Ballantyne of Omaha - Digital Divide

Written by John Zorabedian

Saturday, 01 March 2008

CEO John Wilmers explains how this analog film projector manufacturer is making the transition to digital cinema.   The advent of digital projection and 3D should rejuvenate the cinema industry,  converting more than 30,000 US movie screens to digital over the next few years. But thus far it has not been a smooth transition from film, and for the largest manufacturer of film projectors, Ballantyne of Omaha, the transition has been both a challenge and an opportunity. John Wilmers, CEO Ballantyne has manufactured and supplied film projectors since the 1930s, servicing more than 50,000 screens worldwide. Transitioning to digital projection has meant the company had to find a partner—NEC of Japan—that produces digital equipment, which Ballantyne will distribute to its network of cinema chains. The biggest snag for the cinema industry, however, has been financing the changeover—cinema chains don’t want to pay for the new projectors themselves. “When we went public in 1995, everyone said we were in a buggy-whip business with our film projectors, because the change to digital was going to happen,” said John Wilmers, president and CEO of Ballantyne. “But since that time, we’ve sold thousands of film projectors. Even in early 2008, there is still healthy demand for traditional film projectors and parts as the transition to digital technology starts to pick up some momentum.” To finance the transition to digital format, the cinema industry is relying on third-party groups to pay for the purchase of the projectors. The movie studios then pay the third-party groups via virtual print fees, a per-screen fee paid for each film exhibited in digital format. So far, Wilmers estimates, more than 3,000 of the nation’s 37,000 screens have made the transition this way. During this time, Ballantyne has positioned itself to become a distributor of projectors for its clients through a partnership with Japanese electronics giant NEC. To prepare for expected demand for digital cinema services, in July 2007, Ballantyne purchased a projector service company that will install and maintain the projectors. “We’re basically in the last phase of the transition,” Wilmers said. “What we’re waiting on is the funding plans that are the vehicles to fund the changeover to digital cinema.” In the meantime, Ballantyne continues to manufacture and sell film projectors and parts. “The people who said we weren’t going to sell any more film projectors have been proven way off the mark,” he said. Re-focus This is not the first time the cinema industry—and by extension, Ballantyne—has faced a major transition in its business. In the period from 1999 to 2003, many of the large cinema chains built too many cinemas with too many screens. During this period, the concept of the multiplex was trumped by the even larger megaplexes, and several companies entered bankruptcy to unload some of these properties. Ballantyne had its best year in 1999, grossing revenues of $86 million. The following year, Ballantyne’s revenues shrank to just $46 million. As the company fought back to profitability, Wilmers said, it strengthened its financial and strategic position. “We worked our way back from a challenging environment, so we’re conditioned to the challenges we’re facing today,” he said, such as strict controls on costs and active management of inventories. The company’s profitability has taken somewhat of a hit during the transition because of the slow timing, as Ballantyne has staffed up its digital service operation. “If we continue to build our service business, and we don’t see the digital transformation is thing rolling, we will have loaded up on a lot of expense without a lot of return,” Wilmers said.  “But we are confident the demand is coming, and there just aren’t many companies out there with the expertise and personnel to get the job done.” Ballantyne’s position remains strong due to its impressive industry connections: the company has long-standing relationships with leading exhibitors, including two of the partnerships to distribute digital projectors to three largest of the major national cinema chains (Regal Cinemas, AMC, and Cine-mark), representing 165,000 of the country’s 37,000 screens. “We’ve provided and installed several machines for our prime customer, Regal Cinemas, and we have a joint venture we formed with RealD, one of the leading 3D providers,” Wilmers said. “The popularity of 3D has been a catalyst in jumpstarting the rollout of digital cinema, as the 3D process requires a digital projector.” Some 500 to 600 screens have 3D-capable machines, which have proved popular for 3D movies and for carrying alternative content such as concert movies like “U2 3D” and Disney’s “Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus.” Intermission Ballantyne continues to manufacture some film projectors at its production facility in Omaha, Neb. And although the cinema companies would like to have the transition to digital complete this year, that will probably not be logistically possible, Wilmers said. The wide transition window means Ballantyne can continue to manufacture, refurbish, and supply parts for the old projectors. “We do about $7 million to $8 million a year in the replacement parts business,” he said. “That’s at a margin of more than 40%, so it’s been a very important part of our business each year. It will decline when the rollout really begins in earnest, but that’s a ways away. I don’t think that business is going to go away for the next three years anyway, particularly when you consider international markets and demand.” The manufacturing facility in Omaha also provides the company with a solid base of operations for the rollout of digital projectors when the distribution business finally picks up. With 150 employees, assembly and repair shops, and storage capacity, the facility is a strong asset for the company. “We’re going to leverage that facility even though we’re not making many film projectors anymore,” Wilmers said. “We’re using the space and the people we have to integrate the components of digital cinema systems prior to shipping them to theaters. This capability allows us to prepare in advance of orders, enabling us to continue to deliver to our customers what they asked for and when they asked for it.” Wilmers noted that quality, customer service, and responsiveness are the factors on which the company has built its reputation, and the way it expects to succeed in digital. “We’ve got a great workforce, and we’re using them to make this transition in a way where we’re going to be successful at it.”

 

International Datacasting Tapped by AccessIT for Live Digital Cinema Sports Event: Satellite Broadcast of Texas Basketball Rivalry Scores With Fans

http://calibre.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=295586271

Released : Thursday, February 28, 2008 5:11 PM

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, February 28 / MARKET WIRE/ --

International Datacasting Corporation, (TSX: IDC) announced today that its longtime customer AccessIT broadcast the February 18 University of Texas vs. Texas A&M basketball game live to digital cinemas. The event, which marks the professional debut of AccessIT's CineLive® broadcasting technology based on IDC's SFX ProVideo HD receivers for live digital cinema events, showcased the classic rivalry between the two teams at Carmike Cinemas, Galaxy Theatres and Rave Motion Pictures locations across Texas.

AccessIT is the world's leading provider of digital cinema, with deployments to more than 3,700 screens thus far, and IDC has provided the advanced satellite network technology AccessIT has used to deliver digital films for millions of showings. In support of this special live event for a major sports television broadcaster, IDC provided its next-generation SuperFlex SFX3101 ProVideo models with HD/SD real-time decoding capabilities.

The broadcast, in crisp, real-time, high definition, was well-received by fans and industry professionals alike.

