Cineplex Entertainment kicks off 100-year celebration

Jan 19, 2012

Cineplex Entertainment will celebrate 100 years of movies and moviegoing memories with a yearlong program of activities. Throughout 2012, Cineplex will host a variety of events, exclusive contests, special promotions and more.

“There’s something magical about the moviegoing experience that brings people together and evokes great memories in a person’s life,” said Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex Entertainment. “Whether it’s their first movie, first date or another significant event, going to the movies today creates just as many memories as it did 100 years ago.”

The yearlong celebration begins on Jan. 19—National Popcorn Day. Guests who visit any Cineplex theatre that day will receive a free small popcorn with the purchase of any size drink. The popcorn will be served in a special retro-style red and white souvenir popcorn box. Cineplex will also launch www.cineplex.com/celebrate100, a micro-site featuring the latest information on the 100-year celebration festivities and special polls and content looking back at the history of movies.

Cineplex has also commissioned Ipsos Reid Public Affairs to conduct a thorough review of Canadian moviegoers’ habits, preferences and favorite movies and movie stars. Throughout the year, Cineplex will reveal various survey elements including fun facts and other data that will provide a “Canadian perspective” on the movie industry and the Canadian movie landscape which historically has been dominated by American research data.

The history of today’s Cineplex Entertainment can be traced back to 1912, when Adolph Zukor founded the Famous Players Film Corp. (today’s Paramount Pictures) and a few years later merged with Canadian N.L. Nathanson’s company to form Famous Players-Lasky Corp. In 1920, their goal was to build a large chain of theatres across Canada and by 1921 they operated 20 theatres with approximately 20,000 seats. That chain evolved through many different owners and brands until the merger of Cineplex Galaxy and Famous Players to form Cineplex Entertainment in 2005.

Jan 19, 2012

Cineplex Entertainment will celebrate 100 years of movies and moviegoing memories with a yearlong program of activities. Throughout 2012, Cineplex will host a variety of events, exclusive contests, special promotions and more.

“There’s something magical about the moviegoing experience that brings people together and evokes great memories in a person’s life,” said Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex Entertainment. “Whether it’s their first movie, first date or another significant event, going to the movies today creates just as many memories as it did 100 years ago.”

The yearlong celebration begins on Jan. 19—National Popcorn Day. Guests who visit any Cineplex theatre that day will receive a free small popcorn with the purchase of any size drink. The popcorn will be served in a special retro-style red and white souvenir popcorn box. Cineplex will also launch www.cineplex.com/celebrate100, a micro-site featuring the latest information on the 100-year celebration festivities and special polls and content looking back at the history of movies.

Cineplex has also commissioned Ipsos Reid Public Affairs to conduct a thorough review of Canadian moviegoers’ habits, preferences and favorite movies and movie stars. Throughout the year, Cineplex will reveal various survey elements including fun facts and other data that will provide a “Canadian perspective” on the movie industry and the Canadian movie landscape which historically has been dominated by American research data.

The history of today’s Cineplex Entertainment can be traced back to 1912, when Adolph Zukor founded the Famous Players Film Corp. (today’s Paramount Pictures) and a few years later merged with Canadian N.L. Nathanson’s company to form Famous Players-Lasky Corp. In 1920, their goal was to build a large chain of theatres across Canada and by 1921 they operated 20 theatres with approximately 20,000 seats. That chain evolved through many different owners and brands until the merger of Cineplex Galaxy and Famous Players to form Cineplex Entertainment in 2005.

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN. More »

Cinemagic Stadium Theaters received approval to build a new cinema complex at the Center at Hobbs Brook in Sturbridge, Mass., for a summer 2012 opening. More »

Industry veteran Herb Burton, who for 21 years was the executive director of ShoWest, passed away on Jan. 25. More »

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor industry veteran Ted Pedas, president of Circle Management Company, with the 2012 NATO Marquee Award as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation on April 24 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. More »

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Megaplex Theatres chooses Cinedigm for digital deployment

Feb 8, 2012

Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. announced a long-term virtual-print-fee (VPF) deployment agreement with Megaplex Theatres. Megaplex will be providing its own financing in the Cinedigm exhibitor-buyer deal structure. The rollout comprises 90 screens at six Megaplex locations, with the majority of installations expected to be completed by summer 2012.

