Cinema Exhibitor's Association Tackles Alternative Content

http://www.digitalcinemareport.com/node/1963

Submitted by Nick Dager on Tue, 09/14/2010 - 17:14.

By Melissa Keeping

“Despite the hurdles, Alternative Content is definitely growing,” was how Christine Costello summed up the positive mood at the CEA’s Alternative Content Conference in Manchester this week. There are undoubtedly challenges to overcome, but every business idea faces obstacles and this is no different.  Digital deployment in Europe has seen unprecedented increases in the last 12 months, with a 192 percent jump and at last count, 4580 screens now up and running, according to Screen Digest. France is the clear leader, followed by the UK with Germany and Italy catching up behind.

Any alternative content project is 100 percent reliant on marketing for its success, and when you only have one or two screenings the marketing budget will need to be necessarily small, but focused and creative.  Then you have the protracted business of acquiring rights, which can take between 12-18 months on average; you will be competing with other providers to access those rights, which costs money, takes time and most of all, good contacts.

But get all these ingredients right, and you have a very marketable product on your hands and exhibitors like Mark Dobson were waxing lyrical about the audience reaction.  Mark runs the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle, and reported that having initially been extremely skeptical about the potential of alternative content, is now verging on the evangelical, such are the results at his small independent cinema, citing a marked rise in the number of new customers who would normally stay well away, turned off by mainstream studio fare.

He reported that this new, affluent audience not only paid more per ticket, they were willing to pay up front for a whole season of opera, and paid more while they were there in concessions. The turnout was higher than on average and the audiences are clamoring for more too.  Building on that new audience is key to sustaining interest and ultimately, revenue.

The usual suspects were discussed at length: opera, theatre, ballet, sport, gaming etc.  Concerts are way ahead in the popularity stakes with established forms of AC are clearly worth the effort and cost involved in staging them, but their reach is limited, aimed at the 18-34 age group primarily.  Surprisingly, kids’ TV shows turned into live performances, such as Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder garnered a 70 percent occupancy rate, higher than any of the other rock/pop, sport or comedy events staged by the Vue Entertainment cinema chain this year.  Opportunities for merchandising at the event are enormous, adding more value to the event.

Other areas that got exhibitors, distributors and content providers excited were education in the form of university lectures, live surgery, classic movies remastered in 3D, series of documentaries and soap opera finales, comedy, talks, X-Factor Final Eurovision Song Contest (both with interactive voting), away games for football, golf, horse-racing, boxing and lesser-known sports in the UK such as NBA, pro-wrestling etc.  Again, creative though these ideas are, finding a way to turn them into revenue streams remains the real challenge here.

Everyone sobered up when conversation turned to the fracas of the World Cup this summer, and agreed lessons had been learned.  The worry is that with the Olympics only two years away and the next World Cup on the horizon, will deployment, licensing, distribution, (not to mention the power games being played by TV companies, rights holders and FIFA,) be any more settled next time round? Few were willing to bet much at this point.

Alternative Content’s biggest problem is it is defined only by what it is not.  It is an alternative to the mainstream and as such, is suffering from an identity crisis.  It needs a name that stands alone, that identifies it for what it is.  "Additional Programming" is inadequate. "Alternative Content" is too vague, too reliant on its opposite.  As a result, marketing Alternative Content currently is fraught with difficulty and Elizabeth Draper from Arts Alliance Media explained how often she is shunted from Cinema Listings to About Town to Classical Music when trying to place her PR & Marketing in the press. 

“Alternative Content isn’t film, it isn’t theatre. It’s something else.”  Crucially, until this hurdle is overcome, alternative content will remain in the margins, along with its box office.

 

Hollywood's 3D Miscalculation

http://www.digitalcinemareport.com/node/1947

Submitted by Nick Dager on Tue, 09/14/2010 - 12:18.

 

This is not another one of those articles predicting the death of Hollywood and its influence on the worldwide cinema scene. Hollywood, after all, if still capable of releasing movies such as this summer’s well deserved critical and box office successes Toy Story 3 and Inception. But this is an article suggesting that some of the decisions made of late by current studio executives seem certain to backfire sooner rather than later, if they haven’t already. How else to account for the twin facts that, as has been widely reported, summer movie attendance fell to its lowest number since 1997, yet revenues set a new record at $4.35 billion?

The reason for this, as has also been widely reported, is the fact that Hollywood released a record number of movies it said were 3D and theatres charged a higher price for those movies. I said that many of these were called 3D but, as anyone who has been paying even the slightest attention knows, most of them were shot in 2D and converted in post-production to something like 3D.

Audiences are beginning to notice the difference and are voting with their limited dollars. Hollywood.com estimated that the number of tickets sold from the first weekend of May through the U.S. Labor Day holiday was expected to drop 2.6 percent to 552 million, the lowest attendance since summer moviegoers bought 540.3 million tickets in 1997. In turn summer box-office revenue was expected to rise 2.4 percent to a record $4.35 billion in the U.S. and Canada as higher prices more than made up for the lower attendance, Hollywood.com estimated. The average ticket price increased 5.1 percent to $7.88 from last year’s $7.50, the biggest gain since a 6.3 percent jump in 2000.

Studios released seven sequels this summer, fewer than the 10 that came out during the summer of 2009, according to Hollywood.com. This year, 13 films generated more than $100 million in domestic ticket sales, down from 15 a year earlier.

Undoubtedly Hollywood studio executives are making the case to their corporate bosses that the poor numbers are a reflection of the bad economy. They are not. The economy was even worse last summer and, although it was admittedly thanks in large part to Avatar, last year was a record year in both box office attendance and revenue.