"We are impressed not only with the outstanding performance and reliability of IDC's technology, but also the company's responsiveness to the tight logistical deployment challenges, deadlines and complexities of live events," Jeff Butkovsky, Chief Technology Officer of AccessIT commented "With digital cinema, theatergoers can enjoy more events like this basketball showdown."

"We've been providing technology to enable the satellite delivery of digital cinema for years. Now with the expanded live 2-D and 3-D capabilities in our ProVideo and Cinelive/Sensio product line we are playing a key role in enabling important new business models and revenue opportunities for this rapidly growing market. It's important to note that this is just one of several applications where our ProVideo line is proving itself invaluable as the world moves more and more towards expanded digital distribution," said Ron Clifton, President and CEO of IDC.

The announcement was made at Satellite 2008, a leading industry conference and tradeshow that brings together the satellite industry to showcase new technologies and advanced applications. IDC's ProVideo receivers are on display along with a complete line of products for advanced applications such as IPTV, Video on Demand, broadcast audio and video networks, enterprise networks..

About International Datacasting Corporation (IDC):

International Datacasting Corporation, (TSX: IDC) is a global leader in providing advanced solutions for the distribution of broadband content via satellite. IDC is at the forefront of delivering IP-based datacasting solutions via satellite and content distribution technologies with installations in more than 100 countries worldwide. IDC's products are in demand for radio and television broadcast networks, distance learning, digital signage, digital cinema, IPTV distribution and other content distribution applications. IDC is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, operates in Europe through its wholly owned subsidiary PROFline B.V. in Arnhem, the Netherlands and has an established international network of value-added partners and distributors.

 

Fujinon Lenses Capture 3D IMAX Film Wild Ocean

http://www.uemedia.net/CPC/digitalcinemamag/articles/article_16826.shtml By Staff Feb 26, 2008, 04:50

Cinematographer/producer D.J. Roller recently wrapped principal photography on Wild Ocean, an IMAX 3D film shot with two Fujinon Cine Style zoom lenses mounted on a Cameron/Pace Fusion underwater 3D camera system. Shot over two summers along South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal Coast, the film documents the annual sardine run, in which massive schools of sardines swim up the coast in search of food, drawing predators including dolphins and sharks to the area. The environmental documentary is expected to be released to IMAX and Digital 3D theaters in March.

All underwater sequences were shot with two Fujinon HA10x5B-W50 HD Cine Style zoom lenses mounted on a Cameron/Pace Fusion underwater HDTV 3D camera system. The lenses are encased in specially-made lens barrels for the rig and affixed to custom-configured Sony HDC-F950 1080p HD cameras.

Roller has led film expeditions on all seven continents but found this location to be particularly challenging. According to Roller, it was the combination of Fujinon lenses and the Pace underwater camera system that made it possible to meet the numerous challenges presented by underwater filming. “The camera technology afforded us longer record times, and the lenses gave extremely sharp images. Since the camera and lens are encased in an underwater housing, switching out lenses is not possible. Without the lenses Fujinon developed for the Pace camera, we wouldn’t have had the flexibility cinematically to capture the amazing pictures we did.”

The untouched, wild coast provides ideal conditions for the sardines but not necessarily for filmmakers. Sardine runs like the one captured in Wild Ocean previously occurred in areas with similar current patterns throughout the world’s oceans, but because of over-fishing, the only place to see this natural phenomenon is now on the South African coast. This difficult-to-reach location was another reason the compact and lightweight Fujinon lenses were well suited for the shoot. “On other underwater projects, we’ve had the luxury of a research ship and a huge harbor to dive from. Given that our location was very unique and so wild, we took just two 25-foot Zodiac boats—one for support equipment and one for camera equipment—down river tributaries to get to the ocean.”

Roller’s crew had to be nimble, moving quickly to capture the numerous feeding frenzies that take place below the ocean’s surface. “The ‘Holy Grail’ of natural history filmmaking is capturing something that no one has ever seen before. The underwater team rode on the camera boat and deployed the equipment in a matter of seconds. Capitalizing quickly on an opportunity can make or break a nature film. Timing is everything, because wild animals don’t give you a second take.”

 

3D Rocks the Future

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/PR.aspx?newsID=1020

 

London —Feb 22, 2008

 

Digital 3D will spark revolution in cinema that could be comparable to the introduction of colour Digital 3D screens in the UK set to increase tenfold by 2012

 

To ensure that the UK film industry is at the forefront of the 3D revolution, the UK Film Council has today organised an expert masterclass for hundreds of filmmakers in a central London cinema to give them the low-down on the latest 3D technology which is set to transform movie-making.

 

The masterclass coincides with today’s release of U2 3D and will give film professionals and students the chance to learn about the challenges and opportunities of designing, filming editing and distributing a 3D film. In a unique opportunity, they will hear from U2 3D’s filmmakers - producers Jon Shapiro and John Modell, director Catherine Owens and visual effects supervisor David Franks.

 

Pete Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the UK Film Council said:

 

“3D offers filmmakers the biggest opportunity since colour was first introduced more than 100 years ago.  We want to make sure that British filmmakers grab this opportunity with both hands and take full advantage of it - the demand for 3D films will be huge in the future and the UK should be a big part of it.  U2 3D is in a class of its own and it’s fantastic that the filmmakers have agreed to share their experience of making this unique film with others.”

 

Today’s event will be attended by a wide variety of film professionals from all over the UK including producers, directors, writers, line producers, production managers, production designers, cinematographers, editors, distributors and film students.  Extracts from the masterclass will be available to download from www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk and www.myfilms.com .

 

U2 3D is the world’s first ever live-action film, independently shot, produced, and exhibited in digital 3D.  It was shot in South America during the band’s Vertigo tour and puts the viewer at the centre of a live U2 stadium concert from the comfort of their cinema seat.  The film is being distributed by Revolver Entertainment.

 

In addition, the UK Film Council’s Prints & Advertising Fund has backed the release of U2 3D with £150,000 of Lottery cash so that it can be seen by more UK film fans.  This support enables the film to be shown on double the amount of cinema screens up from 30 to 62. An additional 80 35mm trailer prints will also be released and the media campaign will include radio advertising.

Researchers: That pricey popcorn subsidizes cost of movie ticket

http://origin.mercurynews.com/movies/ci_8369437?nclick_check=1

 

By Lisa M. Krieger

Mercury News

Article Launched: 02/26/2008 03:25:15 PM PST

 

What's a movie without popcorn?

According to a new economic analysis, it would be a lot more expensive.