Cinedigm's Digital Cinema division facilitates the funding, installation and operations support, along with ongoing VPF administration, for a company's digital-cinema rollout plans.

In its combined Phase One and Phase Two d-cinema deployment program, Cinedigm has signed 10,189 screens overall, installed 8,950 digital screens, and signed digital screens deals with 184 exhibitors.

Feb 3, 2012

Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. announced a long-term virtual-print-fee (VPF) deployment agreement with Megaplex Theatres. Megaplex will be providing its own financing in the Cinedigm exhibitor-buyer deal structure. The rollout comprises 90 screens at six Megaplex locations, with the majority of installations expected to be completed by summer 2012.

Cinedigm's Digital Cinema division facilitates the funding, installation and operations support, along with ongoing VPF administration, for a company's digital-cinema rollout plans.

In its combined Phase One and Phase Two d-cinema deployment program, Cinedigm has signed 10,189 screens overall, installed 8,950 digital screens, and signed digital screens deals with 184 exhibitors.

GDC Technology announced that its SX-2000A Digital Cinema Server with Integrated Media Block (IMB) successfully passed the full range of tests required by the Compliance Test Plan for the DCI Digital Cinema System Specification (DCSS). More »

As part of a national initiative to usher America’s drive-in theaters into the digital age, Christie is a sponsor of the 12th annual convention for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association (UDITOA), Feb. 6–9, in Kissimmee, Florida.   More »

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. More »

Epic Theatres of DeLand, Florida has converted 69 screens to digital projection with Barco DLP Cinema® projectors. More »

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Cinemas to present UFC bout live in 3D

Jan 27, 2012

Tickets are now available for the first-ever live 3D broadcast of an Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC) pay-per-view event on the big screen. The championship fight card, “UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit,” will air live in more than 100 Cinedigm and NCM Fathom theatres nationwide on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10 p.m. ET from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The night’s main event pits Nick Diaz against Carlos Condit for the interim UFC welterweight title. The co-main event features heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson battling Fabricio Werdum.

Tickets for the UFC event are available for purchase now at www.ufc.com/3D, as well as at theatre box offices across the country.

Jan 27, 2012

Tickets are now available for the first-ever live 3D broadcast of an Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC) pay-per-view event on the big screen. The championship fight card, “UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit,” will air live in more than 100 Cinedigm and NCM Fathom theatres nationwide on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10 p.m. ET from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The night’s main event pits Nick Diaz against Carlos Condit for the interim UFC welterweight title. The co-main event features heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson battling Fabricio Werdum.

Tickets for the UFC event are available for purchase now at www.ufc.com/3D, as well as at theatre box offices across the country.

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN. More »

Cinemagic Stadium Theaters received approval to build a new cinema complex at the Center at Hobbs Brook in Sturbridge, Mass., for a summer 2012 opening. More »

Industry veteran Herb Burton, who for 21 years was the executive director of ShoWest, passed away on Jan. 25. More »

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor industry veteran Ted Pedas, president of Circle Management Company, with the 2012 NATO Marquee Award as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation on April 24 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. More »

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Epic Theatres installs Barco d-cinema at Deltona XL houses

Jan 30, 2012

Epic Theatres of DeLand, Florida has converted 69 screens to digital projection with Barco DLP Cinema® projectors. Included in the deployment is the installation of two DP4K-32B models for two “Epic XL” large-format premium cinema screens in its new Deltona, Florida location.

The Deltona location, which opened on Dec. 20, boasts the area's only cinema with two 69-foot, large-format Epic XL auditoriums featuring RealD XLW 3D. Barco installed 12 screens at this location, including six 3D auditoriums. The new deployment follows installations of Barco's DP2K and DP4K digital cinema projectors in Florida and North Carolina.

Clint DeMarsh, VP for Epic Theatres, called Barco “the only supplier that could provide the light levels and image quality we needed on our Epic XL screens.”

Terri Westhafer, Barco’s director of business development, noted that Epic has been “on board with Barco since the beginning of changing from film to digital, and we appreciate their loyalty and vision as they have equipped their state-of-the-art Deltona theatre with 4K equipment.”

Jan 30, 2012

Epic Theatres of DeLand, Florida has converted 69 screens to digital projection with Barco DLP Cinema® projectors. Included in the deployment is the installation of two DP4K-32B models for two “Epic XL” large-format premium cinema screens in its new Deltona, Florida location.

