Tickets are now on sale for Kylie 3D – Aphrodite Les Folies which will have special 2K digital screenings in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on June 19th. The Blink TV production for Darenote/Parlophone EMI Music in association with Sky 3D and directed by William Baker and Marcus Viner captures Kylie’s Aphrodite Les Folies world tour in 3D. Tom Colbourne produced. Brett Turnbull was director of photography. Melissa Byers was head stereographer. Steve Anderson and Toby Alington handle the audio post. Executive producers were Bill Lord Terry Blamey Kylie Minogue and Stefan Demetriou. The cinema presentation will be the full 120-minute cinema version. The 3D concert film distributed by Arts Alliance Media will be showing in the UK in selected Odeon and Apollo sites across the country with screenings also at selected UCI and Storm cinemas in Ireland. More countries and screenings will be announced in the coming days. The concert showcases hits from across Kylie’s career including Can’t Get You Out Of My Head Spinning Around What Do I Have To Do and an amazing reworked version of Slow. Also performed are singles from the current Platinum album Aphrodite such as Get Outta My Way Better Than Today and Put Your Hands Up all culminating in a stunning finale of All The Lovers.
From golden chariots to flying angels and winged horses to water fountains – this is an epic Grecian-inspired show built for the big screen. Arts Alliance Media’s CEO Howard Kiedaisch says “We are thrilled to be bringing Kylie to cinemas in 3D. The Aphrodite Les Folies shows were visually stunning and the 3D of the film really does them justice on the big screen. Cinemas are discovering what a great new experience 3D concert films are and we think audiences are going to love seeing Kylie’s sets and costumes up close as well as hearing the songs in full 5.1 surround sound quality” Stefan Demetriou vice president visual content strategy EMI says This is a 3D concert experience like no other; we’re all really proud to bring Kylie’s amazing Aphrodite Les Folies tour to cinemas.” ,2496
Documentaries Take Center Stage at Long Island Expo,2011-06-14, The Long Island International Film Expo will hold its 14th annual installment July 7-14 at Bellmore Movies in Bellmore New York. While critically acclaimed short and feature-length student and animated films will be shown the abundance of documentaries and foreign films will take the lead this year.
“Eleven documentaries were released theatrically last year more than any other year to date and even our programming lends to the fact that this is the year of the documentary ” says Nassau County Film Office director Debra Markowitz.
The Irish/Bosnian film As If I Am Not There will be the official opening night feature. Although a feature film and not a documentary this film realistically portrays the atrocities that occurred during the Bosnian/Serbian war. As If I Am Not There opened at the Toronto Film Festival and has won many awards at major film festivals worldwide. Documentaries to be screened cover subjects including how a community comes together to honor their wounded warriors; how Burmese citizens suffer adverse conditions in their native home; how a family has to collect cans to survive after the father becomes unemployed; and how a high school football team from Dearborn Michigan prepares for its big crosstown rivalry game during the last ten days of Ramadan. A psychologist shows how he uses trauma techniques to treat survivors of hurricane Katrina. Another documentary follows two MMA fighters in their training and daily lives while another documents the commemorating of mass graves in Poland many years after the Holocaust. Long Island Uncovered is a documentary film that takes an in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at the private lives of Long Island’s top tribute/cover band musicians. From the mid-life crisis based King of the Hamptons with cameos by Alec Baldwin Billy Joel and others to the history of John Muir the founder of the New York parks system there truly is something for everyone. Long Island International Film Expo www.longislandfilm.com ,2497
National Geographic Announces Cinema Program for Museums,2011-06-14, National Geographic Cinema Ventures has announced a program offering national and international museums the chance to create expanded digital cinema programs in their existing facilities. The initiative includes access to National Geographic’s library of award-winning films in 2D and 3D digital formats access to National Geographic branding as well as marketing and promotional support and education materials. Museum partners also will receive guidance on digital projection technology from NGCV’s experienced team.
Advances and accessibility in digital technology are driving this opportunity for museums to showcase both traditional documentary films along with full-length feature films from National Geographic. Among the National Geographic films being offered are Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (2D 3D or 4D) Forces of Nature Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure (3D) U2 3D Flying Monsters 3D (available in October) and The Wildest Dream. National Geographic plans to produce and release a minimum of two new digital 3D titles a year beginning in 2012.
“Our goal is to help museums turn their existing theaters live lecture halls or auditoriums into digital cinemas that will drive both attendance and new museum revenues with entertaining National Geographic movies aligned with the mission of the museum ” says Lisa Truitt president NGCV. “Audiences crave real stories of discovery adventure and exploration and we have the slate that will fill that need for any museum.”
Mark Katz president distribution NGCV says “We’ll share access to some of our biggest movie successes with those museums that may have previously thought this world was too expensive. We will help them find the right digital solution to tap into their own local communities and provide them with award-winning and museum-appropriate films.” ,2498
Fithian Repeats Objections to Change in Release Windows,2011-06-14, In his keynote speech earlier this month at ShowCanada NATO president and CEO John Fithian urged Canadian movie theater operators to be vigilant in their focus on theatrical release windows. He challenged a recently announced proposal from four Hollywood studios to release movies early to the home on premium video on demand. Early VOD releases to the home could damage the movie industry in two significant ways Fithian said adding Early releases will reduce movie ticket sales and will exacerbate movie theft by giving pirates an early pristine copy of movies. Fithian also reiterated NATO's call for the participating studios to release sales data from their experiment. How can the industry evaluate the studios' test if they continue to hide the facts he said.
Fithian's remarks at ShowCanada marked an expanded global phase in NATO's work to preserve the theatrical release window. Beginning with Canada this week moving to Europe later in the month and onto Australia in August Fithian will hold dozens of meetings with leading international exhibitors on the topic. We hope that this early VOD experiment begins and ends in the U.S. Fithian said. But if not we want exhibitors everywhere to be prepared.
In his remarks Fithian also praised the growing number of leading movie directors and producers who have publicly stated their concerns with shortened release windows. The creative community understands the vital importance of robust theatrical release windows to their art form and their business interests Fithian said. We are pleased today to announce additional signers of our creative community letter including directors David Dobkin Jon Favreau Chris Nolan M. Night Shyamalan and Quentin Tarantino as well as producers Mark Boal and Jim Cardwell.
The National Association of Theatre Owners www.natoonline.org ,2499
Filmmaker Adds Water Protection to Camera Package on Documentary,2011-06-14,To shoot a recent National Geographic special Oceanus with Bob Ballard the oceanographer that discovered the Titanic and other famous ships director of photography David Linstrom knew he would be shooting in difficult waters. As he put his camera package together two Sony PDWF800s Fujinon 13X4.5 lenses a Tyler nose mount and a camera-mounted gyro stabilizer he realized his additional challenge would be to keep the lenses clean of debris while shooting in rain or over water. “Then I discovered the new Spintec rain deflector from Innovision Optics and my problem was solved ” says Linstrom. “We were following the Bar Pilots who guide the big container ships that enter Oregon’s Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean. They have to cross over a sand bar that's about six miles wide. The river channel is only 50 feet deep and the ships often draw 45 feet of water. Add to this waves of up to 40 feet and you get an incredibly dangerous scenario. Not the greatest conditions for shooting video on the ocean – spray rain even sand hitting the lens.” “By using the Spintec on the camera ” he says “we could keep the front of the lens clean and dry. The Spintec is lightweight and draws very little power. It literally flings away any moisture that hits the front of the lens. And any bugs that might get in the way as well. It worked great with the Tyler mount on the nose of the helicopter.” Linstrom and crew managed to get incredible images in the dodgy springtime weather that is typical in the Pacific North West. “It rains one minute and then the sun is shining the next ” he says. “You have to be prepared for it. On this shoot we were filming Bob Ballard being lowered onto a container ship from a helicopter. Since we had only one chance to get the shot the Spintec insured that we would have a clean lens even if it rained. Spintec’s Rain Deflector was amazing. I often shoot National Geographic footage in adverse conditions and I'm always worried about protecting my lenses. Not anymore – thanks to Innovision and Spintec.” The David Linstrom-shot special Oceanus with Bob Ballard will air on the National Geographic Channel later this year. Innovision www.innovision-optics.com ,2501
POP Handles Audio Post for Fashion Film,2011-06-14,POP Sound provided sound post-production services for a 30-minute documentary featured in Beauty Culture a groundbreaking exhibit now on view at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles. Re-Recording mixer Tim Hoogenakker prepared the soundtrack for the documentary which screens in the museum’s central circular gallery. Directed by Lauren Greenfield the documentary features interviews with luminaries from the fashion industry including photographers Albert Watson and Melvin Sokolsky and models Crystal Renn and Emme. The film serves as an accompaniment to the exhibitions “photographic exploration of how feminine beauty is defined challenged and revered in modern society.” The documentary is displayed in the round on a series of 4K display screens that fill the gallery’s walls and through its state-of-the-art surround sound system that includes an array of dozens of speakers. Hoogenakker initially mixed the soundtrack at POP Sound in Santa Monica. Source elements included original music and interviews recorded in Los Angeles New York and Paris. He then fine-tuned the mix on location at the Annenberg Space for Photography. “We spread the mix across the full array of speakers to create an immersive experience for the audience ” Hoogenakker said. “Because the room is round with speakers and monitors in front of and behind you you are always in a sweet spot. The room is tuned very well; you won’t miss a thing no matter where you sit. Beauty Culture runs through November 27th at the Annenberg Space for Photography. Admission is free. ,2502
