As exhibitors bask at least temporarily in the financial glow of The Dark Knight there is now reason to be cautiously optimistic about the box office outlook for 2009. It was widely announced in recent days that Twentieth Century Fox has reached an agreement with the Digital Cinema Implementation Partners. The news was first released during a July 24th earnings call to analysts during which Don De Laria vice president of investor relations for the Regal Entertainment Group said this: Now briefly turning to the digital cinema initiative a DCIP update last quarter we indicated that digital cinema implementation partners or DCIP the joint venture between Regal AMC and Cinemark was finalized in agreements with the various studios to provide for the upgrade to digital cinema. I'm pleased to report that last week we achieved definitive progress toward this goal as DCIP signed the first digital deployment agreement with a major studio. We believe that this first signing is a major milestone and we are optimistic that DCIP will sign additional studios in the near-term. As we indicated last quarter J.P. Morgan and the anticipated financing sources continue to be involved in the process and we expect to begin the financing process once we have finalized the agreements with the majority of the studios. At this time we would expect the digital conversion still to commence during the latter half of the fourth quarter. At least three other studios are close to signing as well and all the agreements would also likely include deals with AccessIT and the Cinema Buyers Group in addition to DCIP. Not surprisingly all three studios have major 3D movies scheduled for release next year. One insider with knowledge of the talks told me off the record As you know moving forward on VPF deals is challenging. I expect the financing entities to have higher standards for accepting a deal. The ‘3D' studios are the likely candidates to sign first. Fox Disney Paramount. The rest have less incentive to be timely as the first installs will be for 3D and there's a full year of 3D releases coming up in 2009. Fox tends to be the most aggressive in signing deals. They were first with Arts Alliance a year ago if you recall. Hopefully things will continue to move forward in a timely manner and we'll see several deals done by ShowEast. But getting more to sign than the three 3D studios could be challenging. Another person still closer to the talks said Warner Bros is also close to reaching an agreement with exhibitors and would be expected to followed shortly thereafter by Sony and Universal. Assuming nothing stalls negotiations from this point and the deals are in place by ShowEast in October the winter months will be about deploying the thousands of screens in North America that would be covered under the agreements. Regal's got fifty to sixty contractors trained and ready to go said the insider. He added that the other companies are similarly prepared. The studios that have 3D movies coming out in early 2009 will probably have more 3D screens than are out there now but not as many as they might want he said. The studios that release 3D movies in December 2009 should probably have as many as they want. ,190
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead,2008-07-31,Director Jordan Galland's debut movie Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead has completed shooting in New York City. The project which was shot with the Red camera features music by Sean Lennon. We'll have a behind-the-scenes story in our next Report. ,206
Top Stories,2008-07-31,",208
Three-Dimensional Scratch,2008-08-01,Scratch Takes the Amazing Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D For film studio Walden Media’s latest feature film with New Line Cinema Journey to the Center of the Earth Assimilate’s Scratch was the stereoscopic 3D workflow of choice for the film. “Journey to the Center of the Earth offers a depth of imagery that brings the viewers into the film as if they’re looking through a picture window and can feel themselves ready to step into the action ” says Jonas Thaler vice president of post-production at AFG/Walden Media. Thaler called upon veteran post-production supervisor Steven Kaminsky (Superman Returns Gracie Dreamcatcher The Mask) to manage the post-production editorial and 3D mastering. “My immediate task was to figure out and plan our 3D mastering process which included putting together an in-house 3D DI team of specialists procuring hardware selecting software planning for reusability and developing the overall business model for mastering of the film ” says Kaminsky. “I had experience with Scratch from Superman Returns so we looked at their 3D capabilities. We found that Scratch had the sophisticated and versatile 3D features we needed. On Superman we really pushed every feature and workflow angle and Scratch stood the test. I had confidence that a Scratch-based solution could be structured for 3D that would fit the filmmaker’s objectives and allow us to post a 3D film mostly in house with maximum control and flexibility. Scratch also offers a compelling price/performance value that fit our budget plan.” Kaminsky says “We of course knew there would be unique challenges to face but Jonas and I gamed up a general plan with editor Dirk Westervelt and 3D specialist and VFX editor Ed Marsh and the studio gave us their support to build something no one had ever done before. Jonas has a deep knowledge of the nuts and bolts needed to make high-impact films so his confidence in our idea for a process and technical methodology was central to executing the project.” “When researching a 3D digital workflow we examined several scenarios that were compelling but none proved to have the flexibility 3D features and price point that we needed to put this together on a project basis ” says Thaler. “Scratch was the only system that met our criteria for 3D plus it included an extensive feature set for the DI process. Our biggest concern for Scratch was the size of this project. There was a huge amount of footage and content from several sources and we had roughly 800 visual effects which means multiply by two for the number of files. This was an ambitious project for a cost-effective software tool that we set up ourselves but Scratch performed amazingly well.” Director Eric Brevig brought a wealth of visual effects knowledge to the