Which makes my point. Audiences will pay for good movies and will pay extra for well-made stereoscopic 3D movies. Avatar proved that last year and Toy Story 3 and Inception proved it again this year.

Undoubtedly there are factions inside Warner Bros who are cursing writer/director Christopher Nolan for refusing to allow the studio to convert Inception to 3D. Would that have enabled the movie to make more than the $277 million it was estimated to have earned? That’s a question that can never be answered definitively but I suspect not. It most certainly would have contributed to higher opening weekend revenues but audiences have demonstrated in recent weeks that they don’t find converted 3D movies nearly as compelling as movies created in stereoscopic 3D. Personally, I applaud Nolan’s decision and I don’t think a converted-to-3D version of Inception would have continued to attract sizable audiences months after it opened.

Even those people who are the most careful at converting a film from 2D to 3D will concede that the laws of physics will only allow them to go so far. The results can be very effective but they pale next to a movie that was skillfully shot in 3D. And, as this summer’s box office shows, the public at large is aware of the difference and are not willing to pay extra for it.

The question remains: have studio executives in Hollywood learned a lesson from this? A show of hands: who agrees with me that the likely answer is No?

 

Sony and TOHO Cinemas in Agreement for Total Digital Cinema System Solution

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/sonyprofessional_09_01_10.php

September 2, 2010

Source: Sony Digital Cinema

Sony Corporation and TOHO Cinemas Inc., the largest theater chain in Japan, have reached an agreement to install a total digital cinema system solution.

Through this agreement, Sony 4K Digital Cinema projection systems will be installed in all TOHO Cinemas sites for each of the exhibitor’s 545 screens, not including co-operated theaters.

The installation is planned to be completed by December 2012.

Sony will provide TOHO Cinemas with a total digital cinema system solution, which mainly consists of Sony 4K digital cinema projectors and projection servers.

Specifically, a theater projection system is connected through a network and is composed of a Theater Management System (TMS), which centrally controls content, and a central server system.

Sony will also provide TOHO Cinemas with designated maintenance and service including a customer call center, remote hardware and system monitoring, and periodic maintenance.

TOHO Cinemas can also utilize Sony’s comprehensive hardware, system, and service while reducing initial startup and maintenance costs.

"We value Sony's accomplishments in the digitalization of theaters, which it has achieved through cooperation with major Hollywood studios, domestic/overseas studios and distribution companies,” said TOHO Cinemas. “Sony is also the only company which can provide the high-resolution 4K projector as well as a complete and future-proof projection system.”

Recently, digitalization in the movie industry has been rapidly accelerating, and the number of screens with digital projection systems has been quickly expanding. According to estimates by the research firm Screen Digest, the number of digital screens will increase globally from 16,000 in 2009 to 25,000 in 2010, while the number of digital screens in Japan will double from 400 to almost 800.

Through digitalization of theaters, content can be maintained in master quality without deterioration from scratches or dust. Also, theaters have the flexibility to show alternative content such as live theater, concerts, and sporting events, thus creating additional revenue streams and increased programming options for customers.

Sony will continue to promote its “Digital Cinema Solution Service” to domestic movie studios, distribution companies, and entertainment companies, and drive digitalization of theaters worldwide.

 

 

FTT has recently opened its own subsidiary in Belgium

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/FTT-Film-Ton-Technik_09_06_10.php

September 6, 2010

Source: Film Ton Technik (FTT)

The expansion stage of the Düsseldorf-based cinema outfitter continues. Having set up own branch offices in Poland, Holland, Austria and Hungary, FTT opened its own representation in Belgium and Luxemburg on 1st September 2010.

The company FTT Digital Cinema Belux S.A. is a joint venture with the company Professional Cinema Sound of Serge Lambillotte, an industry veteran with long-standing experience in cinema technology.

As far as business development is concerned, one is also relying on the tried and trusted: In this context, Till Cussmann, who already acted as XDC’s Business Development Manager for the German-speaking market between 2006 and 2007, is expected to be the connection between the customers in Belgium and Luxemburg and the German mother company.

Thomas Rüttgers, Chairman of the Board of Management of FTT, said: “Having pooled our forces with XDC at the beginning of the year, this new branch is the corollary to be able to offer customized services in our core segments. Of course, we look forward to working with Serge Lambillotte and also Till Cussmann whom we have known and come to hold in high regard for many years.”

Serge Lambillotte added: “We have already been working with FTT in the field of digital installations for a long time and therefore the time has come to put this co-operation on a new platform.”

On the Dutch market, FTT had already been able to assert its market-leading position in the field of digital cinema for several years and it therefore remains interesting to see whether a similar result can be achieved on the Belgian and Luxemburgish markets.

However, the expansion across Europe is not yet completed for FTT following this success. Further joint ventures, among others in Czech Republic and Romania, will be established shortly.

 

DLP Cinema Delivers Enhanced 4K Chip to Light Up The Biggest Screens

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/texasinstrumentsdlpcinema_09_02_10.php

September 2, 2010

Source: Texas Instruments DLP Cinema

Texas Instruments DLP announced it has started shipping DLP Cinema Enhanced 4K chips to its licensees, Barco, Christie Digital and NEC.

Projectors with the DLP Cinema 4K chip are expected to be installed in Q1 2011 and several industry demos are anticipated between now and then by DLP Cinema licensees.

With the availability of this chip, DLP Cinema offers exhibitors the widest variety of stable resolution options to suit their needs at any screen size.

"Regardless of resolution option or screen size, exhibitors can count on DLP Cinema's award winning technology to deliver all the light, to all the pixels, all the time," said Dave Duncan, business manager for Texas Instruments, DLP Cinema Products.

