Over the past week Apollo Cinemas has decided that more is… well, more. The United Kingdom’s sixth largest exhibition chain is partnering with Sony Digital Cinema to bring more 3D alternative content to its customers and they have selected Vista Cinema Software to increase their overall operational effectiveness.
Apollo launched the More campaign to offer content from partners such as The Royal Opera House, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the English National Opera. Performances will be offered in what is being described as “super high definition live 3D” using Sony’s 4K projectors. The circuit is also planning to show sporting events such as rugby, football and tennis, as well as concerts and music festivals.
Apollo has held their first live 3D event earlier this month when pop star Avril Lavigne debuted her new album at the chain’s cinema in London’s Piccadilly Circus. Lavigne was on-hand for a question and answer session after the video screening. In March, Apollo will be showing a 3D film version of the opera “Carmen”. The George Bizet opera was filmed during performances at the Royal Opera House.
The deal seems somewhat inevitable since Apollo signed up with Sony as their digital cinema deployment entity in 2009. The theatre chain’s press release didn’t specifically detail how Sony was enabling them to bring 3D alternative content into their theatres beyond providing the equipment that makes it all possible. In fact, Nicole Oakley, Marketing Manager at Apollo Cinemas said just that:
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Popularity: 3% [?]
Queen Elizabeth Watching Coronatin In 3D
When I first heard that Prince William and his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton had become engaged to be married I certainly never thought I’d be writing anything here about their wedding. But when it was announced that the couple wanted their royal wedding to be a “people’s event” rumors soon began to circulate that the ceremony would be broadcast in 3D.
The BBC, Sky TV and Virgin are reportedly in discussions to capture the event live in 3D when it takes place in Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.
This wouldn’t be the first time the British Royals were filmed in 3D. In November of last year Channel 4 aired unseen color footage of Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation which had recently been discovered in the archives of the British Film Institute.
But don’t get too excited. As Jana Bennett, director of BBC Vision clarified in the Daily Mail, despite all the interest in 3D, no plans have been solidified yet:
“We are already planning with the other broadcasters so I know about the 3D thing as well. That is obviously of some interest but our responsibility is to bring things everybody can see on air and 3D has a very limited footprint.”
It is highly likely that limited “footprint” will include cinemas capable of screening a broadcast in 3D, which makes the story appropriate for an entry on Celluloid Junkie. Besides, who could resist posting a photo of the Queen of England wearing those snazzy 3D glasses?
Popularity: 5% [?]
This past Sunday Cinedigm, a leading North American digital cinema deployment entity, achieved another live event milestone and I was there to witness it first hand. As we reported back in June, Cinedigm partnered with Sensio Technologies to bring the FIFA World Cup Final live and in 3D to theatres throughout the United States and Canada.
Event Details
At the time there was some uncertainty as to how many theatres were to show the FIFA World Cup matches and where they would be located. In total 25 FIFA World Cup matches were shown live in 3D at 475 venues in 33 different countries accounting for 4,500 screenings.
Cinedigm was given permission directly from FIFA to show the matches at 15 locations and theatres in Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ontario Texas and Virginia were selected. Another 15 locations were allocated to NCM Fathom.
Originally Cinedigm intended to show both the semi-final matches as well as the championship game, which pitted Spain against The Netherlands. Instead they chose to hold screenings only for Sunday’s final in order to have one marquee event. The feed for the event was supplied by ESPN, which was capturing the match in 3D for its new 3D network.
From what I was told ESPN wasn’t too pleased about the final being broadcast in cinemas.
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Popularity: 4% [?]
If you were wondering what kind of impact the recent rash of 3D film releases has had on the general public, you need look no further than Fluevog Shoes. The Canadian shoe designer John Fluevog, whose footwear is often deemed trend setting, sent out a promotional email on Friday in which the subject line read – John Fluevog Thinks You’re Awesome In 3D.
Though messages like this that land in my inbox are automatically labeled “Bacon” and are often summarily deleted after a cursory inspection, I actually clicked on this one. I admit after reading the subject I was curious as to how a Canadian shoe designer whose shoes are sold in tiny, upscale boutiques could have anything to do with 3D.
The email contained the graphic above announcing an anniversary sale and was accompanies by the following text:
People said it couldn’t be done… launching a shoe company built on unique design and genuine appreciation, nurturing and developing it for 40 years, and then offering it in 3D! Well, consider that bridge crossed, that stone overturned and that box ticked. Welcome to the 40th Annual John Fluevog Thinks You’re Awesome Sale in 3D!*
The asterisk at the end of the last sentence is defined at the bottom of the email with the disclaimer “3D available only in store”. Keep in mind, this is coming from the same designer who emblazons angels on the soles of his shoes and whose company’s tag line is “Unique Soles For Unique Souls”.