Rave Signs with Deluxe/EchoStar for Satellite Distribution,2011-06-14,Rave Cinemas has signed an agreement with Deluxe/EchoStar for satellite distribution of content to Rave's circuit of 817 digital screens in 20 states under the Rave Motion Pictures brand. Satellite equipment installation will begin immediately and should be completed by the end of the year. This new service will deliver 2D and 3D digital cinema prints in 2K and 4K formats 2D and 3D alternative content trailers as well as connect to live events and other media programming. The system also accommodates closed captioning sub-titles and gaming. Rave's CEO Rolando Rodriguez says We are delighted to partner with Deluxe/EchoStar on this new venture that will provide infinite possibilities for connecting our audiences to new content. Deluxe/EchoStar's satellite distribution network continues to expand with exhibitors such as Rave who recognize the value of being connected electronically says Rick O'Hare senior vice president Deluxe Entertainment Services Group and general manager Deluxe/EchoStar. Rave has shown leadership and growth by embracing technology in the exhibition experience and I am delighted that we were chosen to help them link to this new state of the art satellite service says John Wolski vice president exhibitor services for Deluxe. Deluxe/EchoStar www.bydeluxe.com Rave Cinemas www.ravemotionpictures.com ,2503
Santa Rosa Entertainment Group Signs with Doremi for Conversion,2011-06-14,Santa Rosa Entertainment Group’s theaters are installing Doremi’s DCI-compliant Integrated Media Block for the completion of their digital cinema rollout. The digital conversion and installation phase has commenced with completion anticipated this summer. The agreement covers 81 screens. “Doremi was our provider of choice due to several factors most notably their compliance with DCI standards asserted by their recent completion of the Compliance Test Plan which is a strong indicator of Doremi commitment to meeting the requirements of the industry ” says Neil Pearlmutter vice president operation and technology Santa Rosa Entertainment Group. “Their dedication to developing technologies beyond playback servers will allow our circuit to benefit from all aspects of digital cinema. Being a US manufacturer Doremi also has the added value of local engineering technical support and inventory.” Michael Archer vice president of Doremi Cinema says “We are very pleased that Santa Rosa has identified DCI Compliance as being a necessary requirement when choosing digital cinema server technology. We have gone to great lengths to pass the required test plan and we appreciated Santa Rosa acknowledging the importance or our achievement.” ,2504
SMPTE 3D Conference to be held June 21-22 in New York,2011-06-14,The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers’ second annual International Conference on Stereoscopic 3D for Media Entertainment will feature world-leading academic and corporate researchers who will unveil the most advanced research to date for creating distributing and viewing 3D content. The SMPTE Conference takes place June 21-22 at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City. During the two-day event engineers scientists and researchers will discuss the latest work on human factors and the viewing of 3D materials; stereoscopic image acquisition and production advancements; stereoscopic image metrology and processing including an open-source camera platform being developed at Stanford University; and advancements in stereoscopic displays including those related to live holographic TV. Underscoring the potential for 3D to fuel opportunities across multiple market segments the SMPTE conference also will feature a special presentation from Gordon Castle director entertainment media and communications at PwC on 3D adoption trends and market opportunities. “The recent commercial successes in 3D cinema and live broadcasts have driven substantial R&D investments and are spurring tremendous interest in 3D across multiple markets ” says Pete Lude SMPTE president. “This year’s conference will highlight many of the remarkable advances that will fundamentally change the way 3D programming is created distributed and viewed.” Click here for complete program information www.smpte.org/events/2nd_Annual_3D_Conference/ Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers www.smpte.org ,2506
Tekken Blood Vengeance Comes to the Big Screen in 3D,2011-06-14,The popular gaming franchise Tekken Blood Vengeance in the world is getting the 3D big screen treatment for one night only July 26th. The special digital cinema event presented in RealD 3D will come to life in a 90-minute feature that includes storylines and characters based on the actual Tekken video game series. Following the presentation will be exclusive interviews with the Tekken project director and screenwriter. The event will be broadcast in more than 375 movie theaters across the country courtesy of NCM Fathom Namco Bandai Games America and Bandai Entertainment. Tekken Blood Vengeance in 3D will include one-on-one interviews about the Tekken videogame franchise and Tekken CG Animation movie featuring Tekken Project Director Katsuhiro Harada and Dai Sato the internationally known scriptwriter for such acclaimed features as Cowboy Bebop Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Wolf’s Rain. Harada will divulge inside information concerning the future of the Tekken franchise while Sato will discuss what went into scripting the Tekken CG Animation movie along with other related anecdotes giving fans incredible insights into the making of the production. “Tekken Blood Vengeance in 3D will take fans on a larger-than-life 3-D journey all in the comfort of their local movie theater ” says Dan Diamond vice president of NCM Fathom. “For only one night Tekken will come alive in 3-D and promises to be an unforgettable experience.” National CineMedia www.ncm.com ,2509
The Aura Group Launches MovieConnect Facebook App ,2011-06-14,The Aura Group has announced the official launch of its MovieConnect App for Facebook. The new media advertising and consulting firm has partnered with major Hollywood studios to use MovieConnect on Facebook which officially launched with the release of the film The Hangover Part II. The proprietary movie ticketing and showtime advertising technology claims to be the only application that allows for one-click movie times and tickets. Using it as an application on Facebook will allow film studios to upload the app onto a movie's fan page and allow fans to find theatres and tickets without leaving Facebook. “We are extremely pleased with the rapid growth of MovieConnect evolving from a banner technology to rich media and now as a user-friendly social application ” says The Aura Group president David Bailey. “With the use of the MovieConnect app new movies have the potential to go viral socially as millions of users invite friends and share comments and movie times.” The Aura Group has developed the MovieConnect app to be customizable by film studios and branded for specific movies. Facebook users can access the application by visiting a movie's fan page. With over 500 million users on Facebook movie fan pages with the MovieConnect app will be accessible to audiences around the world increasing consumer awareness of the featured movie and the company says ultimately providing an increase in box office profits. The Aura Group www.theauragroup.com ,2510
Ubiquity Broadcasting Opens California Production Facility,2011-06-14,Ubiquity Broadcasting has expanded its creative capabilities with a 30 000 square foot digital cinema and 3D production facility in Los Angeles that includes three sound stages. We have decided to expand our business footprint here in Southern California as we position ourselves to lead the next wave of innovation focused on the integration of video social media and advertising services into a Web 3.0 experience says Chris Carmichael Ubiquity Founder and CEO. Combining our broad patent portfolio with recent advances in mobile devices and broadband connectivity we finally have the elements required to create a ground breaking Web 3.0 experience. We are thrilled to have such strong industry leadership join the company to help support the rollout of our Web 3.0 business and products. We believe that the combination of high quality video integrated with social networking will be the next mass market phenomenon and we are timing our expansion to take advantage of the current explosion in consumer usage of video social networking and commerce services says Steve Jacobs Emmy Award Winning board member and former Sony Executive. We are delighted to see our patents come to life as they collectively become a game changer – with the combination of our strong products robust patent portfolio and our award winning team we are well positioned to play a dominate role in the coming Web 3.0 revolution says Connie Jordan vice president of intellectual property patent co-author and co-founder. Designed from the ground up for digital cinema production Ubiquity's 30 000 square foot digital media production facility is based in the rapidly growing research center in Irvine California positioned between the Los Angeles film and television industry and San Diego's expanding telecommunications research centers. This new facility is ideal for the production of high quality and technological advanced professional content and any filmmaker would more than happy with the capabilities of Ubiquity Studios and its staff says director of cinematography Mike Prickett whose work has been featured on numerous Imax features including X2: X-Men United and on recently the hit show Hawaii Five-0. ,2511
Wolff Cinema Group to Convert 200-Plus Screens with Barco Projectors ,2011-06-14,The family-owned Wolff Cinema Group one of the main cinema chains in The Netherlands with 10 complexes all over the country has selected Barco's DLP Cinema projectors for its full rollout to digital. “We had the opportunity to test different projectors and decided that Barco is the best long-term solution for us ” says Jordi Wientjes COO of Wolff Cinema Group. “Its DP2K series offers stunning 2K image quality extreme brightness and vibrant colors – ideal for giving our audience a picture-perfect movie experience. In addition these projectors have the lowest cost-of-ownership in the industry which will help us save costs in the future.” Wolff Cinema Group has installed Barco's DP4K-32B making it the first cinema chain in the Netherlands to offer Enhanced 4K DLP Cinema. All projectors are being installed via integrator FTT Filmtronics.
The conversion is being funded with assistance from the Dutch Digital Cinema Plan (Cinema Digitaal) a Virtual Print Fee program and government funding that will enable the conversion of a majority of the country's cinema screens. ,2512
Barco Introduces News Theatre Management System,2011-06-30, Barco has released a new platform for end-to-end theatre management. Barco's Theater Management System fully integrates with Barco's digital cinema projection systems while remaining compatible with all leading playback server brands thus creating what the company says is a truly open asset management platform for digital cinema multiplexes. “The introduction of our brand-new Theater Management System is the result of more than five years of intensive R&D ” says Wim Buyens senior vice president of Barco's entertainment division. “This vast expertise has developed into a TMS platform that is not only highly dependable but also very intuitive to use. But what really sets our system apart is its smooth interoperability with all leading playback server brands and its easy integration with a wide range of content delivery solutions and ticketing systems.” “As an operator you have full remote control to schedule or start shows ingest content and manage your keys. In the day-to-day practice this means that you no longer need to go inside each individual projector booth all of the time which is a huge time saver ” says Jérôme Delvaux product development director at Barco.
Besides these remote capabilities the new Barco TMS also supports sophisticated media ingest. The system can easily be connected to external mass storage devices and is fully equipped to receive content through broadband communication or via satellite connection.
In addition Barco's TMS features advanced key ingest and management which simplify exhibitors' operating processes and facilitate show playout. Key ingest is made easy as the system automatically selects the relevant keys for a theater. Advanced key management also saves shows by notifying missing keys or time mismatches between show schedules and key time windows.
