On the heels of the successful launch of seven new products for digital cinema and the shipment of its 20 000th server Burbank-based Doremi Cinema has expanded its sales and customer service team to include Beth Figge and Hannah Cash as senior sales managers. Figg and Cash will oversee the service sales and customer relationships for their family of cinema products with exhibitors and dealers in North America.
The Grand Cinema in Hong Kong is installing Sony 4K digital cinema systems. With the completion of this project The Grand Cinema will have the highest number Sony 4K systems in Hong Kong. The Grand is the largest exhibitor in Hong Kong with 1 600 seats in twelve houses.
Francisco Partners has completed the closing process with Technicolor and finalized the acquisition of the Grass Valley Broadcast & Professional business. As of January 1 2011 Grass Valley began doing business as an independent company under the trade name Grass Valley. Terms of the sale include 100 percent ownership of the current Grass Valley Broadcast & Professional business.
LuXin Cinema in Shandong China is installing 120 Barco Series II digital cinema projectors. The LuXin Group plans to first operate the complexes in 17 cities – including the capital city Jinan – and then to move into more cities and perhaps other provinces. By late 2011 20 cinemas – each with six-eight halls – will be open. LuXin Cinema is promoting the film industry in cities like Jinan and Qingdao and bringing the modern multi-hall cinemas into secondary cities such as Yantai Dezhou Dongying Taian and others.
Panasonic has begun deliveries of the AG-AF100. Targeted at the film and video production communities the AF100 delivers shallow depth of field and the wider field of view of a large imager. It is available now at a suggested list price of $4 995. “The design of the AF100’s advanced custom-designed 4/3-inch sensor affords depth of field and field of view similar to that of 35mm movie cameras in a more affordable camera ” says Jan Crittenden Livingston product line business manager Panasonic Solutions Company.
ShowPlex Cinemas is installing 83 digital screens in locations in Missouri Kansas Oklahoma Nebraska and Arkansas. Most of the installations are anticipated to be done in the next 12 months with the final few to be completed in the beginning of 2012. The exhibitor is working with Cinedigm. ShowPlex Cinemas is a newly established theatre circuit owned by Texas-based Trinity Hunt Partners. Cinedigm's deployment financing of ShowPlex Cinemas was made possible by KBC the same lender as previous Cinedigm financing deals with Premiere Rave Starplex and Movie Tavern.
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers‘ Standards Committee has created a Study Group focusing on movie theatre sound system measurement and adjustment techniques with an ‘ear’ toward possible improvements in sound quality and consistency. The purpose of this group chaired by Brian A. Vessa is to examine and investigate possible design setup and performance issues with movie theatre sound systems (generally known as the B-chain) and recommend areas where these could be improved.
The Society of Camera Operators has announced its nominees for the Camera Operator of the Year competition and the Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. The awards ceremony a black tie fundraising event to support the Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles will be held on February 5th at the Warner Brothers Studio in Burbank California.
Thailand earned $60 million from foreign film production teams shooting in the country last year according to the Department of Tourism. Department of Tourism director-general Supol Sripan says statistics of the Thailand Film Office showed that 578 productions were filmed in Thailand in 2010 earning the country $60 million in 2010 double the more than $30 million earned in 2009. The greatest number of foreign production teams was from India and Japan with European and Korean productions following close behind according to Wanasiri Morakul director of the Thailand Film Office.
Warner Bros. Pictures International has entered into digital deployment agreements directly with several key cinema circuits in Taiwan. Under agreements with Showtime Cinemas Miramar WV Cinemas Cinemark-Core Pacific and Ambassador Theatres WBPI will supply digital feature films to DCI–compliant digital projection systems installed by these circuits. The Studio will make financial contributions towards their recoupment.