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Popularity: 5% [?]
Sooner or later it was bound to happen. After all, 3D movies have topped the North American box office for nine out of 13 weeks this year. And 3D films like “Avatar” and “Alice In Wonderland” have generated record breaking grosses, far beyond industry expectations. With more and more moviegoers showing up for 3D content, it should come as no surprise that at some point the public, not to mention the media, was going to start noticing the extra USD $3 they were forced to pay for the latest multi-dimensional blockbuster. In fact, after this past week the industry may begin to face some consumer backlash at the 3D surcharge, especially since a handful of large U.S. theatre chains raised 3D and 3D Imax ticket prices as much as 26% in some locations.
We’ll get to a few reasons as to why exhibitors might be raising ticket prices during an economic recession and what it might mean for the industry as a whole before the end of this post, but first lets go over the history of this recent increase.
Lauren A.E. Shuker and Ethan Smith of the Wall Street Journal were the first to report the price hikes on Wednesday, causing a rash of similar news stories to surface by Friday. The original source of the news about price increases came from a research report released on Wednesday by Richard Greenfield, a media analyst for BTIG, an institutional brokerage and financial services company.
Mr. Greenfield surveyed 10 random theatres in major cities throughout the U.S. and found that on average 2D adult ticket prices rose 4.1% (USD $0.42), 3D non-Imax adult ticket prices increased 8.3% (USD $1.13) and 3D Imax adult tickets were up 9.9% (USD $1.50). Most of the new prices, which varied by theatre took affect on Friday, just in time for the release of Dreamworks Animation’s “How To Train Your Dragon”. Read More »
Popularity: 41% [?]
It’s fitting that on the eve of theatrical exhibition trade show Showest—and as DCIP claimed its long-awaited funding—Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” topped the weekend box office during its second week in release and demonstrated the continued strength of 3D.
Alice earned an estimated $62 million, extending its domestic haul to $208.6 million, according to weekend box office figures announced Sunday by Rentrak and its Box Office Essentials theatrical box office data collection and analytical service.
Tim Burton’s fantasy played in 3,728 locations, and of course included a digital and Imax 3D release.
Many insiders believe this wildly successful start—Burton’s most successful do date—is t least in part due to the “Avatar effect.” And insiders suggest that 3D can account for roughly 80% of the “Alice” box office figures.
But “Alice” is not likely to benefit fully from this bump, as Dreamworks Animation’s “How To Train Your Dragon” is set to open March 26, taking the majority of the 3D screens. This of course is not a new concern, but it only becomes more pronounced as box office numbers climb to record heights and tentpole titles demonstrate staying power.
“Dragon” of course has a similar problem, with the opening of the 3D “Clash of the Titans” on April 2, when the industry will get its first look at a film entirely converted to 3D by Prime Focus.
“Alice” was lensed in 2D, and the live action scenes were converted to 3D by companies including In-Three and Legend Films. The film’s lead VFX house, Sony Picture Imageworks, handled the 3D conversion for the CG Wonderland environment that makes up the majority of the run time.
According to Rentrak estimates, the top five in the domestic market included the debuts of “Green Zone” with $14, 5 million, “She’s Out of My League” with $9.6 million, and “Remember Me” with $8.6 million. “Shutter Island” rounded out the top five with $8.1 million, giving the film a new domestic total of $108 million. “Avatar” continued to perform, earning an estimated $6.6 million, for a new domestic total of $730.3 million.
Popularity: 21% [?]
John Fithian of NATO
Not even a record setting rain storm could keep cinema professionals away from the Universal Hilton in Universal City yesterday where the International Cinema Technology Association was holding it’s annual tech conference. After a Monday evening cocktail reception, the program began in earnest with a keynote address from John Fithian, President of the National Association of Theatre Owners.
In a speech billed as a “State of the Industry” in the conference schedule, Fithian covered a wide range of hot button topics not all of which were geared strictly to many of the motion picture engineers in the room. He began by recapping the box office records that were shattered in 2009, a year which saw North American combined grosses surpass the USD $10 billion mark. Fithian was quick to point out that such earnings were not due to just the rise in ticket prices, but rather an increase in the number of patrons visiting cinemas nationwide. In fact, decade-over-decade, the average number of moviegoers rose from 995 million in the 1970′s to 1.13 billion in 1980′s upwards to 1.28 billion in the 1990′s settling at 1.44 billion for the decade which just ended.
