Cineplex Entertainment is adding 22 new digital projection systems enhanced with Real D 3D technology to 22 theatres located in 21 cities across Canada over the next few weeks. The first 3D movie to premiere using the new digital system will be Walt Disney Studios’ Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience As of February 27th Regina and Sault Ste. Marie residents will be able to experience the best in digital cinema including 3D movies with the installation of a digital projection system located at Galaxy Cinemas. The theatre will be equipped with Canadian made Christie CP2000 series DLP Cinema projectors. Regina residents are going to love the bright crystal clear images of digital presentations says Pat Marshall vice president communications and investor relations Cineplex Entertainment. With the addition of Real D audiences will now be able to enjoy an incredibly immersive 3D experience. I love watching the audience wearing their 3D glasses and seeing people reach out to touch the images that appear to be floating in front of them and with our premiere film audience members will feel as if they are on stage dancing beside the Jonas Brothers
.” Cineplex Entertainment www.cineplex.com ,724
Litepanels Introduces 1x1 Bi-Color LED Light
,2009-02-12, Litepanels has introduced the 1x1 Bi-Color LED light. According to the company the new Litepanels 1x1 Bi-Color enables never-before possible utility by providing a single fixture capable of generating a color temperature of either 3200°K or 5600°K or an infinite range of color temperatures in between. The Bi-Color name comes from its design which incorporates both 3200°K and 5600°K LEDs. This allows a crew to carry one light or set of lights to cover both tungsten and daylight ambient light conditions.
Until now when cinematographers videographers and still photographers faced a change of lighting conditions between daylight and tungsten they've either had to change lighting fixtures entirely re-lamp the fixture or use light-robbing filtration in front of the fixture.
To further expand the 1x1 Bi-Color's versatility the fixtures can vary the mix between tungsten and daylight LEDs to set the resulting color temperature to any point between 3200°K and 5600°K. Color temperature can be dialed in by using either the onboard dial or digital color temperature settings or via a built in DMX lighting controller. Thus the Bi-Color user can make quick adjustments to match unusual mixes of color temperature or to enhance skin tones. The 1x1 Bi-Color LED fixture features Litepanels' full-range integrated dimmer that enables instant dimming from 0 to100 percent with minimum shift in color. The company says it requires less than 10 percent of the electricity needed to power standard lighting fixtures. Also because Litepanels fixtures generate practically no heat there is an additional savings in the energy that would otherwise be required for air conditioning. The 1x1 Bi-Color's modular design makes it easy to customize the lighting configuration to meet the shoot's requirements. With a slim line profile just 12 inches wide by 12 inches high by an inch and three-quarters deep (30.48cm x 30.48cm x 43mm) the 1x1 Bi-Color is ideal for lighting even in tight quarters. The Bi-Color can be powered from a variety of 12-30V sources including an optional battery car battery or AC adapter. The optional on-board 1.75-hour lithium-ion battery pack provides un-tethered mobility. Litepanels www.litepanels.com ,729
Offhollywood South Brings Production/Post-Production Services to Louisiana,2009-02-12,Leading digital cinema company Offhollywood announced today that it has officially launched Offhollywood South in Baton Rouge Louisiana. The company will offer advanced end-to-end motion picture production and post-production services backed by expertise in the latest digital technology offerings. Offhollywood also plans to introduce services in London later on in 2009. Louisiana has a history of artistic creativity and offers a 25 percent tax credit on in-state motion picture production expenditures exceeding $300 000. Providing state-of-the-art facilities proven talent and cutting-edge technologies Offhollywood South will allow filmmakers to take advantage of the state's attractive production environment while enjoying the highest-quality services provided by the Offhollywood brand. Offhollywood South offers the latest gear and technical know-how to establish smooth end-to-end digital workflows along with avant-garde facilities including a 6000-square-foot sound stage five edit suites six visual effects suites and a digital intermediate color-grading suite. The company is a collaborative venture by co-owners Mark L. Pederson CEO of Offhollywood in New York City and Greg Milneck founder and creative director of Digital FX. Both companies were early testers and adopters of Red One digital 4K cameras and continue to track and apply emerging technologies to production and post-production. Offhollywood currently