 

As one price goes up, the other comes down. So rather than cursing the cost of your next bag of buttered popcorn, take comfort in the fact that it subsidizes your ticket - and helps fill seats, say researchers at the University of California-Santa Cruz and Stanford University.

 

Moviegoers aren't being gouged at concession stands, the researchers conclude. Rather, the high cost of snacks helps keep ticket prices down, which allows more people to attend.

 

The researchers' analysis - based on data from thousands of showings at 43 multiplex theaters in 30 cities in a five-year period - answers the question of why a couple  of hours in the dark with Daniel Day-Lewis costs only twice as much as a big box of Milk Duds.

 

They say that some die-hard film buffs will watch movies - and eat popcorn - no matter what the cost.

 

But for many of us, the ticket price matters. We'll skip the snacks, thank you.

 

"The theater owner has two choices. He can make money through admission tickets. Or he can make money through concessions," said UCSC economist Ricard Gil. "If he wants to make money on the ticket, that may deter a lot of people from coming in.

 

"So instead he charges a higher total price on people who are willing to pay for the whole movie experience," said Gil, an enthusiastic consumer of both movies and snacks. "And he's able to charge a lower price for the guy who can barely afford it."The same principal of economics - called price discounting - is reflected in the price of nachos at sports stadiums and wine at the opera. It also explains why products such as razors and video game consoles are cheap - but replacement blades and video games are not.

 

If movie popcorn were free, Gil estimated, each ticket could cost at least 25 percent more - boosting the price of a $10 show to $12.50.

 

At that price, families might stay home with their DVDs and Jiffy Pop.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact Lisa M. Krieger at lkrieger@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5565

DreamWorks delays 'Dragon'

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i052e205e587a3a2bfdfd3afef6860e0d

 

Source: Hollywood Reporter

 

By Paul Bond

Feb 27, 2008

 

Mindful of a crowded schedule for 3-D films late next year, DreamWorks Animation has pushed its offering "How to Train Your Dragon" by four months to March 26, 2010.

 

The move leaves the studio with just one release, "Monsters vs. Aliens," scheduled for next year and three for 2010: "Dragon," "Shrek Goes Fourth" on May 21 and "Master Mind," the working title of a film set for Nov. 5 that year.

 

Had "Dragon" opened Nov. 20, 2009, as previously planned, it would have been sandwiched between 3-D films "A Christmas Carol" with Jim Carrey and James Cameron's "Avatar."

 

"Avatar," in particular, presented a problem, as that movie's Dec. 18, 2009, opening would have coincided with "Dragon's" release to international markets, where as much as 65% of DWA's business comes from.

 

"The combination of a jam-up domestically and the very limited 3-D capacity internationally just didn't make sense," CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told The Hollywood Reporter. "There will not be anywhere near the number of screens needed to accommodate two releases internationally."

 

A little more than 1,000 screens worldwide can handle 3-D films, but Katzenberg expects from 3,000-5,000 by the time "Monsters vs. Aliens" is released on March 27, 2009.

 

Katzenberg disclosed the "Dragons" move Tuesday during a conference call with analysts to discuss quarterly earnings that impressed Wall Street and sent shares 6% higher in after-hours trading.

 

The CEO also hinted that "Bee Movie" might not make its way to HD DVD in two weeks, as had been planned, given Toshiba's decision to basically surrender the format war to Blu-ray Disc.

 

"We are waiting for Toshiba to tell us what their plans are," he told The Reporter, refusing to speculate whether "Bee Movie" might get the Blu-ray treatment if HD DVD demures. "In deference to them, we're waiting for clarity

 

DWA reported net income of $94.1 million in the fourth quarter, up from a loss of $21.3 million in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue increased 42% to $290.2 million, with nearly 62% of that coming from "Shrek the Third."

 

As of Dec. 31, the title boasted 15.6 million units shipped worldwide. At the boxoffice, it is the fourth-biggest animated movie of all time, bringing in about $800 million worldwide.

 

For the year, DWA posted net income of $218.4 million on $767.2 million revenue, prompting Katzenberg to declare 2007 the company's "most successful year since going public -- both financially and at the boxoffice."

 

"Bee Movie," though, fell shy of many analysts' expectations, bringing in $126 million at the domestic boxoffice and $159 million internationally.

 

Although the film isn't yet profitable, that's expected to change with the upcoming DVD release.

 

During the conference call, Katzenberg gave a shout-out to his old employer, Disney, telling analysts that "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" proved again how lucrative 3-D movies can be.

 

That film generated $29 million over Super Bowl weekend at 683 theaters. At one theater, the El Capitan in Hollywood, tickets cost as much $24 apiece.

 

Katzenberg said making a movie 3-D adds about $15 million to its production cost. "There is significant enough potential given the premium price that consumers appear to be paying for 3-D to be a very good return on our investment," he said.

 

DWA's next two releases, "Kung Fu Panda," set for June 6, and "Madagascar: The Crate Escape," planned for Nov. 7, are 2-D releases. From then on, DWA plans for its films to be exhibited both in 2-D and stereoscopic 3-D.

"U2 3D" Solves Vertigo: Box Office Up 242% !

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2008/02/u2-3d-solves-vertigo-box-office-up-242.html

Finally, Hannah Montana is starting to subside for all you U2 fans out there. While "U2 3D" is now listed as showing in 686 3D theaters, it's per screen revenue is going to be lower than previous weeks because it is still SHARING most of these screens with Hannah Montana which dropped slightly to 613 3D screens on Friday.

So you should see declining box office for Hannah Montana right away due to audience drop off AND fewer showings - and the exact opposite for U2 3D.

In fact U2 3D is up 242%. Check it out! You will NOT be disappointed. Awesome experience.

Beowulf Available on DVD February 26th!

Monday, February 25, 2008

FYI - Beowulf is available on DVD and *cough* HD DVD starting tomorrow, Feb. 26th. You can order the unrated directors cut from Amazon here.

-OR- order it from Amazon's Unbox downloads:

Note that the movie is not available in 3D for home entertainment as of yet. Look for 3D compatibility in the next year to two years. It is coming, believe me. It is still an awesome story and well worth the purchase.

 

List of Upcoming 3D Movies !

As I type, these are the movies coming out in 3D in the next while. Bookmark this page as I always update it!

Here we go:

Text in green was UPDATED ON Feb 20th, 2008.