film having worked as the visual effects supervisor for a long list of films including The Village Pearl Harbor Men in Black Total Recall and an early 3D film Captain EO. Kaminsky says “It was extraordinary for the DI team and the VFX department to work with the director and studio in real-time 3D in front of the filmmakers. The real-time post process proved to be amazingly productive for everyone involved from conforming to color grading dropping in the VFX and client review sessions. Each day was a working session—perfecting the film and seeing the results.” Conform supervisor and team lead Gary Jackemuk (Superman Returns X-Men: The Last Stand) who also filled the role of the daily go-to man for operating the digital pipeline talked about some of the issues they faced in the color grading portion of the pipeline. “3D color grading in real time is a tough challenge right now. Scratch was ahead of the other platforms but still had some process and feature points to be improved. As an experienced team we were able to work through the issues and Assimilate pitched in with technical support and new code ” says Jackemuk. “We were breaking new ground and we all had lessons to learn. Bottom line though we we’re totally satisfied—very much so—with the end result and how it appears on the big screen.” “It is very exciting to have the power of the traditional big post-production systems on the desktop ” says Kaminsky. “It’s truly an extraordinary experience to work on a film with this much data VFX and various idiosyncrasies and in 3D and to do so effectively on the desktop. It was especially gratifying to take what we learned with Scratch on Superman Returns and build it to the next level—a big jump ahead for 3D and in-house DI mastering. We’re all looking forward to using Scratch on even larger projects in the future.” Assimilate www.assimilateinc.com ,212
In A Place,2008-08-13,A New Post-Production Facility Opens in Hollywood In A Place Productions a new post-production boutique serving Hollywood's creative community in feature films commercials and music videos is off and running. Named after the opening line of Miguel de Cervantes' literary classic Don Quixote the new facility was open for business last month by owners/partners Salvador Lleo and Dominique Martinez who met while attending the cinematography program at the American Film Institute. Located inside Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford’s first home together in Hollywood's legendary Laurel Canyon neighborhood In A Place Productions started out as a production company that would allow Lleo and Martinez to pursue their own projects in commercials and film. They recently decided to add post-production services and quickly came to the conclusion that the Quantel Pablo would be the best way to do so. “We happened to read about a project that used Pablo ” says Lleo. “We went to see a demo and were blown away by the technology. After much research and thought we decided that the Pablo could accomplish much more and much faster than other systems on the market so we placed an order with Quantel.” The Pablo real-time digital intermediate system offers color grading solutions for HD 2K and 4K resolutions as well as an option to work in stereoscopic 3D. Created by Quantel with input from world-class colorists Pablo establishes an efficient workflow that allows artists to work within a powerful and precise color correction environment using an intuitive interface. As filmmakers Lleo and Martinez say they immediately understood the potential of Pablo to enhance their creativity. “We all realized this is a great tool that can help us be better at our work ” says Martinez. “There seem to be no limits to what it can do.”In addition to purchasing a Pablo 4K In A Place is one of the first facilities to place an order for Pablo's new Neo color correction control panel. AttachmentSize digitalintermediates133pdp_1.jpg30.56 KB ,221
The Right Feel,2008-08-13, OConnor Supports Cinematographer Bryan Greenberg on The Perfect Game Cinematographer Bryan Greenberg is a veteran of more than one hundred music videos and he has long relied on OConnor support gear. That was also the case on the feature film The Perfect Game which opened nationwide this month. “OConnor equipment has been with me all the way ” says Greenberg. “I bought a used OConnor 100 back in 1976 that I still use today. The combination of counterbalance and OConnor drag gives me the right feel. Looking back Greenberg recalls when the head came with various spring options. “When I was living and working in Detroit the cameras were all much heavier so this older 100 was made with heavy-duty springs ” he says. Greenberg used the OConnor Ultimate 2575 head on The Perfect Game. “We did high angles in the bucket with the 2575 capturing the crowds about to charge the field ” he explains. “At one point we needed to put a camera and head in a very narrow area and still tilt up and get a smooth pan across the crowd. OConnor was the answer. Plus the head came in handy when I had to work with long lenses and extenders on exteriors or going low into the crowd. It's safe to say we couldn't have captured the action of this wonderful true story with the intensity and excitement necessary if I didn't have OConnor equipment to take me places I needed to be.” The HighRoad Entertainment Group film is being distributed by Lionsgate. Directed by William Dear it stars Clifton Collins Jr. Cheech Marin Emilie De Ravin Bruce McGill and Patricia Manterola. The movie is based on the true story of a scrappy Mexican Little League team that became the first non-American team to win the league's World Series. OConnor is a member of the Vitec Group. Photo caption: Director of Photography: Bryan Greenberg B camera operator: Victor Macias A camera operator: David Parrish The Vitec Group www.vitecgroup.com ,222
