Katzenberg Fox Sports’ David Hill Keynote Speakers at 3D Entertainment Summit

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Sun, 10/26/2008 - 20:00 -- Nick Dager

David Hill chairman and chief executive officer Fox Sports Television Group will deliver the second keynote address for the 3D Entertainment Summit on December 2 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles California. As announced previously Jeffery Katzenberg chief executive officer and president of Dreamworks Animation will deliver the opening day keynote address on Monday December 1.   In the opening highlight of the event Katzenberg will discuss the future of 3D before event attendees. Mr. Hill will deliver a presentation that addresses broadcasting sports to the home in 3D. 3D is the next great innovation in sports broadcasting says Hill. HD is merely a stepping stone on the way to 3D and when it comes it's going to be incredible. I can't wait. 3ality Digital REALD and Avid Technology were announced as event sponsors.  The Los Angeles Times and Variety were also announced as media sponsors for the 3D Entertainment Summit.  Variety will be The Summit's exclusive industry daily media sponsor while the Los Angeles Times will be the exclusive newspaper sponsor. “When you look at sports on 3D TV it takes your breath away says Sandy Climan chief executive officer of 3ality Digital a production company specializing in producing live–action 3D. The 3D Entertainment Summit calls itself the first fully dedicated forum bringing the business of 3D entertainment into focus.  Scheduled presenters to date include Michael Lewis chairman/CEO and co-founder Real D; Joshua Greer president and co-founder Real D; Sandy Climan CEO 3aility Digital; Steve Schklair CEO 3ality Digital Systems; Vince Pace founder & CEO PACE; John Fithian president and CEO NATO; Buzz Hayes senior producer Sony Pictures Imageworks; Chuck Viane president of distribution Disney Pictures; Jim Tharpe president of distribution Paramount Motion Picture Group; James Miller partner Stereo Pictures; Vincent Maza solutions marketing manager Avid Technology;  David Cohen associate editor features Variety; Charlotte Jones senior analyst film and cinema Screen Digest; Lloyd Walmsley vice president media & entertainment Thomas Weisel Partners; Jeffrey B. Logston managing director media & entertainment BMO Capital Markets; Marty Shindler president The Shindler Perspective; Peter Cane publisher Boxoffice Magazine; Andrew Oliver CTO Blitz Games; and Neil Schneider president Meant to Be Seen. Additional media partners include LA 411 Screen Digest Boxoffice Magazine DC Cinema Today Below the Line Broadcast Equipment Guide Digital Cinema Buyers Guide and Post Production Buyers Guide. The Hollywood Post Alliance and Meant to Be Seen (mtbs3D.com) an expert on consumer S-3D gaming and entertainment have joined as event industry partners as well. ,446
16x9 Introduces Converter for Sony PMW-EX1/EX3,2008-10-27,16x9 has introduced the EX 0.75 Aspheric Wide Converter – the first wide converter to bring the benefits of aspheric technology to DV and HDV cameras The optical solution for getting wider angle images from Sony’s popular new PMW-EX1 and EX3 camcorders the EX 0.75X provides a 25 percent greater angle of view while maintaining full zoom capability. The EX 0.75’s design employs an aspheric lens element to more effectively reduce geometric distortion and chromatic aberrations and improve off-axis wide angle performance. Utilization of the aspheric lens surface allows the other elements of the converter to be smaller and lighter – without it the spheric elements would have to be larger to achieve the same level of performance. This helps keep the unit’s size and weight at a minimum making it especially well suited for handheld work. The EX 0.75X contains a total of four multi-coated optical glass elements – including the asphere lens – that combine to yield clean and vivid high definition images. This lightweight compact optical accessory attaches securely to the front of the EX1 and EX3 via a convenient bayonet mount. Installation and removal is quick and easy. For professional shading and light control the Aspheric Wide Converter is fully compatible with the HU-104 Rubber Lens Shade. Attaching firmly to the front of the converter through a handy quick-lock mechanism 16x9 rugged broadcast-style shade is designed to hold a 105mm round filter. In addition the EX 0.75X interfaces beautifully with popular mattebox and sunshade systems such as those from Alfred Chrosziel. First deliveries of the EX 0.75X Aspheric Wide Converter were scheduled to be available last month for a suggested retail price of $1335. 16x9 Inc. www.16x9inc.com ,447