DLP Cinema's 4K chip will enable its licensees to manufacture the brightest and most energy efficient digital cinema projectors in the world. In addition, all projectors utilizing the new 4K chip will be designed to meet the Digital Cinema System Specifications developed by DCI, LLC for established image quality and security. Currently, all DLP Cinema 2K projector models with the next generation DLP Cinema electronics platform are DCI compliant.

Exhibitors will likely install the DLP Cinema 4K solution to light up theatre screens as wide as 100 feet and 3D screens as wide as 75 feet, which has been a challenge for competing technologies. All DLP Cinema projectors, regardless of the resolution, have the leading attributes for which DLP Cinema products are known, including precise DCI compliant colors, superior contrast ratios including greater than 2500:1 and light output necessary to illuminate the largest auditoriums.

"DLP Cinema remains dedicated to providing the cinema industry with diverse platforms in both 2K and 4K solutions," said Kent Novak, senior vice president and general manager for DLP Products. "Texas Instruments will continue to innovate and further the development of its DLP Cinema 2K chips which are indisputably the industry standard, including the capability of upgrading the newest 2K projectors to 4K."

 

Barco unveils dedicated Digital Cinema projector for post-production

http://www.barco.com/digitalcinema/pressrelease/2594/

 

IBC Convention, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 9 September 2010 – At the IBC Convention in Amsterdam, Digital Cinema pioneer Barco will unveil a brand-new cinema projector specifically intended for digital post-production. The Barco DP2K-P is the world's only Enhanced 4K-ready projector specifically conceived and built to meet the enhanced performance needs of post-production houses.

 

Barco's fit-for-purpose post-production projector builds on the proven platform of its DP2K B-series products, from which it inherits widely acclaimed benefits such as best-in-class light efficiency, lowest cost of ownership, and ultimate ease-of-use. At the heart of the projector is Texas Instruments' 1.2” DLP Cinema® chip – a forward-looking choice for 4K compatibility.

To respond to the highly specialized needs of post-production houses, the new DP2K-P features a greatly expanded color gamut that is considerably wider than the current DCI recommended color space. In addition, the projector sets itself apart by delivering significantly more brightness uniformity and more contrast than any other projector, which results in increased image detail, especially in low light regions.

Along with the new DP2K-P, Barco will also release a special version of the accompanying Communicator software, enabling users to fully customize their 2D and 3D look-up tables. Thanks to this increased control over the color space, post-production professionals can do their job with an unprecedented level of accuracy.

The launch of the DP2K-P continues Barco's history of innovation in the post-production arena. The company developed its expertise in this market with its D-Cine Premiere DP90P projector, the first dedicated digital post-production projector on the planet, which quickly became the standard worldwide. In addition, Barco has demonstrated its commitment to the post-production market segment with several other products, including the RHDM-1701P and RHDM-2301P grade-1 LCD displays for video reference tasks.

Doremi Technologies to show new products at IBC centre on developments for 3D and Digital Cinema

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/doremi_08_27_10.php

August 27, 2010

Source: Doremi

Doremi Technologies is a leading developer and manufacturer of video servers for the broadcast and professional markets and has also achieved a leading position in digital cinema. Its technology continually breaks cost barriers, delivering high quality and performance at affordable prices. Video products include high-performance video servers and players operating up to 4K, as well as converters for baseband and file-based content – including 3D. Digital cinema products feature the world’s leading DCI player, the DCP-2000 that continues active development, as well as mastering systems.

New products at IBC centre on developments for 3D and Digital Cinema. With its unique, wide experience in this market, Doremi is introducing new tools aimed at enhancing digital cinema operations and the audience experience. There are new innovations on show for DCI mastering, streamlining the set-up and running of theatres as well as the handling of the rapidly expanding alternative content market.

StreamIt
StreamIt is a broadcast MPEG2 video streamer companion device for Doremi DCP-2000 and DCP-2K4 digital cinema players. It connects to a satellite receiver and converts an IP source (MPEG2-HD with PCM or AC3 audio) into a 1Gb/s IP stream of 2D and 3D content for up to four Doremi players – allowing last minute scheduling and removing the expensive audio and video wiring by a simple Ethernet cable.

Dimension-3D
Dimension-3D offers unique and highly versatile 3D format conversion from any standard 3D format to another, including frame rate changes. Standard video formats are supported from HD to 2K. Dimension-3D accepts both dual and single stream HDSDI as well as HDMI inputs and outputs.

The versatility of Dimension-3D means it fits virtually all stereoscopic workflows. It allows any 3D input stream format to be used with all types of display components currently available, including high-end projectors and the latest generation 3D-ready LCD displays. By encoding and decoding between two, left and right eye, streams and a single HDSDI stream from Dimension-3D, enables recording 3D content on standard ‘2D’ HD tape and server technologies.

Digital Cinema Mastering Solutions

RAPID Mastering Stations
The new RAPID Mastering Stations are the next generation DCI-JPEG2000 digital cinema mastering solutions with extensive encoding parameter controls and support for bit rates up to 250 Mb/s. They combine all the tools for 2K and 4K image compression processing in one 4RU package. The new high quality variable bit-rate (VBR) encoding produces the best possible image quality with significantly smaller files than those achieved with constant bit rate encoding – allowing reduced duplication time and distribution costs. RAPID includes Doremi’s Dolphin hardware acceleration technology for super-fast JPEG2000 compression in a 64-bit Linux package complete with internal media storage.

RAPID is available in two versions – RAPID and RAPID-2x. Both include fast quad-core CPUs with hardware acceleration from Doremi Dolphin boards. RAPID has one Dolphin board and can encode 2K JPEG2000 at up to 12 f/s. For RAPID-2x with two Dolphin boards the 2K compression speed doubles 24 f/s. Both can include 4K compression at 2 or 4 f/s respectively. The platforms include RAID5 media storage of 3 or 5 TB respectively.