Rumors:
1. Transformers 2 (Paramount) (June 2009)
2. Baywatch 3D (Spielberg/Reitman)
3. Godzilla 3D
4. The Hobbit Part 1 (2010) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) CONFIRMED. Waiting for official statement that it is in 3D. Lawsuit pending.
5. The Hobbit Part 2 (2011) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) CONFIRMED. Waiting for official statement that it is in 3D. Lawsuit pending.
6. LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring (2012) (Re-released in 3D) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) Waiting for official announcement.
7. LOTR: The Two Towers (2013) (Re-released in 3D) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) Waiting for official announcement.
8. LOTR: The Return of the King (2014) (Re-released in 3D) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) Waiting for official announcement.
9. The Gate 3-D (Randall William Cook, Director) Rumored 3-D remake of the original 1980s flick about a gate to hell. (JoBlo)
10. King Kong (Peter Jackson) Often connected with a 3D re-release may come to fruition soon. Jackson was definitely seen shooting with 3D cameras during the production of King Kong.
11. Piranha 3D (July 24, 2009) (Alexandre Aja) (Dimension Films) A remake of Joe Dante's original, Arizona's Lake Havasu ruptures its floor after an earthquake releasing prehistoric piranhas.
12. Stewardesses 3-D (Summer 2009) (Condon /Meyer - Remake) (Adirondack International Pictures)

Date TBA:
1. Scar 3D (Jed Weintrob, Director) Scar 3D uses the same HD 3D technology that is being used by James Cameron on "Avatar". "Scar 3D" is the first released full length, live action feature film shot in this innovative process.
2. Hooters 3DD
3. Dragon ON! 3D
4. Terror in Paradise 3D - (Stereo Vision) "Hawaiian Tropics Girls meet the creature" 3D movie. From the creator of Baywatch.
5. George Clinton's Mothership Concert in 3D
6. Tintin (Trilogy) (Steven Spielberg / Peter Jackson / ???) (casting started in LA the week of Oct 29th, 2007) Suspected Summer 2009 release for the first feature.
7. Master Mind (Dreamworks Animation) (Ben Stiller, Producer) A villian loses his motivation after accidentally killing his arch nemesis. Potentially a Fall 2010 release.
8. Battle Angel (James Cameron) A 26th century tale of a cyborg (human brain / artifical body) rescued from the scrapheap by a cyber-surgeon who becomes her surrogate father. Cameron is expected to jump right into shooting Battle Angel once Avatar is wrapped.
9. Booty 3D (Stereo Vision) Family fun film centered on pirates on the high seas.
10. Interworld (Dreamworks Animation) Loosely based on the book of the same name written by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves.
11. Punk Farm (Dreamworks Animation) No details as of yet.
12. Shrek 5 (Dreamworks Animation) No details as of yet.

2008:
1. U2 3D (January 23rd, 2008 for IMAX limited release / February 15th for wide release including Real D theaters) (3ality Digital / National Geographic is Distributor) From their Vertigo tour of South America
2. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (February 1st to 7th) (Disney) Live concert shot in 3D. Approx 700 3D screens at time of release.
3. Journey 3D (July 11th, 2008) (New Line) Trip beneath the earth's surface. Cast: Brendan Frasier, Josh Hutcherson
4. Fly Me to the Moon (August 22, 2008) Official site is here - An animation about 3 houseflies travelling to the moon aboard Apollo 11. Voices: Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Robert Patrick, Nicollette Sheridan, Kelly Ripa and "Buzz" Aldrin as himself!
5. The Dark Country (2008) (Thomas Jane / Tab Murphy) A newly wed couple are forced to deal with a dead body in the desert on the way to Las Vegas for their hellish honeymoon. Cast: Thomas Jane, Ron Perlman & Lauren German
6. Horrorween 3D (2008) (Joe Estevez / Ed Meyer) (Adirondack International Pictures) Comedy
7. Coraline (2nd half of 2008) (Focus Features) In this animation, a girl discovers a bricked up wall behind a door that leads to an alternate world, complete with a different mother and father. Voices: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane and Keith David. >>> Teaser Clip Here. <<<
8. Bolt (November 26, 2008) (Disney) (Chris Williams, Director) This feature animation revolves around a TV star Dog named Bolt (Voice John Travolta) who is accidentily shipped from his Hollywood sound stage to New York City thereby finally seeing the real world He thought he had superpowers. Bernie Mac, Hugh Grant, Mario Cantone, Woody Harrelson, Bruce Greenwood, Thomas Hayden Church and Susie Essman also lend voices.

Projected Number of 3D screens (End of 2008): Worldwide - 3,000; US - 2,000 **

2009:
1. Monsters vs. Aliens (March 27th, 2009) (DWA)
2. Ice Age 3 (July 1st, 2009) (Fox) (Carlos Saldanha, Director) Animation - Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah and Dennis Leary are all back to lend their voices.
3. G-Force (July 24th, 2009) (Disney) (Jerry Bruckheimer) (Hoyt Yeatman, Director) Live Action / Animation Blend - Voices: Penelope Cruz, Nicolas Cage, Steve Buscemi, Bill Nighy and Tracy Morgan. An elite guinea pig commando force try to stop a billionaire from taking over the world.
4. Toy Story (Oct 2nd, 2009) (Disney) 2D to 3D digital source conversion and re-release
5. Aubrey Blaze Piranha 3D (Fall 2009) (Stereo Vision) A creature 3D movie beginning production in January 2008 in Puerto Rico.
6. How To Train Your Dragon (November 20th, 2009) (Dreamworks Animation)
7. A Christmas Carol (November 6th, 2009) (Zemeckis / Jim Carrey) (Pixar) Jim Carrey, Bob Hoskins (Mr. Fezziwig), Robin Wright Penn, Colin Firth, Sammi Hanratty and Gary Oldman have been confirmed. Rumors of Tom Hanks (Bob Cratchit), Michael J. Fox (Tiny Tim), Christopher Lloyd (Marley's Ghost) being cast to join. Check back here for updates!
8. Avatar (December 18th, 2009) (James Cameron) A paraplegic war vet goes to Pandora, home of the Na'vi, a humanoid race. Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Sam Worthington, Michelle Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel Moore, Stephen Lang & CCH Pounder. Avatar shooting in Wellington, New Zealand will wrap by February 22nd, 2008.
9. Crood Awakening (2009) (DWA) (Written by John Cleese!) This animation is set in prehistoric times where a leader of a tribe is threatened by a newcomer genius with inventions such as fire. Official site is here.
10. Final Destination 4 (2009) (David R. Ellis, Director)
11. Planet 51 (March 24th, 2009) (New Line) (Jorge Blanco, Director) Voices by: Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson (astronaunt Chuck Baker) , Jessica Biel, Seann William Scott and Justin Long. 3D animation that centers on an astronaut who lands on another planet whose inhabitants live in fear of invasion; this time its humans that are invading. March 2009 completion date. Pyro Studios will also release a Planet 51 video game in 2009.
12. Frankenweenie (2009) (Tim Burton / Disney) Digital 3D: Stop Motion Animation. A young boy brings his dog back from the dead.

