Survey Says: 3-D Video Changes Consumer Content Experience

http://2-pop.com/DigitalCinematography/articlenews/79342

February 23, 2009

3-D makes for a better movie experience for many consumers.

Arlington, VA – The more experience people have with 3-D technology, the more interested they are in having more 3-D options, according to a new joint study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the Entertainment and Technology Center at the University of Southern California. The study, 3-D TV: Where Are We Now and Where Are Consumers, also showed that 3-D technology is positioned to become a major force in future in-home entertainment.
As with many successful technologies, such as HDTV, interest in 3-D increases as consumers experience it first-hand. In the past 12 months, nearly 41 million U.S. adults report having seen a 3-D movie in theaters. Of those, nearly forty percent say they would prefer to watch a movie in 3-D than that same movie in 2-D. That’s compared to just 23 percent who have not seen a 3-D movie in the past 12 months.

“When it comes to current 3-D technology, seeing truly is believing,” said Shawn DuBravac, CEA’s economist and director of research. “Today’s 3-D offerings are changing the way consumers view video content, not unlike the early days of high-definition television, which redefined TV as we know it today.”

The study also found that today’s 3-D technology is positioned to move into the home and is becoming a major purchasing factor of TV sets. Sixteen percent of consumers are interested in watching 3-D movies or television shows in their home, while 14 percent are interested in playing 3-D video games. All told, more than 26 million households are interested in having a 3-D content experience in their own home. More than half of U.S. adults said having to wear special glasses or hold their heads still while watching a 3-D TV would have no impact on them purchasing a 3-D set for their home.  New 3-D display technology that would require no special glasses was unveiled at the 2009 International CES, produced by CEA.

Another driver for purchasing a 3-D capable set is content. Nearly 30 percent of U.S. adults said having access to 3-D content though cable, satellite, fiber-optics or over-the-air broadcasts would positively impact their decision to buy a 3-D capable TV.    

“Movie studios and broadcasters are experimenting with 3-D and continue to search for ways to bring the technology into consumers’ living rooms,” said David Wertheimer, CEO and executive director of the Entertainment and Technology Center at USC. “In the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen college football’s national championship game, multiple Super Bowl commercials and an hour-long TV show, all broadcast in 3-D. Interest in 3-D is growing, and consumers and content providers are both interested in seeing 3-D migrate into the home.”

 

Moving iMage Technologies to assist smaller exhibitors in d-cinema rollout

http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/news-and-features/news/digital-cinema/e3i67264dea25a495e0f6ced6e6b25dfcf4

 

Jan 28, 2009

Moving iMage Technologies has partnered with All Media Capital to assist theatre owners in participating in the 3D and digital-cinema rollout, while at the same time providing the means for an exhibitor to maintain control of his own projection equipment. The announcement follows Paramount Pictures’ decision to provide direct reimbursement to exhibitors through virtual print fees to prepare for the upcoming slate of 3D releases. Other studios are expected to follow Paramount’s lead to offer the same type of reimbursements that they have extended to the large circuits.

“3D is a real value-add to the exhibition community and the announcement by Paramount Pictures is a wonderful way to continue forward with the 3D/digital-cinema rollout,” said Joe Delgado, Moving iMage Technologies executive VP, sales and marketing. “Couple Paramount’s announcement with our relationship with All Media Capital and small to medium-size exhibitors now have a viable path for implementing digital cinema today, rather than waiting for some large integrator to get financing. Everyone knows that access to money is tough in this economic climate, but All Media has continually been able to fund our clients at very competitive rates, even when more traditional financing has dried up.”

MiT has extensive experience in integrating and installing digital and 3D systems, interfacing to existing audio and projection equipment. The company manufactures a full line of integration components for digital cinema including MPL projector bases, ICM automations and interfaces, iMAGE Mover track systems and custom cable and wiring harnesses.

All Media Capital specializes in financing technology equipment for the professional audio/video market and entertainment industry. In cooperation with MiT, All Media Capital has already financed many digital-cinema installations including systems for commercial cinema as well as post-production.

“In the current economic climate, where we have seen many banks tailor away from debt-related financing, we have seen a substantial increase in credit applications from exhibitors. We have several different options to get exhibitors exceptional rates and industry-specific programs which are not available to the bank or broker community,” said Ryan Wilson of All Media Capital.

 

GDC to incorporate RealD 'ghostbuster' technology

http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/news-and-features/news/digital-cinema/e3i30fd5ce301fd772767361d5861abf5ab

 

Jan 19, 2009

 

Digital-cinema provider GDC Technology and 3D cinema technology leader RealD announced further cooperation between the two companies. In a new agreement, RealD will license to GDC the right to install and deploy its 3D EQ (aka “ghostbuster”) technology in GDC’s line of digital-cinema servers.

 

Digital-cinema provider GDC Technology and 3D cinema technology leader RealD announced further cooperation between the two companies. In a new agreement, RealD will license to GDC the right to install and deploy its 3D EQ (aka “ghostbuster”) technology in GDC’s line of digital-cinema servers.

RealD’s 3D EQ technology enhances the separation of the left and right eye images. In the past, this process was incorporated into the master by the studios; RealD’s new approach incorporates the technology into the digital-cinema server and therefore simplifies the distribution process without sacrificing the optimal 3D visual experience.

“As the leader in 3D cinema, RealD is focused on using our technology to make the creation and distribution of 3D content as efficient as possible,” said Joe Peixoto, president of worldwide cinemas at RealD. “Working with GDC to deploy our 3D EQ technology in their digital-cinema servers offers a streamlined approach so the focus can stay on delivering to audiences a 3D experience unlike anything they’ve ever seen.”

“GDC is a firm believer in bringing the best and latest feature sets available in its digital-cinema servers to its customers,” said Dr Man-Nang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. “We are quick to notice the superiority of RealD’s technology and wasted no time to incorporate it in GDC’s line of digital-cinema servers.”

Arts Alliance pacts with Amsterdam Booking Co. for digital rollout

http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/news-and-features/news/digital-cinema/e3if2aba79ad08ad34ccc7186a8e5f7bd00

 

Feb 2, 2009

 

Arts Alliance Media (AAM), Europe’s leading digital-cinema provider, reached an exclusive agreement with the Amsterdam Booking Company B.V. (ABC), a buying group representing Dutch independent cinemas, to supply and integrate digital cinema in 68 screens within 20 cinemas across The Netherlands. The deal also covers the installation of a professional satellite network for the transmission of live events and encrypted content.