Lionsgate to Provide AccessIT with Content and VPFs for its Phase 2 Digital Cinema Plan,2008-10-27,Access Integrated Technologies provider of integrated solutions for digital cinema announced that Lionsgate will provide movies to digital cinema equipped theatres in the Phase 2 digital cinema program and will pay virtual print fees under a long-term agreement. This agreement follows a May 8th announcement of a similar agreement between Lionsgate and AccessIT for AccessIT’s Phase 1 Digital Cinema Deployment Plan.   With a slate of seven digital cinema releases between now and the end of February including Punisher: War Zone on December 5 The Spirit on December 25 Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail on February 20 as well as its first 3D feature My Bloody Valentine on January 16 Lionsgate will be a major provider of high quality digital cinema features for early Phase 2 customers.   “AccessIT has been a leader in shaping the digital cinema era of our industry ” says Steve Rothenberg president of domestic distribution at Lionsgate. “Lionsgate is very happy to extend our commitment to AccessIT now to include their Phase 2 Digital Cinema Deployment Plan and the many new exhibitors we expect they will bring into the digital world. Digital cinema brings the highest quality viewing experience to audiences and provides the platform for 3D movies like Lionsgate’s My Bloody Valentine which opens in theatres on January 16.”   “Lionsgate continues to be a vital participant in the world of digital cinema especially with their full release schedule over the coming months ” says Chuck Goldwater president of AccessIT’s media service group. “Together with the other major studios we expect they will continue to keep the digital pipeline full which will encourage more exhibitors to convert to digital in the coming months. We are proud to continue to strengthen our long and valued relationship with Steve Rothenberg Mike Polydoros and the entire Lionsgate team.”   AccessIT’s digital cinema division is a leading deployment program for digital cinema that provides the funding installation support and administration for the company's studio-supported digital cinema rollout plans. Its Phase 2 plan for up to an additional 10 000 screens will provide networked turnkey digital cinema systems in conformance with DCI specifications including AccessIT’s Library Management Server and Theatre Command Center software.  The system will also include digital projectors and JPEG 2000 media servers from a variety of vendors whose equipment is designed to meet the DCI specifications as well as a demanding set of performance and reliability requirements AccessIT developed through its success with the Phase 1 plan.   Lionsgate is the fifth studio to sign a content and VPF agreement for AccessIT’s Phase 2 Digital Cinema Deployment. Others include Disney Fox Paramount and Universal.     AccessIT  www.accessitx.com Lionsgate www.lionsgate.com ,448
American Film Market to Screen 513 Films Including 102 World Premieres,2008-10-27, The 29th American Film Market is set to screen 513 motion pictures in 35 languages including 102 world premieres and 375 market premieres during its annual event scheduled for November 5-12 at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and Le Merigot Beach Hotel in Santa Monica. The announcement was made by Jonathan Wolf AFM’s managing director and executive vice president Independent Film & Television Alliance.
 
Films making their world premieres at the AFM include: •    The Lonely Maiden starring Academy Award winners Morgan Freeman and Christopher Walken and also starring William H. Macy (Yari Film Group) •    The Killing Room starring Timothy Hutton Chloe Sevigny Nick Cannon and Peter Stormare (ContentFilm International) •    Powder Blue starring Forest Whitaker Jessica Biel Kris Kristofferson Ray Liotta and Patrick Swayze (QED International) Other pictures set for world premieres in Santa Monica include: •    Baby on Board with Lara Flynn Boyle John Corbett Heather Graham and Jerry O’Connell (Entertainment 7) •    Evil Angel starring Ving Rhames (Arrow Entertainment) •    High Life with Timothy Olyphant (Shoreline Entertainment) •    La Linea featuring Armand Assante Bruce Davison Andy Garcia Ray Liotta and Esai Morales (Lightning Entertainment) •    The Legend of Secret Pass featuring Graham Greene Frankie Muniz and Joe Pantoliano (Starz Media) •    Nothing Like the Holidays starring Luis Guzman Jay Hernandez John Leguizamo Debra Messing and Alfred Molina (Paramount Vantage International) •    Run for Her Life featuring Rosanna Arquette Diane Kruger Dermot Mulroney and Sam Shepard (Echo Bridge Entertainment) •    Tenure starring Gretchen Mol and Luke Wilson (Inferno) •    The Heavy starring Stephen Rea (Parkland Pictures) •    The Least of These starring Robert Loggia and Isaiah Washington (North by Northwest Entertainment) Films scheduled to make their market premieres include: •    45 RPM with Kim Coates Michael Madsen and Amanda Plummer (IndustryWorks Entertainment) •    9.99 starring Anthony LaPaglia (Fortissimo Films) •    Adam Resurrected starring Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum (Bleiberg Entertainment) •    All Roads Lead Home featuring Peter Boyle Peter Coyote and Patton Oswalt (Curb Entertainment International) •    American Swing with Helen Gurley Brown Buck Henry and Melvin Van Peebles (Magnolia Pictures) •    An Education featuring Alfred Molina Peter Sarsgaard and Emma Thompson (Odyssey Entertainment) •    Arn -- The Knight Templar with Stellan Skarsgard (Svensk Filmindustri) •    The Burning Plain starring Kim Basinger and Charlize Theron (2929 International) •    Celia the Queen featuring David Byrne Gloria Estefan Andy Garcia Wyclef Jean and Quincy Jones (Altadena Films) •    Dean Spanley starring Bryan Brown Sam Neill Jeremy Northam and Peter O’Toole (New Zealand Film Commission) •    Genova starring Colin Firth and Catherine Keener (HanWay Films) •    Good with Viggo Mortensen (Odd Lot International) •    Heaven on Earth (Seville International) •    Long Weekend featuring James Caviezel (Arclight Films Pty. Ltd.) •    Management starring Jennifer Aniston Woody Harrelson Fred Ward and Steve Zahn (Kimmel International) •    Miracle at St. Anna from director Spike Lee and starring John Turturro (TF1 International) •    Not Forgotten starring Simon Baker Claire Forlani and Paz Vega (Myriad Pictures) •    Push with Lenny Kravitz (Elephant Eye Films) •    Rain Fall starring Gary Oldman (Distribution Workshop) •    The Hurt Locker with Anthony Mackie Jeremy Renner Brian Geraghty Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes (Voltage Pictures) •    The Ministers featuring Harvey Keitel and John Leguizamo (AV Pictures Ltd.) •    The Narrows with Sophia Bush and Vincent D’Onofrio (6 Sales) •    The Other Man starring Antonio Banderas Laura Linney and Liam Neeson (Ealing Studios International) •    Oliver Stone’s W. starring Josh Brolin Ellen Burstyn James Cromwell Richard Dreyfuss Thandie Newton and Jeffrey Wright (QED International) •    Winged Creatures starring Kate Beckinsale Dakota Fanning Jennifer Hudson Guy Pearce Jeanne Tripplehorn and Forest Whitaker (Peace Arch Entertainment) •    Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love with Youssou N’Dour Peter Gabriel Moustapha Mbaye Kabou Gueye and Fathi Salama (Celluloid Dreams) The screening schedule a full list of films available during AFM and additional information is located in the recently re-launched The Film Catalogue IFTA’s online resource housing 4 300 motion pictures and 1 000 trailers. Available in English Italian Spanish German French Portuguese Japanese Mandarin and Korean the site features a number of new tools making it an extensive online resource for distributors and buyers. The Film Catalogue’s advance search tools allow users to seek films by language production status and year of completion budget director cast company title and genre.  Users can also track changes to the catalogue by searching new updates within the past 24 hours week month and quarter as well as creating a list of favorite titles to better assist them in their buying/distribution activities. In addition to all films available at AFM the site operates on a year-round basis and highlights market line-ups at EFM Filmart and Cannes.
 
For the fifth consecutive year the AFM has reached full capacity at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and Le Merigot Beach Hotel having sold out all exhibition space at both venues. AFM’s festival partner AFI FEST 2008 presented by Audi will take place October 30-November 9. Together the two events represent the largest gathering of film industry professionals and the only combined film market-festival event in North America.