Projected Number of 3D screens (End of 2009): Worldwide - 6,000; US - 4,000 **

2010:
1. Toy Story 2 (Feb 12th, 2010) (Disney) 2D to 3D digital source conversion and re-release
2. Alice in Wonderland (March 19th, 2010) (Tim Burton / Disney) Digital 3D: Performance Capture AND Live Action. Will start shooting in May 2008!
3. Shrek 4 (May 2010) (DWA)
4. Toy Story 3 (June 18th, 2010) (Disney) 3D Digital Animation
5. Boat (2010) (Gaumont) (Franck Chorot, Producer) centers on a cheetah and a porcupine who must change their identities to gain entry to Noah's Ark when they discover that their animal breeds were already represented on board. They decide to create a fake species called "porceetahs".

2011:
1. Puss In Boots (DWA)

PAST MOVIES
1. Meet The Robinsons
2. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (last 20 mins will be digitally converted for IMAX)
3. Beowulf (Nov 16)

3D SHORTS (Shown before Feature 3D Movies):
1. Dumbass 3D (Ed Meyer) (Adirondack International Pictures)
2. Air Guitar 3-D (Ed Meyer) (Adirondack International Pictures)
3. Jack, Texas (Ed Meyer) (Adirondack International Pictures)

George Lucas will again redistribute his Star Wars movies in 3D.

I will update everyone with new release schedules when available... Check back often.

** Digital 3D Screen Projections from:
“Global Media Markets: The Battlegrounds of 2008”, Screen Digest

 

Turning 3-D into a business

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/extURls.aspx?ID=311

 

By Carolyn Giardina

Feb 21, 2008

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- A call for industry standards for stereoscopic 3-D, both for theatrical release and in the home, was hammered home during a 3-D presentation Wednesday at the Hollywood Post Alliance's annual Technology Retreat.

"It's simply the lack of standards that is preventing the studios from taking content that they have in 3-D and formatting it onto a piece of plastic and having it play back in a player to a television that is 3-D capable," said Alan Bell, executive vp and chief technology officer at Paramount. "Clearly, home video in 3-D is essential to the converging business models."

Wednesday's 3-D session explored how the format is "moving from a science project to a business." During the session, the often-cited advantages of 3-D were applauded, but speakers also identified problems and issues that must be addressed.

Disney's "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, " which grossed $31.5 million in its opening weekend, was deemed an overwhelming success, and Disney president of distribution Chuck Viane encouraged the retreat audience to proceed with 3-D.

But he emphasized the need for deployment of more 3-D systems, saying: "That we could only have 683 theaters to play 'Hannah Montana' is backward movement in our business. In order for this to succeed, we must be in the thousand-plus range."

But Millard Ochs, president of Warner Bros. International Cinemas, warned 3-D enthusiasts, "We are not motivated to put in more 3-D (systems) until there is more product."

Similarly, Mann Theatres CEO Peter Dobson said: "Does the business model work? So far, no. There aren't enough movies." He suggested that at least 10 titles per year are needed. So far, six have been announced for a 2008 release.

Viane said that roughly 18 3-D films have been announced, with such leading directors as James Cameron and Robert Zemeckis on board. He also reported that "G-Force," a live-action/CG feature from Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, will be a 3-D stereoscopic film.

"All the major studios are producing or considering 3-D projects," he said. "As a result, it will become easier to market these films."

Buzz Hayes, Sony Pictures Imageworks' 3-D producer of stereoscopic 3-D films, explained that for an exhibitor to install a 3-D ready digital system, a digital cinema setup is needed (virtual print fee models are helping theaters owners with these costs). Then the 3-D system is needed, which would run $50,000-$100,000. Additionally, there are the costs of glasses; if they are not the disposable models, cleaning and care of the eyewear is an added expense.



Hayes also presented an analysis of the costs of producing 3-D features. He reported that the incremental costs of producing a 3-D version of a computer-animated film is typically 8%-15% of the below-the-line costs of the film, while the incremental costs for a live-action 3-D feature would be closer to 15%-25%. Converting a 2-D film to 3-D, he added, is estimated to cost $75,000-$125,000 per minute, depending on the complexity of the material.

Disney's Viane estimated the markup for a 3-D movie ticket averages 20%.

Howard Lukk, vp production technology at Disney, emphasized that when planning a 3-D production, every aspect from dailies to previews to encoding needs to be examined.

Jim Mainard, head of production development at DreamWorks Animation, cited immediate production challenges. For one, he said that rendering for 3-D can add roughly 30% to that expense. "$2 million-$3 million more on a film like ours," he said.

Paul Chapman, senior vp technology at Fotokem, the facility that posted the "Hannah Montana" film, walked attendees through the post process. He emphasized the need for technical standards.

On that subject, standards-setting body the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers has published 3-D file format standards and is working on additional 3-D theatrical standards. Some theatrical 3-D recommendations have been presented to the community by studio consortium Digital Cinema Initiatives. No group has started to address standards for home entertainment.

Home entertainment was, however, a big part of the discussion. "I think it is very possible that we will have a 3-D home release this year," said Texas Instruments' Doug Darrow, pointing out that 3-D-ready TV sets have entered the market.

"The real issue is going to be (identifying) the distribution format," he added.

Technicolor Digital Intermediates - TDI working in Reel-Time

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3ifd9d309a05210550cc1140fd816875e4

 

Source: Hollywood Reporter

 

By Carolyn Giardina

Feb 19, 2008

Technicolor Digital Intermediates is introducing a service called Reel-Time Filmouts, which the company believes has the potential to save filmmakers time and money.

The service is based around the first two Cinevator real-time 2K film recorders -- manufactured by Norway-based Cinevation -- to be deployed in the U.S. Technicolor has quietly been refining the recorders while fitting them into the company's workflow.

Technicolor Content Services president Ahmad Ouri estimates that on many current models of film recorders, a 20-minute reel in 2K might typically take 15-18 hours to filmout, but with the Cinevator, this might be done in closer to 30 minutes.