European Growth,2008-08-13,Cinema City International Goes Digital and 3D Cinema City International is equipping its theatres with 3D digital cinema technology from Dolby and Kinoton. The company has ordered 50 Kinoton DCP 30 digital cinema projectors with integrated Dolby 3D system several of which have already been installed in Israel Poland and Hungary. Further installations are scheduled for the Cinema City multiplexes in Poland Hungary the Czech Republic Bulgaria Romania and Israel. Cinema City International’s decision to offer their audience the digital 3D cinema experience should have an impact on the European cinema industry as a whole because the company is the largest multiplex theatre operator in Central and Eastern Europe and in Israel. As of July 2008 Cinema City operates 62 multiplexes with 563 screens and 113 000 seats. Kinoton has already installed 15 of the 50 D-Cinema projectors ordered. The others are to follow in fast succession. At the Yes Planet theatre in Ramat-Gan Israel three of the 15 auditoriums now are suitable for stereoscopic digital projection. The Yes Planet in Haifa with 23 screens the biggest multiplex in Israel was equipped with four digital cinema projectors. Both multiplexes have exhibited the digital version of the Disney/Pixar production Wall-E already and successfully started 3D projection with Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D. The 23-screen megaplex Cinema City Arena in Budapest Hungary is the largest cinema in Central Europe with 23 screens and seating for 3 800 moviegoers. Now it offers four digital screens which premiered with Wall-E. The digital installations at the Cinema City Arkadia in Warsaw (Poland) are currently in progress; soon three of its 15 auditoriums will offer 3D. For Moshe “Mooky” Greidinger CEO of Cinema City International the decision on the supplier of the digital cinema technology was an easy one. “We have been working with Kinoton for many years already and together we have reached over 500 screens in six territories ” he says. “Our experience all these years showed us that first we can be sure that when buying a Kinoton we get a product that we can trust and use for many years and second that behind the products there is a professional team that will always be there if we need them. When operating this amount of screens this is very important. For us it was also very important that Kinoton has been a leading company in the cinema market for many years. Going digital is a long process and we wanted to do that with the team that we know and trust.” “We are honored that Cinema City International one of our most important long-term customers has not only decided in favor of our digital cinema projectors but also relies on our expertise in digital technology and projection. This is the proof that we have successfully expanded our competence in cinema technology to the digital sector without making any compromises regarding our high quality standards ” says Christoph Dobler managing director of Kinoton. AttachmentSize exhibition133de_1.jpg29.41 KB ,223
Rethinking the Pre-Show ,2008-08-13, After Three Years Screenvision is poised to Change the Experience Although many people are just beginning to implement digital cinema technology a handful of companies have been deeply immersed in it for several years. This includes in particular those people involved in the making and exhibition of digital pre-shows. One of the largest of these is Screenvision and after three years that company has learned a lot and is about to use that knowledge to re-invent the pre-show experience. It is a huge undertaking as is the show itself says Stu Ballatt senior vice president marketing Screenvision. The show changes every month although certain elements of the show may change more frequently depending on the needs and goals of the exhibitors and advertisers. Given the fact that the Screenvision network includes some 7 000 screens in 50 markets across the country there are multiple versions of the show tailored to each exhibitor’s particular needs. “You literally have as many as 14 000 different shows ” he says. “We are the producers of the show ” Ballatt says. “We make all the creative decisions in-house with input from Digital Kitchen. They’re our key production partner.” With studios in New York Chicago Seattle and Los Angeles design-driven production company Digital Kitchen has created experiential campaigns for Target and Microsoft as well as broadcast spots for hundreds of leading brands. Their work includes interactive work for AT&T Budweiser and Mercedes the Emmy Award-winning main titles for Dexter and Six Feet Under the live show content for the 2008 Webby Awards and countless other high-profile assignments. On a monthly basis Digital Kitchen shoots all the hosted segments for the 20-minute pre-show. Each show features up to 12 minutes of material comprising five to 10 segments with a host and occasional guests. Digital Kitchen shoots the shows on a practical set in a Chicago studio and rents cameras from Fletcher Camera there. For the past several months they’ve shot with Panasonic’s HPX2000. “The HPX2000 fits a nice balance between high-end and affordable ” says Digital Kitchen producer Colin Davis. “The ability to change lenses and the sensor is top-notch; and being able to work in a high-quality tapeless workflow was the major deciding factor for us. We deliver digitally so we can operate with a tape-free workflow the entire process.” Digital Kitchen is shooting AVC-Intra 100 in 720p. On location they are loading P2 cards directly onto a computer. “We are able to make selects on set cutting down on post-production time ” Davis says. “We edit in Final Cut Pro and typically do not require additional color correction ” Davis says. “The final uncompressed QuickTimes are sent on drives to Technicolor and Kodak facilities where they are uploaded and beamed out to theatres where the show is digitally projected.” Today Ballatt and his team are currently in his words “turning the pre-show inside and out.” The effort is the culmination of more than two years of research. The goal is to answer the question: “What is the next pre-show?” Screenvision does extensive research. “We’re in the theatres every month doing a lot of research ” he says. “Some of it isn’t rocket science.” It has shown that audiences like information about movies. That includes sneak peeks at upcoming feature and DVD releases and behind-the-scenes stories about movies and TV shows. Cinema advertising has enjoyed double digit growth for several years in a row and says Ballatt “that will probably continue to be the case for the next several years.” “Reach is a bigger factor for national advertisers ” Ballatt says. “Screenvision covers more than 90 percent of the markets in North America. That’s a true national footprint.” “Retail is definitely a fast growing category ” he says but it’s not the only one. Insurance and packaged goods companies are also signing up. “There’s a lot of growth in a lot of areas ” Ballatt says. “The advertising industry is interested in 3D ” he says. Certain brands and certain members of the creative community are doing due diligence on the issue but he cautions that it is still very early in the process. Screenvision will reveal the results probably early next year. Ballatt suggests that it may include interactive elements such as polling trivia and games controlled via digital handsets connected to the seats. “It’s an exciting opportunity ” Ballatt says. “We have an opportunity and feel a responsibility to provide an entertaining show.” Digital Kitchen www.d-kitchen.com Panasonic www.panasonic.com/broadcast Screenvision www.screenvision.com ,224
