MINDSHARETW EDITORIAL

Sandeep MittalEditor / Publisher

January-February 2013TW-4

Multiplex consolidationin India

By acquiring the promoters' stakein the Cinemax multiplex chain,PVR has overtaken Inox to becomeIndia's largest multiplex operatorby screen count. PVR had 197screens and Cinemax had 138 andso PVR has now bumped up to atotal of 335. Seen from theperspective of a land that boasts11,000 single-screens, 335 isindeed a very small number. Seenfrom the perspective of India hasover a 1,000 multiplexes and thepicture of a dominant playeremerges. Seen from a combination ofperspectives then India's topmultiplex groups have theopportunity to scale up furtherrapidly and each operator reach1,000s of screen count.

Earlier Inox had bought '89Cinemas' and 'Fame' circuits tobecome the numero uno of theIndian multiplex industry.Consolidation augurs well for theindustry as economies of scaledrive more value to both theshareholder and the consumer.However, after these tworelatively larger players the fieldis fragmented amongst a lot manysmaller including regionalcircuits. The biggest of them all,Reliance's Big Cinemas droppedout of the race, their screens beingup for grabs. Some consolidationis required for a third and fourthlarge player to emerge. MostAsian countries have three or fourmajor players. That ensures aneven playing field, healthycompetition and industry growth.

The television versustheatre race

The fascinating cat and mouse gamecontinues but television has theedge. Television aspires to bringcinema theatre to homes and isactually doing a pretty neat job ofit. 3D with 4k picture fortelevisions as well as homeprojectors are already in the marketand it is just a matter of time beforeprices sink and make them moreaffordable. Sound is a discrete 7.1or matrixed 9.1 and 3D sound interms of a couple of ceiling speakersis almost there to make it discrete11.1. Content is easily available asdownloads though not in thehighest resolution of theatricalrelease. Again it's a matter of timethat broadband speeds accelerateand the equipment is available todecode all the digital programming.

To compete well with television it istime exhibitors brought the home tothe theatre. What it means is makethe moviegoing experience morepersonal with a more cosy ambience,a more initimate setting, a morepersonalised service. As of now,multiplexes betray a mass marketambience with assembly-likeoperations and impersonal service.This needs to change dramaticallyand urgently. Some circuits haveintroduced speciality theatres butthe emphasis must be to bring thismainstream. Apart from this,exhibition will have to keeppushing the 3D picture and soundenvelope.

Industry outlook 2013

Overall the industry outlook isupbeat. The construction of new

cinemas continues in the second andthird tier cities. It is actually morethe conversion of old single-screensto multi-screens but that is a win-win for all. The slate of new moviesfor the year looks promising withmajor producers lining up excitingsequels or brand new releases.

Technology adoption and upgradingof existing cinemas continuesthough at a slower pace than desired.Movies remain the only massentertainment in countries like Indiaso there is no dearth of patronsqueuing up at the box office. Theonly blip is major sporting eventslike IPL though there are no othermega events like Olympics andWorld Cups this year. The macroview looks good as long as allstakeholders manage the micro well!Both god and the devil reside in thedetail and that is where things canunravel and go awry.

Theatre World goesbimonthly

From this edition of Theatre Worldwe go bimonthly and to herald theevent we even have a new look. Amsure our readers will appreciate sixeditions a year which means morenews, views, photos and all thatjazz that makes up Theatre World.Let us know what you think.

See you soon at Ficci Frames showat Mumbai, the meeting ground ofindustry professionals from notonly India and Asia but aroundthe globe!

Value - 150 (US$ 15)

Issue # 57January-February 2013

Theatre World is a bi-monthly publication, on themotion picture exhibition industry, for privatecirculation. It reaches out to subscribers, mainly theatreowners and trade professionals in India, also subscribersin select Asian cities. Additional copies are beingpromoted at major international industry events.Theatre World seeks the healthy promotion of thetheatre industry through dissemination of usefulinformation. Some of the information is compiled fromindustry sources, trade journals, company brochuresfor the benefit of readers, especially, theatre owners.Theatre World acknowledges with thanks the authorsand publishers of these printed materials. Viewsexpressed in the articles are those of the authors andnot necessarily of Theatre World. Theatre World is atrademark under registration. The contents of TheatreWorld are under copyright registration. All rightsreserved. Reproduction by any means in whole or partwithout written permission is prohibited. Unsolicitedprinted material is welcome but no responsibility isundertaken for the same and will not be returned.Theatre World does not take responsibility for theabsolute accuracy of information published.

Clancy D'souza - Marketing+91 98925 04871 clancy@sandy.in

Raghavendra T - Marketing+91 99801 36233 raghav@sandy.in

Sandeep Mittal - Editorial

Yashodhara S - Design & Layout

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contents

Contributing WriterJim Slater, Cinema Technology, UK

This issue of TW has two sets of page numbers - International pages TW-1 to TW-44 for TW, andIndia pages TM-1 to TM-32 for TM. TM is inserted between pages TW-34 and TW-35 of TW.