 AFM and Independent Film & Television Alliance www.ifta-online.org/afm ,449
Cinecolor Labs in Chile Mexico Accepted in Kodak ImageCare Program,2008-10-27,Cinecolor Chile and Cinecolor Mexico have successfully met Kodak ImageCare Program requirements for the camera negative processing aspects of their operations. The addition of these two laboratories takes the worldwide program membership to 47 in 27 countries and a total of five facilities for the Cinecolor group. Cinecolor Chile is the first laboratory in that country to attain these standards.   The aim of the ImageCare Program was so clear that our board of directors understood its benefits immediately says Juan Carlos Arriagada project manager for Cinecolor Chile. It forced us to review our whole lab flow and to standardize all aspects of handling processing and delivering film negatives - our customers' most important assets.   Diego Balestra general director of Cinecolor Mexico finds the program equally helpful and practical. The program makes it clear who is responsible for what area in our lab he says. Just in the process of charting everything into a spreadsheet we have substantially improved response time for our customers.   That's exactly why Kodak established the Program: to help our customers improve the quality of their operations in ways that attract business says Wendy Elms worldwide manager of the Kodak ImageCare Program. It provides the industry with superior standards of quality that have raised the bar on laboratory services and customer expectations. And that's good for everyone. Laboratories in countries where the Kodak ImageCare Program is offered can become members through an assessment process. A Kodak technician assists and certifies lab personnel in standardizing and documenting procedures monitoring and controlling processes and in demonstrating an ability to follow quality control checklists.   The Program has given us more credibility with our customers Balestra says. The fact that the Kodak name is associated with it gives customers a greater confidence to entrust their work to us. Laboratories are independently audited every 12 months with frequent assessments by local Kodak representatives throughout the year. Kodak also provides training for personnel with the aim of achieving optimum and consistent performance.   Our customers don't want to break their heads trying to understand laboratory operations but they do understand quality. Being part of the ImageCare Program family is a step ahead on improving services to them says Arriagada. Being a member of this select Kodak group is an honor and an award for our laboratory team. Kodak ImageCare Program www.kodak.com/go/imagecare ,451
Cooke /i Technology Goes Live on Red One Cameras ,2008-10-27,Cooke Optics has announced that its /i Technology will be available on all Red One cameras. Jarred Land fire chief at Red announced on the Red Web site that all new Red One cameras would come with /i pins installed and fully functional beginning that day. Cooke’s /i “Intelligent” Technology enables PL-mounted film and digital cameras to automatically record key lens and camera data for every film frame using /i equipped lenses which can then be provided digitally to post-production teams. Since the Red One camera has built-in /i support via contacts in the Red camera lens mount for direct metadata capture there is no need for an additional equipment interface. The technology streamlines both production and post saving time and costs and eliminating guesswork whilst enabling greater creative freedom. Les Zellan chairman Cooke Optics says “We are delighted that /i Technology is now live on the Red One. With schedules tighter than ever and demands for higher image quality the need for production and post to work closely together has never been more important. The Red One camera is all about using digital technology to streamline processes and create the best possible images and the /i capability amply fulfils that criteria.” Cooke Optics www.cookeoptics.com Red One www.red.com ,453
Digital Cinema Initiatives Signs Licensing Agreements for Compliance Testing,2008-10-27,Digital Cinema Initiatives announced that it has signed licensing agreements for compliance testing with technology and development consulting firm CineCert in the United States DMC/Keio University in Japan and Media Innovation Center in Italy. These entities will perform testing to determine whether manufactured digital cinema equipment and products are compliant with DCI’s Digital Cinema System Specification. In October 2007 DCI published its Compliance Test Plan which includes validated test procedures for the DCI Specification including all referenced standards of the Society for Motion Picture and Television Engineers. In a joint statement the member studios of DCI said “These licensing agreements represent an important step in the maturation of the digital cinema marketplace. Through compliance testing distributors exhibitors manufacturers and technology providers will have the assurance that equipment and products have been rigorously reviewed and comply with DCI requirements.” CineCert www.cinecert.com DMC/Keio University www.dmc.keio.ac.jp/en Digital Cinema Initiatives www.dcimovies.com ,454
Dickinson Theatres Joins AccessIT’s Phase 2 Deployment Plan,2008-10-27,Dickinson Theatres has become the first theatre chain to commit to the previously announced Phase 2 Digital Cinema Deployment Plan from Access Integrated Technologies. Under the terms of the agreement Dickinson will convert 310 screens in 24 multiplexes across eight states including a concentration of 84 screens in eight locations in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. The first eight screens to be included have been installed in Little Rock Arkansas at the Chenal theatre. AccessIT's proven success over the last three years gave us the confidence to select them as our partner to take us into the digital era says John Hartley president and CEO of Dickinson Theatres. We're thrilled to be working with them on digital cinema including their alternative content and live event broadcast capabilities that we expect to be showing in our theatres. AccessIT is excited and proud that Dickinson Theatres will be the first exhibitor partner in our Phase 2 Deployment Plan says Chuck Goldwater president of AccessIT's Media Services Group. With more than 80 years of excellence in the exhibition business Dickinson Theatres and John Hartley and his team have the experience the vision and the passion to take full advantage of the benefits of digital technology as leaders in the industry. Craig Sholder vice-president of entertainment solutions for Christie says Dickinson and AccessIT are great partners of ours and we're delighted to continue to support the conversion to digital. With more than 15 new movies slated for 3D release our unique and proven 1.2-inch DLP Cinema technology offers brightness levels unsurpassed in the industry for the most compelling 3D experience. We're enthusiastic to bring the latest advancements to their theaters while still offering the lowest cost of ownership and best support in the industry. Dickinson's passion and innovative spirit will set the pace for another successful 80 years. AccessIT www.accessitx.com ,455
Panavision to Rent Phantom HD Cameras,2008-10-27, Panavision has announced an agreement with Abel Cine Tech and Vision Research for the acquisition of Phantom HD high-speed digital cameras. The contract means that the Phantom HD cameras and custom accessories will be available for rent in a complete system package with Panavision optics including anamorphic lenses. Abel Cine Tech the exclusive North American agent for Vision Research’s Phantom HD and 65 is supplying the camera systems technical support and training to Panavision.