CineAsset 4.4.44
CineAsset is Doremi’s software-based mastering solution for digital cinema. It converts popular video formats files to JPG2000 compressed images and creates unencrypted MXF wrappers for digital cinema playback on any digital cinema server including Doremi's DCP-2000, DCP-2K4, DSV-J2 and the ShowVault server. This is ideal for assembling pre-show adverting and locally sourced material. CineAsset-PRO is a variant that provides multi-threading and so faster conversions.

The latest version, CineAsset 4.4.44 now adds image scaling to fit the projector’s output, and conversion to the XYZ colorspace used in DCI digital cinema.

CineAsset software is available for MAC OS X and Windows XP Professional and Vista operating systems at www.doremicinema.com

Test and measurement

Qalif
Qalif provides a straightforward and quick way to set up and calibrate the output of a digital projector chain. Not only does it accurately check focus but also many other parameters including colorimetry and uniformity with complete analysis of the whole surface of the screen.

The system comprises a digital stills camera that is connected by WiFi to a PC in the projection room so a single trained operator can control and adjust the projector and instantly see the analysis of the results. A step-by-step software-guided calibration procedure allows quick and easy set up and measurement with only three snapshots needed for a complete evaluation of the projection performance. The results for colorimetry, contrast, uniformity, etc, are displayed in user-friendly graphics and any appropriate adjustments can quickly be made. Qalif generates reports to keep a history of calibration and records that may be used for a thorough analysis by specialist.

Qalif is a cost-effective single system built specifically for the job of calibrating digital projection chains and includes a pluggable carrying case for fast and easy installation and removal. It replaces the three separate costly measurement tools of traditional equipment, combining these into one system that delivers more flexibility and faster accurate results.

 

 

Market Monitor: Digital and 3D market trends in Western Europe Q2 2010August 26, 2010

http://www.screendigest.com/reports/2010726a/10_08_digital_cinema%20_market_trends_western_europe_q22010/view.html?start_ser=ci

 

August 26, 2010

 

By Charlotte Jones

Total digital screens rose by a further 16.5% in Q2 2010, following a similar hike in Q1, as the economic benefits of 3D continue to provide the major impetus to upgrade to digital. A total of 3,875 3D screens were active at end H1 2010 in Western Europe, accounting for 73% of the total digital screen base, a higher ratio than three months prior (Q1). Over 65% of the active digital 3D systems were deployed in the past 12 month period alone, showing that this has been the most dynamic growth phase for 3D yet.

The UK was the most active d-cinema territory in Q2 2010, adding 214 screens and thereby exceeding the 1,000 digital screen threshold; only the second territory in Europe to do so. Following a significant drive by the leading cinema circuits in the UK including Odeon and Cineworld, over 21% of all UK cinema screens are now 3D enabled as at end H1 2010.

Together, the top five markets in Western Europe (UK, DE, ES, IT, FR) account for the majority of total digital screens deployed. This report focuses on the leading cinema exhibitors in Western Europe, providing insight on the ratio of screens converted to digital and 3D, the type of digital equipment installed and the choice of third party integrator.

Highlights:

·         Total digital screens in Western Europe increased 16.5% to hit 5,278 in Q2 2010

·         Over 73% of digital screens in Western Europe are also 3D enabled.

·         UK and France together accounted for over 50% of net installations in Q2 2010

·         UK's major circuits control over 87% of 3D screens in the territory

·         Over 21% of UK screens are also 3D enabled, compared with just 8% in Spain

In this report:

·         Digital screen base rose 16.5% in Q2 2010

·         UK accounted for 28% of Q2 net installs alone

·         3D continues to drive momentum

·         Over 73% of digital screens in W Europe are 3D

·         Top German circuits have 16% of screens allocated to 3D

·         One quarter of screens already 3D for top UK circuits

·         France extends lead as largest European market

·         Top circuits account for one quarter of 3D screens in Italy

·         Spain's top circuits have only 8% of screens as 3D

·         NEC accounts for over 40% of net Q2 projector units

·         RealD accounts for majority of net 3D installs in H1

Tables and charts included:

·         Cumulative d-screen deployment in Western Europe (Q2 2007 - Q2 2010)

·         D-screen deployment in top five European territories by quarter (Q2 2007 - Q2 2010)

·         Q2 2010 net digital installations ranked by territory

·         Digital screen penetration in % as at H1 2010, ranked by territory

·         Digital screens split by 2D and 3D capability (Q2 2008 - Q2 2010)

·         3D as a % of net digital installations in Western Europe (Q2 2008 - Q2 2010)

·         3D as % of total digital , ranked by territory, Q2 2010

·         Digital 3D screens ranked by territory (Q2 2010)

·         Proportion of cinema sites converted to digital, ranked by territory Q1 2010

·         Distribution of 3D-screens by circuit in France

·         Digital Exhibitor Profiles: France

·         Distribution of 3D-screens by circuit in UK

·         Digital Exhibitor Profiles: UK

·         Distribution of 3D-screens by circuit in Spain

·         Digital Exhibitor Profiles: Spain

·         Distribution of 3D-screens by circuit in Italy

·         Digital Exhibitor Profiles: Italy

·         Distribution of D-screens by circuit in Germany

·         Digital Exhibitor Profiles: Germany

·         W Europe: net new digital projector units added by manufacturer Q2 2010

·         W Europe: total digital projector units installed by manufacturer Q2 2010

·         Screens by 2K vs 4K resolution

·         W Europe: net new digital 3D system units added by manufacturer Q2 2010

·         W Europe: total digital 3D systems deployed by manufacturer Q2 2010

 

Scientists Aim to Make 3-D More Comfortable

http://www.dailycal.org/printable.php?id=110163

 

By Emma Anderson

Contributing Writer

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

"Avatar" may give some audiences shocks and thrills as 3-D characters and explosions spring out of the screen, but errors in the way 3-D images are presented and perceived by human eyes may also give viewers fatigue and headaches, problems that UC Berkeley researchers are trying to correct.

