Italian tax breaks get EU approval

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3id64fe7b10f6b9e9656d47552a5a17c4b

 

Incentives capped at $7 million per project

By Stuart Kemp

Dec 22, 2008, 11:19 AM ET

LONDON -- Italian producers breathed a sigh of relief Monday as it emerged that the European Commission has said "si" to Italian state plans to introduce movie production tax incentives.

The move will allow tax breaks of up to 25% of a film's budget for local and overseas productions made on Italian soil.

The incentives are capped at $7 million per project and, according to Italian press reports, are likely to pump millions of dollars into the local production scene.

It follows hot on the heels of France's decision last week to introduce its own incentives to foreign filmmakers.

Germany, France, Italy and the U.K. all now have a system of tax incentives in place to lure productions to their respective territories.

Italian tax breaks get EU approval

Incentives capped at $7 million per project

By Stuart Kemp

Dec 22, 2008, 11:19 AM ET

LONDON -- Italian producers breathed a sigh of relief Monday as it emerged that the European Commission has said "si" to Italian state plans to introduce movie production tax incentives.

The move will allow tax breaks of up to 25% of a film's budget for local and overseas productions made on Italian soil.

The incentives are capped at $7 million per project and, according to Italian press reports, are likely to pump millions of dollars into the local production scene.

It follows hot on the heels of France's decision last week to introduce its own incentives to foreign filmmakers.

Germany, France, Italy and the U.K. all now have a system of tax incentives in place to lure productions to their respective territories.

 

Christie Projector Maintenance

COOLING

The CP2000 high-intensity lamp and electronics rely on a variety of cooling components to reduce internal operating temperatures. Regular checking and maintenance of the entire cooling system is critical to prevent overheating and sudden projector failure, and helps to ensure reliable operation of all projector components over time.

Never attempt to conduct maintenance on an operational (live) projector. Turn the projector lamp off at least ten minutes before turning the projector off. It is crucial that you leave at least ten minutes between powering down the lamp and turning off the projector as this provides sufficient time for the internal lamp cooling fans to properly cool the lamp. Without such a precaution the lamp has the potential to explode, causing injury and or property damage.

The liquid cooler system circulates liquid to and from the DMDs (Digital Micro Mirror Devices used to deliver DLP™ Dinema Technology) in the CP2000 projection head; reducing their operating temperature to an acceptable level. Periodically check the coolant level visible through the coolant gauge/window on the non-operators side of the pedestal (Picture 1).

Make sure the coolant level remains between the two notches and preferably remains closer to the top notch. However should the liquid cooling system fail, it will trigger an over-temperature alarm.

Open the pedestal door (Picture 2) and locate cooler (Picture 3). The cooler sits in a cradle with ducting to circulate the cooling mix. It is unnecessary to remove the cooler from its cradle, the cap can be unscrewed and the cooler filled with a Christie’s 50/50 mix of distilled water and ethylene glycol – be careful not to overfill (Picture 4). Replace cap and close pedestal door.

 

VENTILATION Vents and louvers in the projector covers provide ventilation, both for air intake and exhaust. Never block or cover these openings. It is recommended that you replace the air filter (located near the corner the lens corner of the projector head), whenever you replace the lamp – or sooner in dusty or dirty environments. A clogged filter reduces air flow and can lead to overheating and failure of the projector (Pictures 1-5). Behind the filter you will see a brass-coloured metal grate, this is the partition between the filter and the sophisticated electronics of the projection head. Behind the gate is the laminar airflow device or LAD. The gate is secured by two small bolts, which must firstly be removed before you slide the gate upwards to gain access the projector head and LAD (Picture 6). Although the LAD can be accessed by removing the uppermost panel of the projector head, it is easier to gain access to the LAD through the gate.       Clean filters should appear nearly white or light grey in colour. LAD rarely become dirty, should your LAD appear very dark you may wish to consult a qualified service technician to identify the cause of the problem. Filters are easily removed and replaced, just follow the labelling for proper inside and outside orientation and then these steps in reverse to complete the process (Pictures 7, 3, 1).

 

 

ELECTRICAL

Every 60 days or 500 hours of operation you should check the contact surfaces of the projector for cleanliness and that the electrical and lamp connections are tight. Clean electrical contact surfaces to prevent contact resistance from scorching connectors.

As stated previously, ensure the projector is fully disconnected from any power supply before commencing maintenance. The anode and cathode connector connect to both the power supply and Xenon lamp. The connectors to the power supply can be located on the operators side of the projector (Pictures 1-4).

The connectors to the anode and cathode connectors to the lamp can be found in the contained lamp housing, on the opposite side of the projector. The lamp housing door should not be opened without wearing the correct protective clothing. This is Christie Protective clothing safety kit #598900-095 includes protective gloves, latex lab gloves, double layer acetate face shield and a quilted ballistic nylon jacket or welders jacket.

