Category Archives: Exhibition
Artist’s Intent Exposed~! See it here first. Where? In the cinema, the temporary home provided by exhibitors.
State-Of-The-Art Christie Network Operations Center Facility Now Open
Christie announced the completion and official opening of the new Christie Managed Services state-of-the-art Network Operations Center (NOC) facility in Cypress, California. Addressing the growth of digital cinema and on-screen advertising, the NOC features have expanded and upgraded capacity to monitor, maintain and service tens of thousands of digital projectors and related devices across the U.S. and Canada on a 24/7, year-round basis. It also offers greater capability to handle devices from post-production to large group training centers and control rooms.
Dolby and Arqiva Partner to Provide Electronic Delivery to Cinemas
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) today launched Dolby® Direct Distribution Services—a pan-European satellite content delivery network for digital cinemas. The service is provided in association with leading digital network solutions provider Arqiva and uses their international satellite infrastructure to distribute feature movies, trailers, and advertising content direct to their participating exhibitors and cinemas throughout Europe.
Daily Cinema Roundup – Fri 24 April
DTS Digital Cinema and Masterimage Announce Partnership for 3D Deployments
DTS Digital Cinema and masterImage USA, Inc. have reached an agreement by which the masterImage MI-2100 3D Digital Cinema System will be offered for sale through the DTS dealer network.
Sony Electronics Announces Digital Cinema Deployment Agreement with Walt Disney Studios International
Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Solutions and Services (DCSS) group has entered into a non-exclusive digital cinema deployment agreement with Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. The companies will work together to provide operational and financial resources to exhibitors that encourage them to feature Sony’s 4K SXRD™ projection technology in both 2D and 3D digital cinema-enabled screens across North America and Europe.
Dolby Debuts “Buy One Get One Free 3D Glasses” Offer at ShoWest 2009
At ShoWest 2009, Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB), announced a limited-time “buy one get one free” Dolby® 3D Glasses offer for exhibitors installing a new Dolby 3D Digital Cinema system. The special promotion will run from April 6 through May 22, 2009.
Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures International, Universal Pictures International to Support DCI Compliant D-Cinema Korea Nationwide Digital Cinema Initiative.
D-Cinema Korea (“DCK”), Seoul, Korea based company, established in 2008 by two major Korean exhibition chains to help accelerate the transition of Korean theatres to digital cinema, has reached non-exclusive Digital Cinema Deployment Agreements with Twentieth Century Fox (“Fox”), Paramount Pictures International (“Paramount”), Universal Pictures International (“Universal”).
GDC and RealD Partner to Deliver 3D Cinema to Asia
GDC Technology (“GDC”) and RealD announced today that they have entered into an agreement whereby GDC will become a distributor for RealD’s 3D systems in Asia. Under the non-exclusive agreement, GDC will work with RealD in territories such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore.
Sony Announces New Exhibitor Agreements as Conversion to 4K Digital Cinema Technology Continues
Sony Electronics is announcing digital cinema agreements and deployments with five exhibitors across the United States, at the ShoWest trade show here this week. The new agreements range from outfitting facilities with Sony’s 4K digital projection technology to providing complete turn-key solutions for converting to digital technology.
Celluloid Junkie-Monday 11 May
• Digital Cinema integrator Cinedigm (formerly AccessIT) has been thrown a financial life line by its largest creditor GE Commercial Finance. From the press release,…
• Of the 53 films screening at the Cannes Film Festival 50 will be screening in digital, but the press release from Christie frustratingly doesn’t tell us which three won’t. …
• Things are going from bad to worse in India, where the stand-off between the Distributors and the Exhibitors is turning into a WWI-style war of attrition. Now the single screens …
– The Bollywood stand-off is having repercussions abroad, with Hollywood soaking up audiences left high and dry in the Middle East, according to United Arab Emirate’s The National. …
– Up-and-coming London area of Bermondsey Square is getting a 50-seat ‘uniplex’ (pictured on CJunkie site) called Shortwave Cinema, described by the owner as “the first cinema…
– Australia is set to get its first all-digital multiplex as Greater Union unveils its latest multiplex at at Robina town centre on the Gold Coast. From Perth Now, …
– The booming North American box office has dragged Canada’s Cineplex Galaxy back in black, according to THR.com. “Toronto-based Cineplex Galaxy, which operates 130 multiplexes …
Palace Cinemas Add 12 3D Screens
The press release reads as follows:
Palace Cinemas Adds Twelve 3D Digital Screens Across Central Europe for Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D Premiere
20 March 2009 – Palace Cinemas announces the addition of twelve (12) 3D-capable digital screens at its sites in Central Europe in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Three will be in Prague, two in Brno, two in Bratislava and five in Budapest in addition to the one in operation since December 2007. Eleven of the sites will use the Masterimage 3D technology while Palace West End in Budapest will add an additional Real D system. The Barco projectors and XDC servers were provided through XDC and installed by Film-Ton-Technik (FTT). Palace Cinemas’ first wide 3D premiere will be Monsters vs. Aliens, a DreamWorks Animation production. There will be a special sneak-preview on 25 March at Palace Cinemas in the Czech Republic followed by a general release in the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 26 March and Hungary on 2 April.