The ABC rollout will start immediately in order to equip screens for the Feb. 11 Dutch release of Disney’s 3D film Bolt, the first wide 3D release in The Netherlands. Screens in Heerenveen, Heerlen, Schagen, Spijkenisse, Venray, Weert and Zutphen will receive the new installations.

Under the conditions of the agreement, AAM will create a fully integrated DCI-compliant digital-cinema and satellite network within the ABC group of cinemas. The agreement requires AAM to procure, service and maintain all digital-cinema systems deployed, including projectors and servers, central storage servers and a Theatre Management System. ABC and AAM have jointly selected Christie projectors and Doremi servers for the deployment. FTT Filmtronics will carry out the installations and provide maintenance and local support. The satellite equipment will be provided by Arqiva Satellite and Media.

Paul Visser, ABC’s owner, said, “We see clearly what the future of cinema is going to be—digital, 3D and live events. AAM is the best partner to make that happen and enable us to be the first widespread movers in The Netherlands.”

Howard Kiedaisch, chief executive officer of AAM, stated, “We are honored to have been chosen by ABC for this highly significant deployment. Our commitment is to help all cinemas convert to digital, regardless of size or location, and having ABC on board proves that our program works for independents as well as big chains.”

Amsterdam Booking Company programs cinemas throughout The Netherlands and has a share of 10% in the Dutch market. ABC also advises the connected cinemas on marketing, management and future development.

To date, AAM has a European footprint of 420 installed and operated digital-cinema screens in the U.K., France, Spain and Norway. AAM was the first digital-cinema provider in Europe to sign virtual-print-fee-based deployment agreements with studios and exhibitors.

 

Past, Present & Future of 3D

http://www.electronichouse.com/article/print/the_state_of_3d/

Once trendy in the 50s, 3-D is making a comeback with movies, video games and sporting events.

Jan. 06, 2009 — by Dennis P. Barker

”Stereoscopic 3-D is the most exciting evolution in cinema presentation since color and widescreen. The question for film-makers is not ‘why 3-D?’, since the reasons are obvious, at least to audiences, and the negatives have all been removed. The question should be ‘how do I make 3-D a part of my art?” - James Cameron, Film Director.

3-D movies burst on the scene back in the 1950s. We had these funny paper glasses with red and green cellophane lenses which made things pop out of the screen. Sadly, 3-D didn’t last long. Cinerama tried to re-capture the same feeling without glasses, but the format proved to be too technically challenging for the movie studios and cinemas (three curved screens, three cameras and three projectors all in sync).

Recently, however, 3-D has made a resurgence at the movies with films like “Beowulf,” “Chicken Little,” “Meet The Robinsons,” “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” and “Bolt,” among others, utilizing new stereoscopic 3-D technology. New polarized glasses have been employed to reduce eye strain. Polarized lenses only allow light waves to the left and right eyes individually, which creates the depth of the 3-D illusion. And, I have to say that these films have been very impressive!

Both the NBA (2007 All Star Game) and the NFL (Chargers/Raiders regular season game) have experimented with 3-D broadcasts (theater or via closed circuit) and both received decent reviews. Fox Sports will broadcast college football’s championship game in 3-D at CES later this week.

A market research firm (Quixel Research) recently found that three-fourths of consumers have seen a 3-D movie with 3-D glasses and nearly 75-percent would recommend a 3-D experience to family and friends.

Here’s a look at the types of 3-D available and the manufacturers behind the technologies.

Stereoscopic 3-D (Glasses-based)
Concurrent with this renewed interest at movie theaters, 3-D has also entered the home thanks to innovative algorithms from Texas Instruments’ DLP technology that allows viewers to watch select films and video games in 3-D with glasses. Texas Instruments released DLP 3-D Technology in early 2007. The DLP 3-D Technology uses an innovative format that allows for the left and right images to be combined into a single frame on displays with 120 Hz refresh rate. This format preserves the horizontal and vertical resolution of the left and right views, and enables superior viewing experiences.

In order to configure the TV to 3-D mode, consumers need to purchase a 3-D Accessory Kit (available for $129 from Samsung). In the case of Samsung, the kit was produced with its partner—DDD. The kit contains a pair of LCD shutter glasses, an infrared emitter that connects to the HDTV, and PC software.  These special glasses utilize shutters that open and close every 1/60th of a second allowing a 120Hz HDTV to show left eye images at 1/60th a second (or 60Hz) and right eye images at 1/60th of a second (or 60Hz) so that there won’t be any flicker, which causes eye strain. After installing the software to a capable PC, the PC needs to be connected to the HDTV using a DVI to HDMI, or HDMI to HDMI cable (depending upon the consumer’s PC graphics card). Then you need to place the TV in 3-D mode and you’re ready to go.

Besides rear projection DLP TVs (with over 500,000 models sold so far) from Mitsubishi and Samsung (Series 6 and 7 DLP TV), Samsung has also been able to carry 3-D technology to its plasma displays (their Series 4 models). All models are 120Hz 1080p TVs. 

While the movie studios like 3-D because they can charge an additional fee, sadly, there’s no true standard for the home. And, without a standard for the home, the studios are reluctant to come out with movies and programming in 3-D. Yes, the DVD version of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” has a 3-D version on the disc (as well as a 2D version); they also supplied glasses to watch the movie.

Right now, there are a handful of games, e.g. “Call to Arms,” and some films already encoded in 3-D. For glasses-based systems, it’s really a “chicken and egg” situation, and there are a couple of hurdles to get over in order to get a real toe hold in home theaters. There are about 25 different systems out there with no solidified standard for 3-D in either standard definition DVD or Blu-ray.

A bright spot for potential growth in 3-D programming in the home, however, is expected to be video games. Gamers will adopt very quickly to an enhanced reality with added depth for car racing and shoot’em ups. Gamers want to be immersed in the games, and 3-D will be the portal for them to accomplish it.  Initially, PC games will adopt first to 3-D before it arrives on consoles like Xbox360 and PS3. In fact, it might not be till the next incarnation of these systems that will see true 3-D capability. Of course, this does not preclude a 3-D firmware update along with optional glasses.

Auto Stereoscopic 3-D (No Glasses)
It seems that the holy grail of 3-D viewing is to watch films and programs without glasses. For the past several years, Philips, LG, and others has been working on 3-D solutions without glasses, but so far these 3-D displays – I can’t call them TVs – utilizing LCD technology primarily are only for the commercial space and digital signage. While some of them aren’t bad, they’re not terrific either. And, they’re costly as well with prices ranging around $10,000 for a system including a 42-in LCD display.