maintains the largest inventory of Red digital cinema cameras on the East Coast. With its unique culture and diverse range of locations and environments Louisiana has a great deal to offer the feature film industry says Milneck. With our facilities and capabilities Offhollywood South will give filmmakers a one-stop shop for all of their production needs. And given our experience working with the state tax credit we also can ease that process and help productions to move ahead more rapidly. Greg has been associated with the post-production business in Louisiana for 25 years and our joint launch of Offhollywood South brings together a wealth of experience the most advanced technologies and the best facilities in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region says Pederson. Greg works with the very best local crew in the state of Louisiana and has also been working with the tax incentives since they were initiated. Combining our rolodexes and resources gives producers unmatched leverage in the state. Following New York and Los Angeles Louisiana is the third-largest market in the U.S. for film production. Offhollywood South is the first local company to offer the robust service and high standard of quality suited to the state's active production environment. Sherri McConnell executive director of Louisiana Entertainment at the department of Economic Development The state has cultivated a thriving motion picture industry by offering progressive incentives and cultivating widespread support from our business community. The expansion of Digital FX and Offhollywood South is a true example of this synergy. This is another positive economic development for our motion picture industry and we look forward to seeing its contribution to our productions. Offhollywood returned last week from the Sundance film festival after providing advanced production/post-production technologies and services for Toe to Toe and Mystery Team two feature films with premieres at the Festival. The company also provided Red-centric post-production services for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead which premiered at the concurrently running Slamdance Film Festival. Last year the company celebrated their post-production work on Frozen River which won the 2008 Dramatic Grand Jury Prize title. It has since been nominated for a 2009 Independent Spirit Award and was just recently nominated for two Academy Awards. Digital FX www.digitalfx.tv Offhollywood www.offhollywooddigital.com ,732
Phuket Film Festival Looks to Aid Thai Tourism ,2009-02-12, The second annual Phuket Film Festival is set for June 4-11 with a line-up of international films and activities that organizers expect to cause an up-tick in tourism numbers arriving on the island in June.
Late last year Tourism Council of Thailand president Kongkrit Hiranyakit was quoted as saying The tourism industry is being affected by many negative issues. All players need to adjust marketing plans by turning their focus to short haul markets particularly in Asia instead of Europe and other remote markets.
We agree with Khun Knongkrit's assessment says Scott Rosenberg managing director of AMW International the Thai organizers of the Phuket Film Festival. But by focusing on a 'sanook' (fun) experience for all participants we think we can not only attract film enthusiasts from nearby Singapore and Malaysia but also from the Cannes Film Festival (held in France) which ends in late May. In the past Hollywood and European studio heads slipped into Thailand's high-end spas to chill after the stressful Cannes film market. We hope to attract those folks back to visit the Film Festival on Phuket
Rosenberg also announced that a special workshop/familiarization tour would be held at the Festival between the Thai post-production services private sector the Thai government responsible for film activities in Thailand the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Culture and major international film executives in charge of green-lighting and insuring foreign location shoots.
Unfortunately because of recent negative activities having taken place in the Kingdom and continued negative press Thailand is on the black list for mega film project location shoots says Rosenberg. We aim to show the international film industry execs the situation here is not as bad as it has been made out to be – and there is no better way to do that than to have all the stakeholders create a dialog to discuss the situation.
Film programming is progressing nicely with several Oscar and other Award nominated films already committed to playing the Fest.
Our full line-up of films will be announced in late April Rosenberg says. We are honored to have acclaimed Thai film director and multi-media artist Michael Shaowanasai (Iron Pussy) programming our Alternative Lifestyle films this year. We expect that section of film to be bigger and better than last year – attracting a large audience from Europe and neighboring countries directly.