At the campus Visual Space Perception laboratory, researchers are studying problems common to 3-D effects used in movies and televisions and are developing technologies to fix such issues on smaller scales. Problems with the delivery of 3-D imagery manipulate the way the eye perceives images and cause people to experience physical discomforts.

According to Martin Banks, principal investigator for the lab and a campus professor of optometry, one of the biggest problems experienced by 3-D imagery is called the "vergence-accommodation conflict," which has been known to cause headaches, tired eyes, blurry vision and fatigue because viewers are forced to fight their "natural system."

When eyes look at an object, they must first focus together on that point - referred to as vergence - as well as "accommodate" the object, focusing in like a camera lens, Banks explained.

"The brain kind of links them together so that if you affect one of them, it drives the other one," he said. "That's the way the real world works, and so it's a good thing these things are coupled."

But 3-D images are different, Banks said. The light from the image comes from the same place - like a movie screen - but the images appear at the screen level, behind the screen level or appear to jump out of the screen. This creates a conflict because the point where the eyes accommodate the light is fixed at the screen level while the eyes converge to focus the image wherever the image appears to be.

The lab developed a way to reconcile this conflict using two mirrors, two lenses and two computers, but Banks said such technology could not be used on a large scale because it is too complex and expensive.

"For some special applications, like a surgeon looking at a stereo microscope where it's only one person you care about, then it's reasonable," he said. "I think it makes sense for single-user applications, maybe even for video games where there's usually only one person playing."

Banks said 3-D television and movie producers could actually do a service for people who are unaware that they do not have stereo vision - necessary to see 3-D effects - by running tests before programs.

As 3-D technologies continue to develop and expand in their mainstream presence in movies, video games and now television, the long-term impacts of such visual effects remain uncertain, Banks said, especially if people begin spending multiple hours in front of a television screen compared with an hour or two at a movie.

"I don't see a smoking gun, something where I'd go 'Wow, we've got to really be worried about this,'" he said. "The only one I really wish we knew more about is kids because kids aren't always monitored so well ... You can imagine a 6-year-old, a 7-year-old, a 9-year-old sitting around and doing this stuff for hours and not telling their parents."

Tags: Avatar, Visual Space Perception laboratory, UC Berkeley

Article Link: http://www.dailycal.org/article/110163

 

KUNG FU PANDA Christmas Special Will Air in 3D

http://www.today3d.com/2010/09/kung-fu-panda-christmas-special-will.html

 

Rather like the resurgence of new animated programs for the holidays, to support the claymation classics. Disney’s Prep & Landing is an amiable entry, but DreamWorks Animation has led the charge, first with Shrek the Halls in 2007, then Merry Madagascar in 2009. Shrek is slotted for a Halloween celebration in October (titled Scared Shrekless — ick), with a Kung Fu Panda holiday special to follow in December. I was content with the technological leap in from claymation to CGI, but DreamWorks apparently has bigger plans: 3D! More after the jump.

 

A member of The Animation Guild [via Bleeding Cool] caught a screening of the special at DreamWorks headquarters, where they were in fact projecting it in 3D. The guild rep was impressed, remarking, “DWA creates kick-ass dimensional cinema. The cuts and transitions were witty, making vivid use of the technology, and the gags played like gangbusters.” He also confirmed that the original voice cast is “in place”: I’ll presume that includes Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, and Angelina Jolie, at the very least.

 

The original Kung Fu Panda dropped in 2008, just shy of the big 3D boom. That extra dimension appears to be a mandate at DreamWorks Animation now, so the sequel Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom will play in 3D theaters when it opens on May 26, 2011. The shape of Po always seemed designed for his belly to burst out of the screen, and I’m excited to see how the animators employ 3D for the martial arts battles, so the technique feels like a good fit for Kaboom. I don’t think I’ll have the technology in place to watch the holiday special in 3D by December 2011, but you can bet I’ll check it out in 2D. Will you be watching? If so, which format?

 

XpanD - The Wait Is Over: XpanD Unveils World's First Universal 3D Glasses At IFA

http://www.today3d.com/2010/09/xpand-wait-is-over-xpand-unveils-worlds.html

 

September 6, 2010

 

XpanD Universal 3D Glasses, designed to work seamlessly with the broadest range of 3D-ready television displays and XpanD 3D cinemas, redefine entertainment style, quality and sophistication from the cinema to the home.

XpanD is unveiling its highly anticipated Universal 3D Glasses at IFA. The glasses, which are available in four colors and different shapes and sizes to meet any 3D enthusiast’s unique style and size, are solving the biggest 3D challenge in consumer electronics – the incompatibility between different 3DTV manufacturers. With XpanD Universal 3D Glasses, anyone can experience the most engaging and dynamic 3D technology with any 3D-ready television display in virtually any environment.

“This is the moment the consumer electronics and retail worlds have been waiting for; the moment where the consumer can simply enjoy their favorite 3D movie, video game or television show in their home, at their friend’s home, in the office and even in the cinema without worrying about whether they have the right combination of 3D-ready equipment,” stated XpanD CEO Maria Costeira. “We continue to lead the global 3D revolution with our Universal 3D Glasses.”