Now at 5 500 and Counting,2008-08-13,Cineplex Entertainment Helps RealD Reach a Critical 3D Milestone Cineplex Entertainment and RealD have signed a long-term agreement to install a minimum of 175 3D systems into Cineplex Entertainment theatres across the country by December 2009. The deal is pending a Cineplex digital deployment agreement to begin the conversion to digital projection. When finalized this would bring RealD’s committed screen count to well over 5 500. Cineplex Entertainment currently has 41 RealD 3D systems installed and will begin the rollout of the remaining systems into its theatres later this year to bring the total to 175. The majority of installations are expected to be completed in time for the slate of 3D films being released in 2009. “We are pleased to partner with RealD the leader in 3D technology ” says Ellis Jacob president and CEO Cineplex Entertainment. “There is an exciting slate of 3D films scheduled for release during the next 18 months that includes Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Monsters vs. Aliens in addition to about a dozen other 3D films and this agreement with allow us to provide even more guests across the country with the most advanced digital 3D movie-going experience possible.” “We are thrilled to be the 3D provider of choice for Cineplex Entertainment ” says Michael Lewis chairman and CEO RealD. “The partnership brings next-generation 3D to even more cinemagoers across Canada.” “2009 is truly shaping up to be the year of 3D in which exhibitors and film studios will join together to provide moviegoers with a bigger and better experience at the theatre than ever before ” says Jeffrey Katzenberg CEO of DreamWorks Animation. “By this time next year we will be closer than ever to seeing digital 3D become a mainstream reality in theatres across North America.” “The good news just keeps coming as moviegoers get even more access to 3D screens ” says Bruce Snyder president 20th Century Fox Domestic Distribution. “With Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and James Cameron’s Avatar both being released in 3D next year we’re obviously committed to the 3D format and couldn’t be more excited about RealD’s continued expansion of its 3D technology and digitalization of theatres globally.” RealD www.reald.com,225
Seeing Red,2008-08-14, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead Wraps in New York By Dyan James The movie has wrapped but it’s definitely not dead. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead an independent film has just finished production in New York City. It was shot with the Red camera which according to its director Jordan Galland offered the varied range needed to deliver the particular look he wanted. Rosencrantz Galland’s feature film debut is a notably bizarre vampire comedy about an unemployed seducer who gets work directing a wacky version of Hamlet and later finds himself amid a two thousand-year-old conspiracy involving the connection between Shakespeare the Holy Grail and sexy vampires. Its cast includes Jake Hoffman (Dustin’s son) Ralph Macchio (Karate Kid) Devon Aoki (Sin City) John Ventimiglia (The Sopranos) and Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under) and is scored by Sean Lennon. Because of the unique aesthetics the story required—ranging from heavy red and black darkness and shadows for the creep factor to plethoras of light for the comedic scenes and varying neutral lights and color in between—Galland felt Red was the only camera to do the film justice. “I chose Red because the budget was so small and the Red offered the diverse range I wanted to tell a story that’s a romantic comedy with some pretty dark and intricate back story involving Shakespeare vampires and the Holy Grail ” says Galland. “Every other camera we looked at which fit our budget cheapened the experience of those epic and expansive themes.” Galland was both mesmerized and surprised that the footage had what he felt was a crisp look. It had “a mixture of softness with extreme sensitivity to the subtlety of color which felt like films that had inspired me from the seventies and eighties: The Omen The Shining Being There. And Lavasseur and I discussed trying to get this look. It was the Red camera that allowed us to get it.” Chris Lavasseur the movie’s cinematographer agrees that Red was a good fit for the film. “What made the Red so appealing for both Jordan and I on this project was first the resolution of the camera and shooting in a limited depth of field equivalent to 35mm ” he says. “Also hearing and reading articles about how much exposure range it had compared to other digital cameras helped in our decision. Most other digital cameras have a limited overexposure range and once we tested the Red we really liked the way it handled the highlights. It also felt more creamy (organic) than other digital cameras that usually look flat and synthetic.” Galland and Lavasseur knew from the outset that the film was going to be shot in an HD/digital format and ultimately decided the Red was the only camera for this production. “We were considering the Viper Sony F23 (the Sony F35 was not out yet) and the Sony F950 or 900. What made the Red stand out was its 35mm size chip that created limited depth of field (all the other cameras mentioned above have a 2/3-inch chip and greater depth of field) and Red’s greater exposure range. The other cameras could not compare to the Red for the look we were after.” The Red performed very well in low light situations according to Lavasseur. “For the look we wanted we rated the