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Cineworld Group Prepares for 3D Releases,2009-02-12,The British cinema chain Cineworld Group has chosen Doremi Cinema to supply equipment for the expansion of its Digital Cinema rollout which will double the number of digital screens in its chain the majority of which will be 3D enabled. Doremi is supplying its DCP-2000 digital cinema servers that include 3D playback. These will support the RealD 3D viewing technology to be used in Cineworld cinemas. Doremi recently announced that the Real D 3D EQ ghost busting technology that significantly enhances the 3D viewing experience will be available in Doremi servers early this year. Cineworld has experience working with Doremi and the DCP-2000 as a part of the UK Film Council’s and the Arts Council England’s Digital Screen Network. Steve Wiener CEO of Cineworld Group plc says We chose Doremi servers based on our good experience with their equipment in our initial digital roll-out. They continue to develop their products and offer the new technologies we need – 3D being a vital part. Michael Archer vice president of Doremi Digital Cinema says “We are very pleased to be given the opportunity to continue to provide Cineworld with an increasing amount of product. Having chosen the RealD 3D solution they will benefit greatly from our latest collaboration with RealD. They are a premier exhibitor and we are fortunate to have them as a partner.” In related news Cineworld has agreed to buy 74 digital projectors for four million pounds ($5.5 million) from NEC Corporation doubling its digital screens across its chain several British publications have reported. The company which operates cinema complexes throughout the UK and Ireland says it would acquire 74 further digital projectors for 4 million pounds ($5.5 million) including equipment and installation costs. Cineworld which plans to have a total of 148 digital screens across its entire chain says the deal would create the largest 3D estate of any cinema chain in the UK. During 2009 13 films are scheduled for release in 3D format including Walt Disney's Bolt and Toy Story 3D and 20th Century Fox's Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. ,734
The Red Priest Posts at Rumblefish,2009-02-12,Rumblefish has announced that it is handling post-production for Vivaldi the Red Priest a Liana Marabini film. Rumblefish managing director Massimo Germoglio edited the film which presents a rich new portrait of the famous and prolific Baroque composer from Venice. Vivaldi was a true star of the Baroque era and the details that Marabini brings to life in her new film illustrate his genius and charisma and his suffering says Germoglio. It's a pleasure for us to apply our creative and technical skills to the finishing of a film that blends a beautiful landscape with inspiring music and the life of an intriguing and very important Italian artist. Based on a recently discovered 1711 manuscript that sheds new light on the life of Antonio Vivaldi the film speculates on a previously untold story about the Red Priest as the red-headed composer and ordained Catholic priest was known. The €5 million film written and directed by Marabini recounts Vivaldi's relationship with a female doctor from Venice the birth of their son and the unexpected end of their affair. Shot in HD at locations in Turin Piedmont Emilia-Romagna Vienna and Paris the film is being processed in DI color corrected in 2K and finished with special effects by Rumblefish in anticipation of a March airing as a television series. Rumblefish www.rumblefish.it ,735
TCS Gets Sony F35 CineAlta Camera
,2009-02-12, The New York based professional equipment company Technological Cinevideo Services has taken delivery of the new Sony F35 camera. The camera is already hard at work.
“We chose the F35 because it allows cinematographers to use all the 35mm glass they have grown to know and love ” says Erik Schietinger of TCS. “Sony provides a well thought out product and a proven workflow in HDCAM SR that our customers can rely on. We have worked hard to bridge the digital and film worlds and to make the transition as seamless as possible.”
A 30-year old family-owned company TCS is run by brothers Erik and Oliver Schietinger who says “To bring our customers from the film community into the digital world we turn to companies with quality reputations. Throughout our long relationship with Band Pro we've found that not only do they support the products they sell but they also offer technical expertise to the filmmaking community. When we bring in a new Band Pro product one of their technicians is there for us when we demo it to our customers.”
