundstage can be placed behind the screen similar to premier movie theatres. "The SeVision 3D GX Giant Electric Motorized projection screens were the first giant electric high quality 3D screens available on the market at these larger cinematic sizes," Severtson continued. "Due to our folded screen technology and coating, it has enabled us to create an electric cinema screen that can be rolled up and down frequently without damaging the screen's surface. It's the perfect answer for what was once an impossible scenario for a large format cinematic 3D screen." Additional specifications of the new SeVision 3D GX Giant Electric Motorized Cinema Projection Screen line include: coated surface that is harder to bruise and scuff; small micron flake coating produces a sharper image, eliminating graininess
GDC SR-1000 Standalone IMB is the Cuttingedge and Futureproof IMB
in bright scenes; viewing angles range from 30 to 40 degree half-gain depending on the specific screen gain requested; water-based coating promotes longevity by maintaining optical properties over time, eliminating flaking and cracking of the screen surface allowing the screen to remain perfect for frequent rolling up/down. Severtson Corporation is a member of the Giant Screen Cinema Association. They have manufactured cinema screens for theaters in countries all over the world, including the United States, Mexico, Canada, Korea, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, Spain, Germany, France, New Zealand, Australia, Netherlands, Thailand, Scotland, China, Russia, and many more. To meet the challenge of creating extremely large screens, Severtson Corporation designed a robotic spray-arm application system to paint its high-performance optical coating in-house on screens as large as 67.75 x 150ft. (20.7 x 45.8m). It is currently the largest in-house cinema screen optical coating system in the world. Severtson Screens certifications and partners include Technicolor, MasterImage, Dolby, Volfoni, LightspeeD & DepthQ, and RealD. Having celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016, Severtson Corporation continues to be a global leader in innovation and quality. The Severtson family's extensive experience in manufacturing small home theater screens and large cinema screens has given Severtson Corporation the expertise to meet the needs of the professional and consumer AV markets for both indoor applications as well as large outdoor venues. With its three Arizona-based production facilities and its state-of-the-art robotic application system, Severtson has massive production capabilities and an unusually wide array of screens. The screens range in size from massive movie theaters, comfortable home theaters, and everything in between.
SR-1000 is the company’s sixthgeneration digital cinema media server designed for near-zero maintenance and minimal total cost of ownership. The key benefits include: •
CineCache (built-in cache memory), content playback can be performed without the need of local HDD storage
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Ultra Storage technology, enables the playback of over 1,000 movies when combined with Cinema Automation CA2.0
•
Seamless integration with series 1, 2 and 3 projectors including Barco, Christie and NEC to ensure highly reliable and secure content delivery
D-Box Increases its Presence in Asia D-BOX Technologies Inc., a leader in innovative motion technology, announces that it has signed 12 new screens to be deployed in Asia, further expanding its global footprint. More specifically, Taiwan-based Ambassador Theatres has ordered 5 new screens, bringing their total of screens installed or to be installed with D-BOX's immersive motion technology to 12 while Golden Screen Cinemas, the largest chain of cinemas in Malaysia has ordered seven additional screens bringing their total of screens equipped or to be equipped with D-BOX's immersive technology to 10. March-May 2018
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Volfoni Issues Official Statement on Innovation in the Cinema Industry Volfoni SAS, the leading European provider of 3D technology, issued the following official statement on innovation to the cinema industry:"The Cinema Industry is on the verge of its next transformation with new technologies and new services on the horizon. Volfoni has proven itself to be an innovator in the industry, bringing new products and services to market. As incumbent suppliers' fear the threat of innovation, and the potential disruption of their markets, they may resort to threatening their competitors and threatening their customers. Volfoni is of the definitive position that this type of behavior has to stop." "Innovation in the cinema industry is at an all-time high, and Volfoni is proud to be riding this new wave of innovation, bringing new and more advanced products to the market. Rather than fighting over the proverbial 'olive tree', (i.e. fighting against innovation), Volfoni calls on all participants in the market to be forward looking and focus on bringing the best new technologies possible to the market." "Volfoni has now evolved into what we call 'Volfoni 2.0' - now part of a larger group with strong financial backing, and an equally strong IP portfolio. Volfoni is pleased that the nagging question of intellectual property will soon be settled in court, openly and objectively, rather than by innuendo, providing Volfoni with a voice." "Volfoni is a strong and committed partner to our business partners and our customers. We are prepared to defend ourselves, our products, our partners and our customers to the greatest extent possible under the law. We have full confidence in the legal basis and IP basis of our products in all of the markets that we serve." "In the coming weeks, Volfoni will be launching new products and new
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technologies that will revolutionize the 3D cinema hardware technology. Innovation and change can be difficult both professionally and psychologically for existing players in the market. As Joseph Schumpeter wrote, the 'gales of creative destruction' periodically sweep through industries, sinking weak and outdated companies." "Volfoni firmly believes that the cinema industry needs innovation, not threats. The time for this type of behavior has come to an end. The time for forward-thinking and breakthrough innovation is at hand."
Volfoni Withdraws its Opposition Against RealD Volfoni, the leading European provider of 3D technology, announced it has recently voluntarily withdrawn its opposition against the granting of RealD's patent no. EP2067066 in Europe. Volfoni made this strategic business decision due to the fact there is no infringement between Volfoni's current generation of products and RealD's patent. Consequently, the EP2067066 patent owned by RealD will now continue to prevent other third-party companies that may infringe this patent, such as GetD, LeVision and DepthQ, from competing against Volfoni's own products both in Europe and the rest of the world. The European patent EP2067066 is part of the US8220934 patent family owned by RealD and absolutely mandates the use of an optical component called a "polarization rotator" in order to be able to function correctly. However, Volfoni has made significant investments in R&D to develop its own 3D technology that eliminates the necessity of using such component, thereby providing for a higher light
efficiency and improved image quality as compared to other products supplied by our competitors. Volfoni's own 3D technology is protected by its own US granted patent no. US9594255 as well as a host of other granted and pending patents throughout the world, and since none of Volfoni's current products utilize a "polarization rotator", then Volfoni's products do not infringe either the European patent no. EP2067066 from RealD nor their associated US8220934 patent family anywhere in the world. Despite this fact, RealD recently filed a lawsuit against Volfoni in the Düsseldorf court, Germany, based on their incorrect analysis that a "polarization rotator" was present in Volfoni's current products. Volfoni very much welcomes the opportunity to prove once and for all in a court of law that its products do not infringe this patent.
Les Cinemas Gaumont Pathe Increase 4DX Roll Out Commitment CJ 4DPLEX announced an expanded partnership with Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé, through which they will open a range of at least 50 4DX locations by 2020 in Europe. On May 27th 2017, the two companies had announced a first roll out plan of 30 theatres by 2020 in Europe. As part of this initial plan, Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé have added 114DX theatres in 2017: 7 in France (Pathé La Villette in Paris, Pathé La Valette in Toulon, Gaumont Montpellier Multiplexe, Pathé Carré de Soie in Lyon, Gaumont Docks Vauban in Le Havre, Pathé Conflans in Conflans Saint Honorine and Gaumont Valenciennes), 2 in the Netherlands, one in Switzerland, and one in Belgium. With this expanded partnership, Les cinemas Gaumont Pathé plan to have
a total of 40 4DX theatres in France, 5 in the Netherlands, 4 in Switzerland and one in Belgium by 2020. "So far, our partnership with Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé has been extraordinary, driving our strategic growth in Western Europe. We look forward to more than tripling the number of 4DX locations by the end of 2020 in Europe. We are really happy to widen this successful partnership in the coming years." said Byung Hwan Choi, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX. "4DX is one of the newest trends in the global film exhibition industry. We look forward to running more 4DX screens in our theatres and are excited to offer a new entertainment choice to more customers." said Martine Odillard, Chairman of Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé.
Cinemark Accelerates D-BOX Roll-Out in the US Cinemark Holdings, Inc., a leading U.S. and international motion picture exhibitor and D-BOX Technologies Inc, a leader in innovative motion technology, confirmed that Cinemark has committed to installing D-BOX motion systems in at least 80 new screens in 40 theatres over the next 24 months. The majority of these screens will be installed in the United States and some will be deployed in Latin America. Cinemark currently has 112 D-BOX screens installed or in backlog in the United States and Latin America. Terms of the agreement include a fee based on the utilization of the systems. In addition, D-BOX is issuing 2,000,000 common share purchase warrants to Cinemark, with each warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Class A common share of D-BOX at a price corresponding to the volume weighted average price of the Class A common shares of D-BOX on the Toronto Stock Exchange for the five trading days prior to the exercise date of the warrants. The warrants will vest at the same rate as the D-BOX deployment and will be valid for a period of seven years ending on December 22, 2022. Commenting on the news, Claude Mc Master, President and Chief Executive Officer of DBOX, declared: "We are very pleased to receive another strong endorsement from Cinemark, a leading world-class exhibitor. They have been staunch supporters of ours and lead the way for exhibitors looking to offer a unique and immersive experience that is straightforward to deploy in any theatre around the world". "Based on the strong moviegoer reaction and ticket sales generated, we are pleased to further expand our D-BOX footprint," stated Robert Copple, Cinemark's President and Chief Operating Officer. "We are proud to be the largest exhibitor in the world in terms of D-BOX equipped venues and look forward to our continued partnership with D-BOX as they continue to expand globally."
ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ MAGAÑA
CEO - CINÉPOLIS | CHAIRMAN - GLOBAL CINEMA FEDERATION
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• SPECIAL STORY •
Cinépolis, the biggest cineplex chain of Mexico is in fact the fourth largest in the world today with 656 multiplexes and 5,323 screens! Heading his family business, Alejandro Ramirez Magaña, CEO of Cinépolis is a man with a global vision of cinema exhibition. The NATO honors him with the 2018
Cinépolis is the biggest cineplex chain in Mexico and is the largest chain in Latin America; it is in fact the fourth largest in the world! Alejandro Ramirez Magaña serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cinépolis, which has operations in Mexico, Brazil, Spain, India, the United States, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Central America. Alejandro served as Mexico´s Representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and as Technical Secretary of the Social Cabinet in the Executive Office of the President of Mexico. He has worked for the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program in the areas of poverty and human development. He is the Chairman of the Mexican Business Council, the most influential business organization in Mexico, and of the Morelia International Film Festival. He serves on the Boards of BBVA Bancomer, the Mexican Competitiveness Institute, the Sundance Institute and the Harvard Board of Overseers. He was appointed a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2005 and co-chaired the WEF´s Annual Meeting in 2012. Also in 2012, President Calderon appointed him as Chair of the B20, the G20´s Business Summit.
2018 NATO Marquee Award at CinemaCon The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor Alejandro Ramírez Magaña with the 2018 NATO Marquee Award during this year's CinemaCon. Mr Ramírez has been chosen by NATO for his unequalled dedication, commitment and service to the motion picture theatre industry. He will receive his industry tribute as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation. 1. Congratulations for the NATO Marquee Award 2018 at CinemaCon! How does it feel receiving the award and what does this award mean to you? It is an honor that my job in this industry is recognized. It's certainly not for one person but an award for the team of very talented people. It was a pleasure to know that I'm the first Mexican to receive this award. It impels me to continue striving. 2. How did your tryst with Cinepolis begin? Where did it all start? Cinépolis is a family business founded by my grandfather Enrique Ramírez Miguel, my father Enrique Ramírez Villalón and his brothers, 47 years ago. I formally became part of the company in 2006 when I became
NATO Marquee Award for his unequalled dedication, commitment and service to the cinema exhibition industry.
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• SPECIAL STORY • theatres and second in number of movie attendance, with 338 million customers visiting our cinemas in 2017.
Cinépolis' CEO. I had earlier served as the COO between 1996 and 1999. 3. Tell us more about the Cinepolis Foundation and the corporate social responsibility aspect of Cinepolis. Having worked for the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program in the areas of poverty and human development, you surely have a better understanding of this side. I believe it's through the actions of citizens and businesses that we can have the biggest positive impact and contribute to solve some of the most pressing social problems. Fundación Cinépolis operates since 2006 and one of its most important programs is "Del Amor Nace la Vista" (Sight grows out of love), which has restored the sight of more than 40 thousand people with cataracts. Another program is "Ruta Cinépolis" (Route Cinépolis) that takes the cinema to the most vulnerable communities of our country, allowing over 400 thousand people to discover the movie going experience since 2009. 4. Taking a retrospective look, Mexican cinema industry has evolved with various historical developments including Mexican
Revolution. How do you see this evolution? The Mexican movie industry, since its beginnings, has been a reflection of our national reality, and like in other countries, it has faced political, economic, cultural and technological changes. In the last 10 years, it has had a very important growth and has managed to develop a market strongly competed by Hollywood. Currently it represents 10% of the total box office. 5. Mexico City is the fourth largest film and television production centre in North America, as well as the largest in Latin America. How would you describe the present scenario of cinema and cinema exhibition? The exhibition industry in Mexico is one of the strongest in the world. In Mexico there are two of the ten largest exhibitors in the world. Cinépolis itself ranks fourth in the world in terms of number of movie
This shows how strong the Mexican exhibition industry has become. An industry that continues to grow and innovate… And as for the production of Mexican cinema, there are around 80 Mexican films released annually. 6. Having been appointed a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2005 and cochaired the WEF´s Annual Meeting in 2012, how do you see the contribution of cinema business in relation to the economy today? (Both in Mexico and World over) During 2017, 348 million tickets were sold in Mexico, which repositioned our country as the 4th country with the most tickets sold in a year, only after India, China and USA. Likewise, in the same year, 16,661 million Mexican pesos of revenue were generated in the box office (approximately 898 million dollars). The operation of thousands of Cinépolis movie theatres means direct employment of thousands of people. In most cases, Cinépolis employs young people, who in the cinemas have access to their first job. The building of new cinemas also involves the generation of indirect jobs, mainly in the construction sector. On the other hand, the expansion of the cinema infrastructure towards small and medium-sized cities has contributed to regional development, since the new cinemas are the anchor and the raison d'être of new shopping centres that drive the exchange and services. Likewise, the cinema industry contributes to regional development by virtue of the annual payment it makes to local governments of the property tax. In fact, the industry contributes to public finances through not only the payment of the property tax mentioned in the previous paragraph, but also of the payment of the income tax corporate
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• SPECIAL STORY • and the derivative of hiring of employees, of the tax on Payroll, from employer contributions to social security schemes, and from value added tax (VAT) payment. Finally, there is a wide range of companies that benefit economically from the supply to the movie theatres from its construction until its daily operation. These include cinema armchairs manufacturers, projector suppliers, food and beverage providers, advertising and marketing agencies, among many others. 7. In these times of booming multiplexes, what makes Cinepolis different from other cinemas? Cinépolis is a family business in Mexico that managed to become a global company, with presence in 14 countries and which bases its strategy mainly on two points: customer service and constant innovation. This is what I think makes us different from the competition. 8. How many multiplex cinemas does Cinepolis operate world over? What are your expansion plans? Cinépolis operates 656 multiplexes, 5,323 screens. We hope to open more than 600 new theatres in the 14 countries we operate. 9. Cinépolis is one of the fastest growing multiplex chains in India. How would you compare the cinema industry in India and rest of India? It would be interesting to understand the box-office dynamics in terms of the genre of films appreciated, audience expectations, screen count and so on. The industry in India, unlike the other territories where we operate, is highly dominated by local content, not only Bollywood, but the rest of regional industries. In India, more than 80% of the box office comes from national content: 60% comes from Bollywood, 20% from other regional industries and the
remaining 20% comes from Hollywood. Another peculiarity is that, considering the importance of the regional content, the programming is practically done theatre by theatre. There are movies that only work in one state and do not work in the rest. The number of films is very high, releasing approximately 15 titles per week, which is a challenge to program efficiency. The most seen genres in India are drama, comedy, action and horror. Lately the historical and mythological films have been very successful. Last year Bahulabi 2, from Tollywood, was seen throughout India and broke all the records of the history of cinema in this country. Another interesting fact is that in India there are 11,000 screens, of which 8,500 are "single screens" of a single room and at a very low average price. And only 2,500 are multiplexes with modern rooms. The number of theatres has not grown in the last seven years, but multiplexes have been replacing single screens. Single screens have been closed and multiplexes have been opened to replace them, so the potential is still very large. Customer expectations are not very different from those of customers in other countries, although we have seen how they have evolved. Each time they become more demanding,
they look for quality services and the Indian customer is very sensitive to the price. The challenge is to find a balance between offering low prices and high quality products and services. 10. What are your expansion plans in India? Discuss some strategic initiatives. Regarding the expansion plans, we have 335 screens. We want to reach 400 by the end of next year. Regarding our strategy, we want to continue improving. Our food and beverages offer is low because the consumption is still low if we compare it with the consumption in the other countries where we operate. And another strategy is to seek to exploit the installed capacity of these single screens as a growth path; remodel them and be able to turn them into small multiplexes. 11. Talking of growth trajectory, how would you sum up the secret of your success and that of Cinepolis'? Consisting of a talented, creative team with a global vision of the industry, and constantly growing is what has makes Cinépolis such an important chain of cinemas worldwide. And as I mentioned before, we are always focused on improving the experience of our customers, through constant service and innovation.
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Curtains Up for Cinemas in Saudi Arabia With the lifting of the ban on commercial cinemas in Saudi Arabia, the red carpet rolls out for theatres after 35 long years! This is a huge moment in history as global cinema operators collaborate with prestigious partners to lead the development of worldclass cinemas in the Kingdom.