TW-8

TW-16

INSTALLSTW-17 QFX Cinemas -

Nepal's First World-class Cineplex

TW-18 The Gloria Palast Cinema, Munich -

Heritage Reinvented

TW-19 De Keizer, Belgian -

Legendary Cinema Enters Digital Age

TW-20 MTE at

Budapest and Kecskemet

TECHNOLOGYTW-21 OSRAM'S XBO Cinema Lamp

TRADESHOWSTW-27 Review -

TW-29 Preview -

CINEMA SYSTEMSTW-30 Projection Series-XXXVI

Being in Charge

FIRST PERSONTW-32 3D !!!!!!

Ruling the Market…..

ENTERTAIN WORLDTW-35 Asian Sridevi Mall

Warangal’s First

TW-38 F U T U R E R E L E S E SA

FICCIFRAMES

TM-4

INDIA PLEXINGTM-15 Live the Movie!

TM-18 PVR Geared Up !!!!!

TM-28

TM-29

January-February 2013TW-6

Doremi announced that its cutting-

edge, digital entertainment offering,

the IMS1000 has passed the

Compliance Test Plan (CTP) and

achieved the DCI standard of

excellence. The unique integrated

media server is the commercially

available single board Integrated

Media Server (IMS) solution on the

market, with key features that

include a combined SMS, digital

storage and a secure DCI image

media block in a compact form that

enables it to fit inside DLP projectors.

"Passing the CTP with our IMS1000 is

indicative of the hard work exerted

by our team at Doremi. We knew the

design of the IMS1000 would be

required to meet the new DCI

guidelines related to storage," stated

Michael Archer, VP of Digital Cinema,

Doremi. "Systems using off the shelf

storage or central storage just won't

meet DCI and studio expectations."

"The introduction of the IMS1000

helps Barco deliver the required

integrated solution for the market

with our new 10s projector line, said

Wim Buyens, Senior Vice President,

Entertainment Division. The tested

reliability and ease of use has made

this the right solution for today's

exhibitors."

"The NC900 is being delivered with the

state of art IMS platform, stated Atsuki

Kuroda, General Manager, Projector

Development Division. The co-

operative development and testing

between NEC and Doremi will ensure

this product meets the rigorous

environment inside of the projector."

"Demonstration of adherence to

industry-wide specifications is a

critical milestone for an enhanced

movie going experience" said Travis

Spann, President and Laboratory

Director, Aegisolve, Inc. "As a NIST

accredited and DCI licensed testing

laboratory we report that DCI CTP

review and testing of the Doremi

Doremi IMS1000 Achieves DCI Compliance

Dolby Atmos Electrifies the Action in -A Good Day To Die Hard

John McClane is heading to Red

Square in Moscow and fans of the

Die Hard franchise will hear all the

gripping action in Dolby Atmos

when A Good Day to Die Hard hits

theatres this winter (Hong Kong and

Singapore: February 7, 2013, and in

the US: February 14, 2013).

The latest in a string of major title

announcements, Twentieth Century

Fox has confirmed that their highly-

anticipated Valentine's Day 2013

blockbuster, A Good Day to Die Hard,

will be the studio's fourth major

release in Dolby Atmos following

Taken 2, Chasing Mavericks, and Ang

Lee's Life of Pi.

Dolby Atmos, the new audio

platform that has revolutionized the

experience of sound in

entertainment, will bring audiences

into the middle of the action when

John McClane (Bruce Willis), travels

to Russia to help his estranged son,

Jack (Jai Courtney), now a CIA

operative, maneuver through a

nuclear weapons terrorist situation.

Dolby Atmos will bring a powerful

new listening experience to the film

with more natural, realistic sound

that truly envelops the audience.

The fifth installment of the Die Hard

franchise will be mixed in Dolby

Atmos in the prestigious Zanuck

Theatre postproduction facility on

the Twentieth Century Fox lot.

Additionally, two new international

films, Lost Place and Trance will be

mixed and released in Dolby Atmos.

IMS1000 is complete and the results

indicate compliance with all

applicable requirements."

The Doremi IMS1000 is a state-of-the

art, DCI compliant integrated media

server that manages and delivers

digital cinema experiences with

efficiency and flexibility. The IMS1000

consumes approximately 65% less

energy than the standard IMB and

external storage significantly lowering

the cost of ownership.

The IMS1000 is controlled by

ethernet interface using a web based

version of Cinelister, Doremi's TMS or

a third party TMS supporting Doremi

servers. DCP ingest can be done

through USB, eSATA, or Ethernet.

The IMS1000 supports the highest

jpeg2000 decoding capabilities,

including 4K and 3D HFR and accepts

alternative content including 4K

HDMI inputs, dual 3G SDI and live

stream.

January-February 2013TW-8

China's WandaCinema ChainPurchases anAdditional 350Doremi DigitalCinema Servers

Doremi announced the sale of 350

digital cinema servers to China's

Wanda Cinema Line, the world's

largest cinema operator. Wanda

Cinema Line has 100 premium

cinemas with plans to have more

than 1,000 screens across China.

