Going to the movies is still a bargain

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover27apr27,1,4788665.story?track=rss

 

From the Los Angeles Times

The writer of Friday's Movie Projector column, which looks at weekend box-office prospects, finds going to the multiplex is still a relative bargain.

 

By Josh Friedman

 

April 27, 2008

 

In Berkeley circa 1971, a weekend matinee at the local movie house cost about a buck. Ten-year-old Projector, flush with his $5 weekly allowance, could catch "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," hit the concession stand for popcorn, a Coke and Bon-Bons, and still have enough cash left over to buy the next week's essentials at the corner store: baseball cards, Hershey bars and comic books.

 

Like everything else, the economics of moviegoing has gotten more complicated. With baby-sitting and dinner, a recent Friday night at the multiplex cost Mr. and Mrs. Projector $73.66. (That tab, by the way, does not include the two hours of our lives spent watching "Leatherheads." Call that a write-off.) No wonder so many folks simply flop down in front of their flat screen TVs and pop in DVDs from Netflix or Blockbuster.

 

And yet this year's summer movie season could be surprisingly lucrative for studios and exhibitors. No matter what the Old Farmer's Almanac says, summer begins with the first big-budget spectacle of May, and this year that would be Thursday night's opening of Paramount Pictures' "Iron Man," starring Robert Downey Jr. as the Marvel superhero. The other likely standouts of summer include "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" and Pixar's "WALL-E." And if Projector were a gambler -- which he is -- he'd never bet against Will Smith on Fourth of July weekend, this time in "Hancock."

 

Week in and week out, Projector exposes the often-bitter truth about Hollywood. On one point, though, he must back the industry line with gusto. Call Projector creaky, but nothing matches the moviegoing experience or offers a better entertainment value. Consider:

 

* Since Projector lined up with a horde of other freckly nerds for the original "Star Wars" in 1977, when the average U.S. movie ticket cost $2.23, the price of admission has climbed less than the rate of inflation. That same ticket, in today's dollars, would cost $7.86 -- or well above the latest norm of $6.88. These averages include rural theaters and matinee, senior and child discounts; in L.A., the price of movies, like almost everything else, runs higher.

 

* Contrary to the whiny drumbeat of the nostalgia crowd, the product is as good as ever, especially for those who look beyond the top of the box-office charts. Projector's recent favorites include "Pan's Labyrinth," "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Juno" and "The Bank Job."

 

* Theater owners have crowed for years about what a bargain movies are compared with such events as concerts, which in 2007 commanded $62.07 for the average ticket, and baseball games, which went for $22.77. This spring the exhibitors' trade group, the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, calculated that watching films also costs less per minute than laser tag and bowling -- even if fans don't get the opportunity to rent those cool shoes.

 

Movie attendance has fallen by two-thirds from its peak years in the 1930s and '40s, when playing pinochle or listening to jazz on a giant, staticky radio might have been the only other options. Even still, Americans buy 1.4 billion tickets and fork over $13 billion a year at the cinema, including popcorn, beverages and sweets.

 

Projector, a machine of the people despite his Big Media credentials, spends his share. Industry screenings are the best deal of all -- free -- but typically require fighting crosstown traffic to make a 7 p.m. Tuesday curtain.

 

And DVD "screeners" aren't the perk -- er, research tool -- they're cracked up to be: Kenny Turan over in Calendar gets the Major Motion Pictures; Projector's FedEx packages contain Important Documentaries exploring such topics as modern midwifery.

 

On our date night, we spent $31.25 at the theater itself. Tickets at the AMC Burbank 16 were $11.50 apiece, Projector's medium Diet Coke ran $4 and Mrs. Projector's strawberry Twizzlers set us back $4.25.

 

The rest of the evening cost $42.41. Before the film, we zipped to our favorite taco truck in Pasadena for a nice $8.40 dinner. (Projector is frugal, not cheap: We're in the midst of a bathroom remodel and those fancy chrome Pottery Barn double towel racks don't grow on trees.) Add $4.01 for a gallon-plus of gasoline and $30 for a sitter to police and tuck in the little Projectors.

 

Of course, Projector is too savvy to entirely buy the exhibitors' assertion that movies "remain the most affordable form of out-of-home entertainment." They never considered a brisk 5K jog around the Rose Bowl, nor open-mike poetry night at many coffeehouses.

 

And movie popcorn and other snacks are notoriously pricey, which explains why theaters generate roughly 20% of their revenue but 40% of their profit at the concession stand.

 

Ironically, the high cost of goodies helps moviegoers, according to new research from Stanford University and UC Santa Cruz, because concession revenue enables theaters to keep ticket prices in check. Projector, who only went to a state school, can't argue with that logic.

 

Frequent filmgoers can save several hundreds of dollars a year by selecting theaters and showtimes carefully. Sure, the Rolling Stones' concert movie "Shine a Light" is worth $15 a ticket on a large Imax screen at the AMC CityWalk Stadium 19, but if cash is tight, consider a $5 matinee of whatever is playing at the pleasant-enough, single-screen Vista Theatre in Los Feliz. Some chains also offer bulk ticket discounts, but beware of any restrictions.

 

If your movie is showing at the mall, you can live dangerously by smuggling in a Mrs. Fields cookie or a packet of sour gummy worms, thereby supporting a broader swath of the economy. Projector, of course, can't condone such a potentially flagrant violation of theater policy. He's just sayin'.

 

And to make the most of your two-hour time investment, check out the online review compendiums Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic to zero in on a reliable film. The Projectors, alas, usually forget to do that and rely instead on the old-fashioned method: taking turns offering suggestions and scoffing at the other person's ideas until someone caves.

 

Just think of Projector as you would any American dad: Do as he says, not as he does.

 

josh.friedman@latimes.com

D-cinema deadlock - Pace of upgrades make March target tough

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i06a73bb9ccfd10cf974eed905b467315?imw=Y

 

By Carolyn Giardina

 

May 4, 2008, 04:54 PM

 

At least 10 3-D digital features are planned for 2009, but the clock is ticking ominously when it comes to the deployment of digital theater installations.

 

"(DreamWorks Animation CEO) Jeffrey Katzenberg has stated that he wants 5,000 3-D-ready digital-cinema screens by March," National Association of Theatre Owners president John Fithian said. "That is aggressive. We can get there, but I kind of doubt it."

 

DWA's "Monsters vs. Aliens" is slated for release March 27. But with that date less than a year away, out of an estimated 39,000 screens in North America, there are now just 5,000 d-cinema screens -- including a little more than 1,000 with 3-D capabilities.

