Music Box Films Licenses Cinedigm Distribution System

Music Box Films has become the latest distributor to license Cinedigm’s proprietary Theatrical Distribution System to manage all domestic theatrical releases. In 2008 Music Box’s release of Guillaume Canet’s Tell No One was the most popular foreign-language art house release of the year. In 2010 the film adaptations of Stieg Larsson’s trilogy of international mega-selling novels dominated the art house market.   The first in the series The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was one of the most popular international releases of the decade and collectively the Larsson trilogy has grossed $22 million at the US theatrical box office. Upcoming Music Box releases include Terence Davies’ The Deep Blue Sea starring Rachel Weisz and the award-winning Monsieur Lazhar. “We are excited to work with a unique and successful independent distributor such as Music Box Films says Jim Miller president of Cinedigm’s Software Division. Our solutions are designed for companies of every size and we look forward to working with Music Box to help them grow their distribution and exhibition businesses. ,2941
Cinemark Converts more than 3 400 Screens to Digital,2011-12-14,Cinemark has announced that more than 3 400 of its auditoriums in 251 first run domestic theatres have been converted from 35mm to digital projectors. More than half of Cinemark's domestic screens are now 3D capable. At Cinemark our main focus is to create the best movie-going experience possible for our customers says Alan Stock Cinemark's chief executive officer. Becoming 100 percent digital in our first run domestic theatres enables Cinemark to offer an entertainment environment that provides our customers with a viewing experience that simply cannot be duplicated. Accomplishing this complete conversion in only 18 months would not have been possible without the cooperation planning and coordination of all departments. We continually focus on offering our customers the best technology solutions available which enables us to deliver a premium digital entertainment experience says Damian Wardle Cinemark’s vice president of worldwide theatre technology & presentation. I would like to acknowledge our partners RealD MIT Doremi Texas Instruments DLP Cinema and Barco. Cinemark Holdings http://www.cinemark.com ,2942
DCA Signs Deployment Deals for Philippine Theatres,2011-12-14,DCinema Alliance has signed digital cinema deployment agreements with Paramount Pictures Twentieth Century Fox International Warner Bros. and The Walt Disney Studios to facilitate the rollout of digital systems to cinemas throughout the Philippines.   Under the terms of the agreements Paramount Fox Warner and Disney have independently agreed to supply feature films to exhibitors in digital form as well as contribute financially to DCA’s rollout of DCI-compliant digital cinema projection systems.  DCA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Array’s Technologies a supplier of cinema projection equipment and services in the Philippines. Similar agreements with other studios are in advanced negotiation.  MKPE Consulting is leading the negotiations for DCA.   Rey del Poso CEO of Array’s Technologies says “We are pleased to receive the support of the major motion picture studios in our rollout.  With these agreements we can now offer VPF-financed digital cinema projectors to all exhibitors throughout the Philippines.  There are about 60 000 digital projection systems installed in the world today making this is an incredible opportunity for Philippine exhibitors to keep pace with the changes in the motion picture industry. We believe this new technology will ultimately open the floodgates for more opportunities and benefits for exhibitors distributors and the industry as a whole to reap and enjoy.” Neal Rothman vice president digital exhibition and non-theatrical licensing of Fox says “DCA’s commitment to the digital transition and roll out of DCI compliant digital projection systems in the Philippines and potentially across other Asian markets is very significant.  We are delighted to have closed this deal and look forward to working with our friends and colleagues at DCA to bring this plan to fruition.” ,2945
DFT Flexxity Now Supports ProRes Files,2011-12-14,Digital Film Technology has announced that its Flexxity suite of software applications (Dailies Playout Archive) now includes native support of ProRes files on the Linux OS.   Whether facilities are working with on-set dailies post dailies play out and mastering or archive workflows Flexxity ingests and reads ProRes files directly without the need for transcoding. Due to this native support there are no workflow slowdowns that are often caused by transcoding delays.   Flexxity software runs on Linux making it an ultra-stable high performance and high-throughput post-production software tool for a variety of workflow pipelines. Linux also offers scale-up flexibility that allows users to implement a system that is fine-tuned to their specific needs from single-user seats to multi-user workgroups. Linux OS is highly valued in post-production environments for how quickly and predictably it responds.   The Flexxity on-set and post production Dailies software application with ProRes codec support maintains the highest quality compressed video and lets users achieve real-time dailies processing. ProRes files coming directly from an Arri Alexa digital cinematography camera (or other digital cameras) can be ingested or placed directly onto the timeline in Flexxity Dailies for immediate viewing of digital dailies. In a post production environment Flexxity Dailies software is used to deliver graded dailies and provides a collaborative toolset for a number of parallel activities including; audio ingest image ingest audio / video synchronization metadata logging grading and playout / file generation. Files can also be preserved in the ProRes format for the downstream workflow all the way to the finished product.   