For the past couple of years, Philips has been offering 3-D displays to the commercial arena in 52-in, 42-in., 22-in., and 8-in. versions. In fact, the company has a dedicated 3-D Solutions subsidiary. Philips has recently shown a 132-in. prototype display in Europe along with a special Blu-ray player that can playback 3-D. Currently, both products are in the demoing stage with no plans to bring them to market in the near future. In its displays, Philips uses Multiview lenticular technology that allows multiple viewers wide freedom of movement without sacrificing 3-D perception. A sheet of transparent lenses is fixed on an LCD screen. This sheet sends different images to each eye, and so a person sees two images. These two images are combined (in our brain), to create a 3-D effect. Because the sheet is transparent, it results in full brightness, full contrast and true color representation

At the CEDIA show in September, Electronic House reported on a company called NewSight-X3-D. Their system does not require glasses either, and though previously limited to viewing from about 20 feet away, it’s reportedly one the best and most realistic of its kind. Currently, it is designed for commercial spaces only. NewSight-X3-D can be experienced in several shopping malls and airports in the U.S and Europe, and is used mainly for advertising with custom design content for these systems. The NewSight/X3-D uses 60-70 inch specially designed Pioneer and Mitsubishi flat screen monitors.

LG, on the other hand, uses a specially-designed 42-in. LCD display with proprietary 3-D software from Parallax that offers 3-D still and 2D, 3-D mixed movie possibilities. The specialized 42-in. 1080p display (at 60Hz) also requires LG’s True3-D player, which comes bundled with the display.

Connectivity
HDMI seems the likely conduit for 3-D signals in the home. The current HDMI version 1.3 spec supports video streams running up to 10 Gbits/s, which is enough to handle left and right eye versions of 1080-progressive video at 60 Hz (requiring no more than 8 Gbits/s). Ultimately, however, 3D-TV proponents want to support 120 Hz rates for each eye for truer high definition and multiple 3-D views (this would mean sets with a 240 Hz refresh rate, and the earliest those models will be available is sometime in 2009).

In the short term, however, the industry needs to define a way for HDMI to carry 3-D information from a device along with metadata in a 3-D video stream. This is the job of a special CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) task group working to update the CEA 861 standard that defines an uncompressed video interface referenced in turn by the HDMI standard. Although, it should be noted that it usually takes about a year or so to upgrade a specification standard. The 861 spec in future could also be the basis of other interconnects including DisplayPort and wireless links.

The Future
At last year’s CES (January 2008), there was a special workshop held on 3-D technology. The conclusion of the panel was that glasses-based 3-D system will become more prevalent in the coming years, but auto stereoscopic systems are still several years (or light years) away from a home theater near you.

The Blu-ray community is experimenting with different schemes to add 3-D to disc titles, but no standard has been finalized. Considering the fact that Blu-ray is still working its way into the mainstream, it’s doubtful one will be in the near future.

For any 3-D system to be successful, it needs the support of content creators such as the major Hollywood Studios, who would put a premium on 3-D content. And, of course, it begs the question that in this economy will home viewers pay a premium on top of already high-priced home video?

Honestly, I don’t mean to be pessimistic about 3-D, but it may be better suited for movie theaters, PC video games, and the occasional sporting event. Then again, there just might be a big announcement at CES 2009.

 

A Conversation with Andrew Robinson - Managing Director, Harkness Screens

http://www.digitalcinemareport.com/Harkness-theatre-screens-exhibition-3D

 

2009 February 26

Submitted by Nick Dager on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 10:22.

·         Feature Stories

·Q&A

As the exhibition industry makes the move to 3D the demands on the actual, physical screen in a theatre are changing. Digital Cinema Report spoke with Andrew Robinson of Harkness Screens to get his insights on the subject.

Digital Cinema Report: Please give us a short history of Harkness Screens.

Andrew Robinson: Harkness Screens was founded in the 1920s in London in the UK.  It is now an international company with manufacturing operations in the UK, France, USA and China.  The main activity is manufacturing screen surfaces for cinema.  Every year thousands of screens are supplied all over the world.  Screens are also supplied for special events, custom AV applications and theme parks, etc.  In fact, Harkness is very much a specialist for large custom screens, and cinema is the main application.  We are a medium-size, privately owned business employing approximately 100 people in total worldwide.

DCR: What is your role with the company and how long have you been there?

AR: I am the managing director as well as running the group; I take an active role in meeting customers all over the world.  I attend all the main cinema conventions around the world and, from time-to-time, get asked to speak on screen-related topics.  I have worked for Harkness for 10 years.  During my time at Harkness, the business has greatly expanded its international presence and market share.  

DCR: Film, digital 2D and digital 3D are all here for the foreseeable future in most markets.  What is the ideal kind of screens for exhibitors to consider when showing all three types of content?

AR: Harkness cinema screens can be used for film or digital projection.  We also have specific screens for 3D polarized light technology.  We also make screens with different gain levels.  The important point is that the right gain level of screen should be used in relation to the size of the screen and the power of the projector.  With digital projection, there are usually savings in operating costs (essentially lamps and power costs) in using higher gain screens than one would normally use with an equivalent sized film projector.  These savings can be significant and could easily pay for the replacement of a screen in a couple of years.

DCR: How critical is the screen to a successful 3D experience?  How much brightness can a screen add to 3D projection?  Is that true for all size venues?

AR: The screen is critical to the 3D experience.  All 3D technologies "lose" a lot of light. Up to 85 percent of the light available in 2D mode is lost. Big lamps and gain screens are needed to get an acceptable brightness level.  On screens that measure around 50 feet, very high gain levels will be necessary.  Polarized light 3D systems require "silver" screens – white screens will not work because they depolarize light.  For other 3D technologies, white screens can be used but the gain level must be high enough.  The screen is therefore critical to the brightness and also to a successful 3D presentation.

DCR: Cost is always a critical factor in exhibition.  Can theatre owners compete in 3D with their existing screens?

AR: With a 3D system, the screen may need to be changed.  Silver screens are needed for polarized light systems, which is the most popular 3D technology.  Many new cinemas are fitting two to three silver screens as standard equipment.  You can show 2D movies on silver screens and actually any 3D technology.  In retrofits, polarized light 3D requires a screen change.  Other technologies may need upgrades to higher gain screens, depending on what gain level was installed originally.