 

Fithian warned in April during the National Association of Broadcasters Show that "unless digital cinema deals are made in the next one to two months, we will not have time to deploy the screens for 2009."

 

More than a month since NAB, new d-cinema deals remain at an impasse. Deployment deals generally rely on a virtual print fee model through which studios contribute an agreed fee per screen, per movie to offset exhibitors' installation costs.

 

"In the last 30 days, things have not progressed as well as I had hoped, expected and, frankly, been committed to by all the parties involved," Katzenberg said last week. "It's ongoing as we speak, but in terms of getting the big three exhibitors (Regal, AMC and Cinemark) on board and actively moving forward, I feel as though things have dragged along."

 

Responded Fithian: "Jeffrey has his concerns about exhibitors, I understand that, that's his job. I have my concerns about a minority of the studios not working hard enough to reach a deal. ... We need all the studios to participate in this process for this to happen quickly, and that is not happening right now."

 

Fithian didn't name names, but insiders point a finger at Warners for dragging its heels.

 

The Digital Cinema Integration Partners -- a joint venture owned by Regal, AMC and Cinemark that represents 14,000 screens in the U.S and Canada -- is in negotiations with the studios.

 

In March, Access Integrated Technologies -- the integrator for the majority of digital installations in North America -- introduced a "Phase 2" program that incorporates virtual print fee deals that already have been established with Disney, Fox, Paramount and Universal, all of which have committed to provide movies to as many as 10,000 d-cinema systems in the U.S. and Canada. Added company president Chuck Goldwater, "We are making good progress with Sony and Warner Bros."

 

AccessIT CEO Bud Mayo said the company is making "excellent progress" toward securing debt financing based on the virtual print fee model, and Phase 2 deployment is slated to begin in July.

 

Last month, the Cinema Buying Group -- a buying program for small and independent theater operators -- inked a deal with AccessIT, making the d-cinema deployer the integrator for the CBG's 600-plus members. That move represents more than 8,000 CBG screens, the majority of which are expected to fit into Phase 2 deployment.

 

At Kodak Digital Cinema, Bob Mayson reported that a financing plan is in place, and Kodak has two studio VPF deals, which he declined to name, completed. He hopes to announce a complete plan late in the second quarter, with deployment beginning during the second half of the year.

 

Technicolor Digital Cinema has VPF deals with DreamWorks, Fox, Sony, Universal and Warners and is working on the financing.

 

Noted TDC's Curt Belmer, "Today it's still challenging due to the tight market and the gap that continues to remain between studio subsidy and exhibitors willingness to pay."

 

Even once VPF deals are reached, plenty of work remains.

 

"There are a limited number of technicians who know this stuff," Fithian said. "It is a question of how much time it takes to install these systems and get them up and running."

 

Goldwater reported that at AccessIT's peak, the company was installing systems for nearly 500 screens per month. He added, "That was with a single vendor (Christie). We expect not only could we repeat that, but with additional vendors that Phase 2 will include, we can multiply our capacity at a greater rate."

 

"We can install 10 screens a day," Kodak's Mayson said, adding that if the deals are made quickly, it still is possible to make Katzenberg's goal.

 

Reliance buys Lowry Digital Images from DTS

http://mydigitalcinema.blogspot.com/2008/04/reliance-buys-lowry-digital-images-from.html

Patrick von Sychowski

 

Thursday, April 10, 2008

 

I'm absolutely chuffed to pieces that the news is finally official - my new employer Reliance ADAG has acquired DTS Digital Images, better known by its original name Lowry Digital Images.

 

This is an absolute gem of a company and I was blown away when I saw the work they had done when I visited their facility as part of the EDCF pre-ShoWest tour in March 2007 (see photo above). IMDB has a list of a small selection the films the company has worked on, while there is a dedicated page on Amazon of DVDs that feature work done by Lowry. You can read an (old) interview with John Lowry himself here or a more recent one by Debra Kaufman here.

 

In hindsight, it was an unfortunate mismatch of expectations when Lowry digital Images was acquired by DTS in 2005, but the new ownership fits perfectly into both what Reliance and Lowry want to achieve. From the press release:

 

DTS, Inc. today announced that the Company has completed the sale of its Digital Images business to Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd., a member of the Reliance ADA Group of India.

 

The sale, which closed on April 4 for approximately $7.5 million in cash, marks DTS' exit from the image enhancement and restoration services business.

As my new boss says:

 

"DTS Digital Images, also popularly known as Lowry Digital Images, enjoys a superb reputation as the premier film imaging and restoration facility. The company fits well with the Digital Services strategy of the Reliance ADA Group in the global media and entertainment space," said Anil Arjun, Senior Vice President of Reliance.

So far none of the Hollywood trades seem to have picked up on it. The best write up so far has come from India's DNA newspaper:

 

 

It’s body of work includes over 300 well-known feature films — Casablanca, Singing in the rain, Sunset Boulevard, Indiana Jones trilogy, Star Wars Trilogy, James Bond classics — with output to DVD, 35mm film, digital cinema and Imax.

 

Industry observers said that this acquisition would help Reliance Big Entertainment to cater to the rapidly growing 3D content market with technology solutions for correction in original stereoscopic footage as well as re-rendering of 2D footage into 3D.

 

DDI recently provided custom image processing services for New Line Cinema and Walden Media’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3D, the world’s first digitally captured stereoscopic live action film shot in digital 3D.

 

 

Details on the last job mentioned can be found in a press release here.

 

 

Too early to go into details about the company's future, just don't expect Lowry to suddenly become some cheap restoration outsourcing service provider. It will remain the Gold Standard of quality content work in Hollywood and will only grow as part of the Reliance film services family.

 

 

DTS sells digital cinema business for $3.3 million

DTS announces sale of digital cinema business for $3.3 million plus assumption of debt

 

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/69c9161bb8dbc4ef1fd601db4a060df9.htm

 

May 12, 2008: 04:49 PM EST

 

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - DTS Inc., which makes audio parts for speakers, DVD players and computers, said Monday it sold its digital cinema business to Beaufort California Inc., a member of U.K.-based Beaufort International Group PLC.

 

The sale closed on Friday for about $3.3 million in cash and the assumption of certain debt.

 

DTS said that under certain circumstances it also could get up to an additional $11.7 million over the next few years.

 

DTS shares rose 21 cents to $28.71 in aftermarket trading, after falling 34 cents to $28.50 in the regular session.