Flexxity software offers real-time playback quality control color correction scaling sound synchronization and much more. It is resolution-independent handles all kinds of source formats on the same timeline and outputs a large variety of file formats and video streams in parallel.   ProRes an intra-frame codec retains consistent quality in every frame which speeds up editing and grading functions. It also requires less disk space compared to uncompressed video. In addition the ProRes format provides an effective workflow for projects involving multiple acquisition formats when you want to standardize on a single codec. Until recently it was not possible to efficiently combine the advantages of Linux OS with the ability to natively read ProRes files. Flexxity is among the first software solutions to offer this complete and time saving feature.   Beside the ProRes format Flexxity software applications are also able to natively read and debayer ArriRaw files Red raw R3D files and many other formats in its timeline. With this toolset Flexxity offers a complete workflow that is unique to the market.   Flexxity software applications are available as software only as well as turnkey systems including workstation interfaces storage and grading panels.   ,2946
Doremi AHL Group to Continue Collaboration,2011-12-14,Doremi Cinema has announced its continued collaboration with AHL Group Technology as it moves to complete their digital cinema installations. Doremi has been the preferred server provider for AHL since their first phase of digital cinema installations during 2010. The new agreement entails the full-fledged installation of Doremi servers and 2K/4K Integrated Media Blocks throughout a chain of circuits. “Doremi was our provider of choice during our initial installation phase in 2010 throughout which we have developed a keen sense of their products’ reliability and performance ” says Peter Williams general manager of Edge Digital Technology.  “Their dedication to developing technologies beyond playback servers such as high frame rate 3D has allowed our circuit to benefit from all aspects of digital cinema.” Michael Archer vice president of Doremi Cinema says “Our ties with AHL Group have grown stronger with our interactions over the years. We have worked closely with them to ensure their circuits are benefiting from our development of 4K as well as accessibility technology for the hearing impaired.  We are honored by their confidence in our digital playback servers and IMBs and will continue to exceed their expectations in the future.” ,2947
Doremi XDC Expand Agreement,2011-12-14,Doremi Cinema has signed an agreement with XDC for the supply of its digital cinema products and services. Under the agreement Doremi Cinema is to provide support for XDC cinema customers equipped with Doremi Cinema servers. “We are delighted to be expanding our long-standing partnership with XDC ” says Patrick Zucchetta CEO Doremi Cinema EMEA. “As Digital Cinema business plans very often centre on the VPF (virtual print fee) model it is more important than ever that the technical equipment complies with industry standards. Moreover the running of VPF model increasingly demands that the cinema equipment has passed the CTP (DCI Compliance Test Plan). We deliver servers with CTP certification and can ensure that level of continued performance for XDC.” Serge Plasch CEO XDC adds “We are very pleased to have the ongoing full support of Doremi. With a large deployment of digital cinemas across Europe depending on the VPF model its technology and assistance fulfills a vital role for our rapidly expanding business.”    ,2948
Huayi Brothers Cinema Orders more GDC Servers,2011-12-14,GDC Technology has signed an agreement with Huayi Brothers Cinema for the deployment of 170 GDC DCI-2200 Digital Cinema Integrated Projection Systems. The DCI-2200 system features the Barco DLP Cinema projector and the GDC SX-2000 Digital Cinema Server with Integrated Media Block. Deployment should be completed before 2013. Since 2010 HBC has operated five cinemas with more than 50 screens in Beijing Chongqing Wuhan and Hefei and expects to be operating 15 cinemas within the next two to three years.   “The successful launch of HBC reflects HBM’s ambition to complete the integration cycle of film production through to exhibitions ” says Yang Min vice president of HBC. “GDC’s integrated projection system and TMS fully meet our standard for building high-end cinemas. All our cinemas are utilizing world-class digital cinema equipment. We definitely recognize the high caliber technology and exceptional service of GDC Tech in the field of digital cinema which allows us to bring the perfect cinematic experience to moviegoers using the highest quality equipment. ”   “We feel extremely honored to be selected as HBC’s exclusive provider of digital cinema solutions. We started providing HBC with comprehensive deployment support in 2010 ” says Dr. Man-Nang Chong founder and CEO of GDC Tech. “GDC Tech will offer its full support and collaborate jointly with HBC to accelerate the development of digital cinema revolution in China.” ,2951
Harkins installs more than 400 Christie Projectors,2011-12-14,Harkins Theatres has installed more than 400 Christie Solaria Series 2 digital cinema projectors and has also subscribed to Christie’s Virtual Print Fee program.   “Harkins Theatres is both an entertainment and a cultural destination for the many diverse communities it serves throughout the Southwest ” says George Scheckel director business development entertainment solutions at Christie. “As a major supporter of so many charitable organizations and community-based educational programs Harkins is committed to providing the highest quality movie-viewing experience to its patrons. Christie is pleased that its new generation of DLP Cinema projectors offering the brightest sharpest 2D and 3D images will now help contribute to their inspiring legacy that includes groundbreaking innovations in cinema.”   Harkins www.harkinstheatres.com ,2953