The Sony F35 is a 1920x1080P HD CineAlta camera with a single super 35mm size CCD image sensor recording 10-bit 4:4:4 at variable frame rates from 1-50fps. It records to dockable HDCam SR recorders. It allows the cinematographer to shoot with the full line of PL-mounted 35mm motion picture lenses.
TCS Inc. www.tcsfilm.com ,736
U2 3D Nominated for VES Award,2009-02-12,National Geographic has announced that U2 3D has received a nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project from the Visual Effects Society of America's 7th Annual VES Awards. In 2008 National Geographic received the award in this same category for its production Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure. U2 3D which was produced by 3ality Digital and distributed by National Geographic Entertainment premiered in January 2008 as the first-ever live-action digital 3D film. Marrying innovative digital 3D imagery and multi-channel surround sound with the excitement of a live U2 concert – shot in South America during the final leg of their Vertigo tour – it creates an immersive theatrical experience unlike any 3D or concert film that has come before. With what became the largest collection of 3D camera technology ever used on a single project the film’s production crew joined up with U2’s globe-trotting caravan for a month and shot the huge outdoor stadium shows (not seen in North America) at cities in four countries including Mexico City Mexico; Sao Paulo Brazil; Santiago Chile; and Buenos Aires Argentina. In addition to this nomination U2 3D was recognized as Best Musical Film at the Los Premios MTV Latin America Video Music Awards; received the Pioneer Award (film and television) from the 2008 3D Film and Interactive Film Festival; and Best Film Produced Non-Exclusively for Giant Screen Theaters from the Giant Screen Cinema Association. The film was the best-reviewed concert film of 2008 and the fourth best reviewed film overall according to RottenTomatoes.com annual review round up. ,737
Ballantyne Trims Film Projection Staff,2009-02-24,Ballantyne of Omaha has announced that it has reduced its overall staffing by 19 people or approximately 10 percent as part of the ongoing shift in its business from the manufacture of film projection equipment to the distribution of digital cinema projectors. Annualized cost savings related to these actions is estimated to amount to approximately $900 000. Ballantyne will record a first quarter severance charge of approximately $255 000 related to these actions. Over half of the staffing reductions were focused on manufacturing and inventory related positions with the balance spread across administrative areas including accounting and customer service in addition to a reduction in film equipment sales personnel. All but one of the cuts was for personnel at the company’s Omaha facility. John P. Wilmers president and chief executive officer of Ballantyne says “We have long known that the evolution of our business focus from manufacturing to distribution would require a realignment of staffing in our Omaha facility. Over the past two years we have made good progress in cross training employees to perform new functions required by our change in business focus. Functions such as client support services integration of digital projection systems at our facility as well as the manufacture of some sub-assemblies will create new revenue and employment opportunities in Omaha.” “However as our film-based manufacturing requirements continue to decline with the rise of digital projection management is obligated to take these difficult steps to right-size our staffing levels and position our company for improved financial performance. The combination of a challenged economy and a slower than anticipated ramp up in digital cinema deployments required that we accelerate these actions and we thank our current and former colleagues for their contributions.” Ballantyne www.ballantyne-omaha.com ,751