They will add another 35 cinemas

with 350 screens in China by the end

of 2013. The acquisition of Doremi's

Integrated Media Block (IMB) with

ShowVault digital cinema servers will

supplement their continued rapid

expansion across Asia.

"Our rapid expansion and recent

acquisition calls for reliable products

and flexible features. Both of which

have been proven by Doremi during

our initial deployment of their

servers and IMBs in 2011" stated Ye

Ning, General Manager of Wanda

Cinema Line, "They offer complete

solutions and a future proof product

line, which is essential for our

progression."

"China's cinema industry is rapidly

growing and we are thrilled to

supply Doremi's unparalleled server

technology and products to Wanda

Cinema Line," said Michael Archer,

Vice President of Doremi Cinema.

"Wanda, who is committed to the

latest technology and patron

satisfaction, represents the next

generation of exhibition in Asia and

across the world. We are happy to

assist their growth with our

technology."

Chinese Exhibitor First to use a BarcoS2K Projector to Show CommercialMovies in China

Digital Cinema pioneer Barco

announced that its newest DP2K-10S

digital cinema projector, based on

the 0.69" DLP Cinema chipset, has

been selected by Hunan FAYOO Film

Culture Industry Investment

Management Co., Ltd. ('FAYOO') and

installed at its newly-opened cinema

in Taojiang, Hunan Province, China.

This makes FAYOO the first exhibitor

in China to use an S2K projector to

show commercial movies.

In order to meet the requirement for

exhibiting domestic and Hollywood

blockbusters, small and medium-

sized digital cinemas need to

upgrade to a cost-effective solution.

To meet this demand, Barco has

launched the DP2K-10S projector, the

industry's first DCI-compliant and

fully integrated digital cinema

projector for small screen theatres.

Barco S2K projectors are being

installed in 5 theatres of FAYOO's

newly opened cinema. Furthermore,

CFG-Barco, the joint venture

between Barco and China Film

Group, has stated that over 100 Barco

S2K projectors will be provided to

local cinemas in China by the end of

this year.

Mr. Cao Yu, Chairman of Hunan

FAYOO Film Culture Industry

Investment Management Co., Ltd.,

commented: "Investments in local

theatres are part of our strategic

deployment. Barco's cost-effective,

highly reliable S2K projector is just

what we need to enable our small

sized cinema to exhibit domestic and

overseas blockbusters and provide

moviegoers with a premium cinema

experience."

Wim Buyens, Senior Vice President

Barco and Head of the Entertainment

Division, said: "I am very proud that

our DP2K-10S projector has received

such high recognition from the

market worldwide. This proves that

our product research and

development are on the right track,

the best of 2 worlds no compromised

towards the cinema experience and

DCI requirement and the lowers TCO,

well suited for our China market. We

will continue to increase the R&D

investment and supply more digital

cinema projection systems for more

cinemas."

Based on the 0.69" DLP Cinema S2K

chipset, Barco's DP2K-10S features

exceptional brightness, vibrant and

stable color, and perfect image ratio,

enabling small and medium sized

theatres to provide an outstanding

visual experience for their audiences.

Mr. Chen Xuxiang, General Manager

of CFG-Barco (Beijing) Electronics

Co., Ltd., stated: "The DP2K-10S

projector was developed with the

involvement of Barco's China R&D

team and currently rolling out of our

production line in China. FAYOO is

an important partner, and I am very

glad that this product's first

installation is in FAYOO's cinema.

This encourages us to continue to

provide comprehensive solutions for

a variety of clients, with the goal of

accelerating the development of

China's cinemas."

January-February 2013 TW-9

Global digital cinema technology

leader Barco has supplied 800 digital

cinema projectors to the China Film

Group (CFG), which is leading the

digitalization process for cinemas in

China. To support this process, CFG

will purchase a large quantity of

Barco digital cinema projectors to

convert existing theatres to digital

and to supply newly constructed

digital cinemas. What's more, the

annual number of devices purchased

from Barco will increase each year.

China Film Group's procurement

plan for 2013 calls for more than 800

digital cinema projectors, offering a

wide range of models to ensure the

perfect match for every screen, from

the premier theatre to small and mid-

sized cinema.

"As a digital cinema leader, we

continually invest in China and its

digital cinema development. So we

are really pleased that China Film

Group has selected our leading

technology to further develop the

digital cinema market in China. This

roll-out of digital cinema technology

to many more theatres will enable

China's film industry to reach and

benefit a large audience of

moviegoers," commented Wim

Buyens, Senior Vice President

Entertainment for Barco. "Our

comprehensive range of cutting-

edge digital cinema solutions

including 3D cinema sound,

advanced digital cinema projection

technology and digital signage will

offer Chinese moviegoers the

ultimate cinema experience."

Mr. Chen Xuxiang, General Manager

of CFG Barco, stated: "We are

grateful for the trust and support we

have received from China Film Group

over the past few years. After many

years of effort in digital cinema

projection, we have developed trend

setting technologies and

comprehensive after sales services.