 

DTS Digital Cinema sold to unknown satellite company

http://celluloidjunkie.com/?p=291

 

So long and thanks for all the Guinness - DTS has put an end to the corporate Seitensprung that was DTS Digital Cinema, which has been picked up by UK satellite company Beaufort International Group Plc. Here is what the press release on DCinemaToday.com had to say in the opening paragraph:

 

Beaufort International Group Plc announced today that it has acquired the business and assets of DTS Digital Cinema from DTS, Inc. for an undisclosed sum. Beaufort made the acquisition through its US subsidiary, Beaufort California, Inc. Chris Thomas, Beaufort California, Inc.’s CEO, commented, “We are very pleased to have made this acquisition. DTS is an established brand in the cinema industry, and provides a solid foundation for us to develop our plans in digital cinema.” Thomas continues, “DTS has laid the groundwork for us with its 15-year history in providing the highest quality digital audio for film to over 30,000 screens worldwide.

 

The price has elsewhere been quoted as $3.3m, which puts it at leas than half of the previously disposed Lowry Digital Images (sold last month to Reliance for $7.5m). From the press release we learn that Beaufort “will continue to use the DTS brand for the foreseeable future under our agreement with DTS.” Strangely there appears to be no website for Beaufort, so it is up to the trusty analysts at Screen Digest to drill down into the deeper meaning of this buy:

 

Datasat is a deliverer of media content through its wholly-owned (mainly) satellite networks, and the acquisition fits into a strategy of widening their reach to the digital cinema space. Up to now, Datasat’s content delivery strategy has focused on areas where high quality, secure file trasnfers are necessary, and has avoided media and broadcast industries. However, with the introduction of digital cinema, which needs very secure networks for large files (as opposed to live feeds or pre-recorded broadcasts) this move makes sense. Currently, company operates in five broad industrial areas: corporate, diplomatic, emergency, security, medical.

 

Nowhere is there any mention of Ireland, perhaps wisely as the nationwide Oirish conversion to digital cinema is a standing joke in digital cinema circles. While there have been some positive noises about the DTS Digital Cinema hardware and platforms, it remains to be seen how the de-merged company will succeed against the likes of Doremi and Dolby, which unlike DTS is holding on very hard to its digital cinema division.

 

DTS meanwhile goes back to focusing on consumer products licensing, which seems to be a profitable field judging by this article, DTS shares jump as 1Q profit rises on sales.

 

DTS Digital Cinema arm sold off

http://www.screendigest.com/online_services/intelligence/cinema/updates/ci-080514-CJ2/view.html

 

David Hancock

 

2008 May 14

 

After a year up for sale, a buyer has now been found for the digital cinema arm of DTS. UK media networks group Beaufort International Group, which is majority-owned by UK-based network service provider Datasat Communications, has acquired DTS Digital Cinema for an undisclosed sum of money. Datasat is a deliverer of media content through its wholly-owned (mainly) satellite networks, and the acquisition fits into a strategy of widening their reach to the digital cinema space. Up to now, Datasat's content delivery strategy has focused on areas where high quality, secure file trasnfers are necessary, and has avoided media and broadcast industries. However, with the introduction of digital cinema, which needs very secure networks for large files (as opposed to live feeds or pre-recorded broadcasts) this move makes sense. Currently, company operates in five broad industrial areas: corporate, diplomatic, emergency, security, medical. Beaufort will continue to use DTS brand for the 'foreseeable future'. DTS is focusing entirely on its consumer side, specifically through licensing branded entertainment technology.

 

Hollywood finds depth: 3-D boom -

 

http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/28/smbusiness/iconix_3d.fsb/index.htm

 

By Jonathan Blum

Last Updated: April 29, 2008: 12:45 PM EDT

 

3-D films are making a comeback - aided by small companies with new technology that makes the pricey production process more affordable.

 

LAS VEGAS (FORTUNE Small Business) -- Hollywood is done with being shallow; it wants depth. 3-D depth, to be specific.

 

3-D filmmaking - the process of mounting two simultaneously filming cameras side-by-side and then superimposing the images on top of each other to create the illusion of depth - is looking at a comeback. At the recent National Association of Broadcasters show in Last Vegas, everyone from the major film studios to music-video production companies to the National Basketball Association displayed eye-popping examples of films and clips capturing artificial depth. Silly 3-D glasses were actually kind of hip over in the high desert.

 

The technology is far from new. 3-D was first tried in the 1950s, and later popped up in horror films starring Vincent Price. Even auteur Andy Warhol tried his hand at the tools. But filming even brief segments with two cameras was cumbersome and expensive; the cost of shooting an entire 3-D film was prohibitive for most projects.

 

But now, the alchemic effects of digital technology and the Internet are changing the business of adding dimensions. Miley Cyrus and U2 have put out successful 3-D films; kids love 'em. Big-name directors including James Cameron have 3-D projects in the works - the hot rumor in Hollywood is that George Lucas is working to re-release the entire Star Wars saga in 3-D.

 

The good news for small businesses is that the field is ripe with growing companies developing innovative solutions for 3-D's many challenges. Take Iconix Video Inc. in Goleta, Calif. It has created a nifty, super-small, high-definition imaging system that's going great guns in 3-D.

 

Company founder Wayne Upton, a video engineer with a background in medical imaging, got the idea for the technology while on assignment with a large Japanese electronics maker in 2003. The company asked him to solve a problem with a high-definition camera. Upton found a solution in about 48 hours, and was so taken by his idea that he decided to start a company based on the discovery.

 

Starting with a $1.2 million investment from venture-capital fund DFJ Frontier and others, Upton and his small company went into production with a high-def camera no bigger than an egg. The unit quickly racked up $1 million in sales based solely on word of mouth. It's easy to see why: The Iconix camera can be mounted just about anywhere - the side of a car, the end of a pool cue - to get once-impossible shots.

 

Upton's 28-person company has craftily partnered with other small businesses to expand its product line. It uses a clever two-camera mount from Israeli 3-D firm 3ality that lets directors precisely calibrate the crucial distance between the cameras. Iconix then uses off-the-shelf hard drives for storage and third-party post-production software to essentially create a complete 3-D system for little up-front investment.

 

"We believe it is the first end-to-end 3-D production environment that is within reach of just about any professional production company," said Bruce Long, Iconix's CEO.

 

Image quality in my limited demos was serviceable. A shot from a soaring glider, a flyover of a tropical island, and even a test section from the original Star Wars showed reasonable depth and none of the attendant disorientation - and often, motion sickness - common with 3-D.