DCR: What cost-effective steps can they take to maximize the effectiveness of their existing screens when projecting 3D?

AR: It is likely cinemas will need to change screens depending on whatever 3D technology they use.  Certainly, having the right gain level is important.  Cinemas showing 3D movies also show 2D movies.  In this situation, the screen may be too bright for 2D, so changing the lamp is recommended.  This can itself bring significant operating cost savings.

 

UPDATED CONSTANTLY: List of Upcoming 3D Movies ! From Marketsaw

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2007/04/list-of-upcoming-3d-movies.html

 

Sunday, April 22, 2007

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

Text in green was UPDATED ON February 25, 2009.

Rumors:
1. Baywatch 3D (Spielberg/Reitman)
2. Godzilla 3D
3. The Hobbit Part 1 (2011) (New Line) (Director, Guillermo del Toro) Waiting for official statement that it is in 3D. Lawsuit pending.
4. The Hobbit Part 2 (2012) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) CONFIRMED. Waiting for official statement that it is in 3D. Lawsuit pending.
5. LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring (2013) (Re-released in 3D) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) Waiting for official announcement.
6. LOTR: The Two Towers (2014) (Re-released in 3D) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) Waiting for official announcement.
7. LOTR: The Return of the King (2015) (Re-released in 3D) (New Line) (Peter Jackson) Waiting for official announcement.
8. The Gate 3-D (Randall William Cook, Director) Rumored 3-D remake of the original 1980s flick about a gate to hell. UPDATE Sep 24th: "The Gate: 20 Years After" may not get made. Randy Cook (FX) said that the "script was terrible" and the producers were not allowing creative changes. Always a chance that a remake could get done however - fingers crossed.
9. 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.
10. Stewardesses 3-D (Summer 2009) (Condon /Meyer - Remake) (Adirondack International Pictures)
11. Avengers (Marvel) (Writer: Zac Penn?) (Director: Jon Favreau?) PENN: "Absolutely. It's not only something I've considered doing, but there's been the discussion about The Avengers doing some sort of next level… Whatever the next iteration of computer animation is after this, the next step after Beowulf, is something we would definitely consider for that." Rumor Source: FirstShowing.net
12. Calling All Robots (Disney) (ImageMovers Digital) (Writer: Michael Dougherty) Performance capture movie that leans on the Godzilla genre and will use the same technology used for "Beowulf". This obviously hints that it will be in 3D - but I have not confirmed this yet!
13. Speed Racer 2 (See this post)
14. RoboCop 3D (MGM) (See this post)
15. Fantastic Voyage (James Cameron)
16. Dead Still (Ghost House Productions) (Peter Skagen, Writer) (Charlotte Clay Huggins, Producer) Suspenseful, Eco-thriller set in the jungles of Asia. Throwback to the 80's action films.

17. Iron Man 2 (May 2010) (Marvel) (Jon Favreau, Director) Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle and Gwyneth Paltrow have all been confirmed. Look for Cheadle's character Rhodes to don the armor! Favreau hints at 3D here.
18. Pirates Of The Caribbean 4 (Disney)
19. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Disney)

Date TBA:
1. Scar 3D (Jed Weintrob, Director) Scar 3D uses side by side Sony 950 cameras and is the first released full length, live action feature film shot in this innovative process.
2. Tintin (Trilogy) (Steven Spielberg / Peter Jackson / ???) (casting started in LA the week of Oct 29th, 2007)
3. Master Mind (Dreamworks Animation) (Ben Stiller, Producer) A villian loses his motivation after accidentally killing his arch nemesis. Potentially a Fall 2010 release.
4. 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.
5. Interworld (Dreamworks Animation) Loosely based on the book of the same name written by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves.
6. Punk Farm (Dreamworks Animation) No details as of yet.
7. Shrek 5 (Dreamworks Animation) No details as of yet.
8. Step Up 3-D (Disney) (Jon Chu) Third installment in the dance franchise.
9. OWN3D (Owned Entertainment) Mixed Martial Arts Live Action 3D movie. Also will be released in 2D.
10. Crank 3D (Neveldine/Taylor) The third installment of the Crank franchise. (2011??)
11. Love Like Blood (Stuart Levy) (Takahiko Akiyama) Based on the Kei Toume manga "Lament of the Lamb," the goth-flavored tale revolves around a slightly anemic named Blake Edwards, who meets a beautiful girl called Jira. Their relationship becomes increasingly intense and gory before a final twist.
12. Ghost In The Shell (Dreamworks) (Steven Spielberg) Ghost in the Shell is a futuristic police thriller dealing with the exploits of Motoko Kusanagi. She is capable of superhuman feats, and bionically specialized for her job — her body is almost completely mechanized; only her brain and a segment of her spinal cord are organic.
13. 1.8 Days (Movie Tao Productions, Cerebral Films) (Producer, Terry Mc Innes) (Writer, Chuck Fallaw) Two hustlers, their ex-fiancé, a ruthless crime boss, and a bounty hunter, all intent on killing each other, suddenly find themselves in the middle of an "invasion." The violent enemies must band together to defeat the (what the hell are they!?). They just have to stop fighting each other long enough to survive.
14. Relentless - Karl Urban starrer - Four extreme sports professionals who survive a plane crash in the Amazon jungle, and must use all their survival instincts as they are hunted by a group of homicidal natives
15. Outback (Velvet Octopus) (Producer, Ash Shah) 3D CGI Animation - Story of a white koala bear.
16. The Legend of Spyro (Velvet Octopus) (Producer, Ash Shah) 3D CGI Animation - Spin-off from the best-selling video game.
17. The Dive (James Cameron) Live Action 3D based on the true story of Francisco "Pipin" Ferreras and his love affair with French diver Audrey Mestre. Mestre perishes while in competition after being trained by her lover. Cameron will be diving into this film right after "Avatar". (See also this post).
18. Horror Tour (Ben Stassen) - 3D Stereoscopic Live Action movie. More details to come. Shooting starts in spring or summer of 2009.
19. Call Of The Wild (Director - Richard Gabai) (Braeburn Entertainment, Check Entertainment, 21st Century 3D)
20. Oceans 3D: Into The Deep (3D Entertainment) - the first feature-length docu-fictionfilm shot entirely in Digital 3D, is a tribute to the ocean. The film will leave audiences in awe of the beauty and diversity of the oceans - the source of all life on our planet - and inspire an even stronger desire to protect what they have either seen for the first time or re-discovered. Date is still slated for 2009 with Wild Bunch distributing internationally (outside US & Canada).
21. Cleo (Steven Soderbergh, Director) (Casey Silver, Producer) Live action musical. $30m budget with Hugh Jackman and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Set in 1920's Chicago and based on the story of Cleopatra.
22. Rango (Disney) (Gore Verbinski) Animation (Johnny Depp - voice)
23. Yogi (Warner Bros.) (Eric Brevig, Director) (Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia, Writers) Live action / CG combo family movie.