Shaped by its Islamic heritage, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a rich history that dates back to about 125,000 years. Once an ancient trade centre, the Kingdom has experienced tremendous development of the past several years. Saudi Arabia's major economy is petroleum-based; roughly 90% of export earnings come from the oil industry. The monopoly of political power is held by Al Saud dynasty. King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud ascended the throne in January 2015 following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. In what's being described as a significant transformation, King Salman made his son Mohammed Bin Salman first in line to the throne in
June 2017. He is now viewed as the de facto ruler. He has also projected himself as a liberal reformer in the ultra-conservative Kingdom with a series of bold moves, including allowing women to drive from June 2018. In a total overhaul of its entertainment sector, the cinema scene in Saudi Arabia is all set to undergo a sea change. The desert Kingdom announced the lifting of a 35-year long ban on commercial cinemas in December 2017. Movie lovers of the Kingdom will soon get to indulge in their favourite films in the comfort of cinema halls with big screens and state-of-the-art facilities.
Landmark Deals
Mohammed Bin Salman Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
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Vue International, one of the world's leading cinema operators, managing the most renowned brands in major European markets and Taiwan, signed a landmark deal with real estate group Abdulmohsin Al Hokair
Holding to open 30 cinemas in Saudi Arabia. Vue will now work with Abdulmohsin Al Hokair, which operates a number of shopping malls and hotel resorts in the country. It would dramatically increase the number of sites that Vue operates. The cinema chain was the only operator to be invited to the Future Investment Initiative event. "This is a huge moment in the history of global cinema development for the exhibition industry and we are honored to be partnering with such a well regarded and prestigious operator. We are delighted to have been chosen to lead in the development of world-
• SPECIAL STORY • class cinemas and the big screen experience in Saudi Arabia," said Vue founder Tim Richards. "We are delighted to be working with Vue International and leading the development of Saudi Arabia's world-leading cinema industry together," said Majed Al Hokair, CEO Al Hokair Holding Group. The American movie theatre chain, AMC Entertainment Holdings signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to "explore a range of commercial opportunities for collaboration that will support the growth of the Kingdom's entertainment sector." The Kuwait National Cinema Company (KNCC) and leading Middle East distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment's exhibition arm, Cinescape Cinemas, are in final negotiations to launch the first phase of multiplexes in Saudi Arabia by the last quarter of this year. KNCC expects to open a total of 12 multiplexes in the next 36 months. KNCC was the first entertainment entity to launch
in the Persian Gulf region in 1954, and has a 91 per cent market share in cinema exhibition business in Kuwait.
Entertainment & Vision 2030 The progressive Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al-Saud's Vision 2030 program includes plans for the media and entertainment space as he moves to diversify the economy and reduce the Kingdom's dependence on oil.
The Kingdom held its first official public screenings in January this year. Even as the first multiplexes are still underway, a makeshift moviehouse was sponsored at the state-run Culture and Arts Society in Jeddah. Sony's The Emoji Movie and DreamWorks Animation's Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie were screened at the event.
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MBO's Unique Cinema Experience in AEON Falim With special offerings such as KECIL and Big Screen, MBO's latest outlet promises comfortable, exciting and a memorable cinema experience for Ipoh audience. MBO Cinemas is a leading name in the cinema industry since it first opened its doors to Malaysians in 2005. One of the top three largest cinema chains in the nation, MBO strives to be the country's most loved cinema brand by providing wholesome quality entertainment experiences. MBO further expands its evergrowing chain of cinemas with the launch of their latest outlet in AEON Midtown Falim, Ipoh. With
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an investment of over RM14 million, this will be MBO's 27th outlet in the country. It features two unique viewing concepts,
KECIL and BIG SCREEN, both of which are being introduced for the first time in the city.
First Time in the City Cheah Chun Wai, Chief Operating Officer of MBO Cinemas says that the company is ecstatic to provide Ipoh audience with the opportunity to experience MBO's latest cinema hall concept & technology with the introduction of the 1st KECIL & BIG SCREEN special hall concept in the northern region. "With the launch of MBO KECIL and BIG SCREEN, we want moviegoers to have a different perspective when going to the cinemas, so we made
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all this possible under very accessible ticket pricing. "Audiences will definitely be delighted with a cinematic experience of high-end technology. They may even forget they are sitting in a theatre," said Chun Wai.
Unique Concepts KECIL - Let your child's imagination run free. It's the 1st hall concept in the northern region dedicated to cater to parents and children with the elements of: •
Sofa bed for family movie day out
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Comfortable Bean seat for children
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In-hall built in playground that children can enjoy anytime during the movie session
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Convenient diaper changing rooms for easy access
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Softer audio & brighter lights inside hall for parent's safety & ease of mind
Big Screen: A delight for those who love watching movies on the big screens, MBO is going with the "size
does matter" tag by introducing one of the largest screens in Ipoh with their own Premium Large Format screen for an impactful experience. The cinema hall is equipped with state-of-the-art technology courtesy of MBO's partnership with Barco and Dolby Atmos. Barco, the flagship laser RGB projector, which is also the first of its kind in Malaysia, brings advanced image quality to the big screen with outstanding brightness, high contrast, and superior colour performance. Dolby Atmos enhances the viewing experience with rich,
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realistic sound system that elevates the impact of onscreen movie scenes. "We want to give people from Ipoh an immersive experience when they visit MBO Falim and for that we have taken extra effort to equip our cinema halls with only the best of what sound and visuals has to offer for maximum viewing pleasure," added Chun Wai. MBO Falim offers six standard halls in addition to two special concept halls, bringing the total count to eight halls and a combined total of 1169 seats.
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CJ CGV Installs
Premium Audio Systems In order to ensure a consistent, immersive audio experience for movie-goers, CJ CGV hired Goldenduck International to install complete audio systems by HARMAN Professional Solutions in multiple cinemas across Vietnam. CJ CGV is the largest film distributor and cinema chain in Vietnam, and is one of the top five cinema brands in the world with 401 locations in seven countries. CGV calls its theaters "Cultureplexes," which offer unique fusions of upscale shopping, dining and entertainment. In addition to standard and IMAX presentation formats, CGV Cultureplexes feature proprietary technologies, such as the multi-sensory 4DX and 270-degree panoramic ScreenX. In order to ensure a consistent, immersive audio experience for movie-goers, CJ CGV hired Goldenduck International to install premium cinema audio systems in all of its Vietnamese locations. Goldenduck International, a trusted HARMAN Professional distributor in Vietnam, supplied and integrated HARMAN audio systems in 24 theatres across seven CGV locations and more. Goldenduck selected JBL cinema speaker systems and Crown power amplifiers for their extended frequency response, reliable operation and accessibility.
Uniform Immersive Experience CJ CGV Vietnam strives to be more than just a movie theatre. The goal is
to create an immersive media playground that offers differentiated entertainment experiences to patrons seeking a brief escape from day-today life. In addition to offering diverse shopping and dining options, CJ CGV has integrated a variety of movie presentation technologies, including IMAX, 4DX and ScreenX. The HARMAN sound systems Goldenduck installed in CJ CGV Cultureplexes ensure that each audience experience the same cinematic sound quality no matter which of CJ CGV theaters they enter, or whether the audio is in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos formats. To provide movie fans with a realistic audio experience, Goldenduck depended on a full cinema sound solution by HARMAN. The audio systems in each theatre consist of JBL 3252N and JBL 3722N two-way cinema loudspeakers, JBL 4181 single 18-inch subwoofers and JBL 8320 cinema compact surrounds. The systems are driven by Crown XLC Series power amplifiers. The JBL 3252N is a passive two-way screen channel system featuring dual 15-inch low-frequency drivers and a teonex diaphragm high-frequency driver in a convenient single
enclosure. The JBL 3722N two-way Screen Array cinema loudspeaker system features optimized Aperture Waveguide technology for ultra lowdistortion and extremely uniform frequency response. The JBL 4181 is a high-quality cinema subwoofer system that offers smooth response to the lowest audible frequencies. JBL 8320 compact cinema surround speakers provide the extended dynamic range required for digital sound formats in modern cinemas.
Effective Audio Solution "CJ CGV wanted to make certain each of their cinemas offered a uniform movie-watching experience with excellent audio quality," said Sittiporn Srisanguansakul, President, Goldenduck International. "The HARMAN sound systems we installed place cinema-goers within an immersive audio environment with full 360-degree coverage and undistorted reproduction of the dynamic movie soundtracks. By using HARMAN products, we were able to provide CGV with a cost-effective solution that met their distinct requirements." "It is a privilege to be associated with CJ CGV Cinemas," said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. "We are pleased that JBL and Crown products enhance the cinematic experience that CJ CGV provides to its esteemed patrons. We thank CJ CGV for having confidence in HARMAN Professional Solutions, and Goldenduck International for making that vision a reality." March-May 2018
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Majid Al Futtaim Opens
VOX Cinemas at City Centre Alexandria Majid Al Futtaim recently unveiled 7-screen VOX Cinemas, boasting 1,550 seats for a thrilling cinematic experience at City Centre Alexandria. The opening marks another milestone in the company's expansion plans for leisure and entertainment attractions in Egypt. Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is the leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It's a remarkable business success story, resulting from a vision created by Majid Al Futtaim to transform the face of shopping, entertainment, and leisure to 'create great moments for everyone, every day'. Majid Al Futtaim operates 300 VOX Cinema screens and 31 Magic Planet family entertainment centres across the region, in addition to iconic leisure and entertainment facilities such as Ski Dubai, Orbi Dubai, Ski Egypt, and more.