 

But let's be clear here: The technology is no IMAX. The illusion of immersion is much more advanced in other systems. The technology favored by James Cameron, which was developed by cinematographer Vincent Pace, offers significantly more depth and higher image quality, to my eye.

 

But it's hard to argue with the price. Iconix cameras start at just $6,000 - way less than a tenth the cost of traditional HD cameras, which can run six figures or more.

 

With Hollywood facing stiff new competition from video games and other formats, hype about 3-D ran deep at the NAB show. Iconix's executives bullishly predicted that within the next few years, at least 30% of movies would be shot in 3-D.

 

But others, myself included, have more modest expectations.

 

"I think the hurdle that filmmakers face - and what will always keep this a niche technology - is that it is by definition cumbersome to shoot, even though great lengths have been made to simplify it, " said Doug Liman, a Hollywood director and producer whose credits include Swingers, The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

 

But despite the limitations, even Lyman believes that this time, 3-D is here to stay.

 

"I do think it will be part of our moviegoing experience in the future," he said, "and we will have one to two 3-D films at the multiplex at any given time."

 

First Published: April 29, 2008: 9:05 AM EDT

The only thing clear about 4K debate is its lack of resolution - GETTING CLEAR ON 2K AND 4K

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i6e9065c556a62f7513c9f530d9ca448f?imw=Y

By Carolyn Giardina

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

May 7, 2008, 08:43 PM

 

Today's commonly used resolution for feature film digital postproduction and mastering, as well as for digital cinema production.

 

2K

Horizontal pixels        2,048

Vertical pixels            1,556  

Megabytes per frame    12

Recent example    "Iron Man"

 

 

4K

There is a growing availability of production and post tools that support 4K. Sony says there are about 200 4K d-cinema projectors in North America.

Horizontal pixels         4,096

Vertical pixels            3,112      

Megabytes per frame    48.5

Recent example    "Reach for Me"

 

 

A screening of "Reach for Me," an independent film being billed as the first feature to be shot and posted in 4K resolution, was projected in 4K for a full house Monday at Los Angeles' Landmark Theater.

 

Helmed by LeVar Burton and starring Seymour Cassel and Alfre Woodard, the film used the Dalsa Origin II camera, went through a post process at Post Logic and was screened with the Sony SXRD projector. Audience response was positive.

 

Still, there are a lot of varying opinions about 4K, an image resolution that represents four times the amount of picture information found in a 2K file, which is the most commonly used resolution for digital cinema production and distribution.

 

The topic is about much more than counting pixels. Its complexity requires a look at numerous aspects of imaging. More data means more complexity and increased expense. There also are independent issues when it comes to addressing 4K for production, post, projection or archiving.

 

"My own personal view is that resolution constitutes only one of several important factors, including color, contrast, light levels, reliability, affordability and ease of 3-D adaptability," National Association of Theater Owners president John Fithian said about exhibition.

 

Meanwhile, many industry experts — all deeply committed to the goal of image quality — have been examining 2K and 4K imagery from all angles and distances and on a variety of display systems. Even within these circles, many say that the quality difference between 2K and 4K is substantial, while others question whether there is a noticeable difference on today’s display systems.

 

All of this has left industry pros asking whether 4K is practical or necessary.

 

For Chris Cookson, president of Sony Pictures Technologies, archiving and exhibition are key reasons the industry should move to adopt the format.

 

"The 2K master has less information than the original film did," he says. "For the last 100 years, we're saving the original negative. We need to be aware of what we throw away and the implications of the decision we make. ... Having something that is only as good as today's exhibit capability is not a limitation that we have ever had before."

 

An immediate concern for Cookson is the launch of the Blu-ray Disc format. "A lot of studios are having to remaster stuff that they did just three or five years ago," he said. "Blu-ray is so clear, and the new 1080p sets are so sharp that what they thought was good enough five years ago doesn't pass muster today. And I don't think we are done yet."

 

With 4K masters, he suggests, "if home theater takes one more step up, we can step up with it."

 

Still, post houses report that the demand for 4K remains limited. Even EFilm, which has been bullish about the format, expects to do maybe five 4K digital intermediates this year -- about 10% of its total.

 

According to post house execs, studios generally are unwilling to pay extra to work with 4K files, which require greater network bandwidth to manage the data.

 

A movie posted in 2K uses nine to 10 terabytes of working storage, and Efilm president Joe Matza estimates that the final project is around 2.5TB, depending on length. He suggests that when that goes to 4K, filmmakers are looking at 25-30TB of working storage and 9-10TB for the final project.

 

To understand the size of these files, here's a sometimes-used comparison: If you were to store a single 2K frame on a desktop computer, it would equate to a Word document more than 600 pages long. 4K contains four times as much information. (Keep in mind this is a general comparison that doesn't weigh factors such as compression or bit depth.)

 

Matza believes things are starting to change, however.

 

“The cost of storage is continuing to drop, and the motion picture business is the beneficiary,” he says.

 

Obviously, this only scratches the surface of some aspects of a complex topic. As business, creative and technological issues collide, resolution will continue to be discussed and debated — and new factors will be introduced as developments occur. Case in point: NHK already is demonstrating its developing Ultra-HD technology, which includes 8K resolution.

 

Carolyn Giardina can be reached at carolyn.giardina@THR.com.

XDC Makes Digital Breakthrough at The 61st Cannes Film Festival : 48 Motion Pictures - 100 Digital Screenings - 18 Digital Systems

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/xdc_05_14_08.php

 

May 14, 2008

 

Source: XDC

 

As the Official Partner of the Cannes Film Festival, XDC is providing all of the necessary equipment and expertise to support over 100 digital screenings including the parallel sections during the May competition, to more than 18 Cannes theatre rooms – including the famous Louis Lumière auditorium.

 

The Opening film, 13 long-feature films of the Official Selection, including 5 motion pictures in competition, the Beach Cinema which will be fully booked with 10 long-feature films and 10 cartoons, renewing 14 classic movies during Cannes Classics … XDC makes digital breakthrough during this 61st Festival, by implementing, under the technical supervision of the French CST, the most advanced digital projection technical solutions (and especially the roll out of its new JPEG2000 CineStore® Solo G3 server) and by offering to the cinema industry the best of the technology.

 

Bernard Collard, EVP & General Manager of XDC International: “XDC is very proud to be part again this year to Cannes Film Festival, an optimal competition that will showcase the best of the digital cinema industry. This exciting commitment gives XDC the opportunity to exemplify themselves as a deploying entity aiming at a large-scale digital cinema roll-out. As the leading digital cinema company in Europe, the pan-European roll-out target for XDC is 8,000 digital screens within the next 5 years.”