 

LAMP CHANGE

Even when you are not changing the lamp and just checking that the connections are in good condition – this kit should be worn.

1.     Determine if the lamp requires replacement or if only general maintenance is required. When the lamp approaches end of life it must be replaced – do not exceed warranted lamp life by more than 20%, as an old lamp becomes increasingly and dangerously fragile, resulting in possible explosion. 2.     To determine the age of your current lamp, consult the ‘Status’ menu in the Touch Panel Controller. Lamp hours appear under both ‘Environment: Lamp’ and in the password-protected Advanced Lamp menu and Advanced Lamp History menu. (Picture 1) 3.     If a new lamp needs to be replaced ensure that you have Christie Xenon CDXL lamp of the correct wattage. Never install a lamp intended for a different model or projector. 4.     The high pressure of the lamp increases with changes in temperature. Failure to allow the lamp to sufficiently cool prior to handling has the potential to explode, causing injury and or property damage. Turn the projector lamp off at least ten minutes before turning the projector off. It is crucial that you leave at least ten minutes between powering down the lamp and turning off the projector as this provides sufficient time for the internal lamp cooling fans to properly cool the lamp. (Picture 2) At the breaker panel on the projector, set the 3-phase MAIN AC circuit breaker to OFF. 5.     After running the fans for at least 10 minutes for cooling, turn off the remaining INTERNAL and PROJECTOR circuit breakers located on the breaker panel of the projector. (Picture 3) Disconnect the projector from the AC supply. Never attempt to conduct maintenance on an operational (live) projector. (Picture 4) Lamps may explode if dropped or mishandled and it is therefore mandatory that the maintenance technician wear authorized protective clothing such as that included in a Christie Protective Clothing Safety Kit # 598900-095. Recommended protective clothing includes, but may not be limited to protective gloves, latex lab gloves, double-layer 0.040” acetate face shield and a quilted ballistic nylon jacket or welder’s jacket. (Picture 5) Wear authorized protective clothing whenever the door to the lamp housing is open or when handling lamps. 8.     Wearing the protective clothing and face shield unlock the lamp housing door and open it. If desired you may release the latch mechanism to remove the door entirely. Turn the knob to open the inner lamp cooling compartment and reveal the cathode end of the lamp.(Picture 6-7) 9.     Loosen set screws from the negative/cathode (rear, 7/64”) and positive/anode (front, 3/16”) lamp connectors. Make sure to apply minimumal torque and do not stress the quartz tube. Carefully slip the positive anode connector off the front of the lamp. 10.   Handling by the cathode end only, unscrew the lamp from the rear connector and carefully remove from the projector. Immediately replace the used lamp inside the protective lamp cover (saved from the previous installation) and then seal it in a heavy carton on the floor where it cannot fall or be bumped. Handle box with extreme caution – the lamp is hazardous even when packaged. Dispose of the lamp in accordance with safety regulations for your area. With the lamp removed, visually inspect the reflector for dust and clean if necessary. Brush most of the dust off with a camel-hair brush and/or blow dust away with compressed air. If some dust remains, just leave as is – air circulating at the lamp is unfiltered, so some dust is inevitable. Avoid unnecessary cleaning. (Picture 8) Now take the new lamp, remove the tape, knurled nut and locking star washer (if present) that secures the lamp within its protective cover. Handling at the ends only, extract the lamp from the cover. Set aside the protective cover for re-use in your next lamp disposal or for warranty return of an expired lamp.(Picture 9) Insert the threaded cathode (-) end of the lamp into the negative lamp connector nut located in the rear of the lamp compartment and screw in fully – though hand-tighten only.(Picture 10-11) When inserting the new lamp handle by the cathode and anode end shafts only, never the glass. Do not over-tighten. Do not stress the glass. Rest the anode (+) end of the lamp on the lamp cradle and slip the positive lamp connector over the bulb end. (Picture 12) *The lamp cradle is an adjustable stand, designed for various placement within the lamp housing to accommodate different sizes of lamp. Though it is unlikely the lamp cradle will require adjustment unless the projectors is being moved to support a different screen / screen size. Hand-tighten set screws in both negative and positive lamp connectors, ensuring proper electrical content. Proper electrical contact prevents resistance in lamp connectors. 15.   Make sure that the anode (+) lead between lamp and igniter is well away from any projector metal such as the reflector firewall. Leads too close to metal parts will cause arcing during the lamp starting pulse. This is a safety hazard and also the lamp may not ignite. Close the lamp-housing door, as the projector will not operate unless the louvered door is locked shut. Reattach the projector pedestal to the mains and at the projector’s breaker panel, turn all breakers to ON. *If your new lamp is larger or smaller than the old lamp, you will need to record the new lamp type (2.0,3.0,4.5 or 6.0kW) in the Touch Panel Controller’s menu before igniting the new lamp. This setting establishes the proper range of power available for the newly installed lamp, ensuring it is neither under-powered or over-driven. 16.   Turn the lamp on by pressing and holding the lamp button on the Touch Panel Controller’s (TPC) Main Menu. Continuing to use the TPC to adjust the lamp position within the projector. This ensure maximum performance, with the lamp well-centred with the reflector and distanced correctly from the rest of the illumination system. (Picture 13) 17.   Now record the lamp’s serial number. From the Advanced Lamp menu, select “New Lamp” and in the Lamp History submenu, enter the serial number in the text box. Save to record the serial number and to reset the lamp timer. The timer will now begin to log time for the new lamp. (Picture 14) 18.   Whenever the lamp module is changed, replace the air filter or more frequently if operating the projector in dusty or dirty.