Sony Pictures Signs with Cinedigm Phase Two Deployment Plan,2009-02-24,Cinedigm Digital Cinema has reached announced an agreement with Sony Pictures Releasing Corporation supporting its Phase Two Digital Cinema Deployment Plan for up to 10 000 digital cinema projection systems over the next three years. SPRC will supply its upcoming pictures in a DCI-compliant format to Cinedigm installed theatres in the United States and Canada when booked and will make financial contributions for a limited time to promote DCI-compliant digital cinema technology. “Sony Pictures Releasing Corporation has been an important partner to Cinedigm. We’re happy to have their commitment to our Phase Two Deployment Plan as we know it will help to create a better experience for audiences at their local theatre ” says Bud Mayo chairman and chief executive officer of Cinedigm. “We look forward to adding other studios and exhibitors to our Phase Two plan as we broaden the digital cinema footprint in the U.S. and Canada.” “Cinedigm has been an industry leader in digital cinema and we are proud to be their partner in enhancing the theatrical experience for consumers in North America ” says Rory Bruer president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing & Distribution. Chuck Goldwater president of Cinedigm’s Media Services Group says “Sony Pictures Releasing’s partnership with Cinedigm in our Phase One deployment was a key to our successful installation of our first 3 700-plus screens. We know that their renewed support will be vital to Cinedigm in helping us bring even more benefits of the technology including 3D and alternative content to theatre-goers in the U.S. and Canada. Cinedigm is proud to be SPRC’s trusted partner in making digital cinema happen.” Cinedigm Digital Cinema www.cinedigm.com Sony Pictures Entertainment www.sonypictures.com ,752
Cinemarr Randall Dark Shoot HD Commercial for Ripley’s Aquarium,2009-02-24,Cinemarr Entertainment tapped the services of HD pioneer Randall Dark for Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies first high definition commercial.The 30 second spot a mixture of live action and animation was shot in 1080i with the Sony HDCam and Canon HD zoom lens and will be onlined and offlined at Cinemarr Entertainment in Sevierville Tennessee. TripAdvisor.com recently named Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies the number one aquarium in the United States. “Because of that ” says Cinemarr founder S. Shane Marr who also directed “there is nationwide focus on this aquarium. We are very pleased that Cinemarr was chosen to shoot the new commercial for Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and to do so in HD.” The clarity produced by HD technology was ideal for shooting both the live action sequences and background plates which will later have digital cartoon fish added. Dark says “Capturing the incredible images presented no problems for my HD camera. It was as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.”
Shooting at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies offered ample opportunities for beautiful images but also posed some challenges. “In order to keep the fish comfortable and safe only minimal lighting is permitted in the aquarium during a shoot. The resulting lower light situations could have meant a potential problem getting the best images if we had shot film.” says Marr. “Also the project had an overall abbreviated time frame to be on air in time for spring vacation planning. Shooting in HD helped us on both these fronts by producing beautiful lower light images and turning the project around quickly.” After meeting and becoming friends in 2004 this was the second opportunity Marr and Dark have had to work with one another. The overnight production with a cast of 40 featured extensive shooting inside the aquarium’s 345-foot long underwater tunnel and the new Lethal Weapons exhibit which showcases deadly sea creatures. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is located in Gatlinburg Tennessee one of three resort towns in the Great Smoky Mountains which receive approximately 13 000 000 visitors annually. ,753
CineAsset Now Available from Doremi Digital Cinema,2009-02-24, Doremi Digital Cinema has announced the availability of CineAsset software for digital cinema and presentation applications.
CineAsset is media asset management software that converts common computer files such as QuickTime AVI JPEG and TIFF to JPEG2000 MFX wrapped files for playback on any digital cinema server including Doremi’s DCP-2000 and DCP-2K4. Doremi says CineAsset is ideal for smaller regional theater chains with digital cinema systems because it allows statutory messages custom slides and local commercials to be quickly and easily produced in-house without any prior experience in digital cinema mastering. Now exhibitors and advertisers have more flexibility on pre-show content file preparation and delivery. “With CineAsset the JPEG2000 conversion and MFX wrapping happens as a software solution and creates DCI compliant content that can be ingested and scheduled directly on the server” says Michael Archer vice president of Doremi Digital Cinema “This takes full advantage of the high quality 2K digital cinema experience without the added expense and time of off-site mastering.”