Finally the Barco TMS offers an easy-to-use solution for large-screen digital advertising. Exhibitors who have an agreement with an advertising agency can simply use the platform to transfer their advertising content automatically to their central content library. ,2517
CDCP Completes Financing to Begin Rollout,2011-06-30,The Canadian Digital Cinema Partnership a joint venture between Cineplex Entertainment Limited Partnership and Empire Theatres Limited has completed its financing transactions for the deployment of digital projection systems to approximately 1600 of the partners' movie theatre screens across Canada. This financial support will enable Canada's two largest motion picture theatre exhibitors to complete the roll out of digital projectors into their circuits over the next 18 months. Cineplex Entertainment and Empire Theatres Limited appointed Blackstone Advisory Partners as their financial and structuring advisor for CDCP. Blackstone assisted CDCP with the evaluation and development of their financing plan and The Bank of Nova Scotia acted as lead arranger for CDCP's financing. These financing transactions included commitments of $80 million in committed bank financing and $35 million in equity contributions from the member circuits. Digital Cinema Implementation Partners will provide administrative services and system support to CDCP in connection with its digital deployment in Canada. CDCP was formed earlier this year to plan and implement the deployment of digital projection equipment in the two partners' theatres including the procurement of equipment arranging financing and securing digital deployment agreements with studios and other content providers. CDCP has also executed long-term deployment agreements with Twentieth Century Fox Sony Pictures Entertainment Warner Brothers Entertainment Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada Paramount Pictures and Entertainment One. Cineplex www.cineplex.com Empire Theatres www.empiretheatres.com ,2519
Warner Bros. Licenses Cinedigm’s Distribution System,2011-06-30,Warner Bros. has entered into an agreement to license Cinedigm’s Theatrical Distribution System to serve as the platform to manage key aspects of Warner Bros. theatrical distribution to its domestic territories. Application functionality is expected to include release planning booking print management revenue accruals settlements payments and reporting. Cinedigm expects that implementation will be completed by fall 2011. Cinedigm www.cinedigm.com ,2520
Cineplex Chooses Christie and Doremi,2011-06-30,Cineplex Entertainment has chosen Christie Digital Systems as its exclusive digital cinema projector provider and Doremi Cinema as the exclusive provider of servers. As Cineplex continues its conversion to digital cinema it will install more than 900 Christie digital projectors and Doremi playback servers over the next 18 months in addition to those already installed. “Cineplex selected Christie and Doremi Cinema because we believe their technology is the best in the business and both companies have continuously provided us with tremendous customer service ” says Ellis Jacob president and CEO Cineplex Entertainment. “Christie projectors provide the sharpest onscreen images so our guests can enjoy the latest movie with the clearest picture. We are also proud to support a Canadian manufacturer as the Christie projectors are built in Kitchener Ontario. Doremi digital cinema playback servers will offer the security and stability we need to ensure we provide an uninterrupted experience.” “As long-term business partners we are proud to be a part of Cineplex Entertainment’s growth and impressive reputation ” says Dave Muscat senior director of Canadian sales Christie. “Selecting Christie Solaria Series projectors shows their commitment to providing their audiences with the best movie-going experience available. They also benefit from the latest generation of high performance projection systems with the lowest cost of ownership.” “Cineplex has always been a respected leader in Canadian cinema exhibition ” says Michael Archer vice president digital cinema Doremi Cinema. “We have a great relationship with Cineplex and we look forward to helping them merge their pre-show alternative content and feature film presentations onto a single platform.” Christie Digital Systems www.christiedigital.com Cineplex www.cineplex.com ,2521
X-Men Got First Class Effects from Cinesite,2011-06-30, Cinesite has completed more than 115 visual effects shots for Twentieth Century Fox’s X-Men: First Class which hit cinemas last month. Among the effects Cinesite created were a retro version of the Cerebro Room Azazel’s fight sequences a military parade in Red Square and Washington DC devastated by nuclear war.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn the prequel takes the viewer back to the beginning before Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) took the names Professor X and Magneto and when they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies they were the closest of friends working together with other Mutants to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process a rift between them opened which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.
Shot anamorphically on Kodak 35mm stock the film has a distinctive 1960s retro look and feel to reflect the era it’s set in. Cinesite’s visual effects supervisor Matt Johnson 2D supervisor David Sewell and 3D supervisor Anthony Zwartouw worked closely with the production’s overall visual effects supervisor John Dykstra.
To create a 1960s version of the Cerebro Room which was shot against a 360-degree green screen Cinesite created a CG dome and composited shots of Xavier wearing the Cerebro helmet. This had hundreds of wires coming out of it as well as set tracking markers that had to be removed. Anamorphic lens flares and other optical looking effects were added in keeping with the 1960s feel.
For the mind view state that the helmet creates enabling the wearer to locate mutants Cinesite added fluid simulations and physical smoke elements to create auras around characters shot against a blue screen. Virtual cameras pulled the final shot together and time warp effects were added. The demonic mutant Azazel (Jason Flemying) has teleportation abilities and uses his tail as a weapon lifting and throttling his enemies and wielding other weapons. Cinesite created CG teleportation effects leading into his fight sequences. His tail was modeled and animated using Maya and tracked into the live-action shot. Tracking was particularly complex due to the fast pace with which he teleports in and out of scenes. Fluid simulations were used to create the wisps of smoke and fire that surround him.
The 1960s military parade through Moscow’s Red Square is entirely computer generated. Matt Johnson spent a week in Red Square capturing hundreds of HDR stills from different angles and at different times of day to be used as a basis for modeling and texturing and to be projected in Nuke to create a full CG virtual set. An army of CG Russian soldiers was created using Massive to populate the scene along with highly detailed CG tanks and missiles.
For the Washington DC scene the Hero mutants were shot on a plinth against a green screen. Cinesite camera tracked the action and created a panoramic matte painting of a Capitol Hill ravaged by nuclear war. A 3D layout smoke and fire were added along with a mutant army - created using Massive - in front of the White House.
“Working on X-Men: First Class gave us the opportunity to do some of the most complex compositing we’ve done yet. We’re all about creating seamless effects and our Red Square shots are a great example of our ability to produce invisible visual effects. We also enjoyed the challenges that the Cerebro Room brought. There are subtle references to previous X-Men films in the mind view state which we hope hardcore fans will spot ” says Antony Hunt managing director of Cinesite. Cinesite www.cinesite.com ,2522
Company 3 Method Studios Add 3D Workflow Service,2011-06-30, Company 3 and sister facility Method Studios are now offering clients a workflow for stereoscopic 3D feature film digital intermediates. Filmmakers now have the option to have any portion of left/right eye alignment fixes – associated with all stereoscopic cinematography – addressed within Method's dedicated stereography division. Company 3 has worked on several major stereoscopic releases including Alice in Wonderland Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and the upcoming Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Fright Night has already made use of this tandem service for Pirates Transformers and Fright Night. Our clients have been extremely impressed with this collaborative workflow says Jackie Lee Company 3's vice president of feature services.
When you work in stereo there are always certain discrepancies between the two eyes says Steven Shapiro lead stereographer and director of software and pipeline at Method. Shapiro who has been intricately involved in stereoscopic post production for nearly a decade notes that the Company 3/Method collaboration allows clients to maximize the close relationship between both companies who share a building on Santa Monica's Arizona Ave. The service we provide at Method came out of the expertise and robust pipeline we have built doing VFX work he says
. Shapiro acknowledges that many VFX companies offer services capable of addressing these issues but says that the Company 3/Method synergy allows clients a uniquely streamlined approach that integrates the work into the DI process. During the grading of stereoscopic projects he explains if any alignment issues come up during grading we can literally walk down to Company 3's DI theatre located within Method's Santa Monica facility ascertain the problem fix it and drop it back into the timeline while the color grading session continues. ,2524
Datasat Holdings Establishes Business Unit in India,2011-06-30, Datasat Holdings has entered into a joint venture agreement to form Datasat Communications Technologies India Private Limited (Datasat India). Datasat India will have its operational headquarters in Mumbai where it will provide Datasat (formally DTS) film licensing services cinema hardware equipment sales and servicing as well as roll out the next generation of wireless mesh technologies.
“We are very pleased to be setting up this business with Datasat ” says Sanjay Patel director of Datasat India. “It is an opportunity to grow the business by better serving customers with in country support as well as pioneer a breakthrough wireless technology that is particularly suited to delivering HD content without the usual glitches buffering and stuttering.”
The joint venture will manage and support the three core Datasat product areas in India: Datasat Digital Entertainment’s film licensing services digital cinema hardware and Datasat Technologies’ wireless products.
“This joint venture will open many new doors ” says Phil Emmel owner of Datasat Holdings. “Sanjay and his team have many years of expertise in the film video and technology sectors adding greatly to the many benefits Datasat can offer to the region.”
Datasat’s sound quality for films will be promoted and supported by Datasat India. With the acquisition of DTS Digital Cinema and it's technologies in May of 2008 Datasat and Datasat India will continue to provide digital and analogue soundtracks subtitles and Access Services with the same Academy Award winning digital sound technology for all cinema or cinema related releases under the Datasat brand.
In addition to the film licensing services Datasat India will uphold Datasat’s commitment to selling and supporting the range of high quality digital cinema products including the AP20 Audio Processor and XD20 Media Player. Both products are designed to enhance the cinema audio experience bringing unparalleled sound quality to the cinema.
The wireless products from Datasat Technologies are the next generation of carrier and enterprise level Wi-Fi solutions particularly suited to media applications. Utilizing 802.11n mesh standards Datasat Technologies provides outdoor and indoor Wi-Fi network solutions bringing for the first time true quality of service guarantees that enable consistent transmission of HD video audio and data as well as delivering enterprise grade security. ,2526
Dolby Debuts 3D Glasses for Kids,2011-06-30, Dolby Laboratories has introduced Dolby 3D kids’ glasses. Designed with Dolby’s 3D technical know-how the expertise of a leading eyewear design company and 3M’s new multilayer optical film lenses the glasses provide the same lightweight reusable design as the adult model but are optimized to fit the smaller head sizes of children.