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

2009:
1. My Bloody Valentine 3-D (January 16, 2009) (Lionsgate Entertainment) (Director - Patrick Lussier) Jaime King to play lead role of Sarah Palmer. Remake of the original horror movie. The 4K Red One Cameras is being used in 3D configuration for this movie!
2. Coraline (Wide Release February 6th, 2009) (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. <<<
3. Jonas Brothers' "Burning Up" 3D Concert Movie (February, 27th 2009) (Director, Bruce Hendricks) (Producer, Art Repola) (See this post).
4. Monsters vs. Aliens (March 27th, 2009) (DWA) Animation. A monster hunter is called upon to battle aliens who have disrupted cable TV service. Rex assembles a team of monsters to help including Ick!, Dr. Cockroach, the 50,000 Pound Woman and Insectosaurus. >>Official Site<<
5. Battle For Terra (May 1st, 2009) (Snoot Entertainment) (Lionsgate) 3D animation - Voice cast includes: Evan Rachel Wood, Brian Cox, James Garner, Chris Evans, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet, David Cross, Justin Long, Luke Wilson and Dennis Quaid.
6. Up (May 29th, 2009) (Disney) Animation. A senior citizen's adventures with a wilderness Ranger: "Our hero travels the globe, fights beasts and villains and eats dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon."
7. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (July 1st, 2009) (Fox) (Carlos Saldanha, Director) Animation - Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah and Dennis Leary are all back to lend their voices.

8. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (July 17th, 2009) (David Yates, Director) As Harry Potter begins his 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he discovers an old book marked mysteriously "This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince" and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort's dark past. Portions of HP and the HBP will be shown in 3D.
9. 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.
10. Final Destination: Death Trip 3D (Aug 21st, 2009) (David R. Ellis, Director)
11. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (September 18th, 2009) (Sony Pictures Imageworks Animation) Food pours down from above just when the a town called Chewandswallow needs it most - however it soon overwhelms everyone. This will be Sony's first stereoscopic 3D movie and it will be shot in similar style to "Beowulf"'s performance capture.
12. Toy Story (Oct 2nd, 2009) (Disney) 2D to 3D digital source conversion and re-release
13. Horrorween 3D (October 30, 2009) (Joe Estevez / Ed Meyer) (Adirondack International Pictures) Comedy
14. Disney's 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!
15. Planet 51 (Nov 20th, 2009) (Sony) (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.
16. 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.
17. Frankenweenie (2009) (Tim Burton / Disney) Digital 3D: Stop Motion Animation. A young boy brings his dog back from the dead.
18. The Jonas Brothers 3D (Jan / Feb 2009) (Disney) Concert movie shot from their 38 city "Burning Up" North American tour (their 3rd CD). The tour starts July 4th, 2008 and wraps up around Labor Day, 2008.
19. Dawn Of The Dead (2009) (George A. Romero) (Richard Rubinstein) Re-release of the original 1979 zombie classic converted from 2D to 3D by In-Three. (See also this post).
20. Untitled Dustin Voigt Project (2009) (Rick McCallum, Executive Producer) (Sherry Voigt, Ardees Rabang and Harrison Kordestani, Producers) (Dustin Voigt, Director)
21. The Magic Tale (2009) (Writer / Director, Jordi Llompart) (William Reeve, Stereographer) Based on the book: "El Corazon sobre la arena" The story of a little girl's magical journey to Africa and enlightenment.
22. The Dark Country (Summer 2009) (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. The 4K Red One Cameras is being used in 3D configuration for this movie!

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 5th, 2010) (Tim Burton / Disney) (Writer, Linda Woolverton) (Producers, Richard Zanuck, Joe Roth, Jennifer Todd and Suzanne Todd) Disney Digital 3D: Performance Capture AND Live Action.
3. Piranha 3D (2010) (Alexandre Aja) (Dimension Films) A remake of Joe Dante's original, Arizona's Lake Havasu ruptures its floor after an earthquake releasing prehistoric piranhas killing 1000 spring break students. Release will most likely be delayed as they will not begin shooting until spring 2009.
4. How To Train Your Dragon (March 26th, 2009) (Dreamworks Animation) >>Check out early production concept art here and here!<<
5. Alpha And Omega (April 16th, 2010) (Lionsgate) CG Animation. The movie is about a couple of young wolves and their adventures. Hayden Panettiere, Christina Ricci, Danny Glover, Justin Long, Larry Miller and Dennis Hopper lend their voices to the project.
6. Shrek 4 (May 2010) (DWA)
7. Toy Story 3 (June 18th, 2010) (Disney) 3D Digital Animation

8. Blue Man Group Musical 3D (June 2010) 3D Live Action representation of their stage work with a storyline.
9. Rapunzel (Christmas 2010) (Disney-Pixar) (Directors: Glen Keane, Dean Wellins) be transported to a stunning CG fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses.
10. 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".
11. Around The World in 50 Years (2010?) (nWave) (Director, Ben Stassen) (Producers, Gina Gallo, Mimi Maynard, Domonic Paris, Caroline Van Iseghem & Ben Stassen) Animation. Voices by: Tim Curry, Anthony Anderson, Ed Begley Jr., Pat Carroll, Kathy Griffin, Melanie Griffith, Stacy Keach and Jenny McCarthy. Story revolves around a turtle born in 1959 who travels the globe while it is being affected by global warming. (Completion in 2009).
12. Cereal Heroes (2010) (Fable Works LLC) (Sparx Animation Studios) Cartoon cereal-box-mascots are mistakenly brought to life when a plan to replace the world's fallen superheroes with characters from comic books goes awry.
13. The Mortician (2010) (Aria Films and Full Circle Films) (Equipment and Post Production, Axis3D) (Director, Writer, Gareth Maxwell Roberts) (Producer, Carlo Dusi) Psychological Thriller.