We look forward to continuing our

China Film Group Orders 800 BarcoDigital Cinema Projectors

close partnership with CFG and to

establishing long term relations with

other premium exhibitors to provide

them with advanced technologies

and top quality service."

Sixteen cinemas across eleven

countries in Europe, the Middle East

and Africa have now been fitted with

Dolby Atmos. As an advanced

cinema audio platform, Dolby Atmos

reinvents cinema sound by giving

each speaker its own unique feed,

enabling many new front, surround

and ceiling-mounted height

channels for the precise panning of

select sounds. The result is a fully

immersive experience, putting the

audience right at the centre of the

action.

Hollywood studios including Disney/

Pixar (Brave), DreamWorks

Animation (Rise of the Guardians),

Twentieth Century Fox (Taken 2,

Chasing Mavericks, Life of Pi), and

Warner Bros. (The Hobbit: An

Unexpected Journey) have adopted

the Dolby Atmos format, increasing

the count of 2012 Dolby Atmos titles

to six.

In 2013, three titles, including Gravity

and Pacific Rim from Warner Bros.

and Star Trek into Darkness from

Paramount Pictures are already

scheduled to receive the Dolby

Atmos treatment, with additional

studio titles to follow.

Dolby AtmosInstalled inSixteen Cinemas

International movie productions are

currently in the works or will be

started in 2013 by movie studios in

China, France, Germany, India, Korea,

Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The growing list of Dolby Atmos

equipped cinemas in the EMEA

region joins a select list of theatres

globally, including the iconic

Hollywood landmark venue the

Dolby Theatre, and will lead the way

in screening content mixed in Dolby

Atmos. EMEA cinemas offering Dolby

Atmos now include: Cineplexx

Donau Plex - Vienna, Austria; Kino

Arena Bulgaria Mall - Sofia,

Bulgaria;Premiere Cinemas, Park

Hostiva? - Prague, Czech

Republic;Bio Naestved - Naestved,

Denmark; Mégarama Pian Medoc -

Bordeaux, France; Pathé Wepler -

Paris, France; Cinecittà - Nuremburg,

Germany; Traumpalast Backnang -

Stuttgart, Germany; JT Luxor Theater

Hoogeveen - Hoogeveen,

Netherlands; JT Theatres Vlaardingen

- Rotterdam, Netherlands; SF Kino

Kristiansand - Kristiansand, Norway;

SF Kino Sandvika - Oslo, Norway;

Ster Kinekor, Gateway - Durban,

South Africa; Cinesa Diagonal Mar -

Barcelona, Spain; Ocine - Valladolid,

Spain and Empire Cinemas, Leicester

Square - London, UK.

"The interest we're seeing in Dolby

Atmos in EMEA shows that the

industry sees real value in offering

immersive cinema audio. With more

cinemas becoming equipped across

the wider region, cinema audiences

are set to experience firsthand the

entertainment experience envisioned

by both internationally-renowned

and home-grown talent," said

Andreas Spechtler, EMEA Regional

Vice President, Dolby Europe. "The

diversity of titles on offer also shows

us that the creative community is

already unlocking the versatility of

the Dolby Atmos platform and we

can't wait to see how directors and

their sound teams make upcoming

titles more thrilling, emotive and

heartfelt in 2013."

January-February 2013TW-10

RealD Inc., a leading global licensor

of 3D technologies, and Kino Arena,

Bulgaria's largest cinema exhibitor,

announced an agreement making

RealD the exclusive 3D technology

provider across the Kino Arena

circuit. RealD 3D technology is

initially expected to be installed

across 44 Kino Arena screens,

including all 7 screens of the flagship

Kino Arena.

"Kino Arena is committed to offering

audiences a premium cinema going

experience. The installation of

RealD's cutting-edge 3D technology

will allow us to continue to deliver

the brightest visuals and best

cinematic experience for our

customers," said Bojidar Iliev,

Managing Director, Kino Arena.

"With our brightness advantage over

other 3D systems, RealD is able to

RealD and Kino Arena AnnounceExclusive 3D Technology Agreement

deliver the lifelike and immersive 3D

cinema experience that Kino Arena

demands. This agreement adds to

our growing install base across

Europe as we continue to provide

premium visual experiences for the

cinema market," said Karina Neill,

Director of Cinema RealD Europe Ltd.

RealD is the most light efficient and

widest used 3D cinema projection

technology in the world. Its premium

presentation delivers twice the

brightness of other providers and,

combined with its lightweight, reusable

and comfortable 3D glasses, makes for

realistic and immersive viewing.

Kino Arena currently operates 10

cinema locations, across 6 major

cities, with a total of 77 screens

including two standalone

multiplexes with the country's

biggest cinema auditoriums.

IMAX Corporation and Cinema Park, an

exhibition chain owned by Profmedia,

Russia's largest media holding

company, announced an agreement to

install four IMAX theatres across Russia.

Under the terms of the agreement, the

exhibitor will open the theatres in new

construction projects in regional

markets including the cities of

Novokuznetz and Kemerovo. The deal

brings Cinema Park's total IMAX

commitment to 26 theatres, further

strengthening its position as the largest

IMAX exhibitor in EMEA.