The Deltona location, which opened on Dec. 20, boasts the area's only cinema with two 69-foot, large-format Epic XL auditoriums featuring RealD XLW 3D. Barco installed 12 screens at this location, including six 3D auditoriums. The new deployment follows installations of Barco's DP2K and DP4K digital cinema projectors in Florida and North Carolina.

Clint DeMarsh, VP for Epic Theatres, called Barco “the only supplier that could provide the light levels and image quality we needed on our Epic XL screens.”

Terri Westhafer, Barco’s director of business development, noted that Epic has been “on board with Barco since the beginning of changing from film to digital, and we appreciate their loyalty and vision as they have equipped their state-of-the-art Deltona theatre with 4K equipment.”

GDC Technology announced that its SX-2000A Digital Cinema Server with Integrated Media Block (IMB) successfully passed the full range of tests required by the Compliance Test Plan for the DCI Digital Cinema System Specification (DCSS). More »

As part of a national initiative to usher America’s drive-in theaters into the digital age, Christie is a sponsor of the 12th annual convention for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association (UDITOA), Feb. 6–9, in Kissimmee, Florida.   More »

Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. announced a long-term virtual-print-fee (VPF) deployment agreement with Megaplex Theatres. More »

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. More »

View the original article here

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Marcus Theatres to acquire Duluth OMNIMAX

Feb 8, 2012

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN.

Marcus Theatres will convert the domed theatre, which closed in April 2011, to a nearly 70-foot-wide UltraScreen® auditorium. This will be the 14th UltraScreen in the company’s circuit. Construction on the project will begin shortly, with an anticipated opening in late spring 2012.

“The Duluth UltraScreen will be the ultimate visual entertainment experience featuring the latest MDX [Marcus Digital Xperience] technology from Marcus Theatres,” said Bruce J. Olson, president. The theatre will feature 4K digital projection and a 39,000-watt, 7.1 digital sound system featuring JBL’s Screen Array speaker system.

Olson said the glass wall connecting the current OMNIMAX lobby area with the Duluth Cinema will be removed. “A new box office for both the existing screens as well as the new UltraScreen will be relocated to the current OMNIMAX lobby. The existing Duluth 10 theatre lobby will be re-carpeted and will now feature self-service soda stations, which is extremely popular with our guests at other Marcus Theatres locations.”

The theatre will also offer a new “Take Five” lounge. Olson notes, “A liquor license will be applied for and if granted in March, we will design and install a full-service cocktail lounge, serving a complete selection of mixed drinks and imported beers, as well as a variety of appetizers, pizza and finger foods. The lounge will be open to non-theatre-going patrons as well as moviegoers. The new lounge will seat between 50 and 60 guests and will feature both tables and chairs for dining, as well as luxuriously appointed soft leather seating for sipping a cocktail before or after a movie.”

Feb 8, 2012

Marcus Theatres will acquire the former OMNIMAX Theatre located in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center adjacent to the company’s 10-screen Duluth Cinema at 300 Harbor Drive in Duluth, MN.

Marcus Theatres will convert the domed theatre, which closed in April 2011, to a nearly 70-foot-wide UltraScreen® auditorium. This will be the 14th UltraScreen in the company’s circuit. Construction on the project will begin shortly, with an anticipated opening in late spring 2012.

“The Duluth UltraScreen will be the ultimate visual entertainment experience featuring the latest MDX [Marcus Digital Xperience] technology from Marcus Theatres,” said Bruce J. Olson, president. The theatre will feature 4K digital projection and a 39,000-watt, 7.1 digital sound system featuring JBL’s Screen Array speaker system.

Olson said the glass wall connecting the current OMNIMAX lobby area with the Duluth Cinema will be removed. “A new box office for both the existing screens as well as the new UltraScreen will be relocated to the current OMNIMAX lobby. The existing Duluth 10 theatre lobby will be re-carpeted and will now feature self-service soda stations, which is extremely popular with our guests at other Marcus Theatres locations.”

The theatre will also offer a new “Take Five” lounge. Olson notes, “A liquor license will be applied for and if granted in March, we will design and install a full-service cocktail lounge, serving a complete selection of mixed drinks and imported beers, as well as a variety of appetizers, pizza and finger foods. The lounge will be open to non-theatre-going patrons as well as moviegoers. The new lounge will seat between 50 and 60 guests and will feature both tables and chairs for dining, as well as luxuriously appointed soft leather seating for sipping a cocktail before or after a movie.”