 

 

List of the 48 digital films – 61st Cannes Film Festival

 

Official Competition: “Blindness” (Opening Film), “Three Monkeys”, “24 City”, “Che”, “Palermo Shooting”, “De moins en moins”

Un Certain Regard: “Tyson”, “Tulpan”

Out of Competition: “Vicky Christina Barcelona”, “The Good, The Bad, The Weird”, « Kung Fu Panda »

Special Screenings: “Of Time and The City”, “C’est dur d’être aimé par des cons”

The President Screening: “The Third Wave”

Cannes Classics: “Guide”, “Let’s get Lost”, “Santa Sangre”, “This happy breed”, “The Passionate Friends, “Il était une fois … Lawrence d’Arabie”, “You must remember this”, “Lola Montes”, “No subtitles necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos”, “Fingers”, “Hanyo”, “Orphée”, “The Cinema Cinemas Collection”, « The Savage Eye »

Beach Cinema: “Enter The Dragon”, “I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang”, “What’s Up Doc?”,“Dirty Harry”, “Captain Blood”, “Bonnie and Clyde”, “Blazing Saddles”, “Matrix”, “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane ?”, 10 cartoons from the « Looney Tunes » collection, « Le mystère de Samba »

 

Installations to support the 100 digital screenings of the Festival

 

XDC has selected Christie as the exclusive Official Supplier of the digital projectors.

 

Film Festival: 7 Christie 2K DLP Cinema® projectors will be installed in the following auditoriums: Lumière, Debussy, Bazin, Buñuel, 60th Auditorium and the Beach Cinema.

Film Market : 2 Christie 2K DLP Cinema® projectors will be installed in Bory auditorium (which will also be used for 3D projections) et auditorium J while 8 Christie high definition DLP Standard projectors will equip the other HD video rooms.

To be highlighted this year: one 2K digital control room will be installed in the Palais des Festivals in order to check the digital copies.

D-Cinema JPEG2000 servers: CineStore® Solo G3 and Doremi DCP-2000.

 

About half of the digital films screened during Cannes Film Festival have been digitally processed in JPEG2000 format (by using a Doremi DMS-2000 mastering station) and quality controlled by the XDC Digital Content Lab. As Official Partner of the Festival and the Film Market, XDC charges the producer, filmmaker or distributor a very attractive flat fee amount which includes conformation of the source material, encoding, encryption and quality controls. “Thanks to that contribution, XDC gives to the motion picture community (major studios as well as small producers) the possibility to enjoy, during Cannes Festival, the benefits of the world’s optimal screening conditions.”, said Alain Remond, General Manager of XDC France, who also pointed out: “Today, digital cinema allows all members of the production and delivery chain to have the opportunity to get their stories to screen the way they intended. Indeed, since more and more movies are shooted and post-processed digitally, digital screening helps avoid expensive operations to convert to 35mm, which is particularly crucial for some independent films with limited budgets.”

 

Moreover, XDC has selected VPS, a leading company in daylight video walls, to install the giant video wall on the red carpet. Together, both XDC and VPS will offer the opportunity to thousands of movie-goers and millions of TV viewers to join the stars at this red carpet event.

 

MOVING IN STEREO: DISPLAY WEEK GOES 3D WITH SPECIAL SESSION ON 3D IN CINEMA

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/SID-International-Symposium-2008_05_12_08.php

 

May 12, 2008

 

Source: SID

 

The Society for Information Display (SID), the leading global organization dedicated to the advancement of electronic-display technology, today announced a unique 3D technology-focused addition to its program lineup for Display Week 2008, May 18-23, 2008, at the Los Angeles (Calif.) Convention Center.

 

The Special Session on 3D in Cinema, slated for Wednesday, May 21, will feature invited talks from leading experts in the field, on topics spanning the full 3D movie process-from content creation (animation and live action) and editing, to post production and theatrical display.

 

Leading 3D technology and experience provider RealD will provide stereoscopic projection equipment and viewing glasses for audience members, enabling speakers to screen illustrative clips. DreamWorks Animation, Dolby Laboratories, Quantel, Real D, Sony Pictures Imageworks and 3ality Digital Systems will present at the session.

 

The session topic is timely, given viewer attendance at 3D versions of recent films such as Beowulf and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds. Both generated record-breaking per-screen averages from 3D locations, delivering eight times the box office revenues of theaters showing the films in standard format. Moreover, conversion to digital cinema technology continues to escalate rapidly, according to U.K.-based Dodona Research. The cinema-focused consulting and research firm estimates that by 2013, half of all cinema screens worldwide will have converted to digital technology from traditional 35mm projectors, whereas about 5 percent of the global total had made the conversion as of late 2007. And, Dodona emphasizes, 3D will serve as the driver for this explosive growth.

 

According to the 3D in Cinema session co-chairs, Brian Berkeley and Brian Schowengerdt, "Today's 3D experience isn't, as they say, your grandparents' 3D movie. Some people still associate 3D with the gimmick-filled horror films that first emerged in the 1950s, but the technology today is both more impressive and more subtle. To truly appreciate it, you have to not only see it but understand how it works, as well."

 

To help Display Week attendees gain this in-depth understanding, SID created the 3D in Cinema session, inviting speakers who are working at the cutting edge of contemporary 3D moviemaking to explain how the characteristics of 3D display technologies shape every aspect of the movie creation process. Topics and speakers for the session will include:

 

- It's Not Real Life: Stereoscopic Content Creation - Phil McNally, DreamWorks Animation

- Adapting "3D" CG Films for "3D" Presentation: The Technique and Technology - Rob Engle, Sony Pictures Imageworks

- Stereoscopic Live Action: Content Capture and Post Production - Steve Schklair, 3ality Digital Systems

- Post Production for Stereoscopic Movies - Norman Rouse, Quantel

- Making 3D An Integral Part of Today's Cinema Experience: A Pragmatic Approach - Jeff McNall, Dolby Laboratories

- 3D Exhibition in the Digital Age: Bringing a New Dimension to Entertainment - Rod Archer, RealD

 

Throughout the presentations, session attendees will be treated to clips of such 3D features as Beowulf, Chicken Little, Meet the Robinsons, Monster House, The Polar Express and U2 3D. These and other 3D pictures have each played a part in helping digital cinema continue to move to the next level. The 3D in Cinema special session will kick off with a luncheon keynote address by Andy Hendrickson, VP of technology for Walt Disney Animation Studios, who will delve into the evolution of display technology and the various display-related challenges and opportunities specific to the entertainment industry.