“Dolby 3D kids’ glasses are high-performance environmentally friendly passive glasses that require no batteries or charging ” says Matt Cuson senior marketingdDirector cinema Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby 3D kids’ glasses are made to the same premium-quality standards as the adult-size Dolby 3D glasses and will be available to exhibitors around the globe in time for movies coming out in Dolby 3D this summer.”
These eco-friendly glasses deliver a premium-quality visual performance and are compatible with Dolby 3D systems currently installed. The glasses come in fun kid-friendly green and are equipped with Sensormatic and RFID tags. The glasses are available at a list price of twelve dollars or less when purchased with a Dolby 3D bundle.
New Dolby 3D kids’ glasses provide both performance and comfort:
The glasses include 3M’s new multilayer scratch-resistant antireflective-coated optical film lenses which greatly reduce the weight of the glasses increasing comfort while providing the excellent optical performance moviegoers expect from Dolby 3D.
With the same robust mechanical design as the adult version the nylon frame features wide side temples and a shelf along the top edge of the frames which help prevent extraneous light from entering the glasses reducing internal lens reflections.
The glasses are equipped with Sensormatic and individually serialized RFID tags that can be used for inventory tracking and management.
The glasses can withstand the rigors of many wash cycles and can be reused hundreds of times. Because they are reusable the per-ticket cost of Dolby 3D kids glasses can be well below the cost of disposable 3D glasses.
Exhibitors interested in learning more about Dolby 3D should contact their nearest Dolby reseller or Dolby sales office.
,2528
Sterling Cinema India Goes 3D with Dolby and Barco,2011-06-30, Dolby Laboratories and Barco have collaborated to support Sterling Cinema’s adoption of Dolby 3D Digital Cinema in India. “We are excited to announce Dolby 3D in India and pleased to work with Barco and Sterling Cinemas which are among the most recognized cinema industry brands in India. Dolby 3D brings the picture out of the screen and into the audience with dramatic realism. Viewers can now enjoy vibrant color startling depth and amazing clarity from every seat in the house ” says Pankaj Kedia India head sales and business development Dolby Laboratories. “By enhancing the quality of the picture with Dolby 3D we can offer a richer more memorable experience to cinema audiences ” he says. “We are honored that Sterling has chosen Barco for its first complete Dolby 3D setup in India ” says Nalin Advani country managing director Barco India. “Sterling is one of the most prestigious theaters in India and we are proud to be associated with Sterling and Dolby. Integrating Dolby 3D with Barco’s world-class projector delivers a complete digital cinema solution that is compact and efficient. We look forward to collaborating with them on such projects in the future.” ,2529
Doremi Servers Pass Compliance Test Plan,2011-06-30,Doremi Cinema’s digital cinema servers have passed the Compliance Test Plan with its digital cinema servers. With the integrated media block and server product line passing the CTP Doremi now offers complete playback solutions with the full security and feature sets dictated by Digital Cinema Initiatives standards and guidelines. The Compliance Test Plan was created by DCI as a uniform testing procedure for these standards. CineCert is the third part testing facility licensed by DCI to administer the testing procedures defined in the Compliance Test Plan in the United States. “Passing the CTP with our DCP-2000 server line was critical ” says Michael Archer VP of Digital Cinema. “The vast majority of Doremi installations today are server based. Even though compliance with our IMB was key it was vital that we passed with our server line in order to provide our existing server customers the required upgrade path to DCI Compliance.” ,2530
Fletcher Camera to Represent FotoKem's nextLAB in Midwest,2011-06-30,FotoKem has announced that its nextLAB system is now being represented in the Midwest region by Fletcher Camera & Lenses with offices in Chicago and Detroit. Built on FotoKem's proprietary file-based workflow software these mobile systems are integrated portable units that bring powerful post production capabilities to productions around the globe. They are an extension of the company's in-house technological advancements and professional services backed by decades of experience and knowledge to assist with streamlining workflow from ingest to delivery and archive on set or near location. Fletcher will rent and manage the deployment of nextLAB units in the busy production areas of the Midwest primarily Illinois Michigan and Ohio. Like FotoKem Fletcher was among a very small number of companies that started to build the solutions for what was coming with data-centric workflows says Tom Fletcher vice president of Fletcher Camera & Lenses. When I saw where FotoKem had taken nextLAB I immediately knew they had built something truly amazing; they get it. The nextLAB workflow improves efficiency for all types of projects-motion pictures commercials and television. According to FotoKem's nextLAB vice president and general manager Tom Vice this is an ideal time to work with a company like Fletcher to support the demand and interest in file-based workflow in the Midwest. The team at Fletcher Camera has been longtime friends of FotoKem and we have worked closely with Tom Fletcher over the years on a wide variety of projects Vice says. As an expert who has been involved with the use of emerging and evolving camera technologies he became an early leader in mobile systems supporting file-based workflows on location and initially created a system of his own. All of us at FotoKem are very excited about this collaboration and see it as a great way to have an industry leader represent us in the Midwest. Megan Donnelly director of digital mobile services for Fletcher Camera & Lenses adds We live in an interesting new world. The nextLAB system works intuitively with the way crewmembers work while also surpassing the expectations of creatives. The learning curve for clients is very seamless with FotoKem's solution. We think customers will see it's a must-have product once used. Mike Brodersen vice president of FotoKem says We could not have found a better colleague to work with than Tom and the entire Fletcher Camera organization. They are well-respected and incredibly knowledgeable partners for us in the Midwest. We look forward to working with them to help put our system directly into the productions that need it. FotoKem www.fotokem.com ,2533
Framestore Acquires Shotgun Site License For London and New York Studios
,2011-06-30, Framestore has invested in a Shotgun site license to track productions and collaborate on visual effects work across its London and New York studios. The global site license brings more than 500 Framestore digital artists online with Shotgun. Today Framestore is using Shotgun to manage production workflow on film projects including: War Horse (pictured) The Smurfs Johnny English Returns Your Highness and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Shotgun is a project management system designed specifically for the visual effects CG feature animation and video game industries providing all parties involved in a project at any location with instant access to critical data messaging and real-time project progress.
Framestore first used Shotgun in its London facility to manage the animated feature The Tale of Desperaux and went on to use the software on more than eight feature VFX productions including Avatar Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader Clash of the Titans and more. Following the success of those projects the studio chose to standardize on Shotgun to facilitate collaborative workflows across its London facilities and with its New York studio.
Steve MacPherson CTO of Framestore says Framestore have had great success integrating Shotgun into our VFX film productions. Shotgun is robust flexible and the technology is constantly evolving. We particularly appreciate the move toward a more open source model allowing greater ease for us to fit Shotgun into the way we work rather than vice-versa. We considered building our own system in house but quickly concluded it would be more efficient and cost effective to leverage Shotgun's flexible platform.
The guys at Shotgun Software truly understand the needs and drivers behind VFX production and are building the de facto standard for production tracking software. Their relentless development schedule ensures that it continues to meet the needs of VFX houses worldwide says internal developer Alex Jackson In addition to this they have a world class rollout team to ensure that production downtime is minimized during upgrades and excellent standards of support with queries being answered as if they were working in your office.
Framestore continuously inspires us with their work and we're pleased they are placing their confidence in Shotgun says Don Parker CEO of Shotgun. We have an aggressive roadmap for this year and look forward to collaborating closely with their teams to make sure we hit the mark.
Shotgun Software http://www.shotgunsoftware.com ,2534
Mediatech Africa Convenes July 20-22,2011-06-30, The trade fair Mediatech Africa is being held July 20-22 at the Coca-Cola dome Northgate Johannesburg South Africa.
Mediatech Africa claims to be the continent’s largest media and entertainment trade exhibition and enables attendees to view experience and engage with the very latest in technology. The trade exhibition will showcase cutting edge technologies and services from industry leaders in:
Pro AV Sound Lighting Staging and Rigging
Broadcast Film Production & Post production
Computer Music & Production Tools
DJ & Pro Music Equipment
Animation New Media Mobile and Online
Musical instruments System Integration
and Satellite & Signal. Visitor registration is free to people who register at www.mediatech.co.za before July 6. Admission is R50 at the door. ,2536
Nevafilm Research Reports Significant Digital Cinema Growth in Russia
,2011-06-30,According to data from Nevafilm Research the total number of modern screens in Russia reached 2533 on June 1st compared to 2442 on January 1st a four percent increase. The number of sites increased to 893 from 872 in the same six-month period a two percent increase.
By June 1st 1157 (46 percent) of modern Russian screens were equipped with digital projection technology compared to 941 on January 1st a 23 percent increase. The number of digital sites increased from 533 to 598 a 12 percent increase. Meanwhile 99 percent of the digital screen base is capable of screening 3D.