 

 

OPTICAL CARE

Unnecessary cleaning of optics can be more harmful than helpful, increasing the risk of degrading delicate coatings and surfaces. In this projector check only the lens and lamp reflector (the later is found in the lamp housing and again only accessed when wearing full protective clothing). Check these components periodically in a clean and dust-free environment using a high-intensity light source or torch. Clean them ONLY when dust, dirt, oil or other marks are obvious. Never touch an optical surface with your bare hand – always wear latex lab gloves. You can see that our technician has chosen to wear latex lab gloves throughout the maintenance processes, this is to limit the projector’s further exposure to dust and dirt particles (Picture 1). IF DUSTY:    Brush most of the dust off with a camel-hair brush and or blow dust away with compressed air.    Fold a microfibre cloth to create a smooth surface without folds or creases and gently wipe away any remaining particles.    If significant dust is still bound to the surface, dampen a clean microfibre cloth with lens cleaning solution (damp, not dripping) and wipe gently until clean. IF FINGERPRINTS, SMUDGES, OIL:    Brush away any particles with a soft camel hair brush and or compressed air.    Roll a lens tissue around a swab or cotton bud and soak the lens in cleaning solution. Again the tissue should be damp and not dripping.    Gently wipe the surface in a figure of 8 motion, until the blemish is removed.

 

 

3D driving digital cinema installations but the rest on hold

http://hardtimes09.greenfieldscommunications.com/cinema.htm

 

Source: Screen Digest

Cinema remains the primary place to watch a movie, for filmmakers and the audience alike, and the movie remains the primary driver for going to the movies, and for that reason we consider cinema to be recession resistant (although not recession proof) as long as the movie quality remains high. Cinema is a relatively inexpensive form of ‘going out’ entertainment, providing good value escapism at significantly lower cost than most other forms. The theatrical experience coupled with the exclusivity of the movie in the cinema window maintains the demand for cinema, and its place as the marketing platform for a movie into other windows. The limited data that there is also suggests that cinema does not suffer unduly during recession, with no identifiable link between the two. 

 

Anecdotally, in times of economic hardship, it is more likely that cinema audiences will reduce the overall budget envelope for their night out, cutting down on travel options or concessions expenditure, but the cinema ticket will still be bought if the film is good enough to warrant a trip to the cinema.

 

The current challenge confronting the film industry is the conversion from 35mm to digital distribution and projection technology without suffering collateral damage in the form of cinema closures”. Screen Digest estimates there are 8,000 single-screen cinemas in Europe (one quarter of screens) that could be at risk if a business model cannot be found or public funding provided. 

 

David Hancock, Head of Film and Cinema at Screen Digest, notes “Digital is not just a replacement technology, it is a refreshment technology for cinema. In the same way that multiplex cinemas breathed new life into cinema attendance, digital will bring cinema into the digital media landscape. However, the financial climate is not making the conversion any easier, with the funds needed to convert 110,00 modern screens worldwide (around $8bn) now harder and more expensive to come by”. 

 

The positive news is that digital technology is the platform for digital 3D in the cinema, a more immersive cinemagoing experience, which has given a viable economic incentive to exhibitors to convert to digital.

 

SIM2 Digital Cinema Projectors Deliver Opera From La Scala

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/SIM2-multimedia_12_19_08.php

December 19, 2008

Source: SIM2 Multimedia

SIM2, the Italian manufacturer whose striking high-performance projectors are known worldwide for their pristine video quality, has partnered with Emerging Pictures to bring opera live from the famed La Scala Operahouse, in Milan, Italy, to enthusiasts in Beverly Hills and New York. SIM2 will provide models from its Digital Cinema projector range for these high quality broadcasts of the La Scala Opera season at the Beverly Hills Laemmle Theater and Miller Theater at Columbia University in New York.

Opening night began on December 7th with Verdi's "Don Carlo" where opera fanatics at the Laemmle Theater were treated to crisp, detailed images delivered on a 28-foot wide screen by SIM2's PRO5DL flagship Digital Cinema projector incorporating the latest generation 3-chip DLP® technology from Texas Instruments. This projection system has been designed to meet the demanding requirements of the Digital Cinema market, producing images of outstanding resolution, color depth and dynamic range. Thanks to its high brightness dual-lamp system and state-of-the-art optical engine, the Pro5DL can be used with screens measuring up to 49ft wide. SIM2's home theater models share the same design ethos - to produce the finest quality cinema-like images in the home.

