Category Archives: Equipment Vendors

Christie Takes 3D To The End Of The World

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 30, 2010 12:05 pm

Cine Packewaia in Ushuaia, Argentina

Quick, tell me what is the southernmost location in the world where you can see a movie in digital 3D? Silly question I know, but it’s thanks to Christie, the projector company, that I can even ask it.

The company sent out a press release yesterday announcing their digital cinema projectors had been chosen by The Packewaia Cinema (Cine Packewaia) in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city on earth. The city of 65,000 rose out of a former naval facility only ten years ago and is now the capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego province, otherwise known to English speakers as the “Land of Fire”.

The Packewaia Cinema is run by Gama Producciones and appears to have only one screen, which is now not only equipped with a Christie projector, but also Dolby 3D.

The release was filled with gems such as this from Craig Sholder, Christie’s vice president of Entertainment Solutions:

“It seems appropriate that ‘the land of fire’ has embraced the ‘hottest’ trend in the industry: 3D digital cinema.”

Probably the most interesting information contained in the announcement was the unique way Xenon Cinema Technology had to install the projector. Not all films are released digitally in Argentina, in fact it can sometimes take weeks before a film print makes its way as far south as Packewaia, so the 35mm projector couldn’t be completely abandoned.

Posted in Equipment Vendors
Tagged as Alex Mir, Christie, Cine Packewaia, Craig Sholder, Gama Producciones, Xenon Cinema Technology

Comments

Sony Expands In Europe With National Amusements, AMC, And Dealer Partnerships

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 26, 2010 11:04 pm

Sony's SRX-R320 Projector

If Sony wanted to make a big splash at Cinema Expo in Amsterdam this past week then they did one heck of a job. On Tuesday, the second day of the conference, Sony announced two exhibitor agreements with National Amusements and AMC Entertainment’s United Kingdom based theatres for digital conversions. The company, known for its 4K digital cinema solution, also struck up partnerships with three European digital cinema dealers.

National Amusements
The biggest of these announcements had to be the news that National Amusements had chosen Sony as their integrator. The theatre chainis one of the largest in the world, operating 950 screens across venues in the U.K., United States and Latin America. National Amusements is the fifth largest theatre chain in North America.

Under their existing virtual print fee (VPF) agreements with Hollywood studios, Sony will install their 4K digital cinema projectors on all of National Amusements’ screens. They will start immediately with Showcase Cinemas, National Amusements’ U.K. theatre chain where Sony Digital Cinema 4K systems will be deployed on all 276 screens. In an effort to quickly ramp up the number of 3D screens at the circuits disposal, Sony will install the first 24 systems before the end of July.

There was no mention when installation of d-cinema equipment would begin in the U.S. or South America. In fact the press release seemed purposefully non-committal, referring to the deal as an “expected global exhibitor agreement”. One could read into the use of the word “expected” or assume that Sony will be deploying equipment to the 450 screens National Amusements has in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island. The theatre chain owns 16 theatres in South America which would probably be included in any worldwide rollout.

Posted in Equipment Vendors, Integrators
Tagged as 4K, AMC Entertainment, Duncan Short, Europe, Hulskamp Audiovisueel, National Amusements, Oliver Pasch, Protronic AG, Showcase Cinemas, Sony, Sound Associates

Comments

Datasat’s AP20 Goes Global With 7.1 Surround Sound

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 25, 2010 9:22 pm

Datasat's AP20 Audio Processor

It is a very rare occasion when I have any personal involvement, however small, in one of the many press releases that make their way to my inbox. This past week was one such occasion when two announcements arrived from an old employer, Datasat Digital Entertainment (formerly DTS Digital Cinema). Both press releases pertained to the company’s new cinema audio processor, the AP20.

While still at Datasat I was tasked with product management for the next generation of their cinema audio processor. The XD10P, which was the complementary audio processor for the XD10 Cinema Media Player, was nearing end-of-life and parts to manufacture it were increasingly getting hard to come by. Besides, Datasat wanted an audio processor that would be capable of handling the more technical demands of digital cinema and other pro-audio applications.

After a great deal of market research and engineering work, the AP20 Audio Processor was developed. The processor can handle digital audio from both eight channel 35mm film prints and 16 channel digital cinema content. It has a touch screen interface, Dirac Live room tuning, more digital signal processing power than anyone could ever ask for and enough input/output jacks to make the crankiest of theatre techs happy. Even the three expansion slots made the final cut allowing for additional channels or the integration of emerging technologies.

I was quite proud that the initial functional requirements we put together for the processor wound up actually getting built. However, I left Datasat shortly after the product launched and once outside the company I could never really be certain how successful the processor was in the market.