 

Jeremy Devine, vice president of marketing for Dallas-based Rave Motion Pictures, the United States' largest digital-only movie exhibition company, noted that revenues for 3D features can be up to three times those generated by a 2D film. "If you didn't have the killer app of 3D cinema, digital would be limited to running other alternative content, like operas, rock concerts, some sporting events, and some animated and anime products coming down the pike. The reality is that the return on those has simply not been as dramatic as 3D, so it probably would have slowed our adoption process," said Devine.

 

The technology has implications beyond the movie theater, as well. Gamers have embraced stereoscopic 3D in rapidly growing numbers, as evidenced by the popularity of stereoscopic 3D certification and advocacy group Meant to be Seen (MTBS)-its year-old website has more than 3,000 registered members and 10,000 unique visitors a month. Other markets poised to make the shift to 3D digital within the next few years include home entertainment and professional displays.

 

The 3D in Cinema special session will be held in the L.A. Convention Center on Wednesday, May 21, from 2:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., with a question-and-answer period to follow. The cost to attend is included in the fee for the Symposium technical program, which features additional sessions on 3D display technologies and applications ("3D Applications and Measurement Techniques" from 3:40 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20; "Novel 3D Displays" and "Stereoscopic Displays" from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the morning of the Special Session; and "3D Integral Imaging and Autostereoscopic Displays" from 10:40 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 22). For those not attending the full Symposium, the session registration cost is $100. More information, including synopses of each talk, is available at this link.

 

       Mark Waldman

       Project Manager, Digital Cinema

       Palace Cinemas CEE

 

       markwaldman@palacecinemas.net

       mobile:     +36 70 237 5599

       Skype:      mark.waldman

       website:   www.palacecinemas.net

 

AccessIT Formalizes Agreement with Lionsgate to Receive Content and Virtual Print Fees Through November 2017

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/accessIT_05_08_08.php

 

May 8, 2008

 

Source: Access IT

 

Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT"), the global leader in digital cinema, announced today that LIONSGATE(R) will provide movies to digital cinema equipped theatres in the Phase 1 digital cinema program and will pay virtual print fees (VPFs) under a long-term agreement similar to those signed by all the other major studios. Lionsgate is already a long-time customer of AccessIT's Software Division, employing its industry-leading Theatrical Distribution System (TDS) which enables theatre bookings for screens in the U.S. and Canada. AccessIT and Lionsgate have begun negotiations on a Phase 2 agreement.

 

Since October of 2006, Lionsgate has provided such movies as "The Forbidden Kingdom," "Rambo," "3:10 to Yuma," and the "Saw" franchise to AccessIT's Phase 1 network of exhibitors and paid VPFs. This agreement serves to formalize the distributor's intent to supply movies in the future, and to pay VPFs according to a set schedule.

 

"Having worked with AccessIT on both the software side and the digital cinema side, we are very pleased to formalize our commitment for their Phase 1 customers," said Steve Rothenberg, President of Domestic Distribution at Lionsgate. "Our experiences with them to date have been extremely positive and we are confident that their highly professional teams will continue to provide an excellent level of service. We look forward to finalizing our agreement with them for their Phase 2 deployment customers as well."

 

"Lionsgate has been a strong proponent of digital cinema having released 23 digital titles starting back in October, 2006, with 'Employee of the Month'," said Chuck Goldwater, President of AccessIT's Media Service Division. "With a full schedule of movies right up there with the other major studios we look forward to more digital releases from Lionsgate to continue to support exhibitors' digital cinema installations and the industry demand for more digital screens. We are proud to build upon our long relationship with Steve Rothenberg, Mike Polydoros and the entire Lionsgate team."

 

DTS Digital Cinema Acquired by Beaufort International Group

May 13, 2008

 

Source: DTS

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/dtsdigitalcinema_05_12_08.php

 

Beaufort International Group Plc announced today that it has acquired the business and assets of DTS Digital Cinema from DTS, Inc. for an undisclosed sum. Beaufort made the acquisition through its US subsidiary, Beaufort California, Inc.

 

Chris Thomas, Beaufort California, Inc.’s CEO, commented, “We are very pleased to have made this acquisition. DTS is an established brand in the cinema industry, and provides a solid foundation for us to develop our plans in digital cinema.” Thomas continues,

 

“DTS has laid the groundwork for us with its 15-year history in providing the highest quality digital audio for film to over 30,000 screens worldwide. DTS Digital Cinema has delivered soundtracks for over 9,000 releases in over 100 countries and its digital cinema products (FilmStore® Content Management System and DTS Digital Cinema Theatre Management System) are now proven and in service. These products have undergone substantial design and development and are ideal as the basis for the latest-generation D-Cinema networks. Our focus is on our customers and leveraging the strength of our products and services to meet their needs in the changing marketplace. We will continue to use the DTS brand for the foreseeable future under our agreement with DTS.”

 

Jon Kirchner, President and CEO of DTS, Inc. added, “We have now completed the sale of the Digital Cinema business which allows DTS to focus entirely on building a high growth consumer business. I truly appreciate the dedication of the management team and employees who continued to build the digital cinema business throughout the sale process, ultimately positioning it for future success under Beaufort's ownership.”

 

Beaufort International Group Plc is majority-owned by Datasat Communications Ltd., a UK-based satellite services provider. Datasat’s Managing Director Phil Emmel stated, “We decided to invest in the DTS Digital Cinema business because the company is one of the few golden brands that is established within the production and distribution and exhibition marketplaces. It is our vision that we can build a significant presence as a provider of products and services to the digital cinema industry. We want to work with all of the stakeholders to make their lives easier in the transition to D-Cinema and also to provide unparalleled levels of service to everyone working with media content. It is a natural extension of our existing managed service business in which we routinely deliver data and media content over secure networks.”