A good portion of Fithian’s talk was focused on many of the reasons 2009 was such a spectacular year for the cinema business and how the industry might continue to grow even more. He detailed three key drivers he believed were responsible, not the least of which was the major studios getting better at understanding there are 12 months in the calender. Fithian stated:
For years we put out everything in the summer, we put out everything in the holidays and you couldn’t find an person in the cinema in February or September. That is no longer the case…. we’re getting good pictures that appeal to different demographics with different genres spread throughout the 12 months and that’s fantastic. That’s what we have to have.
Affordability of movies as a form of entertainment was the second reason Fithian gave for 2009′s growth. Despite the increase in ticket prices over the years, and even with the premium for 3D films, the price of a movie ticket has not outpaced inflation. In 1969 the price of a movie ticket in the U.S. was USD $1.42. In 2009 that price had risen to a nationwide average of roughly USD $7.56. If ticket prices had kept up with the rate of inflation, then starting with USD $1.42 in 1969, we should presently have an average ticket price of USD $8.37.
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Popularity: 20% [?]
The Peter Jackson-produced scifi release “District 9” from TriStar debuted in the North American box office’s top spot this weekend, with an estimated $37 million.
In its second week, Paramount’s “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra” was behind it with an estimated $22.5 million; and Warner Bros.’ “The Time Traveler’s Wife” debuted at number three with an estimated $19.2 million.
Another debut in the North American box office this weekend was animation great Hayao Miyazaki’s magical “Ponyo,” released this weekend by Buena Vista, which played in 927 theaters and earned an estimated $3.5 million.
Sunday estimates also suggest that Disney’s “G-Force” added $6.9 million to its gross for a new total of $99 million.
As the 3D guinea pigs of “G-Force” approach $100 million, the final 3D movies of the summer are about to open. Disney’s sports feature “X Games 3D: The Movie” debuts on Aug. 21, followed by Warner Bros./New Line’s thriller “The Final Destination” on Aug. 28.
There are a little more than 1600 3D ready d-cinema theaters in North America and that count has been a factor to watch all summer. Disney’s “Up” surrendered most of its 3D-ready theaters on the weekend that the next 3D release, Fox’s “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” opened. And “Ice Age” did the same when “G-Force” debuted. North American theater owners charge a premium of roughly $2 to see a movie in 3D.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Paramount’s big budget “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra” opened with an estimated $56.2 million in the North American box office this weekend, giving it the top spot. Sony’s debut “Julie and Julia” finished second with $20.1 million.
Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer’s live action/CGI “G-Force”—a digital 3D release—finished third in its third week with an estimated $9.8 million, bringing its estimated domestic total to $86.1 million.
Disney continues to hold the majority of the just over 1600 3D-ready digital cinema venues in the market, and estimates suggest that 3D accounts for more than half of the gross.
Estimates suggest that the weekend top five was rounded out by Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” with $8.9 million and a total gross of $273.8 million; and Universal’s “Funny People” with nearly $7.9 million for a new total of $40.4 million.
There are a few more weeks to go before the final summer 3D releases arrive in theaters. Disney’s “X Games 3D: The Movie” opens Aug. 21, followed by Warner Bros./New Line’s “The Final Destination” on Aug. 28.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and Imax announced last week that “Under the Sea 3D” will be rereleased in select Imax theaters on Aug. 19.
Last February, “Under the Sea 3D” opened in 49 Imax theaters domestically and three locations internationally and has since grossed more than $15 million in worldwide box office. “Under the Sea 3D” follows 2006’s “Deep Sea 3D,” which has topped $80 million in worldwide box office receipts.
Popularity: 14% [?]
In its second weekend in release, “Up”—Pixar’s 10th animated feature and first in digital 3D—crossed the $100 million mark. The film earned $44.1 million in North America, to reach a domestic total gross of $137.2 million. The film opened in 3,818 theaters, including roughly 1,535 that were 3D ready.
Still, when the final weekend numbers were released Monday, Warners’ new comedy “The Hangover,” has just squeaked by Pixar with just under $45 million for the weekend.
Universal’s new Will Ferrell-starrer “Land of the Lost” disappointed, bringing in $18.8 million.
“Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” and “Star Trek” finished fourth and fifth respectively. “Museum” earned $14.6 million for a new domestic total of $127.3 million, while “Star Trek” brought in another $8.3 million in North America for a new domestic gross of $222.7 million.
The debut of “My Life in Ruins,” starring Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) earned $3.2 million.
Popularity: 16% [?]
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