"The La Scala project was a natural fit for SIM2 as we are dedicated to delivering entertainment in its purest form," said Alberto Fabiano, Western Region Marketing and Sales Manager for SIM2 USA. "Whether it's our award-winning Grand Cinema home theater projectors such as the C3X1080; large screen application models such as the HT5000E or Pro5DL Digital Cinema models, the ultimate goal remains the same—leave them breathless."

Since December 2007, Emerging Pictures - in an exclusive collaboration with RAI Trade and the City of Milan—has been bringing the operas from La Scala to digital cinemas throughout the world. The operas are presented in High Definition format with Dolby digital surround sound.

 

SENSIO Rolls Out Its Live 3D Technology in the United States - Sells 50 New Cinema Decoding Licenses

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/sensiotechnologies_12_18_08.php

December 18, 2008

Source: Sensio Technologies

SENSIO Technologies Inc., creator of the SENSIO 3D technology, announced the sale of 50 new licenses for its SENSIO 3D cinema decoding technology for use by Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. The Live 3D technology, which enables the live broadcasting of stereoscopic events, will be implemented in 100 digital movie theatres in the United States. An initial 50 licenses were already sold last July.

The sale was made to International Datacasting Corporation, who, under their license agreement with SENSIO, sold 50 CineLive™ 3D systems to Cinedigm. Cinedigm deployed theaters use Doremi Cinema’s DCP-2000 playback servers through which the SENSIO® 3D server technology is enabled. Cinedigm has the exclusivity on the SENSIO® 3D cinema decoding technology on the U.S. market.

“In the current economic climate, we are very pleased that the deployment of our technology in movie theatres is going as planned. Our partners recognize the potential of the Live 3D technology and the distribution of alternative content in movie theatres. Cinedigm, in conjunction with IDC, Doremi and SENSIO, is working on implementing the infrastructure that will enable moviegoers to watch a live sports match or a concert in 3D, providing them with an amazing experience”, explains Nicholas Routhier, President and CEO of SENSIO.

This marks the second order of CineLive, which integrates the SENSIO cinema decoding technology with IDC’s SuperFlex DVB-S2 broadband technology. Last June, Cinedigm announced its intention to deploy CineLive™ in 150 digital movie theatres across the United States.

 

Arts Alliance Media receives new funding for digital rollout in Europe

http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/news-and-features/news/digital-cinema/e3i5b7ea61434be7390c9593b9d811eaf8d

 

Dec 11, 2008

Arts Alliance Media (AAM), Europe’s leading provider of digital-cinema technology, deployment and content, signed agreements for 43 million euros of funding from pan-European services company Econocom and various private investors, together with a long-term strategic partnership agreement with Arqiva Satellite & Media for the satellite distribution of films and alternative-content live events into European cinemas.

Econocom Financial Services will provide financing of 20 million euros for the purchase of equipment to complete the Circuit George Raymond’s (CGR Cinemas) digital-cinema deployment in France. CGR Cinemas, based in La Rochelle, has already installed 126 digital screens to date via its virtual print fee-based rollout agreement with AAM and is aiming to complete the digital conversion of 100% of the circuit’s 400 screens by spring 2009.

The additional 23 million euros has been raised from private investors and will fund the continued growth of AAM, with particular focus on building up the group’s infrastructure and support network for its European digital-cinema deployment business, as well as developing new and emerging revenue streams. The new investors will have a minority shareholding in the AAM group.

Howard Kiedaisch, AAM’s chief executive officer said, “We are delighted to announce this fantastic news, especially in today’s challenging economic climate.
The significant investments and new partnerships with Econocom and Arqiva are a tremendous boost, and strengthen us to forge ahead with building the largest digital-cinema delivery network in Europe, to which we can deliver digital content—films, alternative programming and live events.”

Jocelyn Bouyssy, general manager of CGR Cinemas, commented, “We are delighted to see that, in the current market, the VPF model is clearly validated and supported by financial partners. We hope that the completion of our digital rollout in spring 2009 will convince all French distributors to jump on board and seize the tremendous opportunities of digital cinema and 3D.”

The Arqiva/AAM partnership agreement sets out an action plan for the development of a content-delivery platform and network for film distribution via secure satellite. Extensive research, development and testing have already been
completed. In October 2008, AAM and Arqiva successfully distributed the 2008
Palme d'Or winning film Entre Les Murs (The Class) to CGR Cinemas’ megaplex site in Villenave d'Ornon, Bordeaux, France. The full digital-cinema package, a 216 GB file, was transmitted via the Intelsat 905 satellite direct to the library server at the cinema, without any operator intervention. Arqiva and AAM have also been working together recently on the live HD transmissions of opera and ballet performances from the Royal Opera House and other leading venues to cinemas across Europe.