Cinemagic Stadium Theaters received approval to build a new cinema complex at the Center at Hobbs Brook in Sturbridge, Mass., for a summer 2012 opening. More »

Industry veteran Herb Burton, who for 21 years was the executive director of ShoWest, passed away on Jan. 25. More »

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor industry veteran Ted Pedas, president of Circle Management Company, with the 2012 NATO Marquee Award as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation on April 24 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. More »

AMC Theatres announced the sixth annual AMC Best Picture ShowcaseSM. More »

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Single screens struggle as Europe converts to digital

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. This means that over 52% of European screens are now capable of digital projection, up from just 4% three years ago.

While the initial phase of large-scale digital conversion during 2009 and 2010 had been more or less entirely driven by 3D installations, the rollout in 2011 was for the first time driven by 2D screens. This suggests that the rollout has entered its second major phase and is now driven primarily by full conversions of larger circuits under virtual-print-fee (VPF) schemes and by public initiatives ranging from legislation (France), publicly funded industry-wide conversion schemes (Norway and the Netherlands) to direct public funding schemes, 60 of which have been identified at national, sub-national and pan-European level, including the new MEDIA 2007 scheme.

Analysis based on a comprehensive site-by-site listing of analog and digital cinemas as of 2010 clearly shows that small cinemas and exhibitors have significant problems converting to digital. By the end of 2010, only 11% of single-screen cinemas had installed a digital screen, compared to 89% of multiplexes. These small cinemas, however, form a characteristic part of the European cinema landscape, with single-screen cinemas alone accounting for almost 60% of all European cinemas. Though presumably not vital for overall box-office results, these smaller cinemas play an important social and cultural role in many communities. The fact that these screens have not yet converted highlights the fact that commercial financing models cannot cover all European cinemas, causing a funding gap for between 15% and 20% of European screens.

At the same time, given the high penetration rates in various European markets, the end of 35mm distribution seems to be approaching rapidly. Distributors in Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway, which was the first country worldwide to become fully digital in mid-2011, were expected to end 35mm distribution as early as 2011/2012 and a total of 11 territories had converted at least 50% of their screens by mid-2011, including the two leading markets France and the U.K.

Once large distributors switch to digital distribution in such major markets, demand for film stock will drop significantly, putting pressure on 35mm economics on a pan-European level. This could cause financial strain for those distributors and exhibitors still depending on it, the report states. Many of these are presumably small companies now faced with a growing competitive disadvantage: Digital cinema increases the economies of scale related to both film exhibition as well as distribution, so bigger companies stand to benefit more than smaller players from the transition to digital, in terms of both cost savings and increased revenue potential. This economic reality will ultimately lead to fundamental change in the fragmented European theatrical landscape and poses a challenge to the European independent sector, characterized as it is by a large number of small exhibitors and distributors.

The 130-page European Digital Cinema Report provides the latest figures on digital screens and penetration rates across 35 European markets. For further information see:
www.obs.coe.int/oea_publ/market/european_digital_cinema.html.

Jan 30, 2012

A new report from the European Audiovisual Observatory and MEDIA Salles shows that around 18,500 digital screens had been installed in Europe by the end of 2011. This means that over 52% of European screens are now capable of digital projection, up from just 4% three years ago.

While the initial phase of large-scale digital conversion during 2009 and 2010 had been more or less entirely driven by 3D installations, the rollout in 2011 was for the first time driven by 2D screens. This suggests that the rollout has entered its second major phase and is now driven primarily by full conversions of larger circuits under virtual-print-fee (VPF) schemes and by public initiatives ranging from legislation (France), publicly funded industry-wide conversion schemes (Norway and the Netherlands) to direct public funding schemes, 60 of which have been identified at national, sub-national and pan-European level, including the new MEDIA 2007 scheme.

Analysis based on a comprehensive site-by-site listing of analog and digital cinemas as of 2010 clearly shows that small cinemas and exhibitors have significant problems converting to digital. By the end of 2010, only 11% of single-screen cinemas had installed a digital screen, compared to 89% of multiplexes. These small cinemas, however, form a characteristic part of the European cinema landscape, with single-screen cinemas alone accounting for almost 60% of all European cinemas. Though presumably not vital for overall box-office results, these smaller cinemas play an important social and cultural role in many communities. The fact that these screens have not yet converted highlights the fact that commercial financing models cannot cover all European cinemas, causing a funding gap for between 15% and 20% of European screens.