 
The Phantom HD capable of recording up to 2048x2048 resolution captures motion like no camera before it in the entertainment industry. At full HD resolution (1920x1080P) frame rates of over 1 000 frames per second can be recorded played back and accessed immediately. Its circular in-camera buffer recording enables cinematographers to “trigger” the camera before during or after the event being photographed. These and other features enable a world of high-speed imaging possibilities previously unattainable in movies television shows and commercials.
 
 The 35mm sized CMOS imager accommodates all standard Panavision lenses including anamorphic and has the same depth of field characteristics as Panavision’s 35mm film and digital cameras including Genesis. 
 
Each Phantom HD camera system from Panavision will include two newly introduced products the 512 GB CineMag flash storage magazine and the CineStation download station. These products speed up production and enhance workflow on set and off. Panavision is the first to supply this full system (2 CineMags and 1 CineStation) to each Phantom HD Camera package.
 
 “We’re very pleased to help create a digital standard for high-speed cinematography by offering the Phantom HD camera to our feature film television and commercial customers ” says Bob Beitcher president and CEO of Panavision. “The combination of Panavision’s lenses Vision Research technology and Abel Cine Tech know-how will change how the industry looks at high-speed imaging.” 
 
 Peter Abel president of Abel Cine Tech agrees. “Our strategic relationship with Panavision moves Phantom HD into an arena we have eagerly sought since the camera’s inception. With their experience and unique position in the market we couldn’t hope for a more accomplished partner than Panavision to make this objective a reality.” 
 
The complete Phantom HD camera package with Panavision lenses is now available for rent at select Panavision offices around the world. 
 
 Abel Cine Tech www.abelcine.com Panavision www.panavision.com Vision Research www.visionresearch.com ,459
SMPTE to Standardize Formats for Broadband-Distributed Content,2008-10-27,The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers is forming a technology committee to standardize mastering and packaging formats for content distributed over broadband networks. Such a broadband standard could fuel fresh business models by enabling consumers to purchase entertainment from any online destination and play it back on any device. The committee’s launch highlights SMPTE’s interest in addressing the challenges of delivering professional content—including movies television programming online programming and music—no matter the distribution platform. Broadband 23B met for the first time on last month in conjunction with the SMPTE 2008: Annual Tech Conference & Expo in Hollywood California. “The industry needs to adopt standard content and container formats for the entire electronic distribution ecosystem ” says Wendy Aylsworth engineering vice president SMPTE. “More media than ever is flowing to consumers outside traditional TV and cinema channels and currently it can only be accessed on a limited subset of services and devices because there are no interoperability standards.” Broadband 23B will create a standard that will not only benefit consumers but will also allow producers and distributors to easily and rapidly deploy content across all broadband services. In addition it will work toward enhancing the consumer experience by establishing procedures for uniform captions subtitles and more. The committee’s activities will include detailing the requirements for a universal file container deciding upon its technical specifications examining essence formats developing content identification procedures and defining structural and descriptive metadata. SMPTE welcomes the involvement of organizations working in broadband content and distribution and representatives from interested groups should contact the society’s headquarters. Participation in Broadband 23B is open to all entertainment technology professionals particularly those in the content creation distribution consumer electronics IT and retail sectors. SMPTE www.smpte.org ,460
Mac Guff Upgrades Facility to Support 3D,2008-10-27, Mac Guff one of France’s largest digital visual effects design studios is installing Exanet’s ExaStore Clustered NAS 2008 to ensure that its 3D animation video effects and post-production processes are supported at the highest performance levels available. “Mac Guff chose Exanet to provide its storage solution because ExaStore’s performance and reliability are unmatched in the media and entertainment industry ” says Jeronimo Munoz Exanet regional vice president Southern Europe. “ExaStore’s 10 gigabyte technology will allow Mac Guff to maximize its hardware use while enjoying the ability to grow to unlimited capacity.” Mac Guff provides services based in both animation and photorealism to the advertising television and music video industries. “Both Exanet and Mac Guff share a focus on delivering the most advanced solutions to their customers ” continues Munoz. “ExaStore will free Mac Guff from storage concerns so it can deliver the high level of artistry and creativity for which it is respected.” Exanet www.exanet.com ,461