14. Evil Dead: The Musical (2010?) (Bruce Campbell) Recreation of the movie with music in 3D. Based on the stage musical. Shooting begins spring 2009.
15. The Hole (2010) (Bold Films) (Joe Dante, Director) (Michael L. Smith, Writer) (Starring Haley Bennett) A pair of brothers stumble upon a mysterious hole in their basement that leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares. Shooting starts in November 2008 in Vancouver, BC.
16. Beauty And The Beast (2010) (Disney) Will be remastered into 3D over a period of 9 to 10 months for release in 2010.
17. Paradise Lost (2010) (Warner Brothers) (Legendary Pictures) (Scott Dickenson, Director) Based on the Milton poem. Lucifer's failed rebellion in heaven brings about Adam and Eve's fall from grace.

2011:
1. Puss In Boots: The Story Of An Ogre Killer (DWA)
2. Kung Fu Panda 2: Pandamonium (DWA) (June 3, 2011) (Jennifer Yu Helson, Director) Jack Black, Angelina Jolie again lend their voices.
3. Newt (Summer 2011) (Disney-Pixar) (Director, Gary Rydstrom) What happens when the last remaining male and female blue-footed newts on the planet are forced together by science to save the species, and they can't stand each other?
4. The Bear and the Bow (Christmas 2011) (Disney-Pixar) (Director, Brenda Chapman) A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar's action-adventure "The Bear and the Bow."
5. Crood Awakening (2011?) (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.
6. Tron 3D (Spring 2011) (Disney) (Director: Joseph Kosinski) A revisit to Tron. Read about a sneak preview here.
7. Cars 2 (Summer 2011) (Disney-Pixar) (Director, Brad Lewis) Mater and McQueen will need their passports as they find themselves in a new world of intrigue, thrills and fast-paced comedic
escapades around the globe. Now scheduled for the summer of 2011!
8. The Devil's Commandos (Raw) (Director, Thomas Jane) A WWII commando unit sent on a rescue mission. Pretty straight forward. Except for the part where hell opens up and they have to fight Satan's army.

2012:
1. King of the Elves (Christmas 2012) (Disney-Pixar) (Directors, Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker) Legendary storyteller Phillip K. Dick's short story (his only experiment in the fantasy genre) becomes the basis for this fantastic and imaginative tale about an average man living in the Mississippi Delta, whose reluctant actions to help a desperate band of elves leads them to
name him their new king.

PAST MOVIES (Modern 3D Only):

2007:
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)

2008:
1. U2 3D (February)
2. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (February)
3. Journey 3D (July)
4. Fly Me to the Moon (August)
5. Bolt (November)

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)
4. Paintball 3-D (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

 

Christie Launches Industry First Technological Breakthrough for 3D

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2008/10/quick-post-christie-launches-industry.html

 

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

 

CYPRESS, CA – October 13, 2008 – Christie, a leader in digital cinema projection, is pleased to introduce its Brilliant3D technology that enables 3D content to be projected in full 2K resolution for digital cinema projectors utilizing 1.2” DMD chips from Texas Instruments. A first for the industry, this new technology will be available exclusively on all Christie digital cinema projectors and will be launched at ShowEast beginning October 13th in Orlando, FL. Following the successful demonstrations with RealD at IBC in Amsterdam last month, Christie’s new technology provides 33% more brightness for 3D content and uses only a single lens system.

“We’re very excited about this technological development from Christie. This advancement combined with our RealD XL system enhances the 3D experience tremendously. Together, we can fill screens up to 75ft in width with true triple-flash capable technology, making 3D films even brighter and clearer,” noted Joseph Peixoto, president of worldwide cinema, RealD.

Craig Sholder, vice-president of Christie’s Entertainment Solutions stated, “With more than 15 new movies slated for 3D release over the next 18 months, Christie’s new Brilliant3D will enable exhibitors to project 3D movies onto the largest screens—while reducing both lamp and electricity expenses. Christie engineers initiated development of this technology so that audiences would have the most compelling 3D experience.”

Christie Brilliant3D will be available on the world’s brightest 2K DLP Cinema® projectors, the Christie CP2000-SB and Christie CP2000-XB, as well as on the Christie CP2000-ZX. Christie’s CP2000-M digital cinema projector, based on the .98” DMD chip, will also feature Christie Brilliant3D technology. With this new technology, Christie now offers 3D in full 2K resolution at brightness levels not previously seen before in theatres.

Sholder added, “We’ve enabled our full suite of digital cinema projectors with Christie technology. And, our flagship Christie CP2000-SB will offer double the brightness for 3D projection than any other competitive product on the market. We’re thrilled to offer a much more viable solution to the industry for projecting 3D movies on medium and large screens. Christie remains at the forefront of the digital cinema revolution with 3D solutions for every exhibitor on any size screen.”

In addition, Christie is also announcing a new suite of variable prime zoom lenses that enable a convenient and cost-effective, single lens solution for 2D and 3D content regardless of format, keeping operating costs down. These lenses and new projector solutions will be available for the release of the 3D blockbusters scheduled for the upcoming holiday season.

ShowEast attendees will see Christie’s Brilliant3D technology in action on the Christie CP2000-XB showing select scenes from Lionsgate’s, “My Bloody Valentine”, and Disney’s “Bolt” 3D trailer on the Christie CP2000-ZX displayed at their booth # 1100.

This is awesome news for 2K digital projection. Gotta see this in action!

 

RealD And Sony Partner On 4K Projector

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2009/02/reald-and-sony-partner-on-4k-projector.html

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Jim here. NOW it is making sense. A while ago I reported that Sony will be introducing a new 4K projector with a 3D adaptor and I was puzzled over the very late entry into the field - a field where there is already a clear winner in the 3D add-on realm, RealD.

Today, THR is reporting that Sony has in fact teamed up with RealD to deliver a built in 3D 4K projection system - one that is compatible with other Sony 4K resolution projectors.

It is not known whether Sony has solved the issue of being limited to screen sizes of 55 feet or less - perhaps that is why Sony has partnered with RealD, as the Beverly Hills based 3D company has solved the riddle of larger screens with their XL technology.

Originally Sony had targeted a March 2009 release of the solution.

A large competitor of Sony's in this arena will be Christie (along with Barco and NEC), who also recently announced their Brilliant3D technology that coincidentally (or more likely not) also uses RealD. In this case, they in fact use the RealD XL technology to facilitate projection on screens of up to 75 feet. Christie's 3D solution is however, limited to only 2K resolution.