There are 16 IMAX theatres in Russia. ,2537
New Report Credits 3D Online Ticketing for Cinema’s Success,2011-06-30,In spite of frugal economic scenario worldwide movie ticket sales reached $32 billion in 2010 up from nearly $30 billion recorded in the year 2009 according to a new report from Research and Markets. Patrons have also witnessed dramatic changes in the form of expansion of theatres chains creation of multiplexes and megaplexes that accommodate more screens. The box office growth has been mainly fuelled by the rollout of 3D screens as theatre owners charge more for a 3D film thereby increasing overall box office revenues. Also more movies are being released now than ever before giving consumers greater choices and reasons for frequent viewing. Movie theatres are no longer restricted to a place to sit and watch a movie and have evolved in function to become a complete entertainment center for consumers the report says. The report predicts that the increasing adoption of a digitally based lifestyle by majority of consumers created a new genre of audience called 'net generation' that will pump plenty of demand into online and mobile ticketing formats. And the rise of alternative delivery channels will indisputably ensure that movie watching remain a phenomenally popular entertainment option for the consumers for years to come. Today online movie booking has become an international trend driven by the fact that more people globally are increasingly familiar with booking their movie tickets online. The online movie ticketing services market has over the years revolutionized the concept of traditional ticketing booking and has today entwined itself with modern culture influencing ticket-purchasing habits of consumers. Movies are widespread across the globe and hands-on access to movie and showtime info closest theatre locations and direction and purchase of tickets that allow on-the-go movie planning make online channel more exciting. Several theatres worldwide have made available the whole block of their inventory of theatre seats to online merchants such as MovieTickets.com Fandango and Moviefone while few others presently reserve some tickets for walk-up customers at the box office. Rising penetration of broadband combined with wireless phones with online capabilities have groomed the modern online movie ticketing industry into a multi-billion dollar market. Despite the dampener cast by the economic recession cinema was less affected by the financial market conditions because it is one of the cheapest forms of out-of-home entertainment option. Also the value offered by entertainment during weak economic times is typically higher since people tend to seek out diversion as an option to ease the pressures of an increasingly tough economy on their lives. The willingness of regular and loyal movie buffs to watch new movie releases even in the teeth of recession fuelled the fortunes of movie ticket industry giving it a better chance of success than any other business relying on discretionary spending vulnerable to the recession. The year 2009 has already been ranked as a successful year for movie industry with a great selection of movies appealing to mass audiences. Some of this success can also be attributed to the new experiences offered by a launch of spectacular 3D films. For more information: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/db313be3/online_movie_ticketin... ,2538
Panasonic Introduces AG-AC7PJ Camcorder,2011-06-30, Panasonic has introduced the AG-AC7PJ shoulder-mount camcorder. The camera has full 1920x1080 recording to an SD Memory Card at 480i. The camera weights less than four pounds offers stable shoulder-mount shooting and comes complete with a large grip and zoom lever as well as a wide-diameter manual focus ring for smooth precise operation.
The camcorder’s wide-angle 38.5.8mm lens (35mm equivalent) facilitates panoramic capture and shooting in confined spaces. The AC7PJ’s Intelligent Zoom function enables telephoto shots at up to 23x magnification with images maintaining clear beautiful HD image quality. The Intelligent Zoom mode utilizes hybrid Image stabilization that combines both optical and electronic stabilization of the image.
Because the AVCHD format-based AC7PJ uses MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 high profile encoding – which provides a doubling of bandwidth efficiency and improved video performance over the older MPEG-2 compression based formats– recordings look clean and crisp without image degradation or dropouts.
For editing or playback professionals can transfer content by inserting the SD Card into Mac or PC computers or by connecting the camcorder directly via its USB 2.0 interface.
The supplied battery provides more than four and a half hours of continuous recording. Using the optional VW-VBG6 battery extends shooting time to more than 11 hours.
The AG-AC7PJ is available now. ,2539
Smoothing out the Bumps,2011-06-30,Joey Skibel immerses himself in capturing exciting images of a variety of sports exhibitions. He recently shot professional skateboarder Zac Archuleta to show the physical artistry and excitement that is part of this dynamic sport. “My package for this documentary was the Canon 5D MK II with several Canon L lenses a Marshall Monitor and Schneider 4x4 filters ” Skibel says. “I use only Schneider ND filters because they allow me to shoot very shallow depth-of-field and maintain my 50th of a second shutter speed while shooting in bright daylight which was what we had as I followed Zac’s moves. In addition to the NDs I use Circular Pols and Grads. The quality of Schneider filters is quite amazing. I take them on all of my shoots.” Skibel shot Archuleta as he executed everything from skate ramps and rail jumps to gap-to-ledge and blunt-side-front-side moves at Volcom Skate Park in Costa Mesa California. Skibel felt that he needed a little more freedom and support with his camera. “That’s where the Cam Caddie was perfect ” he says. “It was the ideal tool for me to get the low angle shots I needed. It’s small lightweight and ergonomic. There is no other support out there that could help me get those kinds of shots.” Cam Caddie is a stabilizing handle and accessory holder system designed to work with virtually any lightweight DSLR and video-enabled DSLR camera. It provides a comfortable solid camera platform that supports and dampens movement while shooting enabling smooth and steady shots. Cam Caddie can also facilitate moves that look like a professional jib arm or camera stabilizer. The documentary is slated to be released on DVD later this year. ,2541
Everyman Cinemas Signs VPF Agreement with Sony ,2011-06-30, Everyman Cinemas has signed a Virtual Print Fee agreement with Sony Digital Cinema making it the first independent cinema chain to sign a deal of its kind in Europe.
Everyman Cinemas is one of the UK’s oldest independent cinema circuits having opened its first theatre in Hampstead in London in 1933. Its venues offer a unique experience to customers. From its excellent service to its premium snacks and stylish lounge areas customers are able to enjoy a truly unique and memorable cinema experience. Everyman also offers a wide range of alternative content across its eight UK multiplexes including opera sport theatre and comedy and as a result of the new VPF agreement it can now ensure all showings are viewed in the highest Sony 4K Digital Cinema technology.
David McIntosh director Sony Europe says “This partnership is particularly exciting for Sony Digital Cinema as Everyman Cinemas is the first independent cinema chain we have partnered with in Europe. It further emphasises our passion for the longevity and quality of the cinema industry and we’re very much looking forward to working with Everyman on the range of interesting and entertaining content it brings to its audiences. This agreement enables Everyman to capitalize on the enormous opportunities that digital cinema offers to strengthen and sustain their business as well as to revolutionize the movie-going experience.”
Andrew Myers CEO of Everyman Cinemas says of the deal “We are delighted to have signed such a significant landmark agreement with Sony Digital Cinema. At Everyman we believe in creating a truly unique and memorable cinema experience that exceeds expectations and reaches the highest standards possible in entertainment and the new partnership between our two brands means we can now deliver the very best big screen experience to our guests. The transition also heralds a new era for boutique cinemas and its consumers as we can now offer an ever greater choice not only of films but also allows us to expand our existing range of alternative content covering sports music opera ballet theatre comedy and other major special events.” ,2543
The Monk Installs Sonnet Storage System ,2011-06-30,The Monk an independent video post-production company based in Cape Town South Africa has installed a Sonnet Fusion DX800RAID eight-drive RAID SATA storage system to support on-location editing and provide storage for production of high-end retail commercials and other television productions. The Monk owner video producer/online artist Grant Aerts performs post-production finishing work for a wide range of commercials long-form TV programs and local features using Autodesk Smoke for Mac running on a dual (2 x 2.26 GHz) quad-core Intel Xeon Mac Pro. Aerts chose the Fusion DX800RAID for its high performance and its reliability resulting from data protection in case of a drive failure. I've been very pleased with the Fusion DX800RAID; in fact it's the most stable unit in my small arsenal of hardware says Aerts. Since most of my projects are finished in HD using 4K source material I have very demanding requirements for storage and backup — and high performance and fault tolerance are absolutely critical. The DX800RAID definitely can handle these files and offers the reliability and easy expandability I require for managing uncompressed HD while protecting the data at the same time. With the SES functionality I can monitor the status of the drives power supply and temperature in real time through easy-to-access utility screens or by glancing at the conveniently placed LEDs on the enclosure says Aerts. Plus S.M.A.R.T. data can be used to notify me of an impending drive failure enabling me to minimize downtime as a result. Sonnet Technologies www.sonnettech.com ,2545
Warner Bros. Movies to be Available On Demand in China,2011-06-30,Warner Bros. Entertainment will begin offering its films nationally On Demand to consumers’ television sets in the People’s Republic of China. Through this distribution agreement Chinese consumers will be able to access Warner Bros.’ new release and catalog films this summer through the first national Pay-Per-View and Video On Demand platform in China. YOU On Demand will operate under an exclusive 20-year joint venture with CCTV-6’s pay TV arm China Home Cinema to become the first national Pay-Per-View and Video On Demand platform in China. Warner Bros. Entertainment will leverage YOU On Demand’s platform to provide a potential 200 million cable households access to the studio’s films on their television sets. YOU On Demand anticipates their service will be available in three million cable TV homes in China by the end of this summer which is comparable to the subscriber base of top cable operators in the United States. “China is developing methods for consumers to view movies outside the cinema in a legitimate fashion ” says Jim Wuthrich president international home video and digital distribution Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. “Through YOU On Demand’s platform millions of potential consumers will be able to view our films. They will make it easy for consumers to see the latest films including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” Our distribution agreement with Warner Bros. marks a historic milestone for our company says Shane McMahon YOU On Demand’s Chairman and CEO. I’m excited for the millions of Chinese consumers that will be able to experience and enjoy the very best content that Hollywood has to offer through the YOU On Demand platform. ,2546
American Film Market to Add Five-Day Conference Program,2011-07-09, The American Film Market has announced that it will launch a new five-day conference program at the 2011 Market set for November 2-9 in Santa Monica. The inaugural AFM Conference Series will cover five topics spanning from treatment to screen. The AFM’s expected 8 000 attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the industry’s global thought leaders decision makers and experts who all converge annually at the AFM.
The AFM Conference Series scheduled for November 4-8 will include the Finance Conference Production Conference Marketing Conference Distribution Conference and Pitch Conference. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld will serve as the presenting sponsor of the AFM Conference Series.
In addition AFM will introduce an Industry Conversations program comprised of 14 intimate interactive and informative discussions led by visionaries trendsetters and experts which will be offered free to market attendees from November 2-8.
“The AFM Conference Series and Industry Conversations are two significant initiatives that will bring greater value and benefit to our thousands of attendees ” says Jonathan Wolf executive vice president of the Independent Film & Television Alliance and managing director of the AFM. “The AFM is unique as it’s the only event in North America that attracts thousands of leaders in motion pictures from more than 70 countries giving us the opportunity to curate terrific conferences with top talent from both Hollywood and around the world.”