 

Digital Release Update - May 16

Movie	Distributor	Release Plans
Week of May 16 – May 22
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian	Disney	Wide
Reprise	Miramax	Limited
Week of May 23 – May 29
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom Of the Crystal Skull	Paramount	Wide
The Children of Huang Shi	Sony Classics	NY/LA

 

Only thing clear about 4K debate is its lack of resolution(Executive, Independents, International, Marketing, Product, technology)

The only thing clear about 4K debate is its lack of resolution By Carolyn Giardina May 7, 2008   Hollywood Reporter   "Reach for Me," which screened this week at Los Angeles' Landmark Theatre, was shot, posted and projected in 4K. A screening of "Reach for Me," an independent film being billed as the first feature to be shot and posted in 4K resolution, was projected in 4K for a full house Monday at Los Angeles' Landmark Theater. Helmed by LeVar Burton and starring Seymour Cassel and Alfre Woodard, the film used the Dalsa Origin II camera, went through a post process at Post Logic and was screened with the Sony SXRD projector. Audience response was positive. Still, there are a lot of varying opinions about 4K, an image resolution that represents four times the amount of picture information found in a 2K file, which is the most commonly used resolution for digital cinema production and distribution. The topic is about much more than counting pixels. Its complexity requires a look at numerous aspects of imaging. More data means more complexity and increased expense. There also are independent issues when it comes to addressing 4K for production, post, projection or archiving. "My own personal view is that resolution constitutes only one of several important factors, including color, contrast, light levels, reliability, affordability and ease of 3-D adaptability," National Association of Theater Owners president John Fithian said about exhibition. Meanwhile, many industry experts — all deeply committed to the goal of image quality — have been examining 2K and 4K imagery from all angles and distances and on a variety of display systems. Even within these circles, many say that the quality difference between 2K and 4K is substantial, while others question whether there is a noticeable difference on today’s display systems. All of this has left industry pros asking whether 4K is practical or necessary. For Chris Cookson, president of Sony Pictures Technologies, archiving and exhibition are key reasons the industry should move to adopt the format. "The 2K master has less information than the original film did," he says. "For the last 100 years, we're saving the original negative. We need to be aware of what we throw away and the implications of the decision we make. ... Having something that is only as good as today's exhibit capability is not a limitation that we have ever had before." An immediate concern for Cookson is the launch of the Blu-ray Disc format. "A lot of studios are having to remaster stuff that they did just three or five years ago," he said. "Blu-ray is so clear, and the new 1080p sets are so sharp that what they thought was good enough five years ago doesn't pass muster today. And I don't think we are done yet." With 4K masters, he suggests, "if home theater takes one more step up, we can step up with it." Still, post houses report that the demand for 4K remains limited. Even EFilm, which has been bullish about the format, expects to do maybe five 4K digital intermediates this year -- about 10% of its total. According to post house execs, studios generally are unwilling to pay extra to work with 4K files, which require greater network bandwidth to manage the data. A movie posted in 2K uses nine to 10 terabytes of working storage, and Efilm president Joe Matza estimates that the final project is around 2.5TB, depending on length. He suggests that when that goes to 4K, filmmakers are looking at 25-30TB of working storage and 9-10TB for the final project. To understand the size of these files, here's a sometimes-used comparison: If you were to store a single 2K frame on a desktop computer, it would equate to a Word document more than 600 pages long. 4K contains four times as much information. (Keep in mind this is a general comparison that doesn't weigh factors such as compression or bit depth.) Matza believes things are starting to change, however. “The cost of storage is continuing to drop, and the motion picture business is the beneficiary,” he says. Obviously, this only scratches the surface of some aspects of a complex topic. As business, creative and technological issues collide, resolution will continue to be discussed and debated — and new factors will be introduced as developments occur. Case in point: NHK already is demonstrating its developing Ultra-HD technology, which includes 8K resolution. Carolyn Giardina can be reached at carolyn.giardina@THR.com.

 

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

National Association of Theatre Owners

P.O. Box 77318
Washington D.C. 20013-7318
Tel. 202.962-0054
Fax: 202.962-0370

 

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'Dawn of the Dead' goes 3-D - Romero's 1978 film adds dimension for theaters

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i7c5c16b2d6b9258e9922632042c1a5fd

 

By Carolyn Giardina

May 19, 2008, 01:00 AM

 

George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead" will be "dimensionalized" to stereoscopic 3-D for a planned theatrical release.

 

New Amsterdam Entertainment has tapped 3-D company In-Three, which will use its proprietary "dimensionalization" process to turn the 1978 indie horror flick movie into 3-D. The project is expected to be completed within the year.

 

So far the only legacy 2-D film that has been converted and re-released in digital 3-D is "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas," which Disney released in October 2006 in 168 theaters, grossing $8.7 million. Disney reissued the film in October and plans to repeat this year and in 2009.

 

There are slightly more than 1,000 3-D-ready digital screens in the domestic market, and that number is expected to grow.

 

In-Three uses patented software tools and techniques to create a second camera image from a 2-D image. Each frame is "dimensionalized," meaning that all objects are moved forward or backward from the screen or in relation to one another so as to achieve the desired dramatic effect.

 

In-Three "dimensionalized" the "Star Wars" 3-D demo clip that first screened at ShoWest in 2005.

 

Conversion of legacy material using the process starts at about $50,000 per minute and can reach more than $100,000, depending on the complexity of the imagery in terms of visual effects and other elements.

 

"We are seeing interest now that people realize there will be sufficient screens to justify the cost," In-Three's Neil Feldman said.

 

AccessIT Formalizes Agreement with Lionsgate to Receive Content and Virtual Print Fees Through November 2017

http://investor.accessitx.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=309054

 

Long Time Software Division Customer to Extend Relationship

 

MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 08, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT") (NASDAQ:AIXD), the global leader in digital cinema, announced today that LIONSGATE(R) will provide movies to digital cinema equipped theatres in the Phase 1 digital cinema program and will pay virtual print fees (VPFs) under a long-term agreement similar to those signed by all the other major studios. Lionsgate is already a long-time customer of AccessIT's Software Division, employing its industry-leading Theatrical Distribution System (TDS) which enables theatre bookings for screens in the U.S. and Canada. AccessIT and Lionsgate have begun negotiations on a Phase 2 agreement.

 

Since October of 2006, Lionsgate has provided such movies as "The Forbidden Kingdom," "Rambo," "3:10 to Yuma," and the "Saw" franchise to AccessIT's Phase 1 network of exhibitors and paid VPFs. This agreement serves to formalize the distributor's intent to supply movies in the future, and to pay VPFs according to a set schedule.

 

"Having worked with AccessIT on both the software side and the digital cinema side, we are very pleased to formalize our commitment for their Phase 1 customers," said Steve Rothenberg, President of Domestic Distribution at Lionsgate. "Our experiences with them to date have been extremely positive and we are confident that their highly professional teams will continue to provide an excellent level of service. We look forward to finalizing our agreement with them for their Phase 2 deployment customers as well."