"The expansion of our partnership

with IMAX is a direct result of the

success we've experienced with our

current IMAX theatres, which

represent some of the top-performing

sites in our circuit," said Sergei Kitin,

General Director of Cinema Park.

Cinema ParkAdds Four ImaxTheatres

January-February 2013 TW-11

Sony Digital Cinema was proud to

support this year's iconic

International Film Festival of

Marrakech. For the first time in its 12

year history, audiences at the event

enjoyed the superior picture quality

offered by Sony 4K digital cinema

projection systems.

Six SRX-R320 4K projectors had been

supplied by the festival's official

technical partner, French-region

cinema specialist R2D1, to equip the

Salle des Ambassadeurs and the Salle

des Ministres in the Palais des

Congres, which was the main venue

of the Festival, as well as the world-

renowned Jemaa el Fna plaza.

Sony Digital Cinema 4K technology

allows consumers to experience

exceptional picture quality from

every seat in the cinema, providing

world-leading 3D images and

spectacular detail even on the largest

screens. Transforming the film

experience, Sony Digital Cinema 4k

technology gives the consumer an

immersive, engaging visual

experience you simply can't get at

home.

Oliver Pasch, Head of Digital Cinema,

Sony Europe, said: "We were

delighted when we were approached

by the Film Festival to deliver some

of the main screenings in Sony 4K.

The fact the organisers wanted to use

the new technology reflects the

importance of picture quality in the

audience's experience of a film. With

4K, viewers benefit from being able

to see the smaller, intrinsic details of

an image and end up feeling much

closer to the action."

Sony worked closely with French

dealer R2D1 to install its 4K systems in

the Jemaa el Fna plaza as well as the

Palais de Congres.

Maxime Rigauld, Sales Manager,

R2D1 says: "Since our first Sony 4K

installation last year, we have seen

the demand for Sony projection

Sony 4K Projection Adds Sparkle toMarrakech Film Festival

systems rise significantly. Working for

the first time with the Marrakech Film

Festival has highlighted the strength

of our relationship with Sony, while

it is extremely rewarding to see how

positively audiences react to the

superior picture quality the

technology delivers."

Cathay Cineplexes has selected

RosettaBridge TMS and Cinema

Accord, both developed by Unique

Digital Ltd, as an integral part of their

full conversion to digital cinema.

Cathay has 9 cinemas and 90 screens

across Singapore and Malaysia.

RosettaBridge is a full featured TMS

that will provide Cathay

management and staff with an

unrivalled suite of tools to manage

film and advertising content within

each site complex through an

intuitive and easy to use interface.

Key features include a scalable library

server, agnostic player and projector

CathayCineplexesChoose UniqueDigital Solutions

interface, automation control and

content distribution with all elements

being managed using a simple drag

and drop GUI.

Cinema Accord is a key component

for exhibitors to centrally

administrate their estate of digital

screens. The system communicates

with other essential third party

systems such as box-office and

financial systems to allow advanced

forecasting and reporting. With a

secure web based interface Cathay

will manage each Cinema TMS,

integrate with the theatre booking

systems and have secure

management of KDM delivery and

VPF reporting.

"Following the successful trial of

Unique's RosettaBridge TMS at our

flagship cinema in Singapore we are

pleased to be embarking on a full

deployment across all our sites. "

commented Mr Suhaimi Rafdi, Chief

Executive Officer, Cathay

Organisation Holdings Ltd adding

"We were impressed with the easy-

to-use interface and range of

features including automated KDM

delivery, integration with our POS

solution and comprehensive pre-

show management. A key factor was

being able to count on local support

from the Unique offices here in

Singapore".

Rod Wheeler, Sales and Marketing

Director of Unique Digital Ltd

commented, "We are delighted to be

working with Cathay on the next

stage of their digital deployment and

we are looking forward to building a

completely integrated solution for

them based on our full range of

content management and reporting

tools."

"Cathay Cineplexes are the premier

exhibitor in Singapore and Malaysia"

commented Chris Hagan, Managing

Director of Unique Digital adding

"and when combined with our other

exhibitor partnerships, Unique's

software applications now manage

over 10,000 digital cinema screens

worldwide. "

January-February 2013TW-12

Arts Alliance Media (AAM), has

announced a deal with Spain's Cines

ABC chain to provide their screens with

digital equipment. 55 of Cines ABC's

screens will be converted to digital, in 5

sites across the Valencia region.

The deal is being done under the

AAM/Barco Leasing Program,

whereby the digital cinema

equipment is financed by AAM and

Barco, and the cost is recouped

through Virtual Print Fee (VPF)

payments over time. Each Cines ABC

screen will receive not only a digital

projector but also an IMB (Integrated

Media Block) and ShowVault server

from Doremi, which is capable of

playing back new HFR (High Frame

Rate) content. All sites will also utilise

AAM's digital cinema software,

including the market leading Theatre

Management System (TMS),

Screenwriter, to allow easy and

comprehensive digital content and

playlist management.