camera at 250 ASA at night to get solid blacks ” he says. “We shot test rating it at 500-800 ASA and felt the blacks were too soft for this particular film. There were nights we shot some scenes and I had the Red tech bring up some of the raw footage on the histogram. I couldn't believe the details we were getting in the shadows.” For the majority of the shoot tungsten lighting was utilized and Lavasseur believes a conservative lighting package was used throughout the film. “We day-played some Maxi-Brutes on the night exteriors but other than that the package consisted of 1-5K as our biggest light with 2Ks 1Ks tweenies inkies and Kino Flos ” he says. For Galland shooting his first film with Red was beyond a great adventure. “Using the Red camera was more than just a positive experience…like taking a really good poetry class and bonding with the professor ” he says. “It’s like finding out that the poem you wrote is magically channeling creatures from other dimensions. Imagine how exciting that is! I would watch the dailies and think ‘This looks and feels like I imagined it.’” Movie-goers can expect future Galland films to be shot on Red as well. “I’ve heard a lot of people say that the movie is never gonna be as good as it is in your head before you set out to make it ” he says. “And it’s probably mostly true but this camera makes it a little less true.” ,226
Tekken,2008-08-14,The feature film Tekken which is based on the hugely popular video game series just completed shooting in Shreveport Louisiana and will be released next year. The movie is the story of a young man who discovers he holds a great power and must battle a team of elite fighters who will stop at nothing in order to get it from him.,242
The Three Absolutes,2008-08-14, A little more than a year ago I wrote a column for Box Office magazine called The Seven Basic Realities of Digital Cinema. Given the current volatile state of this business much of what I wrote has changed since then and I now believe that things can be summed up in three digital cinema absolutes. These are likely to remain with us for the foreseeable future and they are true for the people who make movies as well as for the people who exhibit them. Hollywood only cares about Hollywood. The major Hollywood studios have and always will look out for their own business interests and digital will do nothing to change that reality. While certainly some people within the Hollywood system are passionate about the art and craft of movies most of the executives who run the studios are not. They are only passionate about profits and about maximizing their share of them. That those studios fierce competitors all were able to agree on the DCI specifications was a minor miracle in itself. The only explanation for that singular achievement is that the studios shared the belief that as much as they dislike and distrust each other the greater enemy was everyone else. To that end they approved the creation of the digital firewall that is the DCI specifications. Those specifications define a system that is for all practical purposes even more closed and Hollywood-centric than the current film-based system that it is designed to replace. Much of that is due to Hollywood's reasonable concerns that the movies it creates are not stolen. But a more open system could be just as secure. Unless Hollywood can be convinced (coerced?) into adopting an open distribution system - and that still seems highly unlikely - theatres in the United States and around the world that can't accept a so-called DCI-compliant digital release package will not be able to legally screen mainstream Hollywood films. For filmmakers this changes little. It has always been an uphill battle to have an independent film acquired by Hollywood. For exhibitors it means that unless they invest in DCI-compliant digital cinema technology they will one day (and relatively soon) be unable to present mainstream feature films to their patrons. Despite some well-documented inherent flaws in the film production distribution and exhibition system - the expense of making and shipping prints and the degradation of prints after multiple screenings to name the obvious - the current century-old system has worked rather well. But the devil is in the details and in this transition era numerous smaller details of technology and business are getting resolved. They will be resolved over time but there is one significant issue that looms on the horizon and that is just how long Hollywood will be able to justify shipping film prints to exhibitors. Kodak and other film manufacturers will not be able to support the professional market indefinitely. The consumer market drives their businesses and when was the last time you saw an ad for a film camera or tried to buy a roll of film? At some point - certainly years away but just as certainly not decades away - when digital releases have reached a certain percentage of movies and when a certain percentage of theatres are operating digitally Hollywood will stop distributing film prints. When that happens theatres that aren't digital will be left out of the system. Digital cinema technology will always be expensive. The prices for digital cinema technology are beginning to fall somewhat as more theatres install equipment but the fact is this technology will be expensive for years to come. And while prices of the current generation of technology will continue to fall and before too long will be affordable for virtually every exhibitor the relatively high cost of digital cinema exhibition technology is and will remain a constant. That's because this technology does a lot and because it's life span bears no resemblance to that of comparable film-based technology. Many theatres operate with film projectors that are decades old and that continue to work fine when well maintained. With all due respect to digital cinema technology manufacturers no one believes the new technology will match that record of longevity. Having said that the manufacturers in this business are working overtime to develop ways to future-proof the systems they sell and current digital cinema tools have already passed the reliability test. But longevity is not always a fair test of business tools. Would you still want to run your business with the same computer you owned twenty or even ten years ago? This is a challenge but in truth the technology