While retailers have struggled with selling 3D glasses that are only compatible with a single brand of 3D-ready television, the XpanD Universal 3D Glasses are compatible with any 3D-ready display, regardless of brand. This “must-have” technology is a tremendous benefit to retailers, as the Universal 3D Glasses will help drive sales of 3D-ready displays.

“3D-ready equipment is not simply enough for us and XpanD is driving the ‘easy 3D’ revolution. As consumers invest in 3D technology for the home, it is important to appreciate every aspect of the system from the deep, eye-popping visuals to the physical appearance of the glasses themselves,” stated Ami Dror, chief strategy officer, XpanD. “The XpanD Universal 3D Glasses have had a profound impact on the consumer electronics industry since the universal glasses were merely a concept. The glasses’ compatibility with any 3D television in the home makes the consumer adaptation easy, and gives retailers a practical solution.”

 

Barco treats Cinemark to first live demo of DLP Cinema Enhanced 4K

http://www.barco.com/digitalcinema/pressrelease/2591/

 

Kortrijk, Belgium, 3 September 2010 – During a recent company visit from Cinemark, Digital Cinema pioneer Barco held a live demonstration of a pre-launch version of its upcoming DLP Cinema® Enhanced 4K projector. This demo shows that Barco is rapidly paving the way for the commercial release of its 4K projector line, which will complement its current 2K projector offering in early 2011.

 

Cinemark, the second largest motion picture exhibitor in the world, was treated to Barco's 4K demo during a visit last week. Attendants were shown a live screening of native 4K content. Walter Hebert, Senior Vice President for Cinemark commented: “At Cinemark, we were the first to commit to DLP Cinema® Enhanced 4K technology to provide our customers with the most unforgettable movie experience. What we have seen from Barco during their 4K live demo last week definitely fits the bill. The images projected by Barco's DP4K-32B are without any doubt the sharpest and brightest 4K images I have ever seen. It confirms once again that we made the right choice when we decided to put our trust in Barco for our global digital cinema roll out. We are excited to be offering this DLP Enhanced 4K experience to our worldwide customers in the very near future.”

 

“With Barco, Exhibitors are offering moviegoers the premium digital cinema experience. Our overwhelming success in the market shows that customers have embraced our DP2K family as the most complete range of DCI certified digital cinema projectors, offering the perfect match for every screen. The addition of Barco's DLP Cinema® Enhanced 4K projectors to the family will strengthen this even further”, says Wim Buyens, Vice-President Digital Cinema at Barco. “While we remain fully committed to our DP2K platform and 2K as the industry standard, our upcoming DP4K projectors will allow us to also serve the Enhanced 4K segment, which will mainly focus on premium cinema screens.”

 

Barco has always been at the forefront of Digital Cinema with numerous unique innovations and industry-firsts, such as a sealed optical engine, true modular design and full-panel triple flash 3D technology. Barco's DLP Cinema® Enhanced 4K projectors will continue this technology leadership, and will inherit the widely acclaimed benefits of the proven DP2K family, including best-in-class light efficiency, lowest lamp cost, and easy serviceability thanks to the unique modular design. In addition, Barco will be introducing its latest innovation, a unique, patented cooling system, creating the Coolest 4K Engine in the world. For exhibitors, this results in unrivaled reliability and longer lifetime.

 

Barco plans to lift the veil on its DP4K range at ShowEast in Orlando in October. Shipments are expected to begin in early 2011, as production will ramp up in line with the availability of 4K DMD chips from Texas Instruments.

XDC and Rising Alternative Sign Cooperation Agreement For European Digital Distribution Services

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/pr.aspx?newsID=2012

 

Belgium—Sep 1, 2010

 

XDC, the n°1 digital cinema service company in Europe, signs a cooperation agreement with Rising Alternative, the new pan-European alternative content distribution company, to provide, in Europe, digital mastering and distribution logistical services for their alternative content programmes.

The alternative content programmes, among which the HD programs from Milan's Teatro Alla Scala, the Salzburg Festival and the San Francisco Opera, as well as many more prestigious cultural institutions, represented and distributed by Rising Alternative, will now be digitally processed by the XDC Digital Content Lab in order to allow audiences in cinemas in Europe to enjoy the magic of alternative content. The agreement signed between XDC and Rising Alternative covers the technology cinema services required for the distribution of content in digital file format to digital screens installed in Europe. "We are very proud to have been selected by Rising Alternative as its technology partner in continental Europe. This results from our successful track-record for three years with Emerging Pictures with over 35 digital titles processed by XDC Digital Content Lab," said Alexandre Weiser, Content Services Sales Director, XDC. "We are used to serve a lot of cinemas all over Europe. Besides the digital mastering, we also offer added-value services like extranet applications, NOC (Network Operations Centre) services and a multilingual helpdesk available all the day and all the week."

"The collaboration with XDC, Europe's leading provider of digital cinema technology services is a logical choice in expanding the digital cinema distribution of Rising Alternative's programmes. No other company has the experience and record of excellence in performance that XDC has demonstrated over the years," stated Giovanni Cozzi , President of Rising Alternative.

Fabrice Testa, Vice President Sales & Business Development, XDC concluded: "We know Giovanni and his team for a while . and we are really happy to enhance our cooperation with them. Today, alternative content programmes have demonstrated that they can largely contribute to an expansion of the cinema revenues. For sure, the superb content catalogue from Rising Alternative will offer amazing experiences on the big screen."

 

VUE Entertainment Set to Become Europe's Largest Exhibition Circuit Powered By Sony 4K Digital Cinema

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/pr.aspx?newsID=2013

 

London—Sep 1, 2010

 

Vue Entertainment, one of the UK’s leading operators and developers of state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas, has reached an agreement in principle with Sony Europe to install 4K digital cinema projection systems across its circuit.
 