The Cinevator can record out to a negative stock or positive stock and can record an audio track and subtitles. "If you are sending a print to a film festival or (preview screening), that is a huge saving of time because you are making a direct to print, and it is not impacting production to stop and do a negative and then a print and track," vp theatrical production Steve Rundell said.

The Cinevator will co-exist at TDI with its Arri film recorders, which offer different features, including support for the emerging 4K resolution.

"(Reel-Time Filmouts) could be a new tool for low-budget films that need to economically get a film print quickly," Ouri said. "We identified the Cinevation company more than two years ago and saw potential there. We invested time and effort into getting this machine in a production-ready state. We also invested color science. We ensured that not just the speed but the quality is also there."

RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM ENCORE SCREENING NATIONWIDE MARCH 3

Source: Access IT

Exclusive Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Documentary Presented by The Bigger Picture, an AccessIT Company, on Digital Cinema Movie Screens Nationwide Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Runnin' Down a Dream on the Big Screen is Being Distributed by AEG Network LIVE for Digital Cinema and Other Outlets

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Feb 20, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers announced today that they will bring Peter Bogdanovich's Runnin' Down a Dream to theatre screens across the country for an exclusive, one night-only encore engagement on Monday, March 3, courtesy of The Bigger Picture, the alternative content distribution division of Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT") (NASDAQ:AIXD).

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers rocked the University of Phoenix Super Bowl XLII and the world responded. Sales of their catalog experienced an unprecedented surge and summer tour dates were added to fulfill demand as dates sold out within hours in many markets. Now Peter Bogdanovich's documentary film Runnin' Down a Dream will be brought back to theatres nationwide in thirty markets for an encore performance on March 3.

Runnin' Down a Dream, which premiered to glowing reviews at the New York Film Festival last October 2007 and was released exclusively at Best Buy as a 4 disc box set, saw a 350% increase in sales last week. Now it will be released on the big screen for the second time in less than six months.

Petty fans who attend this special event on March 3rd in theatres will be eligible to win a pair of front row seats to the live show when the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tour comes to each participating town. For more information about how to be eligible for this special opportunity, log on to www.thebiggerpicture.us/TomPetty.

Directed by cinema legend Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show), Runnin' Down a Dream brings Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers full circle, from their humble Gainesville, Florida beginnings to their emotional hometown 30th Anniversary concert. The movie is a vivid account of a band that created a body of work considered one the richest catalogs in American musical history.

Following its premiere at the 2007 New York Film Festival and nationwide screenings last October, Runnin' Down a Dream was hailed by fans and critics alike for its entertaining and sophisticated look at the entire over-three-decade career of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The Houston Chronicle wrote that the movie is "destined to be a classic" and The New York Daily News described Runnin' Down a Dream as "a godsend for music lovers."

"Just like they rocked the house during the Super Bowl half-time show, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will have fans dancing and singing along with them during the digital cinema release of this definitive movie," said Jonathan Dern, President of The Bigger Picture. "And in the theatre, excellent sightlines, camera angles and sound will have every fan feeling like he or she has a front row seat to the show."

"We are proud to be a part of this incredible project and to bring this movie back to theatres for this very special encore presentation," said John Rubey, President of AEG Network LIVE. "Fans will come together, celebrate and experience this definitive rock and roll documentary on the big screen with incredible 7.1 surround in selected digital cinema theatres, as they look forward to the upcoming tour dates."

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 2008 tour begins May 30th in Grand Rapids, MI and continues throughout the summer. For more information go to http://www.tompetty.com.

Runnin' Down a Dream, two years in the making, features extensive interviews conducted by Bogdanovich with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and with fellow musicians and numerous friends and collaborators past and present. Participants include Stevie Nicks, Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Jackson Browne, Roger McGuinn, Dave Stewart, Jeff Lynne, Rick Rubin, Jimmy Iovine, and Johnny Depp. There is also extensive rare footage, much of which has never been seen before. In addition, the movie includes footage from Petty's days with his Traveling Wilburys bandmates, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, George Harrison and Roy Orbison.

The Bigger Picture is a leader in the digital distribution of movies targeted to specific audiences. The programs include Opera, Kidtoons, G-rated movies for kids on the weekends, anime movies for teen and college audiences, music and inspirational faith-based movies. The Bigger Picture has released 40+ movies digitally. For more information, visit www.thebiggerpicture.us and www.kidtoonfilms.com. The company is a subsidiary of Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. (AccessIT), the industry leader in providing fully integrated software and services to enable the motion picture entertainment industry and all of its constituents to transition from film to digital cinema. Access Integrated Technologies(R) and AccessIT(TM) are trademarks of Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. For more information on AccessIT, visit www.accessitx.com. (AIXD-G)

About AEG Network LIVE

AEG Network LIVE is the division of AEG LIVE responsible for creating, marketing and distributing digital programming on broadband, cinema, wireless, television, DVD and other platforms worldwide.

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS released their debut album in 1976. Since that time they have sold more than 50 million records and remain one of the biggest touring bands in the world. Despite the scale of their success and the creative range of their work, the Heartbreakers maintain a reputation as a hard working rock-and-roll band, always true to the music's original inspiration. Between the Heartbreakers' recordings and his solo work, Tom Petty has received 18 Grammy nominations. Honored with lifetime achievement awards including Billboard's Century Award, MTV's Video Vanguard Award, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Tom Petty, with the Heartbreakers at his side, has achieved the status of legend in the hearts of listeners worldwide.

For more information on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, their upcoming tour, and the Highway Companions Fan Club and Theatres screening the movie Runnin' Down a Dream please visit www.tompetty.com and www.highwaycompanions.com. Information on movie screenings can also be found at www.thebiggerpicture.us/tompetty.