promises productivity gains and creates business opportunities never even imagined in the film-based world. Advantages and possibilities we can only begin to envision today will gradually be introduced into digital cinema technology and when it works for your business you will want to upgrade. This holds true for filmmakers too. While it is obvious that a lot of digital production and post-production tools are less costly than ever it is just as true that those tools do not produce an image and sound that is fully acceptable on a truly big screen. Those tools are expensive and will stay expensive as the quality bar keeps getting raised higher and higher. And make no mistake movie screens are about to get bigger. To take full advantage of all the possibilities of a big screen digital 3D experience the days of 100-foot movie screens and bigger are on the horizon. A consumer HD camera will never be able to produce that kind of image. Alternative content will drive the digital cinema future. Digital cinema is a fact now and not something that may happen someday. It's here today and the transition is happening steadily. That is not going to change and every exhibitor in the world must be involved immediately if not sooner. However getting involved is not the same thing as investing money in the technology. For many exhibitors especially smaller chains and independents it is probably too soon to take the plunge today. But every exhibitor needs to understand everything about the evolving digital world and develop a solid business plan that is tailored to his or her business. Digital cinema will open doors to new money that theatres never dreamed possible. But every opportunity comes with risks and digital cinema is no different. Ingrained in the love-hate relationship that sometimes exists between Hollywood and exhibitors is the reality that Hollywood consistently makes movies that large numbers of people want to see and then supports those movies with expensive and usually masterful marketing campaigns. In short with Hollywood movies Hollywood does a lot of the heavy lifting. That isn't the case with opportunities such as alternative content. Here each chain - and in some cases each individual theatre - must take on the work of marketing and audience building. There have already been dozens of success stories with alternative content but there have also been more than a handful of failures. What works in one area or even one theatre may not always work elsewhere. The learning process is underway and will continue. For filmmakers this is terrific news. Movie theatres are already discovering new kinds of audiences open to content other than mainstream movies. The demand for a wide range of quality productions will only increase in the future as theatres with digital technology have the ability to play a broader range of content and can deliver audiences willing to pay to see it. ,243
Success is Spelled 3D,2008-10-31, Attendance was Low at ShowEast 2008 as 3D Dominated the News Again As covered elsewhere in this Report despite a widely noted low turnout ShowEast buzzed with speculation of what will happen regarding new testing procedures from the Digital Cinema Initiatives and word that the Digital Cinema Implementation Partners have reached deals with five studios and with JP Morgan and the Blackstone Group to finance its roll out. But the big technology news at this show as in recent years was 3D. Two companies – Christie and Sony – unveiled single-projector 3D systems. Here are those announcements and other highlights. Christie introduced its Brilliant3D technology that enables 3D content to be projected in full 2K-resolution for digital cinema projectors utilizing 1.2-inch DMD chips from Texas Instruments. The technology is available exclusively on all Christie digital cinema projectors. The new technology provides 33 percent more brightness for 3D content and uses only a single lens system. “We’re very excited about this technological development from Christie. This advancement combined with our RealD XL system enhances the 3D experience tremendously. Together we can fill screens up to 75-foot in width with true triple-flash capable technology making 3D films even brighter and clearer ” says Joseph Peixoto president of worldwide cinema RealD. Craig Sholder vice president of Christie’s Entertainment Solutions says “With more than 15 new movies slated for 3D release over the next 18 months Christie’s new Brilliant3D will enable exhibitors to project 3D movies onto the largest screens—while reducing both lamp and electricity expenses. Christie engineers initiated development of this technology so that audiences would have the most compelling 3D experience.” Sholder says “We’ve enabled our full suite of digital cinema projectors with Christie technology. And our flagship Christie CP2000-SB will offer double the brightness for 3D projection than any other competitive product on the market. We’re thrilled to offer a much more viable solution to the industry for projecting 3D movies on medium and large screens. Christie remains at the forefront of the digital cinema revolution with 3D solutions for every exhibitor on any size screen.” Christie also announced a new suite of variable prime zoom lenses that enable a convenient and cost-effective single lens solution for 2D and 3D content regardless of format keeping operating costs down. These lenses and new projector solutions will be available for the release of the 3D blockbusters scheduled for the upcoming holiday season. And Christie introduced the new Christie Champion Lamp Warranty. For all eligible lamps Christie will provide a full 100 percent credit of the purchase price. The new warranty effective now applies to all of Christie's CXL and CDXL Xenon lamps used for film and digital cinema projectors. “Christie cinema lamps are backed by years of quality engineering to an exacting standard making them unequaled in the industry for dependability ” says Jim Dukes film cinema and Xenon lamp product manager for Christie’s Entertainment Solutions division. “The new Christie Champion Lamp Warranty reflects our continued confidence in the exceptional quality of our products. Christie lamps continue to exceed industry expectations for performance and combined with the new warranty represent the most competitive offer in the industry. Sony Electronics demonstrated