Unmatched Cinematic Destination Majid Al Futtaim recently unveiled 7screen VOX Cinemas, boasting 1,550 seats for a thrilling cinematic experience at City Centre Alexandria. The opening marks another milestone in the company's expansion plans for leisure and entertainment attractions in Egypt.
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VOX Cinemas at City Centre Alexandria features seven screens with more than 1,550 seats, including VOX MAX and 6 regular screens with advanced sound and picture capabilities. VOX Cinemas offers movie enthusiasts an unmatched cinematic experience, which has made it the preferred destination for all movie premieres in the region. This includes unprecedented sound
quality equipped with the latest technology and regular and VIP seats for a more comfortable viewing experience. Additionally, the cinema complex offers an unprecedented selection of deliciously prepared food and beverage to moviegoers, for a one-of-a-kind experience. The cinema facility also offers all the amenities for people with special needs.
• INSTALLS • A First of Sorts For the convenience of customers, VOX Cinemas launched the first mobile cinema booking application in Egypt that saves time and avoids queuing for cinema goers, in addition to the convenience of screening a new movie showing every 20 minutes. VOX Cinemas at City Centre Alexandria opened its doors to the public less than a year after VOX Cinemas first launched in the country at Mall of Egypt, which opened last March. This expansion comes as part of Majid Al Futtaim's previously announced plans to investment to EGP 23 billion in Egypt by 2020, creating 144,000 additional direct and indirect jobs. Omar El Banna, Country Head for Majid Al Futtaim - Ventures Egypt, stated, "In addition to our exceptional cinematic concepts; which are unsurpassed across the Middle East, VOX Cinemas always strives to offer an innovative and enjoyable cinematic experience, by paying close attention to details, such as the design and setting of each theater to suit the environment."
Diverse & Innovative Attractions VOX Cinemas at City Centre Alexandria is part of a range of diverse and innovative attractions and destinations, Majid Al Futtaim
currently operates and aims to introduce in the Egyptian market.
These include shopping malls, Carrefour stores, fashion stores, international restaurants, and unique family entertainment experiences such as Ski Egypt, Little Explorers, Magic Planet, that are in line with the company's vision to create great moments by redefining the concept of shopping and entertainment for Egyptian citizens VOX Cinemas operates 31 cinema complexes across the Middle East and North Africa, including the 14 sites in the UAE, two in Bahrain, 11 in Oman, one in Lebanon, one in Qatar and two in Egypt. Majid Al Futtaim has announced an EGP 5.76 billion investment to expand VOX Cinemas' footprint across the region from 300 screens to 600 screens by 2020.
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Kinepolis Inaugurates
New Landmark Cinema in St Albert Kinepolis Group recently unveiled the newly built Landmark Cinema in St Albert. This new premium movie-going experience features new luxury recliner power seating in all its auditoriums. The project is a part of Kinopolis' acquisition of the Canadabased Landmark Cinemas. Known for its first megaplex cinema in the world, Kinepolis Group is a Belgian cinema chain which was formed in 1997 as a result of the merger of two family cinema groups. Kinepolis Group has a chain of 49 cinemas spread across Belgium, France, Spain, Luxemburg, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Poland. Kinepolis Group NV recently completed the acquisition of Landmark Cinemas Canada LP. Landmark Cinemas operates 44 movie theatres of various sizes, all located in Central and Western Canada, and has its head office in Calgary (Alberta). The 44 Landmark Cinemas movie theatres, with a total of 55,000 seats and 303 screens, realized CAD 156.3 million turnover in 2016 with 10.2 million visitors. The company is Canada's second largest cinema operator, with a market share of 10%. The agreement with Landmark Cinemas already includes two newbuild recliner projects in St. Albert and Fort McMurray, Alberta. It also includes plans for more new-build movie theatres.
Premium Powered Experience Eddy Duquenne, CEO of Kinepolis Group and Bill Walker, CEO of Landmark Cinemas Canada, inaugurated the brand new Landmark recliner seating cinema
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complex at Jensen Lakes Crossing in St Albert, Canada. All the eight auditoriums feature Landmark's new luxury recliner power seating in a full-stadium configuration. This new premium movie-going experience features motorized, fully reclining seats with extended footrest to provide each guest with a relaxing, disruptionfree movie experience.
A New Milestone "Experiencing a movie in the comfort of a premium-powered recliner theatre seat is a unique experience," said Eddy Duquenne, CEO of Kinepolis Group. "We look
forward to welcoming movie lovers in St Albert and the surrounding regions, and introducing them to this new movie-going experience." "We are excited about this Landmark Cinemas opening in Jensen Lakes Crossing," stated Darin Rayburn, Chief Executive Officer of Melcor Developments. "This opening is an important milestone as our vision for a walkable community with a main street design comes to life. Jensen Lakes Crossing will include an array of restaurant patios, wide sidewalks and plazas that create welcoming community gathering spaces at St. Albert's entertainment destination."
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Yashan International VIP Theatre
Yashan International Resort Hotel is the first in China to be fitted with a CP2308 cinema projector and Christie Vive Audio to provide guests with the ultimate cinematic experience.
Christie is a leader in creating and delivering the world's best visual and audio experiences. Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual and audio technologies company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio Inc., Japan. Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the world's most advanced projectors, complete system displays, and cinema audio solutions; Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images, accompanied by aweinspiring sound. Christie announced that Yashan International Resort Hotel has
become the first luxury guesthouse in China to be equipped with Christie's leading-edge cinema projection and audio solutions.
Unique Concept of In-house Cinema Located in the picturesque district of Yashan in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, the five-star resort hotel has installed a Christie CP2308 digital cinema projector and innovative Christie Vive Audio system in its in-house VIP Theatre to provide guests with the ultimate visual and audio experience, one normally associated with premium cinemas. Tastefully designed with classic Chinese watercolor painting motifs on its walls, the VIP Theatre features an 11meter wide screen and is furnished with 100 extremely comfortable seats, similar to those found in fullfledged upscale cinema auditoriums.
"By setting up a cinema auditorium in our hotel, we hope to offer our distinguished guests a professional, high-end cinema system that delivers astonishing visuals and stunning sound effects that are on par with the best of contemporary cinemas," said Longbin Xiao, Project Manager, Yashan International Resort Hotel. "After comparing products from various brands, we have chosen Christie's projection and audio solutions due to its impeccable track record of delivering excellent visuals and accurate, pristine sound quality
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• INSTALLS • to cinemas around the world. We are confident that our guests will be mesmerized by the rich, dynamic visuals and detailed sound that fills this theatre." Yingbin Tang, Chief Executive, Yashan International Resort Hotel, added that, "The concept of having an in-house cinema theatre is unique for the hospitality industry and we are excited to have selected Christie's complete cinema projection and audio solutions for our VIP Theatre. With this facility, our guests can enjoy exceptional visuals and surround sound that's previously available only in upscale movie theatres. I believe the introduction of a movie theatre will enhance our status and image, and attract more guests to our hotel in the long run." Lin Yu, Vice President, Christie Asia Pacific, commented, "We're heartened that our complete cinema solutions have been chosen by Yashan International Resort Hotel for its VIP Theatre. This marks the first installation of our cinema projection and audio solutions for the hospitality industry in China, and I applaud the hoteliers for their ingenuity in introducing professional cinema solutions to their facility, so that guests can also enjoy a spectacular cinematic experience in the comfort of this auditorium. As a trusted supplier of cinema solutions to many leading exhibitors around the world, we are pleased that our solutions are also helping to increase
the hotel's patronage and room revenues."
Ultimate Audio-Visual Experience The system was designed by Christie's trusted partner, Sentiment-Hifi, while Nanjing-based Dowin Audio conducted general contracting work. Through the joint efforts of the two companies, the project was successfully executed and completed to the satisfaction of the customer. The theatre has been operational since early January, and is currently one of the most popular rendezvous points for hotel guests. A high-value digital cinema projector, the CP2308 is capable of projecting 9,000 DCI lumens and comes with an integrated DCI
playback engine, built-in automation features, and Christie Series 3 electronics, which features a streamlined UX-inspired interface to simplify the playback, scheduling and management of cinema content. Perfect for smaller screens, the CP2308 is capable of displaying premium 2D/3D HFR feature film and alternative content in its original format, as well as realistic colors and gradients for an immersive experience audiences notice. The Christie Vive Audio components installed include the LA1 line array loudspeakers, LS3S line array surround loudspeakers, S115 and S218 subwoofers for bass management, as well as CDA2 and CDA5 Class D amplifiers. The end result is highly immersive cinema sound known for delivering exceptional power and performance. By combining the superior sound quality of ribbon driver technology with the precise directional performance of line array loudspeaker design, Christie Vive Audio enables the accurate reproduction of today's digital cinema audio formats. So far, Christie's cinema audio solution has been embraced by close to 600 theatres around the world. These include Wanda Cinema Line, MZC Quanjing Cinema in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, and Xinshidai MZC Cinema in Benxi, Liaoning Province.