The 2011 AFM Conference Series will be held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel. American Film Market www.AmericanFilmMarket.com/conferences ,2558
Game of Thrones Shot with Arri Alexas,2011-07-09, HBO’s successful series Game of Thrones was shot on location using Arri Alexa cameras. The series first season captured a viewership of 4.2 million viewers and HBO immediately ordered the second season into production. The show is based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin which chronicles the violent power struggle among warring families for control of the kingdom. Alik Sakharov ASC and Marco Pontecorvo AIC shared cinematographic duties on the show though Matt Jensen took over for Pontecorvo when he left the series to direct a feature. Production took place in Northern Ireland and Malta with camera equipment supplied by Arri Media in London and lighting from Arri Lighting Rental. Production recorded to HDCam SR and the SxS cards concurrently. As this was the first experience shooting on Alexa by both cinematographers the two cameramen did extensive tests to select the camera format. Says Sahkarov who won an Emmy for his work on another HBO series Rome “It's remarkable the latitude of the camera its look and also its ability to so closely represent the curve of film; I was just flabbergasted. We tested a film camera and two digital cameras very extensively for a full week and took the tests all the way through postproduction working with Gary Curran our colorist at Screen Scene. There was so much information in the Alexa images that it just won us over.” Says Pontecorvo who also shot episodes of Rome “Both Alik and I are more used to shooting on 35 mm and it remains our first love but Alexa is very very close and after we'd seen the test results we didn't have any doubts that it would deliver both in terms of budget and quality.” Sakharov says he shot scenes at 1600 ASA and witnessed very little noise. “One of these scenes was set in a crypt and I barely lit it at all – it was basically all done with candles. The colorist sent me a message and said that I obviously knew what I was doing because the image was perfect but I had no idea what I was doing I just relied on the camera! In general I lit it very much like I would a film set ” he explains. “I wasn't a slave to the technology; the technology was there to help me and the results were the same if not better than film.” Arri www.arri.com ,2559
Callahan Completes 1 000th Projector Installation ,2011-07-09, Digital cinema engineering services and equipment provider Callahan Digital Cinema has completed its 1 000th projector installation the company announced today. The milestone came during its latest installation of NEC digital cinema projectors at Majestic 11 by Cinemaworld a luxurious stadium movie theater company in Vero Beach Florida. Overall Callahan has completed 300 installations using NEC digital cinema projectors. “Callahan Digital Cinema is a key organization in our success and today we are especially honored to call Ray Callahan and his colleagues our partners as they reach another milestone ” says Jim Reisteter general manager of digital cinema at NEC Display Solutions. “What we appreciate most are the precision and expertise with which Ray and his team practice their craft. It makes our jobs a lot easier.”
For his part Callahan the president and founder of Callahan Digital Cinema praised the performance and reliability of NEC digital cinema projectors and the advancements in their design.
“NEC projectors are the easiest to install and their performance and ease of operation are second to none ” Callahan says. “When you consider the availability of spare parts and quality of customer support offered by NEC and its partners the preference of NEC projectors to fulfill the digital conversion mandate in theaters makes a lot of sense.”
Cinemaworld which also operates theaters in West Melbourne Florida and Lincoln Rhode Island expressed its satisfaction with the latest work of Callahan Digital Cinema the NEC projectors and after-sales service.
“NEC has been a delight to work with from the professionalism shown during negotiations to the quality and reliability of its products ” says Rick Starr II vice president and COO of Cinemaworld. “We are very pleased with our choice of NEC products for our digital conversion. We also would like to congratulate Ray Callahan and his company on achieving a very impressive goal. Ray’s knowledge of the NEC systems his accessibility and efficient problem-solving are the reasons we have trusted using CDC for years.”
NEC Digital Cinema http://www.necdisplay.com/GoDigital ,2561
Catskill Mountain House Wins Gold Remi,2011-07-09, The feature-length documentary Catskill Mountain House and The World Around was awarded with a Gold Remi award at the 44th Annual WorldFest Houston International Film Festival. The prestigious Remi Award is named after famed sculptor Frederick Remington and was given to Tobe Carey producer/director at Willow Mixed Media a not-for-profit arts group located near Woodstock New York and the man chiefly responsible for the project. The movie tells the story of America's first great mountain top hotel romantic tourism and cutthroat competition in New York’s Northern Catskills. For 140 years from 1823 to 1963 the Catskill Mountain House stood atop the Catskill High Peaks as a symbol of the Gilded Age. Beginning in the 1850's The Laurel House The Hotel Kaaterskill The Overlook Mountain House and The Grand Hotel also became world famous vacation spots attracting world famous business tycoons artists and Presidents. The story of the rise and fall of the Catskill Mountain House is a compelling tale of steamboat and railroad empires bitter rivalries exclusive private preserves fabulous art and picturesque landmarks that celebrated the Catskills as part of the American Grand Tour and as America’s First Wilderness. The latest version of Edius HD nonlinear editing software from Grass Valley was used extensively to cut the movie. Carey used Edius software and all of its real-time built-in workflow tools to shape the captivating feature and prepare it for output to DVD and final distribution. The documentary includes a great deal of material from different sources in different formats. These could all be combined on the Edius timeline during the editing process. “Edius was my bedrock in dealing with many hours of interviews with historians as well as organizing the hundreds of images vintage art 19th century music and period films from the Library of Congress ” says Carey. “The software’s strong and reliable workflow made it easy to shape the film and deal with the many changes that editing a documentary always requires.” The Catskill Mountain House and The World Around premiered in October 2010 and is in wide distribution on DVD. An online trailer is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uEiqq_0WDc/ ,2562
Christie Passes 20 000 Digital Cinema Projector Milestone,2011-07-09, Christie has shipped and installed more than 20 000 digital cinema projectors worldwide. The accomplishment includes the sale and installation of DCI-compliant Christie Solaria Series 2K and 4K projectors including the Christie CP2220 and Christie CP2230. “Projectors were shipped to cinema customers in Australia Belgium Canada Finland France Hong Kong Japan Mexico Norway Romania Russia Singapore Spain Turkey and the United States in May with the 20 000th shipment going to Cinema City International in Arad Romania ” says Jack Kline president and chief operating officer Christie Digital Systems USA Inc. “Whether it is 2D or 3D 2K or 4K small or large screens we are honored that our customers continue to rely on Christie to deliver the brightest most reliable projection solutions for their theaters.” More than 12 years ago Christie introduced the world’s first digital cinema projector the Christie DCP-H followed by the Christie CP2000 series and most recently the Christie Solaria series for both 2K and 4K resolutions. In addition to product launches and technology firsts Christie was selected for the first large scale digital cinema deployments in all major regions of the world including Europe the Americas and Asia Pacific. Most recently Christie was selected by Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron to assist him in showcasing the first mass audience demonstration of the higher frame-rate delivery necessary for the next generation of 3D films. The demonstration took place at CinemaCon 2011 at The Coliseum of Caesars Palace. “Christie is committed to supporting its customers today and in the future. That’s the primary driver behind our 2K and 4K solutions ” says Kline. “We understand how important it is for exhibitors to safeguard their long-term technology investment. With Christie exhibitors are assured they have a future-proof solution that can meet their needs both today and tomorrow.” Christie Digital Systems www.christiedigital.com ,2563
Stila Cosmetics Sponsors Cinedigm’s Kidtoons,2011-07-09, Stila Cosmetics has signed as sponsor of Cinedigm Digital Cinema’s popular Kidtoons matinee series. Kidtoons specializes in bringing family-friendly movies and stories to 165 theaters during weekend matinees at cineplexes around the country. “We are thrilled that Stila sees the benefit of using our precision digital theatrical platform to target moms with its engaging and relevant content ” says Jill Newhouse Calcaterra chief marketing officer at Cinedigm. “Moms will leave Kidtoons loving the Wake up your Makeup tips and we’re certain Stila will reach an entirely new set of customers via our in-theatre experience as well as through our avid mommy-bloggers.” In addition to on-screen inclusion in Kidtoons Stila will be featured in the on-going Kidtoons blogging campaign reaching over 100 prominent bloggers throughout the nation. The bloggers will be encouraged to get their readers to sign up for Stila prizes with the most influential blogger receiving over $500 worth of Stila product. Cinedigm Digital Cinema www.cinedigm.com ,2564
Cinemark Building 16-Screen NextGen Theatre in Cincinnati,2011-07-09,Cinemark Holdings plans to construct a 16-screen all-digital movie theatre that will feature the company's new Cinemark NextGen design concept. The new complex will be the first Cinemark theatre in the area and will be located in the new mixed-use development known as Oakley Station which is the latest phase of The Center of Cincinnati retail center in the Cincinnati central corridor along Interstate 71. Slated to open just in time for the 2012 summer blockbuster season the new Cinemark NextGen theatre will offer the latest technology cutting edge amenities and customer-preferred options all under one roof. All of the stadium-seated auditoriums will offer a viewing environment with wall-to-wall screens 100 percent digital projection and enhanced sound systems equipped with higher quality speakers and 7.1 capable digital surround sound. Additionally this theatre complex will contain a Cinemark XD Extreme Digital Cinema auditorium. The lobby will be designed around one of Cinemark's innovative self-serve concession stands. The Cinemark XD Extreme Digital Cinema auditorium will be the largest in the theatre complex and one of the largest in Cincinnati. A Doremi server and a Barco DLP digital projector will deliver the digital images. Cinemark currently operates 19 theatres in the state of Ohio says Alan Stock Cinemark's chief executive officer. We are thrilled to construct a new Cinemark NextGen movie theatre for our customers in Cincinnati. Its central location will make it easily accessible to the entire market. We plan to move very quickly to achieve an opening in the summer of 2012. Cinemark www.cinemark.com ,2566
Content Film Acquires Wreckers,2011-07-09, Content Film has acquired Wreckers for international sales. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Atonement and BBC’s Sherlock Holmes) Claire Foy (Vivaldi The Season of the Witch and the BBC’s Little Dorrit) and Shaun Evans (Being Julia Boy A). Wreckers was written and directed by D.R. Hood and produced by Simon Onwurah.