The AP20 Around The World
Any concerns I may have had completely vanished this past week upon being told all Datasat’s sales projections were being “comfortably” met. In fact, one of Datasat’s releases boasted that the West African theatre chain Au Cinema Ce Soir chose the processor for their digital cinema screens, including their flagship cinema, Théatre National Daniel Sorano in Dakar.

Posted in Equipment Vendors
Tagged as 7.1 Surround Sound, AP20 Audio Processor, Datasat Digital Entertainment, Dolby, High Performance Stereo, John Allen, Toy Story 3

Comments

Christie Gets DCI Compliance And New Manufacturing Faciltiy

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 18, 2010 9:57 pm

Christie's CP2220

It’s been a busy week for Christie. The company’s CP2220 was the first series 2 digital cinema projector to pass the Compliance Test Plan (CTP) put in place by Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) to gauge whether equipment meets their published specification. As well, they announced the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China.

While many d-cinema equipment manufacturers claim their products are DCI compliant, it wasn’t until October of 2007 that a testing process was made public and testing entities were selected. Christie can now officially say the CP2220 is DCI compliant, having fully passed all tests that make up the CTP, including procedural and design reviews. Because Sony says the SRXR320 is compliant on their website I’m not sure if it’s the first digital cinema projector to pass the CTP, or just the first series 2 projector to pass it.

In the press release announcing the test results, John Hurst of CineCert, one of DCI’s icensed testing entities, said:

“We are very pleased to confirm that the Christie CP2220, featuring Texas Instruments’ Series 2 DLP Cinema technology, has passed all the requirements of the CTP.”

Passing the CTP is a huge milestone for a d-cinema technology vendor as it is the only way for equipment to become DCI compliant. Hollywood studios require all equipment playing their content to be DCI compliant. In making sure a piece of equipment meets all of the DCI specifications, one of the CTP’s main goals is to verify a device’s interoperability and content security features.

Posted in Equipment Vendors
Tagged as 4K, Brian Claypool, China, Christie, Christie CP2220, CineCert, Compliance Test Plan, DCI, DLP Cinema, Ihor Stech, john Hurst, Texas Instruments

Comments

Panavision Officially Enters 3D Market

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 17, 2010 1:45 pm

Panavision continues to modify its 3D glasses

Earlier this week Panavision took their first public steps into the 3D motion picture exhibition market by announcing a new system that will work with all projectors, film or digital, and all screens, white or silver. While we had already reported that Panavision was working on such a solution, this was their first official statement about the product. The company, primarily known for high end motion picture camera systems, will demonstrate the system next week at Cine Expo in Amsterdam on a screen 56 feet wide (17 meters).

Last Tuesday Panavision invited the press to their offices in Woodland Hills to see the 3D system in action. We were greeted by John Galt, Panavision’s Senior Vice President of Advanced Digital Imaging, Eric Rodli, Senior Vice President of Panavision and Bill Bevins, President and CEO of Panavision. They explained all the technical specifications about the system as well as some of the business details pertaining to its marketing.

First let’s quickly review some of tech bullets all of which are the same as they were back in March when we first saw a demo:

The system uses spectral comb filtering, not polarization, to separate the visible light spectrum into ten band of even and odd wavelengths of light. One set of bands is presented to the left eye, the other set to the right eye.

Dichroic passive glasses allow the viewer to view distinct images in each eye. Though the image reaching each eye is actually different, the viewer’s brain puts the images together providing the sensation of seeing a full color spectrum.

No ghost busting, color correction or image processing is required.

Film-based 3D uses an over/under method. Each frame of film contains two images, stacked on top of one another, two perforations high. The system will use the same film prints made for Technicolor’s 3D system. A specially designed split lens mounted on the front of the projector combines the images on screen.

Digital 3D being shown on a DLP projector employs a split filter wheel placed before the integrator and in front of the lamp house that rotates at 4320 RPM to provide 144 flashes per second. For Sony’s SXRD projectors a specially designed split lens will be used to separate two stacked images from the 4K chip.

The system will work with any digital projector on the market today.

Panavision worked with Omega Optical to develop the product.

Posted in Digital 3D, Equipment Vendors
Tagged as Bill Bevins, Dolby, Eric Rodli, John Galt, Omega Optical, Panavision

Comments

Texas Instruments On Track With 4K

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | March 26, 2010 12:50 pm

Both at ShoWest and in the weeks leading up to the conference, I was able to speak with some of the folks over at Texas Instruments working on the company’s digital cinema offerings. They were happy to report that development of their 4K chip was right on schedule and some of the first 4K DLP projectors should be available for purchase in the first part of 2011, if not a little sooner.

For those who are just tuning into our industry, TI is the group that has been making DLP chips for cinemas since 1999. Each DLP chip is an array of 2.2 million microscopic mirrors that move and rotate at high speeds to reflect the appropriate light and provide 2K image. Projectors based on the company’s DLP digital micromirror device (DMD) have been installed on over 19,000 movie theatre screens worldwide, giving them at least 90% of the digital cinema install base.