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• TECHNOLOGY •
Samsung Electronics
Theatre of the Future
With the world's first Cinema LED Screen introduced in Korea, Thailand, China and Switzerland, Samsung Electronics is fast expanding its vision for the "Theatre of the Future". Southeast Asia's First Cinema LED Screen
throughout the region during the coming year.
Samsung Electronics is expanding its vision for the "Theatre of the Future" by bringing its Cinema LED Screen to the Paragon Cineplex theatre in Bangkok, Thailand. Samsung's Cinema LED Screen, the world's first DCI-compliant High Dynamic Range (HDR) LED theatre display, is being introduced in Southeast Asia for the first time, following installations in Seoul and Busan, Korea, earlier this year.
"The continued growth of the local entertainment industry and the openness to embracing new technologies made Thailand the perfect location for Southeast Asia's
first Cinema LED Screen," said Yong Chul Jo, President of Samsung Electronics Thailand. "By delivering the most immersive theatre environment possible, the Cinema LED Screen creates an unparalleled viewing experience guaranteed to make the Cinema LED theatre a destination for movie enthusiasts." An upgrade on the screen-andprojector operation the industry has relied on for more than a century,
On October 5 in Bangkok, Samsung Electronics held a signing ceremony for new partnership with Major Cineplex Group, the largest cinema company in Thailand with more than 110 theatres and 668 movie screens, to convert a 200-seat cinema at the Paragon Cineplex in Siam Paragon into its Cinema LED venue. Several additional premium theatre renovations are also expected March-May 2018
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• TECHNOLOGY •
Samsung 3D Cinema LED Introduced with High Quality Features Samsung Electronics unveiled the much-awaited 3D version of its Cinema LED Screen. The 3D Cinema LED display technology is considered the world's first cinema screen capable of providing highquality 3-D experience. The 3D version was introduced at Integrated Systems Europe 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The South Korean tech giant announced that its new display overcomes the limitations of existing film projectors. The 3D Cinema LED gives viewers a feel of watching a 3D movie in reality. Features such as its crystalclear 4K resolution, infinite "true black" HDR and non-distorted visual imagery also help in enhancing the viewing experience.
the Samsung Cinema LED Screen reinvigorates cinema presentation through superior visual quality, technical performance and reliability. Although it extends nearly 10.3m (33.8ft) wide, the Cinema LED Screen is easy to install and configure within nearly any existing theatre dimensions. The display also amplifies on-screen content through HDR picture quality, powered by
Dongsoo Koo, from Samsung's Enterprise Product Planning Group, said: "3D Cinema LED has no degrading of brightness and improves the display-related
dizziness by eliminating many of the triggering factors except those coming from the content itself. Therefore, the viewers experience less dizziness."
ultra-sharp 4K resolution (4,096 x 2,160) and peak brightness levels (146fL/500nit) nearly 10 times greater than that offered by traditional projectors. As a result, movie-goers can enjoy content free of distortion and brought to life through lifelike colours, pristine whites and deep blacks.
theatre managers the reliability of long-term performance. The display's shelf life of more than 100,000 service hours far exceeds that of traditional projectors and minimizes the need for costly maintenance. Additionally, the Cinema LED Screen employs a strict anti-copy encryption protocol to prevent unlawful streaming or content redistribution.
Beyond its visual enhancements, the Cinema LED Screen also offers
As the demands for cinema space evolve, Samsung's Cinema LED Screen will offer theatre managers in Thailand and across the world added flexibility to expand service offerings and generate new revenue. The display maintains a consistent presentation across a range of dark and ambient lighting conditions regardless of the featured content. This versatility will empower cinemas to use theatre spaces for concert and sports event viewing, gaming competitions, corporate events and other non-traditional content sources. China's First Cinema LED Theatre in Partnership with World's Largest Theatre Operator, Wanda Cinemas Samsung Electronics announced a
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• TECHNOLOGY • partnership with the world's largest theatre operator Wanda Cinemas to bring its pioneering Cinema LED Screen technology to Wanda's Wujiaochang theatre, located in Shanghai's Yangpu District. The theatre marks the first implementation of Samsung's Cinema LED Screen in China, and follows successful implementations in Asia last year in Seoul and Busan, Korea, and Bangkok, Thailand, and also in Europe, at the Arena Cinemas Sihlcity in Zurich, Switzerland. "Since its introduction mid-last year, Samsung's Cinema LED Screen has captivated the cinema industry with its potential revolutionize the theatre and filmgoing experience. Through sharper colours, true-to-life audio and an ultra-wide viewing environment, our Cinema LED Screen makes viewers feel as if they are part of the picture," said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "Through Cinema LED, we are confident that consumers in China will embrace the opportunity to engage with their favourite films like never before, and are thrilled to partner with Wanda Cinemas to bring this advanced technology to this growing market." The new partnership expands Samsung's relationship with the world's leading cinema chain. A Fortune 500 company, Wanda Cinema Line Corp. operates nearly 14,347 screens at more than 1,352 theatres around the world, and also owns recognizable global cinema brands including AMC, Carmike,
Odeon and Hoyts Group. Even as Cinema LED at Shanghai's Wujiaochang theatre launches, Samsung and Wanda Cinemas already are finalizing a second cinema conversion in Beijing, with plans to open the venue to the public in the first half of this year. As the world's first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-compliant High Dynamic Range (HDR) LED theatre display, Samsung's Cinema LED Screen delivers excellent visual quality, technical performance and reliability that surpass that of legacy projector-based operations. Stretching nearly 10.3 m. (33.8 ft.) wide, the Cinema LED Screen fits comfortably in usual theatre configurations, maintaining the same stunning picture quality at even the widest viewing angles. The display also transforms content with ultrasharp 4K resolution (4,096 x 2,160) and peak brightness levels nearly 10 times greater than the typical cinema standard. As a result, viewers can experience more immersive content
supported by bright colours, pristine whites and deep blacks. To go with the stunning picture technology, Samsung has paired its Cinema LED Screen with state-of-theart audio technologies from JBL by HARMAN. This integration includes powerful speakers bordering the screen, and an expanded audio "sweet spot" throughout the theatre's seating area, producing a true multi-sensory experience the way the content creators intended. "As the world's leading cinema company, our customers expect a differentiated and memorable theatre experience both worthy of their investment and reflective of the Wanda Cinemas brand," said Qi Wang, Vice President, Wanda Film Holding Co., Ltd. "We are honoured to work with Samsung to set the new luxury theatre standard, and look forward to making the Shanghai Cinema LED theatre a must-see destination for both movie enthusiasts and casual consumers alike." With the demands for theatre space evolving across the industry, Samsung's Cinema LED Screen will enable Wanda Cinemas to expand the service offerings inside its improved Shanghai theatre. The display's consistent presentation, even against dark or ambient lighting conditions, accommodates non-movie content including gaming competitions, corporate events and presentations, and sports and concert simulcasting, among others.
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• TECHNOLOGY •
The Experience of Cinema, Re-engineered With a reputation for unleashing best-in-class digital concepts with new-age technology and excellent after sales service, Sony's presence in India is ever increasing. Sony is one of the most recognized consumer electronics brand in the country. Not just in terms of electronics business but also in terms of gaming and entertainment business. Apart from this, Sony is involved in content creation, display, medical and network cameras. The company's core imaging and video technology contributes to produce the best-in-class viewing experience for the customer. Its professional products lend a perfect helping hand to professionals to achieve desired results and fulfil their creativity. Historically, innovation is quite deeply entrenched in their brand philosophy and products are designed with the aim of making a difference to people's lifestyles while also offering them new dimensions of enjoyment. With a reputation for new-age technology, digital concepts and excellent after sales service, Sony's presence in India is ever increasing.
Sony Digital Cinema 4K Unleashing Incredible Images Sony Digital Cinema 4K develops industry leading cinema projection technology that gives audiences an entertainment experience they will never forget. From small boutique screens to the largest multiplex, the Sony 4K projection systems suit every cinema operator. Bursting with rich colours and industry-leading 8000:1 contrast ratio, Sony Digital Cinema 4K unleashes the incredible power of images with remarkable 4K HDRReady projection. Globally, cinemas preferring 4K technology are increasing in number. Some of the largest cinema chains in the world operate on Sony 4K
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platform. Since 2014, over 150 titles have been released in 4K worldwide and the number is increasing every year. India is also catching up rapidly with the global standards when it comes to adopting the 4K technology. As of now, 4000 screens are already DCI compliant, out of which 3750 screens are 2K and over 300 screens being 4K. With more than 200 screens, South India leads the share of 4K screens in India while North and West India share an equal space of 4K screens. Over 30% of the 4K screens are installed with national multiplex chains while the regional multiplex chains or single screens have balanced screens installed in them. Till date, 16 regional titles have been released in 4K with Sony's share in 4K screens rising to almost 25%. In India the business of deployment of Sony 4K DCI compliant cinema projection system is mainly handled by Onesource Techmedia Limited. In addition to this, it also offers end-toend solutions for Digital Cinema Deployment, right from content mastering to installation and after sales service. Onesource Techmedia Limited at Vetri theatre, Madurai, installed India's first dual system projector from Sony SRX-R515DS. Till date, they have deployed more than 75 screens and provided more than 15 4K titles apart from numerous 2K titles for theatrical release.