Chief Executive Officer of Cines ABC,

Emilio Pechuán, said "It's great news for

our cinemas that we can announce this

deal with Arts Alliance Media, being

able to benefit from the AAM/Barco

leasing program meant a low upfront

cost for us, and we were able to tailor

the deal with AAM to suit our needs."

The installations will be carried out in

conjunction with AAM's Spanish

integration partner Suministros

Kelonik, Spain's leading supplier of

cinema technology. Ongoing

maintenance and support will be

provided by Sumistros Kelonik's NOC

(Network Operations Centre),

alongside AAM's London-based NOC.

Arts Alliance Media recently

announced a Spanish VPF deal with

Grupo Sade, owners of three cinemas

in San Sebastian, and earlier this year

announced a deal with the ACEC

group to digitise screens of the

Spanish ACEC group.

AAM BringsDigital Cinema toCines ABC ChainGDC Technology showcased a wide

range of innovative digital cinema

solutions, backed by its technical

support team, in booth #311 at

CineAsia 2012 at the Hong Kong

Convention & Exhibition Centre in

Wanchai, from December 11th to

13th. The new innovations

showcased are mentioned below.

SX-3000 Standalone IntegratedMedia Block (IMB)

Since its debut at CineAsia 2011, the

SX-3000 Standalone IMB has

revolutionized the architecture of

digital cinema, and has received

strong support from the cinema

industry. The groundbreaking SX-3000

Standalone IMB eliminates the needs

for a file server, which allows for

incredible flexibility of boothless

cinema design and reduce the cost of

operating and maintaining the digital

cinema theatres. SX-3000 Standalone

IMB can seamlessly integrate with all

types of DLP Cinema projectors,

including the latest S2K DLP Cinema

family of projectors. Moreover, the SX-

3000 Standalone IMB features gigabit

Ethernet connection for long distance

content streaming and remote access.

It also supports High Frame Rate (HFR)

playback in both 2D and 3D (at 48

and 60 frames per second per eye), as

well as 4K resolution. SX-3000 is

capable of playing compression bit

rates of up to 500Mbps which satisfies

the "High Frame Rates Digital Cinema

Recommended Practice" issued by

DCI.

PSD-3000 Portable StorageDevice

The PSD-3000 portable storage device

is a highly reliable content storage

solution that works seamlessly with

the SX-3000 Standalone IMB. The PSD-

3000 features 3 hot swappable data

drives based on RAID 5 technology

allowing it to remain operational in

the event of a single drive failure.

Moreover, it can be mounted on the

GDC Technology Showcases newInnovations at CineAsia 2012

DLP Cinema projectors in accordance

with specific mount configurations. A

variation of this model that can be

directly inserted into projector

pedestals is also available. All PSD-

3000 storage devices do not require a

PC onboard to manage the HDDs

hence reducing the cost of

maintaining and operating the

Standalone IMB with PSD-3000.

Standalone IMB without the need of

an external server to manage the data

drives is indisputable the most cost

effective solution for today's digital

cinema. Standalone IMB is a new

architecture widely adopted by

leading projection companies. More

importantly, PSD-3000 external

storage device is an optimal storage

solution without the need of a server

and without stressing the HDDs on

heat radiating IMB that concealed

inside the projector chassis. GDC Tech

shares that same belief with the

projector manufacturer that

concealing all the hard disk drives

within the projector chassis is an

undesirable design that is highly

unreliable. Furthermore, the PSD-3000

is easily accessible if replacement of

just one or all HDDs is required.

TMS-1000 Theatre ManagementSystem and Network OperationsCentre (NOC)

With almost 8,000 screens installed

worldwide, the TMS-1000 Theatre

Management System significantly

streamlines the management of a

multiplex from a centralized point of

control. TMS-1000 allows content,

KDM and playlist management via

network connection. Moreover, it

provides show playback control and

monitors the status of the digital

cinema server, projector and other

theatrical devices. Furthermore, our

NOC runs 24/7, 365 days a year,

providing comprehensive customer

services, network management and

technical support.

January-February 2013 TW-13

dcinex in Europe and VSI Group

announced that they have entered

into a commercial partnership aiming

at providing one-stop-shop digital

content services to movie distributors.

Under the terms of this agreement,

dcinex and the VSI Group will bring

together unique digital cinema lab

services and language localization

skills. It will allow the two companies

to provide any content service in any

digital format. Moreover, both

companies will benefit from their

complementary geographical

presence to offer unprecedented

proximity to the local markets.

"With VSI Group, synergies immediately

arose as two international, fast-

growing, agile companies offering

complementary services to the

entertainment industry in the digital

world" stated Carsten Schuffert, Vice-

President Content Services of dcinex.

"This goes in line with our strategy of

being the single point of contact able

to offer all services needed by our

customers" he added.

From an operational standpoint,

dcinex has started making use of the

partnership with VSI in France to

open a new hub in Paris for

optimized physical DCP delivery and

to offer optimized physical backup

delivery to the DSAT Cinema satellite

delivery service, the recent joint

venture between dcinex and Eutelsat.