QuVIS Selects Paragon Software for Wraptor,2008-10-27,QuVIS has selected Paragon Software’s Universal File System Driver technology to embed within their new Wraptor Digital Cinema Package mastering plug-in for Apple Final Cut Studio. Paragon's technology fulfills the requirements for creating a digital cinema content distribution hard drive according to the Digital Cinema Initiative specifications by enabling a Mac with Wraptor and Final Cut Studio to: Create a Linux ext2/3 File System partition on a USB2.0 external hard drive suitable for use as a DCI-compliant distribution hard drive. Verify the integrity of the ext2/3 File System partition. Write a clear-text (unencrypted) or AES-encrypted DCP created using Wraptor to the distribution hard drive using a file system format that is universally supported by all major digital cinema playback servers.      Wraptor is a software plug-in that adds the ability to create a professional-quality DCI JPEG2000-encoded AES-encrypted MXF-wrapped and distribution-ready DCP directly from a Final Cut Studio project. Wraptor provides a low-cost solution for creating digital cinema content without sacrificing professional quality or interoperability. Wraptor is commercially available online at www.quvis.com. Paragon is committed to using its 14+ years of partitioning experience to help remove the barriers between the Mac Linux and Windows operating systems and has a growing portfolio of products for Mac systems to do exactly that says Tom Fedro president of Paragon Software Group - Americas. This partnership with QuVIS further solidifies our credibility as the technology leader in a cross-platform environment. The Linux ext2/3 UFSD technology allows QuVIS to offer a complete turnkey Digital Cinema Mastering solution for Final Cut Studio that includes the ability to deliver content in the form of a DCP using the distribution file system format preferred by the industry says Michael Paulson QuVIS COO. We are very pleased with the seamless integration of the Paragon and QuVIS technologies. Paragon Software Group www.paragon-software.com QuVIS www.quvis.com ,462
Universal Pictures International to Support Ymagis Digital Cinema Roll Out in Europe,2008-10-27,Ymagis the Paris-based European digital cinema services provider has announced that Universal Pictures will provide movies to theaters equipped by Ymagis and will pay digital print fees under a long-term agreement similar to those signed by Paramount Disney and Fox. Ymagis started its roll out activity in July after the first signing contracts with distributors and has so far signed contracts with exhibitors for a total of 29 screens in France. Ymagis expects to announce agreements with other studios and European distributors in the coming weeks as well as agreements with several exhibitors. Duncan Clark executive vice president Universal Pictures International says “At Universal we are committed to the growth of digital cinema the future of our industry. We therefore warmly support Ymagis and its efforts to expand the digital platform for our movies. Our audiences will reap the rewards of the continued enhancement of the theatrical experience.” Jean Mizrahi CEO of Ymagis says “We are delighted to conclude this agreement with Universal Pictures a major player in the distribution industry and an important provider of digital movies in Europe. This agreement is another step in our effort to help all kinds of exhibitors in Europe convert to digital. We look forward to support from more distributors and exhibitors in the very near future.” ,463
James Cameron and Vince Pace to Speak at 3D Entertainment Summit,2008-11-08, Award winning director and producer James Cameron will deliver a special keynote address at the 3D Entertainment Summit which will take place at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles California December 1-2. Joining Cameron in discussion will be Vince Pace who together with Cameron developed the revolutionary Fusion Camera System allowing for the re-emergence of 3D filmmaking and the advancement of entertainment. “Stereoscopic 3D is the most exciting evolution in cinema presentation since color and widescreen ” says Cameron. “The question for film-makers is not ‘why 3D?’ since the reasons are obvious at least to audiences and the negatives have all been removed. The question should be ‘how do I make 3D a part of my art?’” “The success of current 3D productions continues to validate that a new era in entertainment is here ” says Pace. “One that redefines the ultimate experience and advances the future of entertainment across a wide spectrum of categories – everything from films to music to sports to advertising will be a part of this revolution. “ In addition Journey to the Center of the Earth director Eric Brevig and producer Charlotte Huggins will be featured presenters during the Day One lunch and will be interviewed onstage by David Cohen associate editor at Variety. Cameron Brevig and Huggins will join previously announced keynote speakers Jeffrey Katzenberg chief executive officer and president of DreamWorks Animation and David Hill A.M. chairman and CEO Fox Sports Television Group. The 3D Entertainment Summit management also announced that Dolby NEC Pace and Sony have signed on as corporate sponsors.  These new sponsors join 3Ality Avid and REAL D to round out a world-class event that will include educational demonstrations and networking. “Tomorrow’s new entertainment business models must include 3D ” says Bob Dowling the event’s co-producer.   “As the premier business event for 3D Entertainment we are excited to have these incredible visionaries joining our program.  Never before have so many industry experts been together at one event to discuss the coming 3D revolution in entertainment.” The Summit will assemble an estimated 300 - 400 executives from a cross-section of the entertainment industry including film television video gaming content creation production technology and distribution. From movies and theaters to broadcasting in the home the 3D Entertainment Summit will be the first industry event to educate entertainment executives about content creation production and distribution of this exciting and revolutionary technology. Live demonstrations of never before seen content screened on both cinema and 3D television systems will be presented to showcase new production realities as well as new business opportunities. Attendees will learn how 3D relates to business practices and will hear from a dynamic group of leading experts in 3D who will provide actionable non-hyped real and responsible information that will have a positive impact on the entertainment community.    The unique two-day conference format will contain a mix of general sessions and panel sessions presented by a host of industry experts and executives.  The highly interactive environment will allow entertainment professionals to gain practical insight into this technology market size adoption rates creative and production strategies talent and licensing issues gaining a better sense of how 3D relates to their future. Media partners promoting the event include Variety and The Los Angeles Times and LA 411.  Supporting media sponsors include Screen Digest Boxoffice Magazine DC Cinema Today Below the Line Broadcast Equipment Guide Digital Cinema Buyers Guide and Post Production Buyers Guide Digital Cinema Report and PR Newswire.  Additionally iHollywoodForum The Hollywood Post Alliance and Meant to Be Seen (mtbs3D.com) the foremost authority group on consumer S-3D gaming and entertainment have joined as industry partners to the event. 3D Entertainment Summit www.3d-summit.com ,485
Next Generation Cinema – The Hybrid Theatre,2008-11-08,A video of the presentation Next Generation Cinema – The Hybrid Theatre by Ron Gillen of The Walt Disney Company is now available on the website of the Stereoscopic Displays and Applications association.  It is the latest presentation from their conference earlier this year to be added to their online video collection. Gillen’s remarks covered a broad range of topics relating to theatre design and in particular the specialist requirements of a 3D theatre.   Click here to see that video and others from the event. www.stereoscopic.org/2008/videos.html ,486
AccessIT Barco Christie Enter Phase 2 Supply Agreement,2008-11-08,Building on the success of the Phase 1 Christie/AIX Digital Cinema deployment plan AccessIT has entered into supply agreements with Barco and Christie Digital Systems to bring digital cinema systems to theatres in the United States and Canada.   Christie will provide up to 5 000 projectors for the previously announced AccessIT Phase 2 Digital Cinema Deployment Plan. The planned number of Barco projectors was not announced. “In Phase 1 AccessIT and Christie made digital cinema a reality. Together we completed the conversion of more than 3 700 screens. In Phase 2 AccessIT is aiming even higher with a goal of installing 10 000 screens over the coming three years. It just makes sense to continue working with the company with whom we’ve shared tremendous success. We’re looking forward to seeing the installations begin and we know that Christie will be an important asset to our Phase 2 objectives ” says Bud Mayo chairman and CEO of AccessIT. Together with AccessIT we've had three successful years in digital cinema leading the transformation in the industry with the first network technology and business model commented Jack Kline president and COO Christie Digital Systems USA.  Now we're entering a new phase that will see rapid change in the landscape of commercial cinema and we're excited about the opportunities ahead.  Our years of experience working together on the first large scale deployment has created a solid foundation for reliability and enhanced operational efficiency for exhibitors. “We [also] welcome Barco as a partner to AccessIT’s vendor neutral deployment program. AccessIT’s rigorous accreditation process includes product testing and a detailed examination of all aspects of maintenance and installation services. Barco has shown it can meet our standards in both respects. This agreement allows us to begin Phase 2 installations of Barco equipment quickly bringing new digital cinema screens to our growing network “ says Bud Mayo. “Barco is very proud to have been selected as a partner in AccessIT’s Phase 2 deployment program ” said Barco vice president digital cinema Wim Buyens. “We view this as a validation of Barco’s outstanding products and services by the world leader in digital cinema and look forward to building a long term relationship with AccessIT and its exhibitors.” “We are delighted that AccessIT has chosen to partner with Barco for the next phase of their Digital Cinema deployments ” said Todd Hoddick who leads Barco Digital Cinema in North America. “We will ensure AccessIT and our exhibitor partners get the most out of their business by providing a well designed family of projectors that are easy to use and by making a market-leading investment in the training and support of our customers.” AccessIT www.accessitx.com Barco www.barco.com Christie Digital Systems www.christiedigital.com ,487