SRX-R500 - A Compelling Choice for Big Screens Sony's SRX-R500 series of projectors are also HDR-ready, meeting brightness and contrast requirements for screening the latest 4K movies
mastered for High Dynamic Range presentation. Spectacular 4K images are matched by impressively low running costs. Moreover, Sony's proprietary SXRD chip covers screens from 11m* to 22m* delivering an unparalleled contrast ratio of 8000:1. In addition to this, SRX-R500 series projectors can be Double Stacked to deliver upto 30,000 Lumens. The SRX-R500 series projection systems are compatible with Dolby ATMOS sound to give an immersive audio visual experience to the audiences. The long-lasting HPM multi-lamp array in all SRX-R500 Series projectors is more energy efficient than traditional Xenon lamps, reducing routine maintenance and cutting the risk of revenue-threatening dark screens. A compelling choice for the big screens, the Premium Large Format (PLF) projection solution outshines many first generation laser systems, with unrivalled 4K picture quality. *Differs from projector to projector, type of screen, type of port glass & lamp power settings. "From developing world's leading technology to providing unparalleled after-sales services, we do it all. We are the only manufacturer in the world who is present in each and every vertical starting from core component level to content capturing, post production, right up to cinema and home projection experience. So, we understand the needs and requirements of all the customers at every level and thereby able to develop world-class products," says Shinya Koshie, National Head, Professional Solutions Division, Sony India.
• TECHNOLOGY •
Accessibility Technology Requirements for Cinema By Harold Hallikainen, QSC, LLC The United States Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990. The Act defines a "motion picture house" as a public accommodation and prohibits discrimination by a public accommodation on the basis of disability. Discrimination against an individual by failing to provide "auxiliary aids" (unless provision would fundamentally alter the good or service or would impose an undue burden) is prohibited. The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice writes regulations implementing the ADA. In 2010, the DOJ issued revised regulations that included the "2010 Standards for Accessible Design." In December 2016, the DOJ issued regulations requiring closed captioning and audio description in movie theaters. This document summarizes the requirements set forth in the regulations and standards. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, this document is not authoritative and is not to be interpreted as legal advice.
Captioning and Audio Description On December 2, 2016, the Federal Register published regulations requiring captioning and "audio description" in movie theaters. These new rules do not apply to drive-in theaters (see definition of "movie theater" at 28 CFR 36.303(g)(1)(vii)). Further, the new rules apply only when a "digital movie" that contains captions or descriptive audio is exhibited. Auditoriums that can only exhibit movies from photographic film ("analog movies") are not required to install equipment for captioning or audio description (36.303(g)(2)). A "digital movie" is
defined as one that is exhibited in "digital cinema format." Though DVD and Blu-ray are digital, the discussion in the final rule appears to exclude these from the captioning and descriptive audio requirement when used in cinema ("Digital cinema captures images, data, and sound as a digital cinema ''package'' (DCP)...").
Captioning
upon receiving a request prior to the start of the movie (36.303(g)(6)(ii)). A theater may also satisfy this requirement by providing closed captioning devices (36.303(g)(2)). Unlike assistive listening systems (discussed below), the required number of closed captioning devices is based on the number of auditoriums a theater has instead of the number of seats. The required number of closed caption devices is shown in the table below (from 36.303(g)(3)).
Captions are similar to subtitles. Subtitles show dialog as text to Number of auditoriums Minimum required allow people who showing digital movies number of do not understand captioning devices the spoken language of the 1 4 movie to 2-7 6 understand the 8-15 8 movie. Captions 16+ 12 include the dialog of the movie, but also include descriptions of sounds to aid those with a hearing impairment Audio Description to understand the movie. A caption Audio Description (often called VI-N, would include "phone rings" while a Visually Impaired Narrative in the subtitle would not. cinema industry) provides the Captions and subtitles can be "open" visually impaired patron with an or "closed." Open captions or audio description of the action on subtitles appear on the movie screen the screen. The audio description where they are visible to the entire audio is provided as a separate audio audience. Closed captions or subtitles track in a digital cinema package. It is are visible only to those audience typically routed through the cinema members who wish to view them, sound processor to a transmitter typically by providing the individual (typically IR (infrared) or RF (radio members with an individual display. frequency)) that drives individual audio description receivers in the auditorium. Audio Description Captioning Requirements receivers are often the same receivers By the effective date of the rule (see that are used for the assistive below), "movie theaters" must make listening system (described below). captions delivered in digital movies The user may choose to listen to the available to members of the hearing impaired (assistive listening) audience. A theater may satisfy this audio, the descriptive audio, or a mix requirement by providing "open of the two. If the assistive listening captions" in all movie showings or receivers have two or more channels March-May 2018
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• TECHNOLOGY • "hearing aid compatible"). The installation cost of inductive loop systems is relatively high. In addition, they are "single channel," so they cannot serve the audio description requirements. There is also a tendency for the loop audio from one auditorium to leak into another. For these reasons, inductive loops are not widely used in cinema in the U.S. (though they are used more widely in Europe).
(one for assistive listening, one for audio description), no additional audio description receivers are required. If, however, the existing assistive listening system receivers cannot carry audio description, a theater is required to have at least one audio description receiver for every two auditoriums with a fraction rounded up (a theater with seven auditoriums needs four receivers). In addition, a theater is required to have a minimum of two audio description receivers.
Assistive Listening Systems The current assistive listening system requirements are contained in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Section 219 lists the requirement for "public assembly areas." The ALS requirements may be met with an inductive loop system or with IR or RF transmitters driving receivers for each patron. Inductive loop systems consist of a loop of wire surrounding the auditorium. The loop is driven by the hearing impaired audio. The audio is inductively coupled into the "telecoil" of a hearing aid. Hearing aids include telecoils to provide clear sound from a telephone by using magnetic induction to couple the sound into the hearing aid instead of acoustic coupling. Section 219.3 exception 2 eliminates the requirement for a facility to provide "hearing aid compatible" assistive listening receivers if the auditorium is served by an inductive loop. The overall number of receivers requirement still applies, however (the exception eliminates the need for a portion of the receivers to be Number of Seats
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Assistive Listening System Requirements Section 706 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design defines the technical requirements for assistive listening systems. Section 706.2 requires receivers to have a 1/8 inch monaural output jack. Users may use this jack to drive "neck loops" or "direct audio inputs" on hearing aids or cochlear implants. A neck loop is necklace worn around the neck of the user. It is connected to the assistive listening receiver to generate a magnetic field that drives the telecoil in a hearing aid. This is a private inductive loop as compared to a loop around the room. Adding a neck loop to an assistive listening
Minimum Number of Receivers
Advisory 706.3 states "Neckloops and headsets that can be worn as neckloops are compatible with hearing aids. Receivers that are not compatible include earbuds, which may require removal of hearing aids, earphones, and headsets that must be worn over the ear, which can create disruptive interference in the transmission and can be uncomfortable for people wearing hearing aids." The remainder of section 706 specifies the sound pressure level, signal to noise ratio, and peak clipping level.
Staff Requirements 28 CFR 36.303(g)(9) requires at least one trained employee be available to assist customers with closed captioning and descriptive audio. That employee must locate the required equipment and activate it and address any problems before or during the movie. If a theater is using open captions in lieu of closed captions, that employee must enable the open captions upon request. Finally, the employee must "communicate effectively with individuals with disabilities, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing or who are blind or have low vision, about how to use, operate, and resolve problems with captioning devices and audio description devices."
Minimum Number of Hearing Aid Compatible Receivers
50 or less
2
2
51 to 200
2, plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 seats1
2
201 to 500
2, plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 seats1
1 per 4 receivers1
501 to 1000
20, plus 1 per 33 seats over 500 seats1
1 per 4 receivers1
1001 to 2000
35, plus 1 per 50 seats over 1000 seats1
1 per 4 receivers1
1
1 per 4 receivers1
2001 and over 1.
Table 219.3, summarized below, specifies the number of assistive listening receivers required based on the seat count in the theater. Section 219.3 exception 1 allows the receivers to be shared among the auditoriums instead of requiring a number of receivers per auditorium if the receivers are compatible with the transmitters for each auditorium. A specified portion of the receivers are required to be "hearing aid compatible" as described below.
system receiver makes the receiver "hearing aid compatible." Note that about 25% of the assistive listening receivers are required to be hearing aid compatible (as shown in the table above).