CineAsset interface guides the user through the process of converting JPEG and BMP images Flash animations and AVI and QuickTime movies into standards compliant DCPs in the DCI JPEG2000 format. CineAsset runs on any desktop or laptop computer capable of running Windows XP Pro. A Mac OS X version will also be available in the future. Doremi Digital Cinema www.doremilabs.com ,756
GDC Signs Contract with China’s Dadi Digital Cinema,2009-02-25,GDC Technology has signed a major contract in China. Under the new agreement Dadi Digital Cinema Development Limited will deploy 100 units of GDC’s SA-2100 digital cinema server in China by the middle of 2009. A roll out target of 300 servers by 2010 has also been set. Dadi is a Guangdong based company focusing on the business of building digital cinema multiplexes in China. “GDC is the undisputed leader in China digital cinema industry in terms of both the number of projects deployed and also the number of servers installed ” says Liu Kaijun general manager of Dadi Cinema. “It really gives us extra peace of mind to work with a company of such stature and track record like GDC.” “Dadi is the first cinema chain in China to exclusively use digital cinema projection systems for all its cinema multiplexes ” says Dr. Man-Nang Chong founder and CEO of GDC Technology. “We are heartened by the repeat order from Dadi; this will add to the more than 100 Dadi digital cinema screens provided by GDC that we know have been running smoothly in the last two years without using any 35mm projector.” GDC www.gdc-tech.com ,758
IndiePix to Sponsor 2009 Cinema Eye Honors For Second Year,2009-02-25,IndiePix is returning as the presenting sponsor and production partner for this year's Cinema Eye Honors. IndiePix was the Founding Sponsor and partner in the successful inaugural non-fiction awards last year and is once again joining with AJ Schnack author and filmmaker of Kurt Cobain: About a Son and Thom Powers documentary programmer for the Toronto Film Festival for the 2009 event March 29th in New York City. Ten categories have been selected including Outstanding Achievement in Debut feature the Audience Choice Award and a new category Outstanding Achievement in Composing has been added. Golden Globe award-winning Waltz with Bashir has been nominated for a record seven Cinema Eye Honors including Outstanding Achievement in Direction as well as the coveted award for Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Feature Filmmaking. Man on Wire which is also in the running for the top award is on the Oscar shortlist for Best Feature Documentary. We were delighted with the success of the inaugural non-fiction awards ceremony last year and are thrilled to once again be producing and sponsoring the Cinema Eye Honors 2009 says Bob Alexander president of IndiePix. We have had so much interest and support from filmmakers and the festival community as a whole that the 2009 event promises to significantly build on last year. Cinema Eye Honors 2009 www.cinemaeyeawards.com IndiePix www.indiepixfilms.com ,760
MaXedit Server Now Shipping,2009-02-25, Maximum Throughput has announced that its MaXedit Server Edition which the company says is the first multi-user editing application is now shipping.
With MaXedit post-production facilities and studios can rapidly and cost-effectively set up a multi-seat editing environment that's suited for digital dailies and offline editing among other applications. Multiple concurrent users can access MaXedit by launching it from a Web browser. They can review edit and render compressed and uncompressed SD/HD content without using specialized workstations or needing to upgrade existing network infrastructure. Users connected over LAN or over the Internet simply log on to the MaXedit application server and begin editing. “MaXedit Server continues to exceed expectations of companies in the broadcast and post production markets with its innovative server-based editing model and their feedback thus far has been very impressive ” says John Miller Maximum Throughput’s vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. “MaXedit delivers a substantial improvement over the dedicated workstations model by significantly reducing the capital and operational costs of editing while enabling worldwide editing collaboration over the Internet.” Maximum Throughput www.max-t.com ,761