 

"Lionsgate has been a strong proponent of digital cinema having released 23 digital titles starting back in October, 2006, with 'Employee of the Month'," said Chuck Goldwater, President of AccessIT's Media Service Division. "With a full schedule of movies right up there with the other major studios we look forward to more digital releases from Lionsgate to continue to support exhibitors' digital cinema installations and the industry demand for more digital screens. We are proud to build upon our long relationship with Steve Rothenberg, Mike Polydoros and the entire Lionsgate team."

 

AccessIT's Digital Cinema division is the industry-leading deployment program for Digital Cinema that provides the funding, installation support and administration for the company's studio-supported Digital Cinema rollout plans. Its Phase 2 plan for up to an additional 10,000 screens will provide networked, turnkey, Digital Cinema systems in conformance with DCI specifications, including AccessIT's unique Library Management Server(R) and Theatre Command Center(R) software. The system will also include digital projectors and JPEG 2000 media servers from a variety of vendors whose equipment is designed to meet the DCI specifications as well as a demanding set of performance and reliability requirements AccessIT developed through its success with the Phase 1 plan. To date, AccessIT has contracted for and completed the rollout of more than 3,700 systems in forty-one states with exhibitors including Atlas Theatres, Allen Theatres, Carmike Cinemas, Celebration! Cinema, Cinema West, Cinetopia, Emagine, Galaxy Cinema, Marquee Cinemas, MJR Theatres, Neighborhood Cinema Group, Rave Motion Picture Theatres, Showplace Cinemas, UltraStar, and AccessIT's own Pavilion Digital Showcase Theatre.

 

Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. (AccessIT) is the global leader in providing integrated solutions for digital cinema. The Company's ground-breaking digital cinema networked services along with its Library Management Server(R) and Theatre Command Center(R) have enabled theatres across the United States to play more than seven million digital showings of Hollywood features to date. AccessIT's 24/7 satellite operations delivers feature movies, alternative content advertising, and pre-show entertainment, including live 2-D and 3-D events through its CineLive(R) satellite network, expanding box office sales and developing new ways to attract incremental revenues. Through its alternative content distribution division, The Bigger Picture, AccessIT offers channels of programming including Opera, Kidtoons, Faith Based, Concerts, Sports and Anime. Access Integrated Technologies(R) and AccessIT(TM) are trademarks of Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. For more information on AccessIT, visit www.accessitx.com. (AIXD-G)

 

ABOUT LIONSGATE

 

Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, winning the 2005 Best Picture Academy Award(R) for CRASH, and the Company is a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of nearly 12,000 motion picture titles and television episodes is a valuable source of recurring revenue and a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the globe.

IMAX and Warner Bros. Pictures Hit $400 Million Box Office Milestone

http://www.imax.com/corporate/content/investor/intro.jsp

 

April 24, 2008

 

Studio's Movies Presented in IMAX a Hit with Moviegoers

 

Partnership Helped Shape New Distribution Platform for Event Movies

 

LOS ANGELES, April 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that they have crossed the $400 million mark at the IMAX box office with films released through the partnership between the two companies. Since June 2003, Warner Bros. Pictures has released 16 titles in IMAX's format, five of which were in IMAX(R) 3D, including two live action pictures that were partially converted into 3D with IMAX's proprietary 2D to 3D conversion technology. All titles were digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) using IMAX's proprietary IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-Mastering) technology. Also included in the tally are the studio's two original IMAX 3D co-productions.

 

"Our successful partnership with IMAX has helped to shape an entirely new distribution window and a completely new form of premium cinematic entertainment," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "The IMAX(R) theatre network has enabled us to generate incremental box office returns, and we are very enthusiastic about our upcoming film slate, which will include both original IMAX 3D programming and our tent-pole releases."

 

"The IMAX release adds a layer of excitement to major titles, and with more audiences looking for something special at the movies, we anticipate continued strong box office returns from these theatres internationally," said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

 

"Warner Bros. Pictures' dedication to the IMAX film business, their talent for making great films and their enthusiastic endorsement of IMAX DMR and original programming has enabled our partnership to reach this impressive milestone," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "With our digital projection system on the verge of rapidly expanding the IMAX network worldwide, we are confident that we'll reach many more milestones with Warner Bros. Pictures."

 

The studio's Hollywood IMAX releases that contributed to the $400 million milestone and helped shape the IMAX network as a new distribution platform include The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Reloaded, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Polar Express (in IMAX 3D), Batman Begins, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, V for Vendetta, Poseidon, Superman Returns (in IMAX 3D), The Ant Bully (in IMAX 3D), Happy Feet, 300, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (in IMAX 3D), Beowulf (international) and I Am Legend.

 

The original IMAX 3D films co-produced and released with Warner Bros. Pictures include NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience (2003), which has grossed nearly $24 million at the IMAX box office, and Deep Sea 3D (2006), which has grossed an impressive $64 million at the IMAX box office on a limited number of screens, and it is still playing well throughout the IMAX network.

 

"Warner Bros. Pictures has been instrumental in bringing The IMAX Experience into mainstream," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "They were the first studio to release a feature film in IMAX 3D, the first studio to release a live action film that had been converted into 3D, and they introduced the world to a whole new brand of original IMAX 3D programming that is both educational and entertaining. We look forward to continued success with them and their incredible filmmakers as we collaborate in the release of a broad range of pictures over the next few years."

 

The 2008, 2009 and 2010 lineup for Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX currently include Speed Racer (May 9), The Dark Night (July 18), Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (November 21), Under the Sea 3D (February 2009) and Hubble 3D (February 2010).

 

 

Real D Launches Consumer and Home Products Division! YES - 3D For Your Home Theater!!

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2008/01/real-d-launches-consumer-and-home.html

 

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Real D Launches Consumer and Home Products Division! YES - 3D For Your Home Theater!!

Awesome news folks! Real D is launching a Consumer and Home Products Division to take advantage of their technology advances in the home as well as in the theater. So after much speculation in the space, a true leader, Real D, has emerged as a champion of bringing 3D to the Home Theater.

This also means that now the studios have a potential DVD distribution model for their brand spankin' new 3D movies that they are flogging at the cinema. See the movie in 3D, then buy the DVD for your Real D enabled 3D Home Theater. Piracy issues have been drastically reduced but not eliminated - see comments!

Real D announced that Koji Hase has been appointed to the position of President of Worldwide Consumer Electronics. Here is a quote regarding his background:

REAL D 3D Names Renowned DVD Pioneer Koji Hase， President of Worldwide Consumer Electronics-资讯中心-金融界 via kwout

Awesome news! Now I have true plans for http://www.3DHomeVideos.com ! :-)