DeckLink Cards Capture from Two Video Sources on Single MacPro,2008-11-08,Blackmagic Design says its range of DeckLink cards are the only video-capture cards available to enable two Softron MovieRecorder applications running on a single MacPro workstation to simultaneously capture video from two different sources. Using a MacPro coupled with two DeckLink cards and two applications of Softron MovieRecorder enhances facilities’ ingest capabilities. MovieRecorder greatly enhances any facility's ingest capabilities and does so at an incredibly low infrastructure investment in many instances using available hardware ” says Mike Skibra Softron media services business development manager. “This is because a single MacPro workstation coupled with two DeckLink cards and two applications of MovieRecorder running in a shared storage environment can give multiple users access to the recording station and the recorded media without the need to purchase additional hardware devices at significantly higher cost. “Professionals at every level are going to love the fact that they can use their DeckLink card with MovieRecorder to simultaneously capture video from two different sources ” says Dan May president Blackmagic Design Inc. “We are very pleased to support such a versatile and powerful application as MovieRecorder making available another excellent tool to facilitate our customers' creativity and production.” Blackmagic Design www.blackmagic-design.com Softron www.softronmedia.com ,488
Arri Looks to Acquire Some Dalsa Digital Cinema Assets,2008-11-08,Semiconductor and electronics company Dalsa is committed to eliminating the ongoing losses in the digital cinema division by the end of the year. The Waterloo Ontario Canada-based company has recently entered into a non-binding letter of intent which includes a 30-day period of exclusive negotiations with Arri. Under the terms of the letter of intent Arri would acquire certain existing assets of the Dalsa digital cinema division. In any event Dalsa Digital Cinema and its Origin camera will almost certainly be history by the end of this year. Concurrently Dalsa and Arri would enter into a technology partnership agreement whereby Dalsa will develop for Arri custom high performance CCD image sensors and related products. Furthermore Dalsa would supply the developed products to Arri for digital cinematography applications through Dalsa’s core businesses. Related to the transaction contemplated by the letter of intent Dalsa will endeavor to find a buyer for its Los Angeles-based camera rental operations. Dalsa will eliminate the ongoing losses from the digital cinema business prior to year-end however there is no assurance that any transactions will be completed. The results of operations and financial position of Dalsa’s digital cinema business unit have been segregated and presented separately as discontinued operations in the company's unaudited consolidated interim financial statements for the third quarter. The company has taken a $24.9 million after tax charge comprised of a non-cash charge of $21.7 million and a cash charge of $3.2 million. The actions we undertook in the third quarter to stem further losses in our digital cinema initiative will now allow us to focus our attention more fully on our core digital imaging and semiconductor businesses and to further build on their success moving forward says Brian Doody chief executive officer of Dalsa. The financial results in our core businesses this quarter and this year underscore Dalsa’s strong international technology and product leadership position as well as the strong fundamentals of our business. We look forward to meeting with investors and analysts to share more about our digital imaging and semiconductor businesses at our upcoming Analyst Day taking place in Toronto on November 18. Dalsa www.dalsa.com ,492
Doremi Licenses IDC Streaming Software for use with AccessIT’s CineLive 3D,2008-11-08,Doremi Cinema has announced a licensing agreement with International Datacasting Corporation for the integration of real-time streaming software into its line of SuperFlex Pro Cinema products. The pact also enables Doremi to embed Sensio Live 3D decoding technology into Doremi digital cinema servers for CineLive 3D AccessIT's newest solution for theatre owners. Doremi's software is integral to CineLive 3D. It will allow theatres to play live 3D alternative content to multiple screens simultaneously. Today's solutions require hardware for each screen that is to receive a broadcast event. With Doremi's streaming software a single hardware device can now send the broadcast signal to multiple screens utilizing the multiplex's digital cinema network. The key advantage of Doremi's software solution is the ability for theater owners to broadcast live 3D events to multiple screens at once says Michael Archer vice president of Doremi Digital Cinema. The exhibitor can now make last minute decisions to move the event to a different screen or add additional screens depending on the events ticket sales. We're thrilled to be working with Doremi says Ron Clifton president and CEO IDC. They have an excellent track record for bringing the very best technology to digital cinema. Doremi www.doremilabs.com