However, last year for the first time TI’s dominance in the market was threatened when two of the world’s largest cinema chains, AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas, announced they would be installing Sony’s 4K digital cinema projectors. While the DCI spec may only call for 2K, the marketing advantage of 4K was hard to overcome with exhibitors who were looking for a future-proof solution. So in June of last year TI announced they would be developing a 4K DLP chip for their OEM manufacturers, which include Barco, Christie and NEC. No development timeline or release date for the new chip was given. Read More »

Posted in Digital Cinema, Equipment Vendors
Tagged as 4K, DLP Cinema, Projectors, Series 2, Texas Instruments

Comments

Christie Releases Digital Cinema Trailer

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | March 1, 2010 12:50 pm

Surfing around the Internet last week I stumbled across a promotional trailer for Christie, the motion picture projector manufacturer. The new trailer (see below) can be found on Christie Digital’s YouTube channel. To date, it has been viewed 280 times since it was uploaded on January 14th. The trailer is 25 seconds long and promotes Christie’s line of digital cinema projectors powered by DLP chips. It seems 3D content was taken into consideration during its production.

With the conversion to digital the number of equipment manufacturers that can be found in any given projection booth has potentially doubled. This could potentially lead to at least two minutes worth of preshow for d-cinema vendors, promoting servers, projectors and 3D technology. This isn’t even taking into account satellite content delivery providers, integrators or theatre management system developers. And I’m sure I’m leaving someone important out.

Have a look at Chrisitie’s new trailer and let us know what you think.

Posted in Equipment Vendors, Trailers
Tagged as Christie

Comments

Daily Cinema Roundup-Thursday 27 May

Posted by Carolyn Giardina | May 28, 2009 12:59 pm

–With his contract recently extended until 2013 and “Monsters Vs. Aliens” one of the year’s top grossing films so far, DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg has now revealed plans to release five feature films every two years, adding an additional film every other year to its existing two picture a year release schedule.
With today’s news, DWA’s release slate through 2012 now includes eight feature films, including five original films and three sequels based on the company’s existing franchises, Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda. And as previously announced, all DWA features will be produced in 3D.
This commitment to 3D content should come as good news for stakeholders, but it could also mean added pressure on theater owners to install digital cinema and 3D capabilities, as well as on those working to advance 3D for the home market.

DWA’s schedule includes:
–“How to Train Your Dragon,” based on the book by Cressida Cowell, will be released on March 26, 2010. It will star a cast that includes Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.
–“Shrek Forever After” will be released on May 21, 2010. It features the original cast, including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas.
–“Oobermind” (formerly “Master Mind”) will be released on November 5, 2010. It will star Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey.
–“Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom” will be released on June 3, 2011. Returning is a voice cast that includes Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and David Cross.
–“The Guardians” (working title), based on the forthcoming books by William Joyce, will be released on November 4, 2011.
–“Puss In Boots” (working title) will be released on March 30, 2012 and star Antonio Banderas as Puss In Boots and Salma Hayek as Kitty, Puss’ love interest.
–The next Madagascar sequel is due to be released on May 25, 2012. It will find the zoo animals continuing to get back to New York. This time the road takes them through Europe.
–On Nov. 2, 2012, DWA plans to release one of three original projects currently in pre-production at the studio.

–There is more on this news announcement in a Reuters article, reporting that Katzenberg spoke yesterday at the Cowen and Co. Technology and Media and Telecom Conference and predicted that he could get its production budgets down to $130 million (including 3D) for the 2011 films. (“Monsters Vs. Aliens” was estimated to cost $175 million.) The Reuters article also said that Katzenberg expects a positive shift it distribution costs, come 2012 when DWA’s distribution contract with Paramount expires.

–In related box office news, at press time DWA’s debut 3D title “Monsters Vs. Aliens” is just shy of an impressive $194 million in the domestic box office—the highest grossing digital 3D release to date. It had also been the biggest money maker of the year so far, but today it was just passed by the Starship Enterprise. “Star Trek” reached $194.8 million. “Monsters” will surrender the majority of 3D screens this weekend to Disney/Pixar’s “Up.”

–Dolby announced new 3D installations this week: The Empire Leicester Square in London has become Europe’s first auditorium to use the new Dolby 3D Digital Cinema large screen system.
The company reported that the new Dolby 3D large screen solution combined with Barco’s digital cinema twin-projector allows exhibitors to project Dolby 3D onto standard, non-silver screens ranging from 12.5 to 21 metres, surpassing the previous size limit of 12 metres. The Empire Leicester Square, one of the UK’s oldest and largest cinema venues, offers a 20-metre screen.
In related news, Dolby reported that Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco has installed Dolby 3D Digital Cinema in its 160-seat auditorium, in time for Disney/Pixar’s “Up” opening.

–Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release director Henry Selick’s stop-motion animated feature “Coraline” on Blu-ray Hi-Def combo pack, 2-Disc Collector’s Edition DVD and single disc DVD on July 21.
All editions feature both the 2-D and 3-D versions of the film and four pairs of 3-D glasses, making “Coraline” the next 3D home release to watch. In theatres, digital 3D release “Coraline” made $75. 2 million in North America and $85.2 million worldwide.

Posted in Box Office, Business, Digital 3D, Equipment Vendors
Tagged as Coraline, Dolby, Dreamworks Animation, Kung Fu Panda, Monsters vs. Aliens, Shrek, Star Trek

Comments

Daily Cinema Roundup-Tuesday 19 May

Posted by Carolyn Giardina | May 19, 2009 11:20 am

–Barco has enterted into a supply agreement with Kodak to provide exhibitors fully integrated digital cinema systems that combine Barco digital cinema projectors and Kodak’s digital screen management servers and theater management systems.
new-digital-cinema-logo2 “Barco has a long-term commitment to high quality projection technology in digital cinema,” said Les Moore, chief operating officer for Kodak Digital Cinema. “We are already working with them in a number of multiplexes in the United States and beyond. By combining Barco’s capabilities with ours, we can jointly provide a complete solution to the marketplace. This new agreement will be a good fit for both companies and for our customers worldwide.”
According to this morning’s announcement, Barco could deliver up to 10,000 digital cinema projectors to support Kodak’s worldwide deployment.

–Lionsgate’s “My Bloody Valentine 3D,” which grossed $51.5 million in the box office, largely from the digital 3D screens, comes out today in anaglyph 3D on Blu-Ray Disc and DVD. Opinions have been mixed about anaglyph and whether it will help or hinder interest in digital 3D. Sales of this release will be something to watch.

Posted in Digital 3D, Digital Cinema, Equipment Vendors
Tagged as Barco, Kodak Digital Cinema, My Bloody Valentine 3D

Comments

Daily Cinema Roundup-Monday 18 May

Posted by Carolyn Giardina | May 18, 2009 8:56 am

regal-entertainment1 –Sony and Regal released a press release this morning, officially announcing that Regal will install the Sony 4K digital projections systems across its entire circuit. (See Celluloid Junkie’s Friday post below on this news).
According to the release, the installation of the systems is expected to take 3-5 years, but the financing is being handled through DCIP. So the question is, when will installations start?
There is still no word on DCIP securing the needed funding to begin its planned wide rollout. DCIP represents AMC, which also plans to deploy Sony technology; as well as Regal and Cinemark.
images1 Sony also reported that approximately 1,500 of the Regal screens will be outfitted for 3D using Sony’s dual-lens adaptor technology.
Amy Miles, Regal Entertainment Group’s incoming chief executive officer, is quoted in the press release as saying: “The rollout of these Sony 4K systems gives Regal the opportunity to utilize the latest technology to provide our patrons the best available presentation. Sony’s state-of-the-art 4K systems produce the highest levels of resolution, contrast and overall image quality.”

–Another example of the growing interest and potential of alternative content, The Financial Times is reporting that a June 25 production of Racine’s Phèdre at London’s National Theatre is to be screened live in 170 cinemas worldwide. Dame Helen Mirren stars in the production, which according to the article is nearly sold out in the d-cinema venues. See the complete article, titled “British Theatre to be Seen Around World,” here

–An interesting feature on CNN Money/Fortune titled “Every Blog Becomes a Cinema” examines a new model of distribution, as well as advertising. SnagFilms aims to distribute documentaries—which have always been challenged to find a theatrical release—on the Internet. The article is here

smpte_logo1 –Call for Papers: SMPTE is seeking proposals for technical papers and tutorials for the 2009 SMPTE Technical Conference & Exhibition, 27-29 October in Hollywood.
The organization is seeking papers on a range of topics including digital cinema exhibition, d-cinema production and post, advancements in film technologies, content security and stereoscopic 3D Imaging.
Interested parties are invited to submit a one-page abstract, no later than June 12. Further details on how to submit a proposal are here

Call for Entries: The Hollywood Post Alliance has issued a call for entries for the Engineering Excellence Award, part of the 4th Annual HPA Awards. The call for entries is now open and will run through July 1. Entrants will be given the opportunity to present their technology during the Engineering Judging Day.
The HPA Awards also accepts entries in categories for compositing, DI/color grading, editing, audio post, as well as for the new Judges Award for Creativity and Innovation in Post Production. For more, see the website here

Posted in Alternative Content, Daily News Roundup, Equipment Vendors
Tagged as DCIP, HPA, National Theatre, Regal, SMPTE, Sony

Comments