a single-projector 3D adaptor designed to work specifically with its 4K projectors in movie theaters. The new adaptor uses the full height of Sony’s 4K imaging device with the ability to display full 2K images for the left and right eye simultaneously and in parallel from top and bottom. The new models consist of an optical and mechanical assembly for each left and right eye image. It is designed to meet DCI specifications for 3D digital projection while overcoming the bandwidth and resolution limitations of currently available 3D systems. “With the addition of the 3D adaptor to our digital cinema product line-up Sony can now offer the best of all worlds to exhibition: stunning 4K imagery from 4K movies and incredible 3D with no triple-flash artifacts ” says Gary Johns vice president of Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Systems Division. Sony says that when used with it’s integrated media block the SRX-R220 4K projector is able to achieve 4:4:4 RGB signal path from media block while avoiding the “triple-flash” artifacts of current 3D solutions. It can also deliver a 60P 3D display that is especially effective for sports or other fast moving content in 3D. Sony says the system was developed to give exhibitors the flexibility to switch between showing 4K and 3D content. The 3D adaptor attaches onto the lens mount of the projector and is compatible with all Sony 4K projectors currently in the field. It can be easily removed or re-attached within minutes. The adaptor is designed to work with a maximum screen size of 55 feet (4.5 foot Lumens brightness on 2.3 gain silver screen). The 3D adaptor is expected to be available in March 2009. Dolby Laboratories demonstrated its ongoing commitment to 3D digital cinema with an event called Breakfast at the Movies: The World of 3D at Orlando’s AMC Pleasure Island. The technology highlights of that were Dolby’s reusable (and environmentally friendly) 3D glasses as well as the Dolby Show Player – the nucleus of the system containing a precision image decoder designed specifically for high-accuracy display on the cinema screen and Dolby Show Store which houses digital content for playback through the player. Its capacity is three full feature films at a minimum. It uses a RAID 5 hard disk array for increased reliability: playback continues even if a drive fails. The drives are user-serviceable and hot swappable. Dolby Show Store also includes a removable hard disk drive a DVD-ROM drive and a USB 2.0 port for content delivery. Internal GPI/O plus serial and Ethernet ports provide easy interface with cinema automation systems. Barco expanded its DP series with the premiere of the DP-1200 which has been designed for screens up to 40 feet wide. Using the 0.98-inch DLP Cinema chip from Texas Instruments the DP-1200 builds on the strengths of the DP-1500 and DP-2000 platform. In the DP-1200 Barco paid particular attention to optimizing operating costs by making low wattage 2kW and 1.2kW lamps available for use. In addition the DP-1200 incorporates all the traditional Barco benefits such as a modular design a motorized single lens solution optimal protection of the optics and low ventilation requirements. The communicator software and SNMP agent provide customers with an easy key to operate their digital cinema projector. With the DP-1200 in place Barco now offers solutions for some 90 percent of cinema screens through one powerful product family. Across the DP-2000 DP-1500 and DP-1200 line Barco offers maximum spare parts commonality high reliability and a common user interface with an elegant “touch and feel.” Todd Hoddick vice president digital cinema says “With the addition of the DP-1200 we now have Barco solutions across all market segments. Our newly expanded digital cinema reaches new markets and strengthens the overall commitment to our customers.” Doremi Cinema introduced its latest digital cinema server the DCP-2K4. Building on Doremi's DCP-2000 platform which was the first JPEG2000 payback server on the market the DCP-2K4 provides the same robust feature sets and performance of the DCP-2000 with added ingest inputs which gives exhibitors flexibility on the receipt and ingest of content for digital playback. In addition to ingest via USB and Ethernet the DCP-2K4 contains a DVD player for small package ingest and a pluggable CRU for file ingest at SATA 2 speeds. Features trailers policy reels and other content from national and local advertisers are quickly and easily ingested and scheduled for playback. The engineering knowledge that comes with over 5200 DCP-2000 server installations is invaluable ” says Michael Archer Doremi’s vice president digital cinema. “The DCP-2K4 configuration is another opportunity for Doremi to provide exhibitors the very best in digital cinema technology. The DCP-2K4 includes CineLister software for easy movie clip and play list administration and features Cinelink II and forensic watermarking. The DCP-2K4 features 1TeraByte of RAID5 storage in a 4RU chassis with redundant power supplies. Xpand announced that working with GDC Technology it has launched one the largest 3D theatre deployments across Mainland China. The companies have signed a distribution agreement in preparation for recent Hollywood 3D blockbuster releases including Journey to the Center of the Earth now premiering across international film markets. With an aggressive roll-out in the various regions which includes Beijing Changzhou Chengdu City Dalian City Guiyang City Guanghzhou Ha’Erbin City Huizhou City Lanzhou City Nanjing Quindao City Shenyang City Shenzhen Taiyuan City Xiamen Wuhan City Wulumuqi City Wuxi City and Zhenjiang there have been 63 installations to-date with a target plan of 100 theateres fully installed and operating by the end of this year. “We have respected Dr. Man-Nang Chong GDC Technology founder and CEO and his entire team to their commitment of this rapid deployment in China ” says Maria Costeira CEO of Xpand. “Our partnership has secured China as one of the leading countries that have prepared for the increased 3D releases next year as well as the entire digital campaign.” GDC also announced that its digital cinema server has been included in the approved digital equipment lists of both AccessIT and the Cinema Buying Group a buying program for independent theatres administered by the National Association of Theatre Owners.