At the same time, given the high penetration rates in various European markets, the end of 35mm distribution seems to be approaching rapidly. Distributors in Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway, which was the first country worldwide to become fully digital in mid-2011, were expected to end 35mm distribution as early as 2011/2012 and a total of 11 territories had converted at least 50% of their screens by mid-2011, including the two leading markets France and the U.K.

Once large distributors switch to digital distribution in such major markets, demand for film stock will drop significantly, putting pressure on 35mm economics on a pan-European level. This could cause financial strain for those distributors and exhibitors still depending on it, the report states. Many of these are presumably small companies now faced with a growing competitive disadvantage: Digital cinema increases the economies of scale related to both film exhibition as well as distribution, so bigger companies stand to benefit more than smaller players from the transition to digital, in terms of both cost savings and increased revenue potential. This economic reality will ultimately lead to fundamental change in the fragmented European theatrical landscape and poses a challenge to the European independent sector, characterized as it is by a large number of small exhibitors and distributors.

The 130-page European Digital Cinema Report provides the latest figures on digital screens and penetration rates across 35 European markets. For further information see:
www.obs.coe.int/oea_publ/market/european_digital_cinema.html.

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Chronicle

It's not hard to link the recent spate of "found footage" films to the phenomenon of YouTube-- more and more people are video taping their daily lives, so why not pretend some actual interesting stories popped up in there? But few found-footage films actually recreate the circumstances in which most people, kids especially, whip out the video camera. Whether bored at home and in the mood to spill his guts, or recording some particularly awesome stunt in the backyard with his pals, Chronicle's lead character Andrew (Dane DeHaan) establish a real reason to have the camera front and center, making this low-budget superpowers adventure feel more honest and intimate from the very start.

It doesn't last, unfortunately, and as the stakes rise in Chronicle the found footage-- which expands from Andrew's camera to a whole slew of phones and security cameras-- wears out its welcome. But Chronicle largely keeps up that sense of authenticity, and the movie's ragged feel is only appropriate for the barely known actors and newcomer writer/director who made it happen. Director Josh Trank and writer Max Landis cooked the story up together, clearly raised on a diet of superhero origin stories, and by tweaking the genre in the right places while providing the requisite thrills, they offer a canny little adventure with just enough verve to sail over its bumpier parts.

Andrew is our window into the story, the lonely kid with the camera coping with an abusive dad (Michael Kelly) and a slowly dying mom, but the story doesn't pick up until, by chance, he explores a mysterious cave in the company of his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and popular kid Steve (MIchael B. Jordan). The trio discovers some odd glowing alien-ish life form, Andrew's camera naturally goes on the fritz, and when he picks it back up all three boys have discovered they can move things with their minds. Jordan, a veteran of The Wire and Parenthood, is the most experienced of the actors and it shows; his natural charisma and enthusiasm for what these powers can do lifts the story out of Andrew's moping, though the more involved Andrew gets in developing his skills, it becomes clear his darkness will start winning out eventually.

It's a neat twist to see double-edged sword of super powers, where a troubled boy can choose to use it for good, like Peter Parker, or take his revenge on the world that's done him wrong-- Andrew probably thinks Magneto has a lot of good ideas. While that conflict nicely sets up the grand-scaled finale, the film's best parts are in the discovery, when the boys figure out how to fly and play football in the clouds, or run around a toy store playing pranks just slightly more advanced than your average high school nonsense. Chronicle works well within its limits, but I almost wish it were even smaller, allowing more possibilities of how telekinesis might help or hurt you in high school, rather than giving in to the demands of the more typical superhero movie third act.

With CGI effects that range from passable to glaring, and a found footage gimmick that eventual hurts more than it helps, Chronicle isn't a low-budget genre masterwork like Attack the Block, but it's also a whole lot better than many of the more traditional superhero movies we've seen. Lean and goal-oriented, with more than a few fresh ideas as well as an innate understanding of the hero's journey storytelling, Chronicle marks an auspicious debut for Trank and Landis, a strong argument for Michael B. Jordan as a bona fide movie star, and a promising future for DeHaan and Russell. These guys haven't quite transformed the superhero genre, but they seem capable of that-- or pretty much anything else.

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