LISTING OF MOVIE LOCATIONS

Circuit               Theater Name                City

Arcangelo

 Entertainment        Emagine 18                  Canton, MI

Atlas Theatres        Great Lakes Mall 16         Mentor, OH

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Carmike 15                  Greensburg, PA

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Carmike 14                  Hickory, NC

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Carmike 8                   Olean, NY

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Carmike Chapel Hills 15     Colorado Springs, CO

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Carmike Wynnsong 15         Apple Valley, MN

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Coventry 8                  Pottstown, PA

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Carmike 15                  Raleigh, NC

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. Carmike Royal Palm 20       Bradenton, FL

Cinema Services       Pavilion 9                  Brooklyn, NY

Dickinson Theatres    Gateway 12                  Mesa, AZ

Dickinson Theatres    Eastglen 16                 Lee's Summit, MO

Galaxy Theatres       Monroe 12                   Monroe, WA

Hollywood Film Buying Livermore Cinemas 13        Livermore, CA

Landmark Theatres     Sunshine Cinema             New York

Loeks Theatres, Inc.  Celebration Cinema North    Grand Rapids

Muvico                Muvico Rosemount 18         Rosemount, IL

Muvico                Paradise 24                 Davie, FL

National Amusements   Showcase Cinemas Randolph   Randolph, MA

National Amusements   Fairfax Corner 14 Cinema De Fairfax, VA

                       Lux

National Amusements   Showcase Cinemas Buckland   Manchester, CT

                       Hills

National Amusements   The Bridge Cinema DeLux     Los Angeles, CA

Rave Motion Pictures  West Chester 18             West Chester, OH

Rave Motion Pictures  North East Mall 18          Hurst, TX

Rave Motion Pictures  Metropolis 18               Plainfield, IN

Rave Motion Pictures  Yorktown 15                 Houston, TX

Santikos Theatres     Palladium 19                San Antonio, TX

Tri State Theatres    Marquee Orchard 10          Toms River, NJ

Wehrenberg Theatres   Ronnie's 20                 St Louis, MO

 

TDC signs three US exhibitors to digital network

February 2008

 

Source: Screen Digest

 

Technicolor Digital Cinema, a unit of Thomson media group, has signed three new exhibitors to its d-cinema scheme in North America: Clearview Cinemas, iPic Entertainment and Cinemaworld.

 

Of these, Clearview Cinemas is the largest, within the top 20 cinema chains in the US market with 254 screens in 50 cinemas, of which the vast majority are in New York.

 

In contrast iPic launches its first complex this month (December), a luxury entertainment complex also featuring bowling, a restaurant, bar and a live venue.

 

Cinemaworld is a 32-screen entity operating in Florida.

 

 The recent deals are the first for Technicolor since Zyacorp Cinemagic Stadium Theatres in March 2007.The full list of exhibitors aligned to the TDC d-cinema platform includes National Amusements and Mann Theatres with 113 screens.

 

Recent estimates put TDC’s screen count at around 300. The recent signings closely follow the announcement that AccessIT, the leading d-cinema facilitator in the US market, is about to embark on the second phase of its roll-out targeting 10,000 screens in the US (and potentially outside the US). In contrast, TDC has been undertaking a beta test of various d-cinema equipment, although there has been no recent mention of results or whether the company has actively moved into a commercial phase yet.

 

TDC’s targets have been reiterated as 5,000 screens over the next three to four years, as part of a larger 15,000 screens over the next 10 years. TDC has, like AccessIT, secured studio commitments for content and financing in the form of a VPF-type agreement for the US market.

 

The market for d-cinema networks is appearing crowded with AccessIT, TDC, and DCIP all targeting in the range of 15,000 screens each in a total market of 39,000 screens in the US. There are also 8,000 screens of independent exhibitors as part of the NATOCinema Buying Group (CBG) that could choose an existing network provider or instead align with emerging networks such as Digeserv, which was one of four providers to make

it through the first round of tender.

 

Will Sony's 4K Help Save Hollywood?

http://digitalcontentproducer.com/displaypres/revfeat/Sonys_4K_Saves_Hollywood112205/

Nov 22, 2005 6:34 PM, Dan Ochiva

As a profitable business, selling movie tickets looks increasingly gloomy for the Hollywood studios and theater chains. According to NATO (National Association of Theater Owners), theater attendance has fallen since 2002 from 1.63 billion to 1.53 billion in 2004.

Even though it will still be a few years before the full effect of HDTV hits the mainstream, the surprisingly quick uptake of fancy home theater systems has spooked theater owners. As they continue to raise their ticket and popcorn prices, even while parking and gas also cost more, NATO members know that more and more potential movie theater attendees will opt for the DVD version.

That thought adds even more worries. The trades and mainstream newspapers alike point out that the studios may soon away with the traditional “only in theaters” window, when DVDs are released months after the feature debuted. With the speed and reach of the Internet among the technologies helping to foster rapidly growing piracy, many in Hollywood makes the argument that the studios should make as much money as possible upfront by releasing both movie and DVD together. How else will they beat those $5 DVD versions, which often hit the street as their $100 million film debuts?

As desperation grows, one antidote on hand is an old-fashioned one: 3D. Just as Hollywood and theater chains promoted 3D in the 1950’s as one method to battle their then new nemesis television, today’s directors and studios are again dusting off that recipe to take on the Internet, DVDs, cable, and all the other of today’s burgeoning media.

Today, of course, anyone creating 3D movies benefits from decades of R&D in optical and vision theory, which makes it much easier to shoot, edit, and project 3D. Disney’s recently released “Chicken Little”, for example, enabled the company to finish the animation as if it were a standard 2D movie, and then turn the finished project over to Dolby’s new division, Dolby Digital Cinema. DDC took it from there, employing a newly designed digital process that used the talents of both Industrial Light & Magic and REAL D to render and provide the viewing technology.

In a news report, James Cameron, who is currently working on a live-action 3D feature, said that “Chicken Little” will help get audiences “really excited” about 3D again, and lead to a “3D renaissance” since the viewer feels a heightened sense of being personally present in the space of the movie.

Digital 3D offers creatives, says Cameron, the opportunity to create work that equals the effect of the epic, industry changing introductions of color and sound.

Other technologies that debuted in the 1950s, such as Cinerama and VistaVision, relied on super wide screens and improved resolution to lure patrons into theaters.

That finds a parallel in Sony’s innovative SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) 4K projector. The initial models SRX-R110 and SRX-R105 recently started shipping, after more than a year of field tests and note-taking as the company took the device to gatherings of cinematographers, studios, production companies and others at trade shows and throughout the Hollywood community.

“It’s a unique technology,” says John Kaloukian, general manager of Sony Display Systems. “It’s the highest pixel resolution of anything available on the market. At 4096 x 2160 pixel, we can deliver over 8 million pixels to the screen.”

While the SXRD offers four times the resolution of current DLP HD technology, very little material has been released at a 4K res. So what’s the advantage?

“While there’s not a lot of 4K material out there yet, our strategy includes selling a projector to the theaters that’s future proof.” Theater owners should appreciate that, as long as the initial price is in the range of the DLP-based systems. Meanwhile, the Sony projector shows 2K just as well, and can up res 2K material on the fly to 4K if desired.