This is great clarification for me. I feel much better about the progression of the 3D projection industry with this knowledge in place! Great job guys.

 

Tell Me Again Why "Coraline", The Number Two Weekend Movie Has To Be Dumped?

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2009/02/tell-me-again-why-coraline-number-two.html

 

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Jim here. I am disgusted at the current scenario facing theater owners. Currently their 3D investment is paying off with CORALINE hauling in $11,432,124 over the past weekend - a whopping $8.8m of it generated through 3D screens. In fact, 74% of all of CORALINE's gross has been 3D!

Now take that away. Yes, that's right. The second highest grossing movie of the weekend is going to be losing about half of its theaters (and supposedly 74% of its future earnings) in favor of bringing in a limited time engagement of JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE. Disney says it will only be one week - but we all know what happened last year with the 3D Hannah Montana concert - it stayed, and stayed. Sure CORALINE will gain back some 2D screens probably, but that is not the point.

What I want to stress here are two items:
1. I am NOT anti-JONAS BROTHERS. To the contrary, their concert is going to kick some serious butt because they used top notch 3D technology to get it done. I will be going to check it out.
2. The 3D screen conversions are taking FAR TOO LONG. Credit crunch or not, there is such a thing as financial wisdom and clearly the movie industry is in for a great year this year and it is most likely recession fueled. Yet there is no money around to be used for making more money? Strange indeed. Perhaps Mark Cuban can kick start things with a rapid rollout of 3D for the Carmike chain if he can brandish his new power there (at last look, he had 9.4% ownership)

Anyway, as Neil Gaiman lamented last week if you have not seen CORALINE in 3D yet - which is by far the better way of seeing it - then get your butt to your local 3D theater pronto. You have until Friday - JONAS BROTHERS takes over then.

Some theaters could actually split screen time between them but there is no guarantee of this happening at all. I am saddened that the 3D screens are being treated like two kids fighting over a game controller. Enough of this idiotic dragging of heels for 3D screen deployment. Get it done - money is being thrown away.

 

RealD Scores Hat Trick in 3D Deal With UK's Vue

http://celluloidjunkie.com/2009/02/24/reald-scores-hat-trick-in-3d-deal-with-uks-vue/

 

Posted by Patrick von Sychowski | February 24, 2009 9:29 pm

Digital 3D provider RealD was bagged three of the top three UK exhibitors with the announcement that Vue will be converting 200 screens using RealD’s solution. This follows hot on the heels of #1 exhibitor Odeon/UCI’s deal for 500 screens and #2 exhibitor Cineworld’s deal to convert 30 of its 73 sites. From article in THR.com:

Vue Entertainment, the U.K.’s third-largest theater operator, is turning to 3-D technology, striking a deal with RealD to add 200 screens equipped by the 3-D specialist.

Vue and RealD said Monday that the rollout of RealD 3-D-enabled screens already has begun, with an installation at Vue’s flagship location in the British capital, Leicester Square.

“RealD 3-D is the market-leading choice for its remarkable track record of providing a superior viewing experience, something we can’t wait to bring to our many locations across the U.K.,” Vue CEO Tim Richards said.

Between these three UK exhibitors RealD will have at least 800 screens, although some are likely to be in the Republic of Ireland and through UCI also on continental Europe. Although we don’t have the numbers readily available to us (Screen Digest will no doubt be coming out with them soon), it would seem that RealD has the highest penetration rate of any major market in the UK, even higher than US, where Dolby 3D is making significant inroads. With some exceptions, however, continental Europe is resisting the charms of RealD.

Next up, expect an announcement that RealD has plans for 1,000 screens locked up for the UK and Ireland in time for the summer slew of 3D releases, not to mention Avatar by year end.

 

Sony Teams Up With RealD To Offer 3D Solution

http://celluloidjunkie.com/2009/02/25/sony-teams-up-with-reald-to-offer-3d-solution/

 

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | February 25, 2009 11:40 pm

Sony's 3D Dual Lens Adaptor Prototype

Long criticized for their inability to project 3D films, at least inexpensively, Sony may have finally found an appropriate solution for its 4K projectors.  Earlier today Sony announced they would be working with RealD to merge the two companies’ technologies into a combined product offering.

Sony already manufactures a 3D dual lens adaptor for their 4K projectors which splits pre-polarized images into two 2K images.  Unlike DLP projectors that use “triple flash” (144 frames per second alternating for each eye), Sony’s 4K projectors serve up a simultaneous image to both the left and right eyes when used with the adaptor.  RealD will add to this mix a special customized optical filter that will enable Sony’s projectors to throw images onto silver screens as large as 55 feet while maintaining a light level of 4 foot-lamberts.

In a second deal, Sony gave RealD the “exclusive” rights to distribute Sony’s 3D lens adaptor for projectors installed in the United States, Canada and Europe.  Of course RealD will also be offering the rest of their 3D kit to go along with Sony’s gear, especially there new 3D EQ technology which provides “ghostbusting” directly on digital cinema servers.  The technology is meant to better separate the left and right eye images and eliminate the ghosting of 3D images, known as cross talk, which RealD’s system accentuates.  Up until recently, content owners had to create special digital cinema packages that were pre-ghostbusted for RealD installations, a fact they were not altogether happy about.

RealD, who has been on a hot streak lately, seemed ecstatic over the announcement.  Joe Peixoto, the company’s president was ever the pitchman in his press release quote:

“Combining Sony’s phenomenal 4K projector with RealD’s market-leading 3D technology simply made sense.  With RealD having the world’s largest 3D cinema network, and more and more 3D content hitting theaters, we’re excited to be working with Sony to help exhibitors implement this high-quality 3D experience in an easy and cost-effective way.

I’m not so sure how cost-effective the whole solution will be given that Sony’s 4K projectors are the most expensive on the market and can run north of USD $90,000.  A 2K DLP projector can be had, if you can find a good deal, in the USD $65,000 range.  As well, RealD may have the largest 3D cinema installation base, though it would not be correct to refer to it as a “network” as none of these theatres are actually connected electronically by equipment RealD has provided.  (They may however be connected by equipment that a system integrator has installed).

Back in October of 2008, when Sony announced the 3D dual lens adaptor, they touted its ability to present fast-moving content such as sports or action movies more crisply and with less eye strain.  At the time, Gary Johns, vice president of Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Systems Division, gave a little ding to other 3D technologies by saying that the adaptor would present a 3D picture “with no triple-flash artifacts.”  Many industry insiders felt this comment was geared directly at RealD.