3D Sound Company imm Expands Internationally in Brazil,2011-12-14,Imm Sound has expanded its operations internationally with the opening of nine new movie theatres in Brazil owned by the cinematograph exhibitor Araújo. The imm Sound technology is available on screens in Maringá in the state of Paraná; Campos in the state of Rio de Janeiro; Guadalupe in the state of Piauí and Serra in the state of Pará. Three of the nine movie screens equipped with imm Sound’s 3D immersive audio in Brazil are installed in theatres in Guadalupe. From the six remaining movie screens equipped with the 3D system in Brazil  two are located in movie theatres in Maringá two in Campos and two in Serra. The year of 2011 has been key to the expansion of the 3D immersive sound technology by imm Sound  and is currently considered the best tri-dimensional audio system available in the market. In recent months the company has installed its 3D immersive sound system in Europe America and Asia. Therefore besides Brazil the 3D immersive sound equipment by imm Sound is currently operating in movie theatres in the U.S. and Europe. ,2954
JVC Lowers Price of GY-HM710 ProHD Camera,2011-12-14, JVC has announced a new lower price on its GY-HM710 ProHD camcorder. Its new $5 995 list price includes the camera head with bayonet lens mount viewfinder microphone Anton/Bauer battery plate and Canon 14:1 ENG lens. The company also announced the JVC Power Promotion a limited time offer that includes a free Anton/Bauer power system package with the purchase of a new GY-HM710. 
  Introduced earlier this year the GY-HM710 includes extensive image customization modes JVC’s patented Focus Assist and a 20-second Pre Rec (retro cache) feature which continuously records and stores footage in cache memory and helps prevent missed shots of breaking events. Customers who purchase a new GY-HM710 from an authorized JVC Professional reseller between now and the end of 2011 are eligible to receive an Anton/Bauer AB-DIONIC-PKG battery and power system package directly from JVC. Valued at $1 185 the package includes an Anton/Bauer DIONIC 90 Li-Ion battery Tandem 70 InterActive charger and AC power supply. 
  “The GY-HM710 delivers the same amazing image quality and efficient workflow of our ProHD product line but eliminates the modular functionality that many customers don’t need ” says Craig Yanagi national marketing and brand manager. “The result is a perfect balance between features and affordability and the new pricing along with JVC's Power Promotion makes it an even more attractive option for video professionals.” 
 
 The JVC Power Promotion ends Dec. 31. 
  JVC http://pro.jvc.com ,2956
Alvernia Studios First in Poland to Join Kodak Imagecare Program,2011-12-14,Poland's Alvernia Studios is the newest member of Kodak's Imagecare Program verifying that the laboratory meets the highest standards for camera negative processing a Phase I accreditation. This is the first lab in Poland to be certified. The Kodak Imagecare Program consists of 50 laboratory members in 30 countries. The worldwide processing standards set by Kodak provide assurances to filmmakers when they choose an Imagecare Program accredited laboratory they know their work will be processed to the highest quality. The rigorous program substantiates that member labs adhere to standard practices and full documentation of procedures and calibration. Kodak works very closely with laboratory personnel to assure that specified principles are met and maintained. The Alvernia Studios laboratory has been in operation since 2010. It was established and created by Radosław Piotrowicz an outstanding expert in the field of film processing. Ignacy Kalenkiewicz operations manager for Alvernia says We are very happy that our laboratory meets the high criteria of the Kodak Imagecare Program. Becoming a member confirms the world-class level and quality of our facility. Using the Program logo as certification for our services is very important to us as the patronage of a market leader guarantees customers' trust. It's clearly a win-win for both Alvernia and Kodak says Diane Carroll-Yacoby worldwide manager of the Kodak Imagecare Program. The Program helps in staff training and offers tools for lab personnel to become habitually quality conscious. Kodak assessor Odile Maugard says The working conditions in the laboratory are excellent and the procedures are well-scripted and strictly observed according to the rules of the Program. The Kodak Imagecare Program is based on the fundamental principle of self-assessment because each lab is in the best position to constantly monitor its own standards and to find and to quickly correct any deviations from the norm. Admittance is recognition that a laboratory has implemented the many structured procedures and checks required to meet the Program's tough requirements. We're delighted to welcome Alvernia Studios into the Kodak program says Carroll-Yacoby. Their film processing operations are really first-class and we're proud to accredit it as the first Kodak Imagecare Program Camera Negative Processing Laboratory in Poland. Alvernia Studios http://www.alvernia.com ,2957
Light Illusion S.two Form Strategic Partnership,2011-12-14, Light Illusion and S.two Corporation have announced a strategic partnership to bring to the Indian market S.two’s digital film recording systems including the OB-1 on-board recorder with removable FlashMag solid-state magazines and the FlashDock family of compact transfer stations. 