With over 36 million customers every year at its 68 sites and 657 screens, Vue Entertainment plans to become the largest cinema circuit entirely equipped with Sony 4K digital technology in Europe. This would mark the start of Vue’s full transition to digital projection and provide Vue audiences with the most state-of-the-art on-screen presentation available, delivering both a fully immersive 3D experience and superior 2D quality, thanks to Sony’s unique 4K technology.
 
Tim Richards, CEO, Vue Entertainment, said: “We are very excited to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sony Europe for the deployment of their incredible digital 4K projectors across our circuit.
 
This represents a fantastic long term investment for the company offering numerous benefits to the business including a new world of programming flexibility and greater choice for our customers.”
 
David McIntosh, Sony’s Head of Digital Cinema in Europe, commented: “We are delighted to have reached such a significant agreement with Vue Entertainment. The potential collaboration of our two brands will help to deliver the best possible cinematic experience available on the market to movie-goers.
 
“This agreement means that Sony 4K projectors will be powering a significant proportion of the total screens in the UK, which validates our belief in our superior 4K technology. This also is set to be a landmark agreement paving the way for further Sony 4K deals throughout Europe.”
 
Further details on the agreement between Sony Professional and Vue Entertainment will be communicated at a later stage, as the specifics of the deal are finalised.

 

DLP Cinema Delivers Enhanced 4K Chip to Light Up The Biggest Screens

Dallas, Texas—Aug 30, 2010

 

Now offering the largest portfolio of resolutions and the industry’s only DCI certified solution

 

Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN) DLP® announced today it has started shipping DLP Cinema® Enhanced 4K chips to its licensees, Barco, Christie Digital and NEC. Projectors with the DLP Cinema 4K chip are expected to be installed in Q1 2011 and several industry demos are anticipated between now and then by DLP Cinema licensees. With the availability of this chip, DLP Cinema offers exhibitors the widest variety of stable resolution options to suit their needs at any screen size.

 

“Regardless of resolution option or screen size, exhibitors can count on DLP Cinema’s award winning technology to deliver all the light, to all the pixels, all the time,” said Dave Duncan, business manager for Texas Instruments, DLP Cinema Products.

 

DLP Cinema’s 4K chip will enable its licensees to manufacture the brightest and most energy efficient digital cinema projectors in the world.  In addition, all projectors utilizing the new 4K chip will be designed to meet the Digital Cinema System Specifications developed by DCI, LLC for established image quality and security. Currently, all DLP Cinema 2K projector models with the next generation DLP Cinema electronics platform are DCI compliant.

 

Exhibitors will likely install the DLP Cinema 4K solution to light up theatre screens as wide as 100 feet and 3D screens as wide as 75 feet, which has been a challenge for competing technologies. All DLP Cinema projectors, regardless of the resolution, have the leading attributes for which DLP Cinema products are known, including precise DCI compliant colors, superior contrast ratios including greater than 2500:1 and light output necessary to illuminate the largest auditoriums.

 

“DLP Cinema remains dedicated to providing the cinema industry with diverse platforms in both 2K and 4K solutions,” said Kent Novak, senior vice president and general manager for DLP Products.  “Texas Instruments will continue to innovate and further the development of its DLP Cinema 2K chips which are indisputably the industry standard, including the capability of upgrading the newest 2K projectors to 4K.”

 

World's First Demo of DLP in 4K

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/pr.aspx?newsID=2010

 

Cypress, CA—Aug 30, 2010

 

Christie®, the leader in digital cinema projection, will present a pre-launch demo of its new Solaria™ Series 4K DLP Cinema® projector line for digital cinema at IBC2010 in Amsterdam, September 10-14.  Taking the lead with the world’s first demo of a DLP Cinema solution in 4K, the new Christie CP4230 features the enhanced 4K DLP Cinema chip from Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN) and is designed to be compliant with the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specification.  It is the most robust and cost-effective 4K solution available today, based on time-tested, highly reliable DLP Cinema technology.
 
Built on extensive experience with over 14,000 digital cinema installations worldwide, Christie’s 4K solution incorporates the proven design concepts of the world’s best selling digital cinema projector line, the Christie CP2000.  The projectors are the only DLP Cinema solution with the Christie 4K+4 advantage, which includes: Christie Brilliant3D™ technology for high performance 3D, Christie Pixel Track™ technology for perfect image quality, simple maintenance procedures, and the lowest cost of operation in the industry.  For those looking to upgrade their existing systems, Christie also offers more options than any other manufacturer for fast conversion including the “15 minutes to 4K” upgrade process.
 
“Christie is continuously investing in new product innovations to offer our customers the widest possible choice for their audiences,” comments Craig Sholder, vice president, Entertainment Solutions, Christie.  “We understand how important it is for exhibitors to safeguard their long-term technology investment, particularly as more 4K content comes on the market.   Our experience with the 1.2” DLP Cinema chip has given us an advantage over the competition on developing premium 2K and 4K technology to keep pace with the digital cinema rollout.”
 
Christie is scheduled to launch the Christie 4K Solaria Series this fall with shipments beginning in early 2011.  Pricing for Christie 4K digital cinema projectors is anticipated to be 35% above 2K projector pricing.  Development of Christie 4K solutions for markets beyond cinema will be based on market demand. 
 
IBC2010 takes place at the RAI Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.   Visit Christie in Hall 11, Stand E 72.