To date, AAM has a European footprint of 402 installed and operated digital-cinema screens, and its in-house digital cinema lab has mastered over 422 digital-cinema titles.

 

Update On Disney 3D Movies For 2009

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2008/12/update-on-disney-3d-movies-for-2009.html

 

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Disney had just given us their 2009 schedule of releases and I have snagged the 3D ones of course! There is an amazing FIVE 3D movies from Disney in 2009. Let's take a look:

1. February 27th - JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE
"...a high-energy Walt Disney Pictures rockumentary feature film event from director Bruce Hendricks (“Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert”). The film blends excerpts from the Brothers’ red-hot “Burning Up” concert tour, including guest performances from Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift, with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, off-the-wall segments, a never-before-heard song ("Love Is On Its Way"), swarming fans and a lot of JB-style humor—giving fans never-before-seen insights into the lives of KEVIN, JOE and NICK."

CAST: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift
DIRECTOR: Bruce Hendricks
PRODUCERS: Art Repola, Johnny Wright, Philip McIntyre, Kevin Jonas Sr., Alan Sacks
GENRE: Rockumentary
RATING: G
RELEASE DATE: February 27, 2009
NOTES:
• The “Burning Up” tour was one hot ticket: the Brothers sold out three Madison Square Garden shows in record time. On November 18, 2008, the Brothers released a photo diary
book: “Burning Up: On Tour with the Jonas Brothers.”
• Jonas Brothers’ “A Little Bit Longer” album debuted in August 2008 at # 1 on the Billboard Top 200 as the 3rd highest debut of 2008. It has since gone platinum. Their next
single is “Tonight,” which hits the radio in January 2009.
• Disney’s “Camp Rock” debuted on Disney Channel in June 2008 as the network’s #2 original movie of all time with 8.9 million viewers.
WEBSITE: Disney.com/JONAS3D.com

2. May 29th - UP
From Disney•Pixar comes “Up,” a comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 9-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. From the Academy Award®-nominated director Pete Docter (“Monsters, Inc.”), Disney•Pixar’s “Up” invites you on a hilarious journey into a lost world, with the least likely duo on Earth. “Up” will be presented in Disney Digital 3-D™ in select theaters.

VOICE TALENT: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Delroy Lindo, Jordan Nagai
DIRECTOR: Pete Docter
CO-DIRECTOR: Bob Peterson
PRODUCER: Jonas Rivera
COMPOSER: Michael Giacchino GENRE: Animation/Adventure
RATING: TBD
RELEASE DATE: May 29, 2009
NOTES:
• John Ratzenberger is tapped yet again to lend his voice, this time as Construction Foreman Tom.
Ratzenberger is the only actor to voice a role in all of the Disney•Pixar films.
• Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino has received numerous accolades for his work on previous Disney•Pixar films “Ratatouille” (GRAMMY® Award winner, Best Score Album Soundtrack; Annie Award winner, Best Music in an Animated Feature Production; Oscar® nomination, Best Original Score) and “The Incredibles” (Annie Award winner, Best Music in an Animated Feature Production; GRAMMY nomination, Best Score Album Soundtrack).
WEBSITE: Disney.com/UP

3. July 24th - G-FORCE
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer brings his first 3-D film to the big screen with G-FORCE, a comedy adventure about the latest evolution of a covert government program to train animals to work in espionage. Armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment, these highly trained guinea pigs discover that the fate of the world is in their paws. Tapped for the G-FORCE are guinea pigs Darwin (voice of SAM ROCKWELL), the squad leader determined to succeed at all costs; Blaster (voice of TRACY MORGAN), an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme; and Juarez (voice of PENELOPE CRUZ), a sexy martial arts pro; plus the literal fly-on-the-wall reconnaissance expert, Mooch, and a starnosed mole, Speckles (voice of NICOLAS CAGE), the computer and information specialist. Directed by two-time Oscar®-winning visual effects master Hoyt Yeatman—G-FORCE takes audiences on a high-octane thrill ride, proving once and for all that size really doesn't matter.

CAST: Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, with the voices of Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Steve Buscemi, Tracy Morgan
DIRECTOR: Hoyt Yeatman
SCREENPLAY BY: The Wibberleys and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Tim Firth, based on a story by Hoyt Yeatman (credits not final)
PRODUCER: Jerry Bruckheimer
GENRE: Comedy-Adventure
RATING: TBD
RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2009
NOTES:
• Director and visual effects master Hoyt Yeatman has teamed with producer Jerry Bruckheimer on such movies as “Armageddon,” “Con Air” and “The Rock.” G-FORCE is Yeatman’s directorial debut.
• G-FORCE is producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s first 3-D movie.