Qube Cinema announced that the Media Block used in its Qube XP-D Digital Cinema Server has been recommended by InfoGard Laboratories for the Federal Information Processing Standards 140-2 Level 3 validation certificate. The FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification for the Media Block is a key requirement of the DCI Specification. Confirming the recommendation Ken Kolstad general manager InfoGard says “InfoGard has successfully completed the FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validation testing on the JPG2K module which is used within the Qube XP-D Server. We have submitted the test report to the CMVP with our recommendation for issuance of a validation certificate.” “We are extremely happy with this achievement and will continue to work diligently to achieve full DCI Compliance as well ” says Rajesh Ramachandran president and CTO of Qube Cinema. Sony also had several business announcements. Sony Pictures Entertainment has said that it will use 4K digital technology in the making of most of its filmed productions. “With the industry moving rapidly to embrace the improvement in quality that digital cinema can offer we believe that 4K resolution gives audiences the best seat in the house ” says Gary Martin president of production administration and studio operations for Sony Pictures Entertainment. “That’s why we will be making more of our filmed productions at full 4K resolution scanning at 4K using a 4K workflow process and releasing a 4K DCP to theaters. The crisp and vibrant images provided by 4K are the only way to ensure that audiences both today and in the future will really be able to see the full range of what we can capture on film.” Sony Pictures released the summer blockbuster Hancock in 4K; the movie grossed more than $600 million at the worldwide box office to date. Movies released in 4K can play in theatres with either 4K or 2K projectors. Among the next motion pictures to be digitally imaged in 4K by Sony Pictures and available for 4K distribution are expected to be 2012 Salt and The Green Hornet with more titles to be announced. “This commitment from Sony Pictures continues the momentum that is building behind 4K ” says Johns. “Exhibitors are realizing that 4K is a reality now for enhancing their customers’ experiences and studio support is a critical element to take advantage of the superior resolution of Sony’s 4K projection system. The growing number of 4K-equipped theaters will now have even more 4K content potentially available to offer their customers.” Sony’s 4K projection technology will also contribute to the deployment of alternative content – including gaming sporting events and music concerts – in order to develop more revenue-generating opportunities for exhibitors as the industry transitions to digital delivery. According to Jeff Blake chairman worldwide marketing and distribution for Sony Pictures Entertainment “As digital cinema programming becomes more prevalent in the marketplace consumers will experience entertainment in bold and exciting new ways with superior state-of-the-art sound and picture quality as well as the deployment of alternative forms of content.” Twentieth Century Fox Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment have entered into separate non-exclusive digital cinema deployment agreements with Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Solutions and Services group. The agreements relate to supplying exhibitors with feature motion pictures in digital form in order to promote the use of digital cinema projection systems. The new agreements will provide certain operational and financial resources to encourage exhibitors to implement digital cinema systems that will feature Sony’s DCI-compliant 4K SXRD projection technology. The separate agreements vary among the companies and extend to digital cinema efforts in certain countries in North America Europe and Asia. The Sony DCSS group was formed to provide turnkey solutions for exhibitors that will enable them to efficiently convert their operations to digital technology. In a joint statement Bruce Snyder president of domestic distribution of Twentieth Century Fox and Paul Hanneman and Tomas Jegeus co-presidents of Twentieth Century Fox International says “Fox is committed to supporting the highest-quality solutions for exhibitors as they make their transition to digital cinema on a global basis. It is important that exhibitors worldwide have the widest choice of solutions available to them. By working with Sony and its range of available technology experience and stability our goal is to continue to make the transition to DCI-compliant digital projection systems as smooth as possible. We’re proud to be working with Sony DCSS to further advance digital cinema on a global level.” Jim Tharp Paramount Pictures president of domestic theatrical distribution says “Paramount is committed to maximizing new creative opportunities to encourage the conversion to digital projection and to broadening the availability of high quality 3D cinema. Our collaboration with Sony’s DCSS team is a great step toward that end. We look forward to continued cooperation in the future.” “We’re excited to be working with Fox Paramount and Sony Pictures to further facilitate the motion picture industry’s global digital transition ” says Mike Fidler senior vice president of Sony’s Digital Cinema Solutions and Services group. “These studios understand the value of 4K technology along with providing an integrated range of services to exhibitors – from equipment installation maintenance and alternative programming to security digital signage and advertising. A successful digital cinema business model requires a one-stop shopping approach that only Sony can provide allowing exhibitors to maximize the benefits of the digital transition and to deliver an experience to the consumer that is beyond HD.” “We couldn't be more supportive of our colleagues at Sony DCSS who are offering exhibitors a compelling digital cinema experience ” Blake says. “These agreements continue to push the evolution of our industry to 4K from acquisition through to exhibition.” AccessIT www.accessitx.com Barco www.barco.com Christie Digital Systems www.christiedigital.com Cinema Buying Group www.cbgpurchasing.com Dolby www.dolby.com Doremi www.doremicinema.com GDC www.gdc-tech.com Paramount Pictures www.paramount.com Qube Cinema www.qubecinema.com Sony www.sony.com/digitalcinema Sony Pictures www.sonypictures.com Strong Technical Services www.strong-cinema.com Twentieth Century Fox www.fox.com Xpand www.xpandcin.com
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