Wreckers is an evocative beautifully shot drama that examines the fragile relationship between truth intimacy and betrayal. A married couple move back to his childhood village to start a family but a surprise visit from the husband's brother ignites sibling rivalry and exposes the lies embedded in the couple's relationship.
Producer Simon Onwurah says “We’re absolutely delighted to be working with Content Film and Artificial Eye on Wreckers they are ideal partners to bring the film to an international and UK audience.”
Director D.R. Hood says “I grew up in a village and I’m fascinated by all that goes on under the surface; how people can hide things and lie to each other about the stuff that’s most important to them even though they love each other. That’s the beginnings of Wreckers”.
Content Film’s Toby Melling says ‘“We were completely bowled over when we first screened Wreckers. This is a mature compelling relationship drama beautifully acted by some of Britain’s brightest young acting talent.” ,2568
DaVinci Resolve 8 Update is Available Now,2011-07-09, Blackmagic Design has announced the immediate availability of DaVinci Resolve 8 an update that includes new powerful features and is available for download from the Blackmagic Design web site for all DaVinci Resolve users free of charge. New features in DaVinci Resolve 8 include multi layer timeline support with editing and XML import and export with Apple Final Cut Pro 7 and Adobe Premiere Pro. The new DaVinci Resolve 8 now includes OpenCL processing to allow use on Apple iMac and MacBook Pro computers. New advanced processing tools have been added for real time noise reduction curve grading advanced multi point stabilization as well as automatic stereoscopic 3D image alignment. DaVinci Resolve 8 also supports the Avid Artist Color Tangent Wave and JL Copper control panels plus offers ALE export to relink graded DNxHD files back into Avid editors.
The new XML import and export combined with the multi layer timeline in DaVinci Resolve 8 lets complex sequences from Apple Final Cut Pro 7 and Adobe Premiere Pro to be imported color graded and then exported directly back into Final Cut Pro 7 or Premiere Pro with all the new graded shots and the layer structure intact. If the edit is changed DaVinci Resolve 8 will automatically relink all the clips so the grades are preserved. Editing can also be performed inside DaVinci Resolve 8 and clips adjusted and relocated.
Advanced OpenCL image processing has been incorporated into DaVinci Resolve 8 and this allows a broader range of GPUs to be used for real time processing up to 1080 HD resolutions. OpenCL based processing while not as powerful as CUDA processing also used on DaVinci Resolve does allow a much wider range of computers that can be used for color grading. Now Apple iMac and MacBook Pro series computers can be used for real time grading allowing customers to use the computer hardware they already have. DaVinci Resolve 8 running on a MacBook Pro is a perfect on set color grading tool.
For handling shots that suffer from movement of the camera DaVinci Resolve 8 includes a new multi point advanced stabilizer which fixes unstable shots. The stabilizer is intelligent and uses dozens of stabilization points to totally lock every part of the image. This results in incredibly stable images even from poor quality sources such as unstable hand held cameras.
For colorists who are new to DaVinci Resolve there is now a new Curve Grading feature that works exactly the same way as low end editing software grading which greatly helps new users get up and running quickly with an interface they are familiar with. DaVinci Resolve 8 Curve Grading takes this interface much further because colorists can customize the curves and they get greater control with hue vs hue hue vs sat hue vs lum and lum vs sat controls. For fastest grading speed curves can be adjusted from the mouse as well as the control panel.
For colorists working on stereoscopic 3D work DaVinci Resolve 8 includes a new automatic image alignment tool that automatically aligns images between cameras to produce an a perfect 3D image. 3D materiel is shot using two cameras combined with optics and this causes problems with alignment because it’s impossible to perfectly align down to the pixel level two cameras mechanically. Until now users had to accept some misalignment. However this is very fatiguing for viewers of 3D materiel and has led to negative reviews of some 3D feature films. When working in higher resolutions such as 4K the problem is worse because the mechanical tolerances are even tighter.
With the new DaVinci Resolve 8 automatic stereoscopic 3D image alignment hundreds of individual image points are analyzed and the image is perfectly aligned between eyes. This produces an incredibly sharp and vibrant 3D image. Alignment is fast and takes seconds per shot. It’s completely automatic so the colorist requires no settings. This new 3D alignment uses advanced image processing developed by the Blackmagic Design advanced algorithm team and will revolutionize 3D post-production.
DaVinci Resolve 8 is available now starting from $995 via Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide. All current Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 7 customers can now download this update free of charge from the Blackmagic Design web site.
Blackmagic Design www.blackmagic-design.com ,2570
Decode Takes Delivery of Arri Alexas,2011-07-09, London 3D specialist rental/sales house Decode has taken delivery of two new Arri Alexa Plus camera systems.
Company managing director director Samuel Martin says “As part of our ongoing expansion we are proud to add these exciting cameras to our growing 2D/3D rental stock. This is Arri’s flagship camera and the latest in a series of digital 35mm cameras. Offering the new Alexa Plus to our rental clients strengthens our market position. We will offer the Alexas alongside Red One MX and the soon to arrive Red Epic M. As well as customer rental we are very much looking forward to using them in some of our own 3D productions.”
The Alexa Plus is an upgrade to the Alexa which adds built in wireless remote control the Arri Lens Data System additional monitor and power outlets lens synchronization for 3D and built in position and motion sensors.
Decode will offer a range of top lenses including Arri Ultaprimes Superspeeds and Cooke S4s.
The Alexas will also be offered with the new Decode D-Rex 3D Mirror Rig for high end 3D work. The D-Rex and D-Raptor 3D mirror rigs were launched recently at Cine Gear Expo in Hollywood Los Angeles.
Mark Dollery Arri’s business development manager says “We are very pleased to see our new cameras with Sam at Decode and look forward to viewing the results of the combined Alexas and the Decode D-Rex 3D rig.”
Decode www.decodeuk.com ,2571
FTT DCI Opens New Office in Rome,2011-07-09, The Düsseldorf-based cinema outfitter FTT and the Italian company Kinorma have founded FTT Digital Cinema Italia based in Rome. For Thomas Rüttgers managing director of FTT this foundation is a matter of heart. “FTT has always had close ties with Italy ” he says. “From 1972 to 2009 for example we marketed an Italian brand Cinemeccanica. Therefore we are really happy to enter this market once again together with a competent partner.” Kinorama has been among the leading cinema outfitters in Italy for many years. “We think that the Italian market is now ready for a D-Cinema rollout on a large scale” says Tony Vagnarelli managing director of the newly founded company. Vagnarelli stressed that by sharing their experience and know-how FTT DCI could move forward digital technology in the Italian peninsula. FTT DCI will carry out the installation of 40 D-Cinema screens in the framework of an XDC VPF financing scheme with an unnamed Italian cinema circuit.
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Life in a Day Contributors Help with Promotion,2011-07-09,Contributors around the world who submitted more than 80 000 videos to YouTube shot Life in a Day on a single day – July 24 2010. Now through a partnership between National Geographic Entertainment YouTube and Cinedigm Digital Cinema fans will have the opportunity to secure a special pre-release on the one year anniversary of the content capture July 24 2011 by requesting a screening of the film in their hometowns at youtube.com/lifeinaday. Fans are also being asked to mash-up their own film trailer to be shown at the special screenings and for YouTube distribution. Following the advance screenings on July 24 the film will open in theaters nationwide July 29. Life in a Day is directed by Oscar-winner Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland One Day in September) and executive produced by Oscar-winner Ridley Scott (Gladiator Blade Runner). They invited the global YouTube community to capture a single day of their lives on camera and they received more than 4 500 hours of footage from 192 countries. The resulting 90-minute film is a deeply personal powerful film that takes audiences around the world from Australia to Zambia from the heart of bustling major cities to the most remote reaches of the earth. “Life in a Day explores new ways of filmmaking. It’s in that spirit that we are exploring new ways to market the film by using every technology available to us ” says Lisa Truitt president National Geographic Cinema Ventures. “This is a film fans can really take ownership of and we hope to have the same strong response to these efforts that we had from those who submitted their stories.” Following the user-generated theme beginning today YouTube will provide video and audio assets to U.S. users on the Life in a Day channel at www.youtube.com/lifeinaday for them to create their own trailer mash-up. National Geographic Entertainment will pick a select number of trailers to screen in theaters on the 24th. Leading up to Life in a Day national theatrical release on July 29 fans of the film can also sign up on the YouTube channel to be on marketing SWAT teams. These volunteer groups will help get the word out about the film coming to their town using marketing toolkits provided by National Geographic. ,2576
The Look in Soho Installs a LightSpace CMS,2011-07-09, The Soho boutique post house The Look has installed a LightSpace CMS for facility-wide color management control.
For Thomas Urbye managing directyor of The Look the selection of LightSpace CMS was the perfect solution to the growing needs for accurate calibration throughout the facility as well as extending into associated operations and workflows including VFX editorial and on-set look management.
Urbye says “Accurate color management has become increasingly critical as display technology has continued to move away from traditional CRT monitors to LCDs with varying backlight technology; digital projection; plasmas; and more. Additionally the growth in digital image capture has brought with it a need for better colour management throughout a project’s entire workflow. With LightSpace CMS from Light Illusion we are able to provide the best possible display calibration control.”
Urbye adds “At The Look we don‚t just have multiple display types but multiple creative systems as well meaning we require accurate calibration combined with full LUT management. LightSpace CMS is the only system to provide such a complete solution.” Of additional importance at The Look is the recent investment in SGO's Mistika Stereo 3D 2K grading and compositing system which along with The Look's 3D ready Quantel Pablo systems makes the facility one of the most stereo 3D capable in town.
Urbye says “With the differences in 3D displays in both cinema and broadcast it's imperative we're 100 percent confident that we're set up for perfect color calibration to produce the best possible images in every environment for our clients.”