4. October 2nd - TOY STORY
They’re toys, they talk—at least when people aren’t around—and they’re back…celebrating the return of the “Toy Story” franchise—in Disney Digital 3-D™ this time! TOY STORY, the film that started it all, takes moviegoers back to that fantastic fun-filled journey, viewed mostly through the eyes of two rival toys—Woody (voice of TOM HANKS), the lanky, likable cowboy, and Buzz Lightyear (voice of TIM ALLEN), the fearless space ranger. The comically-mismatched duo eventually learn to put aside their differences when circumstances separate them from their owner Andy and they find themselves on a hilarious adventurefilled mission where the only way they can survive is to form an uneasy alliance. Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY kicks off a Disney Digital 3-D™ Toy Story celebration, which includes “Toy Story 2,” opening Feb. 12, 2010, and culminates in a brand new adventure starring Buzz and Woody: “Toy Story 3”—in theaters June 18, 2010.

CAST: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger,
Annie Potts, John Morris, Erik von Detten, Laurie Metcalf, R. Lee Ermey
DIRECTOR: John Lasseter
PRODUCERS: Ralph Guggenheim, Bonnie Arnold
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs
ORIGINAL STORY BY: John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft
SCREENPLAY BY: Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alan Sokolow
GENRE: Animation-Comedy/Adventure
RATING: G
RELEASE DATE: October 2, 2009
NOTES:
• TOY STORY, originally released on November 22, 1995, was the first fully computer animated feature film and the highest grossing movie of the year with nearly $192 million domestically and $362 million worldwide.
• The four people behind the original story of TOY STORY—John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and the late Joe Ranft—are the key creatives (writers and/or directors) responsible for most of Disney•Pixar’s subsequent releases: "A Bug's Life," "Toy Story 2," "Monsters, Inc." "Finding Nemo," “Cars," "WALL•E" and the 2009 release "Up."
• TOY STORY was nominated for three Academy Awards® and two Golden Globes.®
• Director John Lasseter was awarded a Special Achievement Award (Oscar®) by the Academy Awards® for his “inspired leadership of the Pixar TOY STORY team, resulting in the first feature-length computer-animated film."
• John Lasseter made his feature film directing debut with TOY STORY in 1995. He has since directed such Pixar classics as “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2” and “Cars” and served as executive producer of all other Pixar films to date. He is currently the chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and principal creative advisor of Walt Disney Imagineering.

5. November 6th - DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3-D motion picture event. Ebenezer Scrooge (JIM CARREY) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (GARY OLDMAN) and his cheery nephew (COLIN FIRTH).
But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late.

CAST: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes, Fionnula Flanagan
DIRECTOR: Robert Zemeckis
PRODUCERS: Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke
SCREENPLAY BY: Robert Zemeckis
BASED ON THE CLASSIC NOVELLA BY: Charles Dickens
GENRE: Fantasy Adventure
RATING: TBD
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2009
NOTES:
• Jim Carrey tackles seven roles, including Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come.
• The Dickens novella was first published on December 19, 1843, becoming an instant—and enduring—success.

What an AWESOME lineup of 3D from Disney to meet what will surely be the year of 3D: 2009! I have got to say I am looking forward to each and every one of these efforts and especially UP and A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

 

Barco trains and certifies over 200 digital cinema engineers

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/barcodigitalcinema_12_12_08.php

December 12, 2008

Source: Barco

As part of Barco’s industry-leading digital cinema certification program, over 200 technicians have successfully completed the rigorous training courses held at Barco’s North American facilities in Rancho Cordova, CA.

Digital cinema pioneer Barco announced today that over 200 technicians have successfully passed and become certified through Barco’s distinguished training program in North America with additional certifications completed in Asia and Europe throughout 2008. Not only is the number a milestone for the pre-eminent training program in digital cinema, it also represents the certification of more digital cinema technicians than any other digital cinema projection manufacturer worldwide.

These trained and certified engineers represent empowerment and flexibility for theatre owners, as theatres are no longer bound to using one specific service provider. Barco’s approach to customer service allows many choices for theatre management to meet their circuit’s unique needs. By offering Barco engineers, certified service partners, and certification for each theatre’s in-house staff, Barco allows each theatre owner to choose their own solution for technical support.

“Our digital cinema certification program is the culmination of several years of work, based on our expertise with image processing training,” said Chris Gregg, Barco’s head of digital cinema training. “We provide the most hands on time, the best instructor to student ratios, and the most rigorous benchmark testing. When a certified technician leaves Barco, they’ve demonstrated to us, both in written form and in terms of practical applications, that they’re able to properly install and maintain a Barco projector to spec.”

“With over 20 of our technicians having completed certification, we are extremely impressed with the strength and comprehensiveness of Barco’s digital cinema training program,” said Pat Moore, Vice President for Strong Technical Services. “The classroom and hands-on experience our technicians receive in this rigorous program prepares them well for our customer’s installation or service needs, and is in keeping with our intensive focus on customer service and training across all brands of digital cinema equipment.”