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• TECHNOLOGY • equipment must be installed within 6 months of the conversion or December 2, 2018, whichever is later.
Advertising Requirements 28 CFR 36.303(g)(8) requires that all theater-generated notices indicate which movies are available with closed captioning and which are available with audio description. This information is to be available at the box office, other ticketing locations, web sites, mobile applications, and over the telephone. This rule does not impose a requirement on third party web sites (that are not controlled by the theater). Royaltyfree symbols for closed captioning and audio description are available from WGBH.
References •
28 CFR 36 - NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY BY PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND IN COMMERCIAL FACILITIES http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?node=pt28.1.36&rgn=div5
•
81 FR 87348 (2016) Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations-Movie Theaters; Movie Captioning and Audio Description - https:// www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-201612-02/pdf/2016-28644.pdf
•
2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design - https:// www.ada.gov/regs2010/ 2010ADAStandards/ 2010ADAStandards_prt.pdf
•
WGBH Access Symbols - http:// main.wgbh.org/wgbh/hire/ symbols.html
Deadlines •
Assistive Listening Systems are required to be operational now (rules requiring them are more than 20 years old).
•
Staff Requirements are effective January 17, 2017, if a theater is providing closed captioning or audio description.
•
Advertising Requirements are effective January 17, 2017, if a
theater is providing closed captioning or audio description. •
Closed Captioning and Audio Description equipment is to be operational by June 2, 2018. However, if a theater converts from film to digital after December 2, 2016, closed captioning and audio description
• TECHNOLOGY •
Virtual Print Fee (VPF) Basics - Michael Karagosian President, MKPE Consulting LLC In this feature, Michael Karagosian takes a look at the economics of film distribution in the times of digitization. He looks at the various hurdles and catalysts in the process. The writer further analyses the structuring of virtual print fee and the recoupment costs and poses the big question -- what happens next?
1 Economics Of Digital Distribution • Wide release movies typically require 10004000 prints • Film print ~ $1500 • Digital print ~ $300 • Studio savings ~ $850M per year (US) • Exhibitor capex ~ $3B (US) • VPF Subsidy = Studio savings towards Exhibitor capex
2 If It’s So Good, Why Did It Take So Long? • Texas Instruments DLP technology emerged late 90’s. • DLP was a breakthrough: true digital modulation of light. • Color is extremely stable and repeatable. Perfect replacement for film. • DLP enabled the transition. Without it, the transition would have been delayed until a viable solution appeared. • Other display technologies also emerged, but TI was the driver.
3 There Were Hurdles to Cross • No reason for exhibitors to invest. Digital projection is a replacement technology, not a generator of new revenue. Distributors save, Exhibitors spend, creating a financial imbalance. The Virtual Print Fee subsidy overcame the financial imbalance. • High risk of investment. Hollywood-driven technology rollouts can be risky (HD-DVD vs BluRay). Why would this be different? The answer was Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI), a JV of the major studios. • Multiple technology issues. Digital distribution needed to be secured to get all content owners onboard. The high quality of film must be matched to get creatives on-board. DCI and SMPTE addressed technology issues. The ASC was engaged for quality.
4 Launch Year Was 2005 • DCI released its Digital Cinema System Specification. • First Virtual Print Fee agreements signed with Access IT (now Cinedigm) and Technicolor.
5 But Another Catalyst Was Needed • The digital transition as originally proposed would only deliver a replacement technology, with no value creation for the exhibitor. • The adoption rate of replacement technologies can be very slow. A slow adoption rate would force studios to distribute both film and digital prints for many years, which would have been costly. • Coincidently, digital 3D projection technology was also introduced in 2005. Audiences were willing to pay more for a 3D movie, making 3D the value adding element of the digital transition. • As exhibitors installed 3D systems, they turned to studios for VPF financing. VPF deals required 100% conversion of screens, driving the adoption rate.
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• TECHNOLOGY • 6 How the VPF Works • No Impact on the VPFs • Distributor-Exhibitor Relationship (true for US)
7 Structuring the VPF •
Designed to mimic film costs. • VPF paid per booking for Wide Release. (< $1000 per booking) • Per-screening fees paid for Limited Release. (< $50 per play) • Fees generally adjusted per sliding scales to mimic film movement.
10 Equipment Cost Basis • In US agreements, recoupable “Out-of-Pocket System Costs” are typically capped at 80% of actual. The cap may vary from studio to studio. • Cost basis of acquired systems determined through depreciation. Depreciation rules may vary. • Out-of-Pocket System Costs generally include: - Projector (including lamp, lens, base - DCI Compliant) - Digital Cinema Server (DCI Compliant) - Network and UPS Components - Extended Warranty - Transportation
11 Who Is Minding Recoupment in the US? • DCIP: JV of AMC/Cinemark/Regal • Cinedigm: formerly AccessIT
When Will VPFs Recoup or Term Out? • Soon, if not already for early deals • 2020 estimated at the outset
Who Has Title to the Equipment?
8 Payment Term • Rollout Periods were typically 3 years. • Fees terminate with Recoupment or End of Term, whichever comes first. • Term Cap in typical US deal is 10 years after Mean Deployment Date.
• Specified in Exhibitor Agreements (NOT Studios)
12 What Happens Next? • DLP projector lifecycle is ~10 years. Projectors don’t die…but become more costly to maintain. • No VPFs for capex refresh. Financing for equipment refresh will be critical. • Maintenance costs will severely limit the secondary market for old projectors.
13 Considerations for the Refresh Cycle
9 Recoupment Out-Of-Pocket System Costs + Finance Costs + Overhead = Recoupable Costs Costs are Capped No Two Deployment Agreements Are Identical When One Studio Recoups, All Recoup
• Equipment sold during the refresh cycle will fall into two classes: - Replacement - Value Addition • The replacement pitch will focus on lower total cost of ownership (TCO), shifting opex to capex, and long term maintenance. Note that exhibitor costs have not reduced with digital technology. • The value-add approach should be end-to-end. Don’t leave anything for chance. The digital transition’s value-add scheme was last minute and lucky. • New financing schemes could invite new business models, and could also drive a value-add model.
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PREVIEW
23 - 26 April 2018 Las Vegas, USA
Poised to be one of the biggest conventions till date, CinemaCon 2018 is here! Since taking its first step in 2011, CinemaCon has evolved and grown to become the largest and most important gathering for the worldwide motion picture theatre industry. CinemaCon is a global event attracting attendees from more than 80 countries.
industry-exhibition, distribution, marketing, publicity and advertising, internet and social media and of course, the theatre equipment and concessions manufacturers and dealers who will showcase the latest technological advances and innovative concession offerings at the trade show, which is run in
association with partners at ICTA and NAC.. For the eighth consecutive year, Caesars Palace will be the home of CinemaCon. As one of Las Vegas' leading casino hotels, the upscale surroundings of Caesars Palace will offer CinemaCon delegates the very
FLOOR PLAN Highlights From exclusive Hollywood product presentations debuting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon, the Official Convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), will jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season (and beyond) at the box office. The CinemaCon schedule will be broad, diverse, educational and fun, and will feature the largest cinema trade show in the world. It will appeal to and attract all facets of the international motion picture theatre
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best with its beautiful conference centre, the finest hotel accommodations, world-class restaurants, and the magnificent Colosseum, the state-of-the-art venue that proudly allows CinemaCon to showcase all studio screenings and presentations in the ultimate theatre setting.