 

AAM Topper Howard Kiedasch Discuss TMS Deal With Hoyts

http://celluloidjunkie.com/2010/08/30/aam-topper-howard-kiedasch-discuss-tms-deal-with-hoyts/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+celluloidjunkie+%28celluloidjunkie.com%29

 

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | August 30, 2010 8:41 pm

It’s that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere where everyone wanders off on vacation at the end of summer. It’s very easy to let an important piece of news slip by without digesting it properly. So, I wanted to take a moment to highlight the announcement made early last week that Hoyts Cinemas had chosen deploy Arts Alliance Media’s (AAM) Theatre Management System across their 400 screens in Australia and New Zealand.

It would be incredibly easy to brush the news off as just another press release from a digital cinema vendor. After all AAM has developed a TMS for the deployments it is undertaking in Europe. It’s not as if they have to build it from scratch. I’d argue however that it’s a bit more meaningful because Adam Wrightson was a part of the decision making process at Hoyts.

Wrightson is Hoyts, Group Technology Director and anyone that knows him, or has ever worked with him, knows how thorough he is when it comes to the technology the chain chooses to install. Presently he is working with Digital Cinema Implementation Partners Australia (DCIPA) to roll out digital cinema throughout Hoyts.

Any system or software developer that wants to do business with Hoyts has to get past Wrightson’s wary eye which is no easy task. After all, Wrightson is the kind of guy that can judiciously put together a detailed technical requirements document that leaves few if any engineering questions unanswered. A few years ago Wrightson sent me a specification document he wrote for a digital advertising network which came in at a mere 80 pages and had more color figures and diagrams than a world atlas. Getting a nod from Wrightson may as well be the digital cinema equivalent of being knighted.

Of course that’s just one of the reason’s to take note of last week’s announcement. A few others were highlighted by Howard Kiedasch, CEO of AAM, when I spoke with him via email shortly after the deal was announced. Our conversation follows. I hope to get Wrightson’s side of the story sometime during the next week and I’ll be sure to post it.

Celluloid Junkie: Was it always AAM’s intention to sell its TMS outside the deployments it was managing? When was the decision made to sell the software independently?

Howard Kiedasch: To be honest, it was something we had in the back of our minds but selling the TMS independently was not our first objective. We had been initially focused on our VPF clients as that was the task before us. However, the software was always built with the intention that it could eventually be sold separately. After we developed the product, saw what was in the marketplace and demonstrated our product to others, we believed we were offering something better than any of our competitors.

CJ: When did you start developing your TMS?

HK: Though we have been in the digital cinema business for over seven years, we did not start initially developing our own TMS. By starting later, we were able to learn from some of the mistakes others had made and review their products before building our own. I’m very proud of what our team has built and the reaction we’ve been getting by all those who see it. We have the best development team in the business and I’m really excited about what we will be doing next.

What was surprising (and we never really anticipated commercialising) is our back office VPF billing, reporting and asset management software. That software was developed because we needed it to manage our agreements with the studios and the financiers. However 9 months ago, we realised there are others who are signing VPF agreements and putting together financing packages but need some way of managing those deals. We’ve created the necessary software and process so it is easy for us to help others jump into the game without them having to reinvent the wheel.

CJ: So then would you say there are advantages to being an integrator when designing a TMS for the broader market beyond a tool AAM will have to use?

HK: With over five years of DC operation having installed over 700 screens and working with exhibitors in 8 different countries, we’ve seen a wide range of needs and desires from our cinema partners. Pulling together all this knowledge and experience allows us to deliver a product that can work under numerous scenarios and support many different operator requirements. Sure, cinemas in one country are generally the same as cinemas in another but there are always local idiosyncrasies that will be important to that specific customer. We believe in being flexible and servicing those various requirements.

CJ: What are some of the challenges of being a “software” or “enterprise systems” company rather than an integrator?

HK: As an integrator, the primary value we bring is the VPF payments. Most exhibitors are looking for that income stream as the VPF deals are complicated and in limited supply. This is very different from being a straight software supplier where our product needs to stand on it’s own. We need to provide the best solution for the money and respond to the customer’s needs. If we were not fully committed to this business, we would never get the attention of a company like Hoyts.

CJ: What do you think pushed AAM over the top with Hoyts?

HK: It comes down to two things. First there is the product itself. Our TMS was reviewed and field tested by the Hoyts team and determined to be the most flexible and best fit for purpose. Almost equally important is the team that sits behind it. Our relationship with Hoyts has been a very interactive one and the communications between the two teams has been very strong. Considering that this is a 10 year deal, you need to have a company you can trust and a group of people you want to work with. This is a marathon not a sprint so you need to be able to go the distance together.

CJ: How will Hoyts and AAM collaborate on future versions of the software?

HK: We see this as a true partnership. Hoyts is really looking to take advantage of digital cinema and make the most of the technology. Delfin Fernandez (Hoyt’s CEO) and his team do not simply see this as replacing celluloid machines with digital projectors. They are looking to significantly improve the way they do business and are leading the industry in this regard. We have already seen building our TMS as a collaborative effort. The Hoyts team has many ideas of how they want to work in the future and what they want from a TMS. We have been thrilled to tap into their experience and will continue to do so in the future. That’s part of the deal.

CJ: From AAM’s perspective, what is the significance of the deal with Hoyts?

HK: This is the first deal done with an exhibitor who isn’t being strong armed into taking an integrator’s software to get the VPF deal. In this case, Hoyts went out into the marketplace and looked at all the options available. After trialling various solutions, they decided on AAM’s TMS. Being chosen ahead of all the competition is obviously very satisfying. What makes this deal even more impressive is the quality of the customer. Adam Wrightson (Hoyts CTO) is one of, if not the most forward thinking and competent CTO’s in the cinema business. He and his team really got under the hood of our software and dug in deep to see if it was up to the task. Obviously they believed in the product and the team.