Barco’s digital cinema certification program is offered as two separate classes, each of which is presented in a classroom plus hands-on format. The first class, which focuses on projector installation, is specifically recommended for those technicians wishing to provide installation support on site. The advanced class covers projector maintenance and service, and is a requirement for those technicians wishing to provide warranty service for Barco digital cinema projectors.

Upon successful completion of each class, every technician is tested on both the theoretical and application-specific aspects of Barco Digital Cinema projectors. Ultimately, in order to gain certification, each technician must successfully install and operate a projector.

“Barco’s training program has allowed us to be more efficient in our installations and service calls. Additionally, the improved web and e-mail updates for documentation and software allow us to support the Barco product lines better.” says Kurt MacFarlane, Director of Field Services, Moving Image Technologies.

 

Commentary: Next year looks to be a banner year for 3-D

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/columns/tech-tonic/e3if0819d6addd2a0febdec6c7e18a89fbc

 

More than a dozen titles are scheduled to open in 2009

By Carolyn Giardina

Nov 10, 2008, 06:28 PM ET

It's less than two months before the beginning of the year that many believe will be a watershed for digital 3-D.

Stakeholders have been watching closely each deployment development, from virtual print fee deals to installation financing. They have been counting as the number of screens slowly rises and productions begin. And they have been working on technical issues like delivery standards.

More than a dozen 3-D titles already are scheduled to open next year, starting Jan. 16 with "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," followed by Focus' "Coraline" and Disney's Jonas Brothers concert in February and DreamWorks Animation's debut 3-D title, "Monsters vs. Aliens," in March. The year also will include a remastered 3-D release of "Toy Story" and close in December with James Cameron's "Avatar."

The installation of digital 3-D auditoriums has not occurred as quickly as many had hoped -- the global financial crisis continues to challenge those seeking financing for the task. Still, the numbers are steadily rising, with an estimated 1,300 in place in North America (the number remains less than 1,000 in the rest of the world, however.)

Meanwhile, market awareness is growing; research from The Hollywood Reporter parent Nielsen suggests that 95% of U.S. moviegoers are aware of 3-D. That interest is reflected in the boxoffice numbers: In the domestic market, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" opened in July in 2-D and 3-D, with the 854 3-D-ready screens accounting for 66% of the boxoffice, which topped $100 million overall.

Overseas figures demonstrate a similar trend. In Hong Kong, "Journey" opened on 10 3-D screens and 23 2-D screens; the 3-D accounted for 65% of its $4.5 million boxoffice total. In the U.K., 66 3-D screens outperformed 216 2-D screens, generating 54% of the boxoffice.

The clear interest, together with the new digital 3-D titles and system installations expected in 2009, ensures that next year many moviegoers will be seeing digital 3-D for the first or second time. And these experiences will further shape opinions about the format.

One of many elements still on stakeholders' minds is the potential for eye fatigue or motion sickness.

I recently attended a 3-D demonstration that featured a variety of clips, many of which I had seen and enjoyed in the past. But this time, eye fatigue came on so quickly that I had to lose the glasses and shut my eyes for the rest of the screening.

Apparently, I was not alone in this response. Afterward, an executive from the 3-D system maker apologized to the audience, saying that the lamp in the digital projector has run well past the recommended hours of usage and needed replacing.

Now, I had seen the clips before without discomfort. But what sort of impression would this leave on paying audiences seeing 3-D for the first time -- and who don't have an expert in the room to offer insights into the presentation?

Eye fatigue also is an area of concern for filmmakers who recognize that along with the excitement surrounding the technical innovation and enormous storytelling potential of 3-D production will be a learning process as productions begin to apply concepts like convergence to their work.

It already seems that increasing numbers in the U.S. and abroad are eager to explore 3-D production -- including the variations from 2-D -- in terms of how they shoot, direct, edit and finish titles. Their interest in reflected in the crowds that cram industry conferences where production is addressed, from domestic events from such groups as the National Association of Broadcasters, SIGGRAPH and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers to international meetings like the International Broadcasting Convention.

But there are a lot of moving parts in 3-D, and while virtual print fees and deployment deals have dominated much of the news this year, production -- not only the creative possibilities but the technical challenges -- also must grow as a key industry topic in 2009.