"Thanks to the massive digitization of

cinemas, this alliance with dcinex,

experts in Digital Cinema, provides VSI

with the unique position of delivering

localized content for all formats

including Digital Cinema, Home

Entertainment, VOD and TV", stated

Sammy Dessaint. "We are pleased to

partner with a company supporting

not only the distribution market, but

also servicing cinemas and able to

offer extensive technical support."

VSI Group anddcinex OffersDigital ContentServicesBarco announced that the Dutch

production company Fu Works

released its latest film, 'The

Bombardment', in Barco Auro 11.1.

'The Bombardment' hit the screens

on 20 December at CineMec in Ede,

the very first cinema in the

Netherlands to equip a theatre with

Barco's new sound technology. The

producers, director as well as CineMec

all agree that Barco's 3D cinema

sound technology significantly

enriches the moviegoing experience

and is a perfect fit for 'The

Bombardment'.

Directed by Ate de Jong, 'The

Bombardment' tells the story of a

young boxer and a wealthy female

socialite whose quest for love is

overshadowed by the German

invasion and subsequent bombing ofRotterdam in 1940. "We are excited

and grateful to be able to mix this

film in the revolutionary Barco Auro

11.1 format. As the movie is filled

with dramatic flyovers and

enveloping war scenery, the sound

format is the perfect fit for our

movie," comments Ate de Jong.

GerbenKuipers, owner of CineMec,

considers Barco Auro 11.1 a fantastic

tool to create natural enhanced

sound: "I was astounded when I first

saw the demo and delighted to

pioneer the Barco Auro 11.1

technology into our theatre. The

sound format really adds value to the

cinema experience. 'The

Bombardment', the largest Dutch

production to be launched this

holiday season, will be a great

showcase for the technology:

cinemagoers will have the feeling

they're right in the middle of the

1940 bombardment in Rotterdam.

We've really crossed a new border in

the cinema experience."

The Barco Auro 11.1 sound format

creates sound in three distinct layers

Dutch CineMec Cinema Premières 'TheBombardment' mixed in Barco's 3DCinema Sound

(surround, height & overhead) rather

than the single layer used in the

traditional 5.1 sound format. Its 11.1

configuration technology not only

enables sound mixers to move

objects around in space but it also

allows them to reproduce the

immersive aspects of a film

soundtrack in a way that is more

compatible with their current

workflow. Auro 11.1 provides the

best acoustical experience at the

most commercially viable price point

in the market and does so without

the need to create object based

soundtracks that are designed to be

optimized for the consumer market.

Barco Auro 11.1 is currently deployed

in over 50 installations worldwide

and an increasing number of

directors are embracing the new

audio format. "We are delighted

about the interest in our

revolutionary 3D cinema sound

format, both from today's filmmakers

like Fu Works and from cinemas like

CineMec," concludes Brian Claypool,

Senior Director Strategic Business

Development of Barco's

Entertainment Division "In fact, Auro

11.1 is the next logical step in our

quest to create value for what we call

the 'cinema of the future'. It is a

great way to add value to the

moviegoing experience and

motivate people to keep going to

the cinema for an entertainment

experience that can't be obtained

anywhere else."

January-February 2013TW-14

At ShowEast 2011, Harkness Screens

had launched its Digital Screen

Checker, a brand new version of its

previous luminance meter to critical

acclaim, not just because of its

affordability at around $750 per unit

but the accuracy (within +/-0.2fL)

which rivals significantly more

expensive alternative light meters.

Since its debut, the unit has been sold

across the world to both large and

small cinema exhibitors and recently

Harkness sold its 1,000th unit.

"The groundswell of interest behind

the product has been phenomenal;

there's been a real buzz about it

which appears to be continuing as

the industry gets more switched on

to issues surrounding on screen

brightness levels. At every trade show

we're inundated with enquiries and

the feedback from those purchasing

Harkness Screens Sells 1,000th Digital Screen Checker

the unit has been overwhelmingly

positive. We genuinely believe that

the Digital Screen Checker is well on

the way to becoming the tool of

choice for use when checking screen

brightness in auditoria and a low-

cost, zero-compromise solution

where the more expensive meters are

unaffordable," says Richard Mitchell,

Worldwide Marketing Manager at

Harkness Screens.

The Digital Screen Checker is a hand-

held digital cinema device measures

screen brightness, expressing

readings in foot lamberts. An ideal

tool for projection managers,

projectionists or service engineers to

monitor screen brightness and lamp

life, the Digital Screen Checker helps

exhibitors to ensure that their

presentations remain at optimum

levels and ensure DCI-compliancy.

The battery powered Digital Screen

Checker provides instant readings for

both 2D and 3D screens and is

calibrated to be accurate even in the

lower ranges used in 3D projection.

The foot lambert reading is shown on

an LED digital display and is expressed

to at least one decimal place.