Technicolor is including Sony’s 4K SXRD projection systems in its upcoming digital cinema beta test in early 2006. While Technicolor representatives were not available at press time, it’s expected that the company will be testing both the Sony technology and DLP-based systems, most specifically those from Christie Digital, the market leader in DLP systems in the U.S.

How do you get the image to the projector? At ShowEast this past October, Sony Electronics and QuVIS presented the QuVIS’ Cinema Server, a 4K capable device designed to work with Sony’s SXRD 4K.

Tiny, Topeka, Kansas-based QuVIS has been a pioneer, developing its unique wavelet-based server and recorder/player technology since 1999. The company claims that its QuVIS digital cinema servers were the first to play both 4K and 2K content, as well as the first to play and master 3D content. The QuVIS Cinema Player now also includes MXF and AES encryption and key management.

QuVIS won a Millimeter Pick Hit at NAB 2004 for its QuVIS Digital Mastering Codec (QDMC). The company pioneered the application of wavelet technology in postproduction, playout, and digital cinema mastering and playout.

Meanwhile another server solution comes from Doremi, long time supplier of SD and HD servers and playout gear. The Burbank company created Doremi Cinema LLC to enter the digital cinema theater market. Doremi Cinema claims its DCP-2000 digital cinema server is the first commercially available server that can play DCI-JPEG2000 movies at up to 250Mbs. Christie Digital Systems has ordered 200 of the 800GB servers for the Christie/AIX rollout.

The big mover in the market, though, is Thomson, Technicolor’s parent. On November 10th Thomson debuted quite a deal: most of the major Hollywood studios have signed on with Thomson to push installs of digital cinema systems in North America.

The French company is already a big player in the European digital cinema market, and now plan to control over 75-percent of the American box office by installing some 15,000 digitally equipped screens in the United States and Canada over the next 10 years, according to Julian Waldron, Thomson’s Chief Financial Officer.

The announcement revealed that DreamWorks, Sony Pictures, Universal, and Warner Bros. have already agreed to use digital projection systems from Technicolor on 5,000 screens in the United States and Canada as early as the first quarter of 2006. The Christie CP2000 Digital DLP Cinema projector, used to present Disney's “Chicken Little”, is said to be the choice for most of the installs.

Christie is also going into the business of providing complete digital theater systems, financing some 2500 to 4000 screens in the U.S. and Canada with partner AccessIT. That company is a revived version of the struggling Boeing Digital Systems effort, which hoped to use its access to high-speed satellite links to deliver movies.

Christie/AIX, a subsidiary of AccessIT, will act as financier, an intermediary between content owners – such as the major studios and independent distributors. Also in the deal: exhibitors who will receive turnkey, DCI-compliant Digital Cinema systems including 2K DLP-Cinema projectors and related hardware provided by Christie.

So, what changed? After all these years of back and forth between the studios and theater owners, arguing as to who would pay for the pricey installation of all those new projectors, servers, and management systems, why are the flood gates opening now?

The studios’ agreed to pay for nothing; well actually they agreed to pay for ‘virtual prints’. At $1000 a pop, the studios will pretend they’re still using film to distribute each film, with $1000 going to the theater chains for every print they would normally have paid for.

Without the rollout of digital cinema, of course, the studios would still be budgeting and paying for film prints far into the future. Now, with a mechanism to create a steady flow of cash to the theaters, the studios know they take the cost of prints off their budgets at some point, while theater owners will have access to loans and other money, enabling them to pay for a rapid changeover.

And Sony’s next gen 4K projector? Directors and DPs are among those calling for better images, and that means higher res, blacker blacks,…anything, it seems that’s far enough beyond HD res. While final pricing on the Sony SXRD wasn’t available at press time, if it’s competitive with DLP-based systems, we’ll soon see if the desires of the creatives hold much sway in the market.

 

CHRISTIE'S NEW CP2000-ZX BOOSTS COMPANY'S CINEMA LEADERSHIP WORLDWIDE

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/pr.aspx?newsID=735

 

Source: Christie

 

Projector Offers Best Performance Value in Digital Cinema

Christie, a global leader in visual solutions for entertainment, business and industry, expands its popular line of 2K resolution Digital Cinema projection solutions with the introduction of the Christie CP2000-ZX DLP Cinema® projector. Setting a new industry benchmark for performance, value and flexibility, the Christie CP2000-ZX is up to 50% smaller by volume than its nearest competitors, yet brighter at 17,000 lumens. Exceptionally easy to operate and maintain, the ZX model offers maximum installation options for small to medium size theaters. It is also the perfect solution for post-production facilities seeking an advanced Digital Cinema system at a more affordable price.

The much-anticipated projector, with its integrated single-phase ballast, is significantly smaller and lighter than standard-size DLP Cinema projectors. All controls are at the rear of the projector, making it easy to install and easy to use in the most challenging environments. It utilizes a standard Christie CDXL lamp or the new high efficiency Christie CDXL SD lamp, which can be replaced by the same projectionist that operates the 35mm systems, with similar cost of ownership. Brightness levels can be customized from 9,000 – 17,000 lumens, for screens up to 45 feet wide (14 meters).

The Christie CP2000-ZX features the same support for Digital Cinema and alternative content as the famed Christie CP2000. Unlike the competition, it also supports the processing of HDCP encrypted signals through its DVI inputs and various integrated input cards, allowing for optimum presentation flexibility. All controls are available from the compact, local user panel, Control Display Panel (CDP™) or from any web browser on a networked computer. The feature-packed CP2000-ZX is the most affordable, flexible, and easy-to-use DLP Cinema solution on the market today.

“Designed with the exhibitor in mind, the Christie CP2000-ZX makes Digital Cinema more affordable. It is the perfect solution for exhibitors who seek the latest DLP Cinema technology for a majority of screens in their multiplex,” said Brian Claypool, senior product manager of Entertainment Solutions, Christie. “As part of Christie’s popular line of DLP Cinema solutions, the projector meets the highest standards of quality – a hallmark of all Christie products – backed by Christie’s industry-leading service and support. With the major Hollywood studios delivering their feature content digitally, exhibitors now have the perfect solution to transition seamlessly and cost-effectively to Digital Cinema.”

Visit Christie’s ShoWest booth 1705, for a demonstration of the new Christie CP2000-ZX. ShoWest takes place in Las Vegas, NV from March 12 – 15, 2007 at the Bally’s Convention and Events Center.