MIT All Media Capital Team to Assist Exhibitors in Rollout ,2009-02-26,Moving Image Technologies has partnered with All Media Capital to assist theatre owners in participating in the 3D and digital cinema rollout while at the same time providing the means for an exhibitor to maintain control of his own projection equipment. With the recent announcement from Paramount Pictures who has agreed to provide direct re-imbursement to exhibitors through VPFs (virtual print fees) it is an ideal time to install digital systems for the upcoming slate of 3D releases. Other studios are expected to follow Paramount’s lead to offer the same type of re-imbursements that they have extended to the large circuits. “3D is a real value-add to the exhibition community and the announcement by Paramount Pictures is a wonderful way to continue forward with the 3D/digital cinema roll-out ” says Joe Delgado executive vice president sales and marketing for Moving iMage Technologies. “Couple Paramount’s announcement with our relationship with All Media Capital and small to medium size exhibitors now have a viable path for implementing digital cinema today rather than waiting for some large integrator to get financing. Everyone knows that access to money is tough in this economic climate but All Media has continually been able to fund our clients at very competitive rates even when more traditional financing has dried up.” MiT has extensive experience in integrating and installing these digital and 3D systems seamlessly interfacing to existing audio and projection equipment. MiT manufactures a full line of integration components for digital cinema including MPL projector bases ICM automations and interfaces iMAGE Mover track systems and custom cable and wiring harnesses. These components insure a high-quality and efficient installation. All Media Capital specializes in financing technology equipment for the professional audio/video market and entertainment industry. In cooperation with MiT All Media Capital has already financed many digital cinema installations including systems for commercial cinema as well as post-production. “In the current economic climate where we have seen many banks tailor away from debt-related financing we have seen a substantial increase in credit applications from exhibitors. We have several different options to get exhibitors exceptional rates and industry specific programs which are not available to the bank or broker community ” says Ryan Wilson of All Media Capital. All Media Capital www.allmediacapital.com ,762
MTI Films Unveils Control Dailies DA at HPA ,2009-02-26,MTI Film offered a first-time technical demonstration of its new process for supporting digital acquisition through its award-winning dailies solution Control Dailies. Developed in conjunction with leading camera manufacturers Control Dailies DA supports media from many digital cinema cameras including Red Digital Cinema's Red One Panasonic’s P2 VariCam and Panavision's Genesis. MTI Film plans to release the new product at NAB. This new technology is a crucial addition to Control Dailies one that will allow our customers to offer the same high level of service to the growing number of productions opting for digital acquisition that they currently offer to film productions says MTI Film CEO Larry Chernoff. The company says that Control Dailies DA will facilitate the transfer of digitally acquired media at faster-than-real time speed to high definition or standard definition video. The product will also expedite audio synchronization and output to tape or file-based deliverables. MTI Film also demonstrated Control Color an integrated primary color corrector for Control Dailies. Control Color provides an intuitive interface for dailies color correction with the ability to import ASC CDL color values and 3rd Party 3D LUTs as well as apply creative looks with primary color correction using a tactile panel interface. An integrated still store further leverages the project management features in Control Dailies to add greater efficiencies to the dailies process the company says. Color decisions are non-destructive and are applied on output to tape or during the creation of file based deliverables in the background by Convey a sister application to Control Dailies. Productions turning to digital acquisition are just as demanding in their requirements for turnaround and deliverables for dailies as they were when they shot on film and they are shooting much more says MTI Film CTO Kevin Manbeck. Control Dailies DA with Control Color enables post facilities to create workflows that both meet and exceed the demands of their clients. The Hollywood Post Alliance's 15th Annual HPA Technology Retreat was held February 17-20 at The Westin at Mission Hills Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage California. MTI Film www.mtifilm.com ,763
Scala Fastsigns NEC Partner on Digital Signage Effort,2009-02-26,Scala Fastsigns International and NEC Unified Solutions have partnered in a joint effort to make digital signage available to local businesses worldwide. Digital signs are becoming more popular because of their ability to engage audiences and deliver targeted messages but many small and mid-sized businesses haven’t adopted digital signage because they aren’t sure how to use the technology or where to find it. “Whether for advertising or informational purposes early adopters of digital signage are amazed with the value and control they experience in reaching audiences with precise messaging ” says Jeff Porter executive vice president of Scala’s experts group. “Having an advanced solution available through Fastsigns will create opportunities for businesses that stand to benefit greatly from digital signage.” “We committed a great deal of resources to researching and understanding digital signage so that we could deliver the most user-friendly and comprehensive solution to our customers ” says Larry Lane president of Fastsigns International. “The software is the backbone of our DDS solution and we selected Scala as our partner because Scala Content Manager offers the most flexibility and the company brings a high degree of industry knowledge and experience to the table.” Fastsigns www.fastsigns.com Scala www.scala.com ,766