CEO of Light Illusion India Sundeep Reddy has been working with the S.two family of Raw recorders for some time as a DP. “It is without a doubt that S.two technology is the most suited choice for the Indian market be it from price point to its performance designed to take on the harsh Indian conditions to ease of use ” he says. “The fact that the S-two product line works seamlessly with modern digital cinematography cameras like Arri Alexa D-21 F35 F-23 to deliver a RAW workflow makes it the most versatile recording system around.” “We are proud to be working with Light Illusion” says Chris Romine S.two president.  “Sundeep and his team at Light Illusion India are well qualified to support S.two’s industry-leading digital filmmaking solutions.”

 The OB-1 is designed to be mounted directly on new-generation digital film cameras such as the Arri Alexa and D-21 Sony’s F35 and F23 and Panasonic’s 3700. The 8x5x4 inch unit weighs six pounds records uncompressed 4:4:4 RGB from two cameras simultaneously. The removable FlashMag media has a capacity of 36 minutes uncompressed 4:4:4 or ArriRaw incorporates multiple levels of internal redundancy is hot-pluggable and uses a connector rated for 100 000 insertions making it an extremely rugged system.

 The FlashDock supports video and file-based data transfers by incorporating multiple video and computer interfaces includes a color touch-screen monitor and can operate on 100-250VAC or 24-30VDC without external adapters making it suitable for both Field and Facility usage. An optional FlashDock Expansion Chassis supports multiple user-configurable peripheral devices such as LTO tape drives for completely self-contained backup and archival of data.

Furthermore the recent development of S.two technology’s integration with the SGO Mistika DI and Finishing system has made it easy to transfer check and review both 2D and 3D Stereoscopic footage on a DI system enabling smooth workflows for both Onset and Studio environments.
 Some of the major Hollywood movies that have used S.two technology include Zodiac The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Killers and Tower Heist. ,2958
The Foundry Releases Mari 1.4,2011-12-14,The Foundry has released of Mari 1.4.  Designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the most demanding VFX texture and matte painting artists Mari is a 3D digital paint tool that simplifies artist workflow. Capable of handling vast numbers of pixels Mari eclipses other 3D paint tools in speed flexibility and processing capabilities. Mari allows artists to concentrate on painting detailed multi-layered textures directly onto 3D models in a fluid and natural way. Introducing Adobe Photoshop layered PSD import and export industry standard color management with OpenColorIO and triplanar projection Mari 1.4 speeds up and simplifies workflow.  With Mari 1.4 artists can paint detailed multi-layered textures directly onto 3D models solve commonplace VFX problems save time and work in ways never thought possible before. Originally developed to cope with the most ambitious VFX films of our time and enhanced by The Foundry Mari easily fits into your current pipeline and will adapt to deliver on often-unforeseen production requirements. In the past year Mari has quickly become the new high end standard for digital paint.  It has been widely adopted across the industry at leading film studios and post production houses including Sony Picture Imageworks DreamWorks Industrial Light & Magic Pixar and Digital Domain to name a few. Hayden Jones VFX supervisor at Rushes says “Using Mari to paint was a revelation! It’s immensely quick and intuitive. Mari allowed me to concentrate on the getting the artistic look right without having to get bogged down in technicalities. Trey Harrell the lighting supervisor at Mr. X says “We were also one of the first studios in the world to adopt Mari into our pipeline which proved crucial due to the enormous texture resolution requirements on many of our assets.” Rob Bredow chief technology officer at Sony Picture Imageworks adds Mari streamlines our artist workflows on our most complicated assets. It is the latest addition to our pipeline as we provide artists with the right innovative tools to meet any creative challenge. Bill Collis chief executive officer at The Foundry says “The progress of Mari over the past year has been impressive.  Our aim is for Mari to continue development and handle all aspects of high-end digital paint this latest release brings us that much closer. Mari’s growing customer base reinforces that Mari is quickly being adopted as the industry standard.” Mari 1.4 is available immediately and runs on Windows and Linux. It supports Ptex Python OpenEXR and C API. Mari 1.4 is priced at $1 980/ £1 200 with maintenance costing $330/£200. For more information and for video demos of MARI 1.4 see: http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/mari The Foundry www.thefoundry.co.uk