At its annual meeting held in Las Vegas during last week’s CinemCon, the Cinema Advertising Council announced record cinema advertising industry revenues in 2013 – up 6.5 percent to $677,957,000, marking its fourth consecutive year of $600 million or higher.
Barco has announced that its Integrated Cinema Media Processor has achieved full Digital Cinema Initiative compliance. This module, which combines the functionalities of an integrated cinema processor and media server into a single board, is at the heart of the new Barco Alchemy digital cinema projector range. It is also fully compatible with all Barco Series 2 digital cinema projectors already in the field.
Digital cinema company Arts Alliance Media has announced a deal with leading Middle Eastern cinema chain Vox Cinemas, to supply Vox’s sites with a full suite of digital cinema software. The deal covers AAM’s Screenwriter Plus theatre management system, Producer, the company’s enterprise circuit management system and its Locksmith enterprise KDM management products to provide a complete end-to-end solution for monitoring and managing the entire circuit. A second phase rollout later in the year will see AAM’s Lifeguard NOC tools software also being deployed to add in monitoring for all equipment across the circuit, alongside a custom-designed trouble ticketing system for support.
The Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition has concluded a template agreement with the Cinema Buying Group that comprises approximately 600 small- and medium-sized independent U.S. exhibitor members of the National Association of Theatre Owners’ CBG program. Pursuant to the agreement, DCDC will provide access to its cost-efficient North American satellite and terrestrial digital delivery platform. DCDC CEO Randy Blotky and David Binet, director of membership for NATO, jointly announced the news.
Christie will unveil what it is calling the world’s first 6-primary 4K laser projector in the company’s Innovation Theatre at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, March 24-28.
Barco has introduced what the company is calling “a groundbreaking update” for its digital cinema projector families. Named Barco Alchemy, this new generation combines media server functionalities with cinema processing electronics to further increase reliability and ease-of-use in the projection booth. The Barco Alchemy technology is fully compatible with all new and installed Series 2 Barco projectors. The company says that the 4K Barco Alchemy projectors are the first to show 4K movies at 60 frames per second and 4K 3D content on a single projector.
Audience Entertainment and Barco have announced a strategic partnership, creating a new interactive technology platform for moviegoers called iD - Interactive Dimension. iD builds upon digital projection and 3D technology to create a new cinema environment allowing moviegoers to physically connect and control the screen's content the moment they take their seat.
London-based digital cinema company Arts Alliance Media has appointed Andrew Stucker as business development consultant in North America. Stucker will be based in Los Angeles and will focus on offering AAM’s digital cinema software solutions to exhibitors across the US and Canada. He reports to AAM’s commercial director Eric Stevens.
Silverbird, West Africa’s largest cinema chain, and Ozone Cinemas have transitioned to digital cinema with Barco projectors, servers, 3D systems and theater management systems, which are being installed by CineTech Middle East JLT.
In less than two weeks the major movie studios and theatre owners will gather at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas for the annual CinemaCon conference, hosted by the National Association of Theatre Owners. Despite the implementation of new laws, new anti-piracy technology, and I heightened industry awareness, the Motion Picture Association of America estimates it loses billions of dollars each year to movie theft, although some people believe the number is in the millions. In any case, theft is theft, and as movie budgets tighten and theatre owners face increased competition, every dollar counts. Via email I recently interviewed Patrick Corcoran, vice president and chief communications officer for the National Association of Theatre Owners about the state of the piracy battle and for a preview of the trade show.