Call for Papers for 2009 SMPTE Technical Conference and Exhibition,2009-02-26, The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers is seeking proposals for technical papers and tutorials for the 2009 SMPTE Technical Conference & Exhibition. Proposed papers must be informational in nature and must address technical theory application or practice associated with technologies relevant to the motion imaging industry. Suggested topics include: - Digital Intermediates: Process advancements and case studies - Stereoscopic 3D Imaging processing distribution and display - Digital Cinema Exhibition: servers content storage networks and scheduling - Digital Cinema Production and Post Production: processes and workflow - Image Acquisition for filmmaking broadcast news studio production and sports - Wide bandwidth infrastructure: 1080p50/60 4K and beyond - Animation: new techniques and process - Advancements in film technologies: film stocks restoration techniques - Electronic Display technologies: Plasma LCD LCoS OLED's laser - Color management interchange correction techniques - Metadata and file management - IP Content networks transport architectures standards and applications - Content security rights management watermarking - Digital audio for cinema broadcast and gaming - Consumer technologies: HD deployment transmission home networking - Historical topics on early filmmaking animation and television technologies - Content management storage archiving and retrieval Interested parties are invited to submit a one-page abstract (no more than 300 words) Including topic heading paper title delivery method (presentation video clip demonstration) a brief description of the proposed paper's content name of author/presenter company mailing address telephone/fax numbers and e-mail address no later than June 12 2009. Previously published product-specific or promotional papers will not be considered. If not already registered with EDAS 1. Go to http://www.edas.info 2. Select New User 3. Fill in required information 4. Check I consent to the EDAS Privacy Policies box 5. Click on Add This Person Button Submit a Paper (if registered with EDAS): 1. Log-in 2. Go to http://edas.info/newPaper.php?c=7387 3. Enter the paper's title 4. Add the author's name 5. Enter the synopsis in the Abstract field 6. Press Submit Authors will be notified regarding the status of their submitted abstracts no later than July 17 2009 To ensure distribution of paper at the conference selected speakers are required to provide an electronic version of the final technical paper to SMPTE no later than September 11 2009. Please note: A formal technical paper is required in addition to the speaker's presentation. ,767
SpectSoft Introduces 3D Live,2009-02-26,SpectSoft has announced 3D Live a new standalone stereoscopic 3D system that offers the ability to take two individual SDI streams in mix them down and feed them out via DVI/HDMI or Display Port in real-time. The two SDI streams can be from any source and they represent the individual right and left eye files that can stream from servers decks or cameras. This adds value to the workflow by allowing facilities the ability to only have to work with two uncompressed DPX files right and left eye frames and not separate files to view the images in 3D. The system will be offered up in both software and turnkey form. SpectSoft's current Rave systems allow stereo DPX frames to immediately be playable for viewing on high-end solutions that accept SDI such as RealD. 3D Live also supports many other features that are specific to working in 3D such as keystone correction and image shifting. By adding a 3D Live solution into the mix it allows the facility or user to work off the same files straight from the camera deck server or render farm ” says Ramona Howard president of SpectSoft. “The ability to work from the same file saves tremendous amounts of time and gives us that immediate gratification of what does or does not work in the world of 3D. The additional tools in this solution allow users to understand the image characteristics and how they can be corrected in post if they wish. We are releasing a free version of 3D Live which will be available in the near future.” 3D Live supports any standard incoming video stream over SDI and can be configured to play out via a DVI/HDMI or Display Port connection. The 3D Live turnkey system utilizes an AMD Quad Core system and can be housed in either a rackmount or desktop configuration. SpectSoft www.spectsoft.com
Cineplex Entertainment Adds Digital 3D in time for Jonas Brothers Concert