Steve Shaw CEO of Light Illusion says “Color calibration is an area Light Illusion has specialized in for some time and we have developed a range of solutions for the post and production environments from complete digital facility calibration system through to support services for film lab profiling including stereo 3D calibration.” ,2577
Malco Signs VPF Deal with Cinedigm,2011-07-09,Malco Theatres has signed a long-term virtual print fee deployment agreement with Cinedigm Digital Cinema. Malco will be providing its own financing in the Cinedigm exhibitor-buyer deal structure. The rollout featuring Barco digital projectors and Dolby media players comprises 278 screens in 24 sites and should be completed by early 2012. “After considering all of our options we are confident that we have made the best choice for Malco Theatres to move forward with Cinedigm for our digital cinema deployment program ” says Bobby Levy executive vice president. “We are looking forward to taking full advantage of everything Cinedigm has to offer to continue to provide the finest in motion picture entertainment the highest quality digital cinema presentation and most of all Malco’s exceptional service to our loyal customers.” A fourth generation movie theatre chain Malco has remained family owned and operated for over nine decades. The company operates 323 screens at 30 locations in five states including Arkansas Kentucky Mississippi Missouri and Tennessee. Malco is one of the finest movie theatre operations in the country second to none says Chuck Goldwater president media services group. “Their reputation for outstanding performance both technically and operationally as well as their decades of commitment to the communities in which they operate exemplifies the best the exhibition industry has to offer. With their commitment now to digital cinema Malco will further enhance the quality of their theatres for decades more to come. “It has been a pleasure working with the Malco team throughout the deal process says Gary Loffredo Cinedigm's general counsel and corporate senior vice president business affairs. Cinedigm takes great pride in working with our exhibitor partners to develop a digital cinema deal program that meets their requirements. We look forward to developing even more opportunities with Malco utilizing the full menu of Cinedigm digital applications featuring our software and alternative content programming. Photo by Joe Mazzola Cinedigm www.cinedigm.com ,2578
Meduza Shoots Final Shuttle Launch,2011-07-09, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration invited Meduza Systems use its 4K 3D camera Meduza to shoot the final Space Shuttle Launch at Cape Canaveral Florida which took place July 8. Chris Cary CEO of the UK tech 3D start-up 3D Visual Enterprises and parent company of Meduza Systems made the announcement. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with NASA ” says Cary. “This opportunity exemplifies the Meduza’s versatility and flexibility and supports our interest in developing many valuable and critical applications for the camera in industries outside film and television. With its modular components the company says the Meduza can be set up in minutes not hours has interchangeable lenses precise remote controlled variable inter-axial (the distance between the lenses) and precise remote controlled convergence (features non-existent on Sony and Panasonic models). It is a single camera with a single set of electronics and a single set of controls that powers two imaging sensors at the same time. Weighing less than 15 pounds the Meduza has only what is needed when it is needed and in the smallest and simplest configuration.
The company says the camera which delivers 4096 x 3072 pixels is the first single professional digital camera ever designed and built specifically to shoot in S3D. “A simple analogy would be if you glue two motorcycles together this does not make a car ” says Jonathan Kitzen president of Meduza Systems. “While left eye and right eye images are generated using two cameras many more new problems are created which must then be corrected in post-production leading to data loss image aberration time and expense.”
Says Cary “In two years of development we have come a long way. UK entrepreneurship is alive and well. We feel very much a part of the British business community leadership that is helping to re-invigorate our country’s economy.”
Meduza Systems www.MeduzaSystems.com ,2579
NAB Calls for Speakers Other Input for 2012 Show,2011-07-09,The National Association of Broadcasters is calling on digital and entertainment media professionals and members of the NAB Show content community to become more active participants in the development of the overall education program for the NAB Show. Tools to accomplish this include an all-industry Call for Speakers a LinkedIn speaker alumni community and a Program Advisory Group. All interested professionals are encouraged to submit presentation or session proposals for the 2012 NAB Show held April 14-19 in Las Vegas prior to the entry deadline of October 21. Submissions must be relevant to the creation and distribution of media and filmed entertainment content or address emerging trends and their impact on the media business. Emphasis areas for the 2012 NAB Show program include: broadcast engineering broadcast management and strategy content creation and commerce and military/government applications. As always the NAB Show educational program will focus heavily on technology. Event organizers will consider proposals on new media for multiple platforms new business models and the impact of new technologies and marketplace realities on existing businesses and creative processes. In addition to the 2012 Call for Speakers the NAB Show has launched a Speaker Alumni Group through LinkedIn designed to provide media and entertainment professionals who have contributed to the NAB Show in the past an opportunity to engage with show organizers and each other throughout the year. To request membership in the group visit LinkedIn and search NAB Show Speaker Alumni. The NAB Show is also forming a Program Advisory Group comprising industry leaders and subject matter experts who will provide feedback on overall conference design and suggest new areas of programming to address the evolving media and entertainment landscape. The NAB Show www.nabshow.com ,2580
NCM Fathom Presented Giselle in 3D on 160 Screens,2011-07-09,NCM Fathom presented Mariinsky’s Giselle the world’s first the 3D ballet on July 12 at more than 160 select movie theatres across the United States. Presented by London-based distributor More2Screen and NCM Fathom Giselle in 3D was filmed by the UK production company Can Communicate. We are delighted to be working with NCM Fathom to distribute Giselle in 3D across the States a partnership which will drive the next stage of the ballet's hugely successful global roll-out says Christine Costello More2Screen managing director. Giselle is the story of a simple village girl who falls deeply in love with a dashing prince disguised as a peasant. The idyllic pastoral scene is shattered by an act of betrayal and the ensuing heartbreak. In the ballet's second act Giselle haunts the stage with her host of vengeful spirits but ultimately the strength of her love transcends even death and bestows forgiveness upon her repentant lover. The ballet stars Natalia Osipova as Giselle with Leonid Sarafanov as Count Albert. Fathom brings another first to movie theaters with the world's first ballet in 3D says Dan Diamond vice president of NCM Fathom. This is truly a must-see event and audiences across the U.S. will be mesmerized by the view from their front row seat at the famed St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre during this performance of the classic Giselle. ,2581
Odeon Signs with Unique Digital’s Network Operations Center Services,2011-07-09, Odeon Cinemas has signed an exclusive agreement with Unique Digital for the supply of full network operations center services to manage the ongoing operation of their cinema network in the UK. Odeon has 103 cinemas and 822 screens in the UK and are half way through their deployment with 52 sites completed to date.
“Odeon has worked closely with the Unique NOC since the commencement of our digital cinema deployment and we are delighted to be adding this service to the project ” says Roger Harris COO Odeon UCI Cinemas. “The provision of remote monitoring and high quality telephone support is vital to the success of our ongoing operations – Unique Digital have many years experience with the technical systems in place enabling us to reduce our support costs significantly whilst maximizing the equipment uptime.”
“Odeon and UCI Cinemas Group is the leading exhibitor in Europe and we are delighted to build on our existing relationship. The ability to link our complete suite of technical and support solutions together from TMS to Accord and the EMS are quite literally unique ” says Chris Hagan managing director of Unique Digital. “As the digital rollout continues we are committed to providing the highest quality solutions to the market.” ,2582
OnSight Installs Cel-Scope3D Signal Analyzers,2011-07-09, OnSight one of Britain's most active 3D origination and post-production facilities has chosen Cel-Soft Cel-Scope3D stereoscopic signal analyzers for its Soho operation. A total of four systems have been installed for use in 3D editing video effects correction and digital intermediate processing. All four analyzers were supplied as complete turnkey systems running under Microsoft Windows on six-core specification tower PCs.
“We were impressed by the Cel-Scope3D demonstrations at the London BVE show in February and ordered our first system shortly afterwards says OnSight chief executive officer Simon Craddock. We have completed many high profile 3D projects including Atlantic Productions’ Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough produced for Sky and IMAX. Flying Monsters 3D made history recently as the first ever-3D BAFTA award winner. Shooting and posting stereoscopic content involves a large number of variables that simply don't arise in 2D. Cel-Scope3D allows us to check a wide range of critical details at source which is much more efficient than making elaborate corrections downstream. Connecting the analyzer directly to a Sony VTR allows us to quality-control 3D programs automatically in dual stream says chief engineer Rik Tester. Used with our SGO Mistika high-end stereoscopic finishing suites Cel-Scope3D provides the extra tools needed to assess stereoscopic content accurately in real time. Cel-Scope3D works so well that we have since taken delivery of three additional systems.
Available as complete rack-mount tower-based or high-performance laptop systems or as ready-to-load software Cel-Scope 3D allows stereoscopic camera alignment to be performed quickly and confidently ensuring 3D is accurate from the moment of capture. Footage and edits in a wide range of file formats can be viewed and assessed in real time. Disparities are analyzed and displayed as clear and intelligible graphics on 2D or 3D monitors. Anaglyph display touchscreen control and auto-alarm are all supported. Some of the Cel-Scope3D analyzers provided to OnSight include the automatic logging option that can generate a detailed quality-control report of all 3D parameters and discrepancies. Maximum and minimum depth values detected are logged against timecode together with the depth range in use. Additionally the operator can configure reports on a host of other factors and include thumbnails from the source media to help with interpretation.
Cel-Scope3D has live displays which can be scaled and arranged as six or eight windows on one or two PC monitors. Left and right channels can be viewed simultaneously together with actual depth dynamics. Each graphic window can be set to show waveform vectorscope and histogram graphics as well as differences in video parameters between each channel. Geometry issues can be identified easily using built-in real-time image manipulation. Quality-control tests can be performed on live stereoscopic video sources in any 720p 1080 or 2K formats from industry-standard capture cards Firewire inputs or file playback.
Cel-Soft www.cel-soft.com OnSight www.onsight.co.uk
Kylie 3D – Aphrodite Les Folies in Theatres June 19th