 

Tackling 3-D TV-Technology makes a run for U.S. living rooms

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i4386920ea440276d2e2ef1205a308e74

 

By Carolyn Giardina Dec 4, 2008, 10:00 PM ET The idea of broadcasting 3-D television programming in homes took one step closer to reality Thursday with a trial run on the NFL Network. But the gridiron is a fitting test for a technology that faces a veritable football field of obstacles including production and distribution challenges, TV-set penetration and untested revenue models. Those wacky glasses aren't going away just yet, either. And what self-respecting Hollywood-related innovation doesn't come complete with threat of a format war? Nevertheless, the 3-D broadcast of the San Diego Chargers-Oakland Raiders game capped a week of guarded optimism for an industry that came together days earlier at the 3-D Entertainment Summit in Los Angeles, where DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg issued the closest thing to a rallying cry in a keynote speech, saying, "We can be certain that 3-D will make its way into the home." The driver for these efforts is digital technology, which enables a pair of 2-D images to form a single 3-D picture with more precision than previously possible. Digital 3-D has already excited the movie business, which has more than a dozen 3-D releases scheduled for 2009, to be shown in more theaters (in the range of 1,500 in the U.S. and growing). These films might also end up in homes, either via broadcast or disc, though the latter will take a separate though equally arduous path to consumers. Testing of 3-D broadcasts has already started in theaters, where exhibitors see the potential to offer alternatives to movies. So far, most of the experiments have surrounded the transmission of live 3-D sporting events, via satellite, to a single, closed, 3-D-ready digital-cinema location. It is widely believed that live 3-D will first come to movie theaters, as it did for Thursday's NFL Net test in theaters in New York, Boston and Los Angeles. But those theaters also displayed the game on TV sets, a demonstration of the end goal for this business. "Home entertainment is starting to show signs of being involved in live 3-D," said Vince Pace, CEO of 3-D business Pace. "That's a good sign because the industry has had a difficult time demonstrating a revenue stream with closed-viewing events." Still, to get 3-D to the home means a lot of moving parts that require attention. Global standards-setting body Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers is developing a 3-D mastering standard for combining the two 2-D signals into a 3-D broadcast, whether distributed via broadcast, cable, satellite or the Internet. If SMPTE doesn't move quickly enough, it could find manufacturers such as Real D, Philips and Sensio deploying their own proprietary methods, triggering a format war. "I think we are going to see format wars next year, " admitted Steve Schklair, CEO of 3Ality Digital Systems. "Ultimately, SMPTE will set a standard and probably those that are deeply embedded in the market will become the standard." But Sensio executive vp Richard LaBerg begs to differ. "I think the studios will announce their support before a format war begins. I think so because people still have scars from the last one, and going into another war might just kill 3-D." With the Consumer Electronics Show a month away, the market is getting ready to put its best 3-D foot forward with new consumer technology to support new methods of digital 3-D broadcasting. "We expect to see a continuation of development of 3-D capable TVs," said David Wertheimer, CEO of the Entertainment Technology Center @ USC, which is building a neutral 3-D TV testing lab. Rather that asking consumers to chose today's TVs or new 3-D capabilities, the consumer electronics industry is starting to roll out TV sets that support both standard and 3-D viewing. So for those familiar with the "HD ready" slogan for sets that accommodate standard as well as HD imagery, soon "3-D-ready" TV will enter the consumer vocabulary. These sets are being offered by the likes of Samsung, Mitsubishi, Panasonic and JVC, complete with high-tech eyeglasses that make the classic two-color kind seem primitive by comparison. There are currently 1.9 million 3-D-enabled TVs worldwide according to Insight Media, and that number is expected to reach 40 million by 2011. Still in development a few years away from consumer availability, are "autostereo" TV sets, which are different from other 3-D ready TV sets in that they would display 3-D without the need for glasses. Until then, TV networks are content to utilize the classic method of "anaglyph," in which the images are made up of two color layers. In June, Disney Channel showed "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" that way, and an upcoming episode of the NBC series "Chuck" will do the same. Still, some do have concerns about reviving the method. Among them: James Cameron. Speaking at the summit this week, the Academy Award-winning director warned attendees not to set the wrong impression about the technology in the minds of consumers. "Every time you do that you stunt the eventual performance of 3-D," he said. A 3-D breakthrough is largely a chicken-and-egg situation, with set penetration at one end and available content on the other. On the content side, live sports is likely the killer app. Pace and the NBA have already completed several successful tests of live 3-D basketball. He reported that his company has also recently done 3-D tests for the World Wrestling Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship. He added that ESPN has shown interest, with Pace shooting a 3-D college football game last month as an experiment for the broadcaster. And revealed this week: Fox Sports is planning a 3-D broadcast of college basketball's upcoming championship game to CES and select theaters. Rumors are swirling of interest being shown in giving sports such as soccer, rugby and even Olympic events the 3-D treatment. Howard Katz, senior vp broadcasting and media operations at NFL, emphasized that this week's game was a test for live broadcasting. But he revealed that one long-term objective is a 3-D doc-style theatrical release about the Super Bowl. He suggested that if 3-D development continues, it might be in the plans for 2010. Ultimately, the biggest barrier to 3-D going mainstream is the inevitable issue of costs. David Hill, chairman and CEO of Fox Sports Television Group, urged set manufacturers to subsidize equipment purchases, citing how prohibitive just doing HD programming proved to be. Said Hill, "I can't see us making a move to 3-D until a good fairy comes flying into my office with a check."