Whether true or not, Sony and RealD seem to be fast friends now.  It certainly seems to make strategic sense for Sony to expand their sales efforts by way of RealD.  Their offering will be available in March of this year, right about when Sony had intended on launching it’s 3D adaptor and just in time for ShoWest.

Any existing installations of Sony’s 4K projectors can be upgraded for 3D with the new system.

 

Christie Digital Systems Introduces Brilliant3D Technology

http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=772487

 

10/13/2008

Christie Digital Systems USA Inc. introduced its Brilliant3D technology that enables 3D content to be projected in full 2K resolution for digital cinema projectors utilizing 1.2' DMD chips from Texas Instruments. Christie Brilliant3D will be available on the world's brightest 2K DLP Cinema(R) projectors, the Christie CP2000-SB and Christie CP2000-XB, as well as on the Christie CP2000-ZX. Christie's CP2000-M digital cinema projector, based on the 0.98' DMD chip, will also feature Christie Brilliant3D technology. With this new technology, Christie now offers 3D in full 2K resolution at brightness levels not previously seen before in theatres. In addition, the company is also announcing a new suite of variable prime zoom lenses that enable a convenient and cost-effective, single lens solution for 2D and 3D content regardless of format, keeping operating costs down. These lenses and new projector solutions will be available for the release of the 3D blockbusters scheduled for the upcoming holiday season.

 

Cinema Screens at Risk from Digital

From SAWA Newsletter � February, 2009

 

Where is the model for Europe's independent cinemas?

● There are 8,074 single screen cinemas in Western and Eastern Europe―25.6 per cent of all screens

● Over half of Eastern Europe's screens (54.7 per cent) are housed in single screen cinemas

● Public film bodies are now showing a marked interest in digitising their nations' screens

 

There are now over 7,500 d-cinema screens in the world, of which 1,200 are in Europe. As we move closer to the sharp end

of digital cinema conversion, there is a growing understanding that some models for conversion in the market may not be

suitable for all types of cinema. There is a risk that some screens will be left behind, and public authorities, national and

supra-national, are waking up to this potential problem.

 

Norway and Germany have taken the lead in terms of organising publicly-inspired funding models, and we now have Finland,

Poland, Czech Republic, UK and France speaking in public about their own schemes, and countries like Denmark also joining the

debate with their own investigations as a precursor to defining a public position.

 

The screens perceived to be at risk at present are non-multiplex screens that do not screen first-run mainstream movies. There

are 8,074 single screen cinemas in Europe (Western and Eastern,not including Russia and Ukraine) out of a total 31,547 screens,

and a further 6,861 screens in sites with between two and four screens. Just over half of the total European screens (52.7 per

cent) are housed in multiplex cinemas (defined as five screens and above).

 

One of the newest and most interesting public models is that being developed in Poland. In a market of 980 screens, of which

400 are in multiplexes accounting for 80 per cent of the market, a wide group of interested parties are putting together a

plan to digitise up to 400 of the remaining (non-multiplex)screens. The notable factor of this plan is that it has film pro-

ducers at its heart ― the only territory so far where producers have been fully included in the debate concerning the transi-

tion to digital conversion. The reasoning is that these screens are the key outlets for local film product and if they disappear

due to lack of financing for digital cinema, the market for local films dries up. Additionally, it will make it cheaper to distribute

local films onto screens.

 

Another initiative aiming to establish a publicly inspired model is the Collectifs des Independants pour le Numérique (CIN;

end 04 mid 05 end 05 mid 06 end 06 mid 07 end 07 mid 08  bringing together a wide range of trade bodies and collective

groups of French cinema professionals), which has the registered interest of 300 exhibitors representing 600 screens. The

model would include public financing and private contributions-virtual print fee (VPF) or other. The grouping has test

sites in three regions of France and is currently putting together a wider test.

 

The European Commission's MEDIA programme is also now considering its options in assisting the transition to digital cin-

ema, a softening of its previous position. MEDIA is in discussions with the European Investment Bank to create a fund for

digital conversion, in which EIB puts up a significant proportion of funding (via loans) and MEDIA also adds an amount

into a common pot. The proposal is for a policy-driven third party VPF, with the establishment of a pan-European fund at

its core.

 

There are now five private rollout entities in the European market, three with sufficient studio backing to be able to sign

exhibitors. XDC, Arts Alliance Media and Ymagis are all working with the VPF at their core, which is highly suitable for screens

that programme a high proportion of first-run movies in a year. Ymagis says it can work with smaller screens as they also

work with a flexible print fee (which is in essence a VPF that declines by week of release, which is also possible in the VPF

model). Ymagis now has 72 screens signed in 14 exhibitors in France; two thirds of which are art-house screens. However, it

is also true that the VPF can also work with different types of screens, as long as they show a good proportion of first-run

movies.

 

Irish scheme DCL is also still working towards a full digitization of the Irish market.

 

The most recent newcomer to the deployment market is Sony, which has established a global rollout plan for its 4K projector

solution (SDDS) with backing from three studios. Sony's target is 9,000 screens worldwide, which would give them an approxi-

mate 8.2 per cent market share of d-screens (ie, modern screens converted) when the conversion is finished, highlight-

ing the niche nature of the 4K proposal. Sony's target is generally not independent single-screen cinemas.

 

The recent Europa Cinemas conference in Paris put the spotlight on public and private schemes, the result being a surpris-

ing degree of common ground between the two schemes. The heart of most current public and private schemes is the Virtual

Print Fee (VPF) model, which is where the concern is focused. Unsurprisingly, the suggested VPF levels of publicly inspired

models are significantly lower than the VPF negotiated for private deployment entities.

 

The VPF is simply a mechanism created to take distribution savings and use them to pay a proportion of digital conversion

over a period of time. It relies on a steady stream of first-run movies being played on a cinema screen. The problem does not

come from the model itself, it comes from the business model of the exhibitor. There are different categories of exhibitor

operating in the market, and this particular model may not apply to some of them. It is here that the problem for the

independent sector arises, and therefore it is here that public policy has to focus. The solution is either to create a plan for a

single stratum of exhibitors only or to create and impose a plan for a whole market. Both approaches are currently being

developed

 

Diagrams included

1.       D-Cinema Screen Growth � Graph and table

2.       Single Screens as a Proportion of all Screens

3.       Cinema Screens by Size of Complex

4.       European Deployment Plans