Attendees Whether you are into Cinema Exhibition, Film Distribution or Production, or, in the Equipment or Concession fields, CinemaCon is where you should be. If you're involved in Marketing, Advertising or the burgeoning field of Social Media Networking, CinemaCon is where you should be. And, should your field of expertise be in the design, construction or financing of movie theatres or the exciting world of digital cinema, then CinemaCon is where you definitely should be come. So, if it's networking with peers old and new, being a part of exclusive studio presentations and screenings highlighting the upcoming summer slate of releases, catching up on what it takes to outfit and run a state-of-the art motion picture theatre, sitting down and talking with the key executives and decision makers from the nation's theatres, or, listening to some of today's top stars and filmmakers,
then you can't miss out on CinemaCon 2018. Today's moviegoer is savvy, discriminating and extremely knowledgeable. When it comes to selecting a theatre to see a film, that
same moviegoer would rather drive the extra distance to ensure they are getting the ultimate, state-of-the-art presentation and theatrical experience possible. Today's demanding moviegoer is looking for optimum picture and sound quality, theatre seats that provide great comfort, a ticketing system that is quick and efficient, a concession stand that offers a diverse array of food and beverage items and a theatre setting that provides the best amenities imaginable-all of which makes that moviegoing experience worth driving the extra distance. Today's cinema owner is just as demanding and discriminating when it comes to the building of new theatres or the remodeling and maintenance of existing theatres. The theatre market is competitive and the stakes are high. CinemaCon serves that competitive, high-stakes market. Giving cinema owners from all over the world the opportunity to experience the latest and most important advances in the world of theatre equipment and concession products, CinemaCon offers the world's largest platform geared specifically for the motion picture theatre owner. It is here that decision making cinema owners and executives walk the aisles, keeping an eye out for new equipment, products and services that will help make theirs the "go-to" theatres. March-May 2018
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EVENT CALENDER SCHEDULE
2018 3-5 APRIL CHINA THEATER & CINEMA GUANGZHOU, CHINA www.gtcff.com
23 April
24 April
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What Does The Future Hold? Panel Discussion
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Company Screenings and Presentations
Seminars •
23-26 APRIL CINEMACON LAS VEGAS, USA www.cinemacon.com
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11-14 JUNE CINEEUROPE BARCELONA, SPAIN www.cineeurope.net
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The Global Cinema Federation: Addressing The Issues Of The
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22-25 OCTOBER SHOWEAST FLORIDA, USA www.showeast.com
10-13 DECEMBER CINEASIA HONG KONG www.cineasia.com
2019 MARCH FICCI FRAMES MUMBAI, INDIA www.ficci-frames.com
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The New Frontier: Saudi Arabia Opens Doors To Movie Theatres After 35 Years
Award Presentations •
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2-5 OCTOBER EXPOCINE SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL www.expocine.com.br
25 April •
Seminar: "ICTA Seminar - Theatre Entertainment Centers: Family Fun For Profitability
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An Industry Think Tank 3.0: Meeting The Expectations Of Today's Savvy Moviegoer
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Company Presentations
26 April •
"NAC Seminar - Insights On Profit: Cinema Concession Analytics"
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"The Independent And Specialty Market: Stronger Than Ever"
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Company Presentations
Global Exhibition Industry
18-21 SEPTEMBER KINO EXPO ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA www.kinoexpo.ru
Digital Innovation: One of the Plank's of Cinema's Future Strength -- David Hancock, Director, Film and Cinema, IHS Market Globally Speaking: Addressing the Ever-Changing Industry Landscape
28-29 AUGUST BIG CINE EXPO MUMBAI, INDIA www.bigcineexpo.com
Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers - Jay Baer, President, Convince and Convert
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29 JUL - 2 AUG AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA www.movieconvention.com.au
International Day Programmes
"Career Achievement in Exhibition Award" - Robert Carrady, President, Caribbean Cinemas "CinemaCon Passepartout Award" - Kurt Rieder, EVP, Theatrical, 20th Century Fox International
Big Screen Achievement Award Presentations •
Male Star of the Year
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Female Star of the Year
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Lifetime Achievement Award
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Cinema Icon Award
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Female Star of Tomorrow Tiffany Haddish
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Male Star of Tomorrow
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"International Filmmaker of the Year" - J.A. Bayona, Director, "Jurassic World:
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Comedy Star of the Year - Kate McKinnon
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CinemaCon Vanguard Award
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Fallen Kingdom" "comScore International Boxoffice Achievement Award" The Walt Disney Studios
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Breakthrough Performer of the Year
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CinemaCon Ensemble Award
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Rising Stars of 2018
REVIEW
11-14 December 2017 Hong Kong
CineAsia 2017 was bringing together Asian cinema industry professionals, from cinema owners and suppliers to film buyers and distributors. This is where Asian cinema exhibition and distribution professionals gathered to do business. As the sister event to ShowEast and CineEurope, CineAsia maintained the same standards of programming, seminars, special events and suppliers. The event also screened major Asian and Hollywood films and curated programmes, specifically geared toward the needs of the Asian cinema exhibition community.
Coming Back to Cinema - A consumer panel discussion
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Panel Discussions & Seminars •
A Look at the Chinese Marketplace
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New Technologies and the Growth Potential of Moving Forward
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Unmanned Intelligent Screening era -- panel discussion Country Statistics - A closer look at China, France, Hong Kong, Korea and India
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The Growth of Premium Cinema in China and Around the World
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New Technology of Digital Cinema 2.0
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Growing Together - An Update from MPA
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An Introduction to DTS:X and Immersive Audio
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A panel discussion by International Cinema Technology Association
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Cinema Sound for Solid Screens
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Various Corporate Presentations
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What Keeps the Consumer
Award Presentations: •
comScore's Asia-Pacific Box Office Achievement Award -- Wolf Warrior 2
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Motion Picture Association (MPA) Asia-Pacific Copyright Educator (A.C.E.) -- Graham Burke, Village Roadshow Limited
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Special Achievement Award -Won Chun Cha, Lotte Cinema
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Exhibitor of the Year -- Ajay Bijli, PVR Cinemas
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Distributor of the Year -- Yusuke Okada, TOEI Company
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Technical Innovator of the Year -Barco March-May 2018
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TRADESHOW @ CINEASIA
TW-58
March-May 2018
Barco
GoldenLink
Popcorn
Christie
GoldMedal
Pulz
Dolby
Harkness
QUBE
Figuras
Hony
Samsung / Harman
Galalite
KCS
Sony
GDC
StrongMDI
GetD
Osram
THX
Vista
F U T U R E
R E L E A S E S
A glimpse of movies coming soonâ&#x20AC;Ś Tomb Raider
I Kill Giants Production Warner Bros.
Production RLJE Films
Director Roar Uthaug
Director Anders Walter
Starring Alicia Vikander, Dominic West
Starring Zoe Saldana, Imogen Poots
Genre Action, Adventure
Genre Fantasy, Adventure
Sherlock Gnomes
Midnight Sun
Production Paramount
Production Open Road Films
Director John Stevenson
Director Scott Speer
Starring James McAvoy, Emily Blunt
Starring Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger
Genre Comedy, Family
Pacific Rim Uprising
Genre Drama, Romance
Unsane
Production Legendary Pictures
Production Bleecker Street
Director Steven S. DeKnight
Director Steven Soderbergh
Starring John Boyega, Scott Eastwood,
Starring Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard
Genre Action, Sci-Fi
Genre Thriller, Suspense
March-May 2018
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F U T U R E Ready Player One
Production Universal Pictures
Director Steven Spielberg
Director Kay Cannon
Starring Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke
Starring Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz
Genre Action, Sci-Fi
Genre Comedy
A Quiet Place Production A24
Production Paramount
Director Andrew Haigh
Director John Krasinski
Starring Charlie Plummer, ChloĂŤ Sevigny
Starring John Krasinski, Emily Blunt
Genre Drama, Sports
Genre Thriller, Horror
Acrimony
Pandas Production Lionsgate
Production IMAX
Director Tyler Perry
Director David Douglas
Starring Taraji P. Henson
Starring Kristen Bell
Genre Drama
Genre Documentary
Gemini
March-May 2018
Blockers
Production Warner Bros.
Lean on Pete
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R E L E A S E S
Beirut Production Neon
Production Bleecker Street
Director Aaron Katz
Director Brad Anderson
Starring Lola Kirke, Zoe Kravitz
Starring Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike
Genre Thriller, Mystery
Genre Thriller, Action
F U T U R E Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero
R E L E A S E S Traffik
Production Fun Academy
Production Codeblack Films
Director Richard Lanni
Director Deon Taylor
Starring Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham
Starring Paula Patton, Omar Epps
Genre Animation, Family
Genre Suspense
Blumhouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Truth or Dare
Avengers: Infinity War
Production Universal Pictures
Production Walt Disney
Director Jeff Wadlow
Director Anthony Russo
Starring Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans
Genre Thriller
Genre Action, Sci-Fi
Rampage
Life of the Party Production New Line Cinema
Production New Line Cinema
Director Brad Peyton
Director Ben Falcone
Starring Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Jacobs
Genre Action, Adventure
Genre Comedy
I Feel Pretty
Deadpool 2 Production STXfilms
Production 20th Century Fox
Director Abby Kohn
Director David Leitch
Starring Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Zazie Beetz
Genre Comedy
Genre Action
March-May 2018
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F U T U R E Show Dogs
Baaghi 2 Production Open Road Films
Production Nadiadwala
Director Raja Gosnell
Director Ahmed Khan
Starring Will Arnett, Natasha Lyonne
Starring Tiger Shroff, Disha Patani
Genre Comedy, Family
Genre Action, Romance
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Production T-Series
Director Phil Lord,
Director Abhinay Deo
Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson
Starring Irrfan Khan, Kirti Kulhari
Genre Sci-Fi, Adventure
Genre Comedy
Bharath Ane Nenu Production Pooja Entert.
Production DVV Entertainments
Director Aleya Sen
Director Koratala Siva
Starring Taapsee Pannu, Saqib Saleem
Starring Mahesh Babu, Kiara Advani
Genre Comedy
Genre Action, Drama
Baazaar
March-May 2018
Blackmail
Production Walt Disney
Dil Juunglee
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R E L E A S E S
Kaala Production KYTA Productions
Production Wunderbar Films
Director Gauravv K Chawla
Director Pa. Ranjith
Starring Saif Ali Khan, Rohan Mehra
Starring Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi
Genre Drama
Genre Action, Drama