Kodak Chosen for Santikos Theatres' Digital Transition

http://digitalcinemareport.com/news/kodakchosen.html

Kodak has been selected to power the digital transition of the Santikos Theatres chain in Texas. Full Kodak Digital Cinema systems will be installed on all screens of the newly-constructed Silverado 19 in Houston and on nine screens in current Palladium theatre in San Antonio. All installations will be done by Kodak and include several models of Barco Premiere projectors, depending on screen size and requirements.

“Kodak brought the right package to us,” says Richard Cieplechowicz, director of business development for the circuit. “Our people had seen their systems in a working environment and knew they were reliable, but the depth of their technology appealed to us also. Our company is growing; we’re always refreshing our operations in San Antonio and now we also are bringing the Santikos brand to movie-goers elsewhere. The Kodak system is designed to grow with us.”

“The strongest partnerships come when brands complement each other,” says Chris Simpson, Kodak Digital Cinema director of sales for North America. “Santikos Theatres knows how to provide a quality cinema experience to their guests. Kodak offers the right system to deliver that. This is a relationship where we’ll each do what we do best – and the movie-goers will benefit.”

“The central management of all cinema content is a new concept for everyone,” says Simpson. “Kodak has extensive experience doing that consistently and creatively with our pre-show installations and we’re applying that to our digital feature systems. This new capability has the potential to make a huge difference in our customer’s operational flexibility and workflow efficiencies in the future.”

In addition to the central Theatre Management Systems, a Kodak Content Player JMN3000 will be installed on each screen. The player handles a full range of feature content, in 2D or 3D, from local language movies to major studio releases, and from documentaries to work by independent filmmakers.
In addition to providing installation, Kodak is handling all training and support, including remote monitoring of systems and on-site maintenance as required. “What Kodak is really selling,” says Simpson, “is peace of mind.”

“Since Luis Santikos, the father of our current owner, built one of the first nickelodeons in Texas almost a century ago, we’ve established a strong reputation in cinema entertainment,” says Cieplechowicz. “But through all that time, Kodak’s been a leader, also. Their film has been in our booths since the beginning; now it’s time to take the next step together -- into the digital world.”

With 114 screens in 8 sites, Santikos is now expanding into other major cities in Texas.