“We are extremely excited to bring to our customers the very best in entertainment and 3D technology. It’s a revolutionary technology that will radically change the business,” says V.J Maury, CEO of Palace Cinemas. He adds “Palace Cinemas was the first to introduce digital projection to its markets in 2002. Our experience as an early-adopter of digital has given us invaluable experience. Our current expansion ensures that filmgoers in all our markets now have the opportunity to experience the many great new films being released in 3D this year.”
Country Manager for Czech Republic David Horacek says, “We are eager to build on our earlier experience and expand into both Prague and Brno.” “We see an audience eager to experience 3D at both of our sites in Bratislava,” notes Slovakia Country Manager Andrea Baisova. “We believe Palace will have the best digital 3D offer in Hungary now with six screens in Budapest,” comments Andrea Lovasz, Hungary Country Manager.
Palace Cinemas Central Europe is the leading cinema company in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary with 20 sites and 170 screens, with plans for further expansion. Palace Cinemas includes Palacemedia for cinema ad sales and Palace Pictures for distribution. The company consistently leads the market in new technologies including digital projectors, 3D, e-tickets, full web services and its own management software End 2 End (E2E). Palace Cinemas is dedicated to giving its customers a great night at the movies with its commitment to People, Entertainment and Fun.
Palace Cinemas was founded in 1999 by Arthur Goldblatt and V.J Maury. It is majority owned by funds managed by ARGUS Capital Group Limited (“ARGUS”), a private equity fund manager focusing on Central and Eastern Europe. ARGUS was established in 1998 and is supported by leading institutional investors from Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Japan. With total commitments of approx. €400 million in its two funds, ARGUS has invested in thirteen companies in the CEE region over the past ten years.
For additional information on Palace Cinemas, see www.palacecinemas.net Country Managers : Palace Cinemas Czech Republic : David Horacek [email protected] Palace Cinemas Slovakia : Andrea Baisova [email protected], Palace Cinemas Hungary : Andrea Lovasz, andrealovasz/@palacecinemas.hu, Corporate: CEO: V.J Maury, [email protected], GSM : +36203408676 CFO : David Jelinek, [email protected] Tech Manager : Mark Waldman, [email protected] E2E/IT Manager : Greg Bridle, [email protected]
Odeon and UCI Cinemas Choose Qube Servers
Technicolor Services Dominate 2008 Oscar® Nominated Features
Thomson (Euronext Paris:18453; NYSE: TMS), through its Technicolor Business Group, today announced that its industry-leading services were instrumental to 21 of the 2008 Academy Award® nominated theatrical features, announced January 22nd.
Logic is Paramount as a Studio Buys-In Directly
3. INSTALLATIONS:
(a) Exhibitor shall install at least fifty percent (50%) of the number of screens in each Exhibitor’s Complex(es), …, no later than six (6) months from the Effective Date of this Agreement.
(b) Exhibitor shall install one hundred percent (100%) of the screens in each Exhibitor’s Complex(es), …, within three (3) years from the Effective Date of this Agreement.
Now we are talking. No more lingering around. And what about 3D?
(c) Notwithstanding … Exhibitor is allowed to install as few as one (1) 3D screen in each Complex(es) as listed on Exhibit “B”.
The legalese is enough to melt the pixels from your computer screen. But given what they are trying to do, and the realities of money, it seems like a good document to launch a conversation from. There are a few twists about DCI Specification that are noteworthy should any exhibitor decide to stick their neck out and buy equipment before a spec is formalized or compliant product is available…Which. Is. Everyone., since, as we remember, the companies who will test for compliance were only recently announced and have not completed one test yet.
Exhibitor shall ensure all equipment … required by the DCI Spec will be compliant with the DCI Spec.
To the extent a hardware or software component necessary for such equipment to fully comply with the DCI Spec is not commercially available at the time of installation Exhibitor will not be obligated to develop any such components and may complete installation of such equipment as is. When the technology necessary to make Digital Systems compliant with the DCI Spec becomes commercially available from any manufacturer and whether or not any such equipment is available from the manufacturer from whom Exhibitor originally obtained the equipment,
You can smell that there is a kicker coming, can’t you? Fortunately, the streets are not as likely to be littered, as they were after the JPEG transition, with equipment that didn’t make the spec before their business model failed. It is still a risk, because…
…, Exhibitor will by the later of six (6) months after such availability upgrade or the next available window in which upgrades are permitted after such availability upgrade (it being agreed and understood that such windows generally occur between January 15 and March 31 and between September 1 and October 31, or as otherwise generally accepted in the industry), upgrade all Digital Systems to bring such Digital Systems into compliance with the DCI Spec, the costs of which shall be paid for by Exhibitor.
Well, we know that an Exhibitor is going to pound the manufacturer for some kind of guarantee that the equipment they purchase is going to get through the certifying process. And, any manufacturer is going to have to jump through those hoops. There is one hopeless TI hoop that is being allowed for, but that is the topic of another post…the good news is that (at least from Paramount’s viewpoint) there is no reason to string a pointless technical exercise on the back of this contract.
As we digest this contract, we’ll make some more comments. Enjoy reading it yourself and mention your favorite parts…for example, I’ll close with this one, important only because we see that the parties of the first part are learning as they experience frustrations from the parties of the second part.
In the event a key fails because Exhibitor failed to provide current information (e.g., a “server swap”), Distributor will charge a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each and every time Distributor is not informed.
Labels: Paramount DCI Contract VPF