January-February 2013 TW-15

USL Introduces theJSD-60 Digital CinemaProcessor

GDC's PSD-3000Portable StorageDevice

USL, Inc. announced the JSD-60 Digital

Cinema Processor. Presenting the next

generation in digital cinema

processing from USL, Inc. at the

ShowEast Convention in November,

was exciting even for show veteran

Jack Cashin, President & Founder of

USL, Inc. "The JSD-60 is a natural

evolution from USL's extremely

successful JSD-100 model," states

Cashin. Cashin goes onto say "The JSD-

100 has certainly paved the way for the

next generation of technologically

advanced digital processors and we're

proud to introduce the JSD-60 to the

global cinema marketplace."

Cashin and the engineering team at

USL, Inc. recognized the need for a

dedicated d-cinema processor that

could ensure low noise and low

distortion processing for digital

applications that would provide

superb audio presentations at an

affordable cost to exhibitors. With this

in mind, the USL engineering and

R&D process began several months

ago and culminated into a product

that is already in high demand.

The JSD-60's unique features include

internal RTA, 8 main outputs (for up

to 7.1 auditoriums) plus HI and VI-N

outputs (all balanced line level); with

a front panel display shows user

definable format name and a

bargraph of all outputs, and an

optional internal biamp crossover

available for 5.1 and 7.1 auditoriums.

Quality products along with personal

hands-on service have been USL's

commitment to their customers since

its inception in 1982. USL has kept

their commitment to manufacturing

innovative quality cinema products

that meet and exceed customer

expectations. With 30 years of

experience, USL has taken its vast

engineering and manufacturing

knowledge to a higher level with the

release of the JSD-60.

XPAND 3D's NewPassive Systems

XPAND 3D introduced a new passive

solution that delivers performance,

comfort and commercial versatility to

new, broader markets. The new

XPAND Polarizer and Color Spacer

passive systems will feature stunning

new glasses that are lighter, more

ergonomic and certainly more stylish

than anything on the market today.

Commenting on the announcement,

Maria Costeira, Chief Executive Officer,

XPAND 3D noted, "XPAND 3D is

singularly committed to advancing the

consumer experience of

multidimensional imaging and

whereas our active shutter

technologies are deployed by the

world's leading cinemas and for the

studios' most important premieres, we

recognized that a sizable market was

being under-served with sub-par

passive technologies. Recognizing that

only passive technology could meet

the commercial needs of this group,

we elected to design a superior

solution that would elevate the

performance threshold of passive 3D. I

am thrilled that our new XPAND

passive systems exceed all expectations

on price and performance."

without the need of a server and

without stressing the HDDs on heat

radiating IMB that concealed inside the

projector chassis. GDC Tech shares that

same belief with the projector

manufacturer that concealing all the

hard disk drives within the projector

chassis is an undesirable design that is

highly unreliable. Furthermore, the

PSD-3000 is easily accessible if

replacement of just one or all HDDs is

required.

GDC Tech introduced the PSD-3000

portable storage device which is a

highly-reliable content storage solution

that works seamlessly with the SX-3000

Standalone IMB. The PSD-3000 features

3 hot swappable data drives based on

RAID 5 technology allowing it to

remain operational in the event of a

single drive failure. Moreover, it can be

mounted on the DLP Cinema projectors

in accordance with specific mount

configurations. A variation of this

model that can be directly inserted into

projector pedestals is also available. All

PSD-3000 storage devices do not

require a PC onboard to manage the

HDDs hence reducing the cost of

maintaining and operating the

Standalone IMB with PSD-3000.

Standalone IMB without the need of an

external server to manage the data

drives is indisputable the most cost

effective solution for today's digital

cinema. Standalone IMB is a new

architecture widely adopted by leading

projection companies. More

importantly, PSD-3000 external storage

device is an optimal storage solution

January-February 2013TW-16

Located in the Sundhara district of

the capital Kathmandu is QFX Civil

Mall, the country's largest shopping

area, covering a total of 25,000 sq

feet. This houses a new three-screen

multiplex cinema, the QFX Cinemas,

which are capable of seating up to

939 viewers at any one time. This is

Nepal's first truly world-class Cineplex

and is one of a trio of cinemas

owned by QFX in the city.

QFX is the brand name of Quest

Entertainment (QE), which was

launched in Nepal a decade ago with

the QFX Jai Nepal Cinema. The

company is also involved in film

distribution and production and as

such has a thorough understanding

of how important high quality sound

is to modern cinema audiences.

Installed by Indian audio company

Balaji Sound, the Alcons systems at

QFX Civil Mall feature CR2 and CR4

systems, CB362 subwoofers, CCS8

high-power surround speakers, all of

which have been specifically

designed for the cinema market, and

ALC2-ST amplifier-controllers.

"We identified a need for a

consistent cinema experience in

Nepal," says Bhaskar Dhungana, who

along with partners Rajesh Siddhi

and Nakim Uddin owns QE and has

developed the QFX brand. "We did a

lot of planning and research and

have built a brand that provides the

Nepali market with an experience

that everyone can enjoy. Central to

• I N S T A L L S •

that was making sure that we had

the right equipment, which we've

sourced from around the world.

"Part of that requirement was a top

of the range digital sound system

and for that we went to Alcons in

The Netherlands. Alcons' technology

has been extensively used in Japan

and Malaysia, but Nepal is the first

country in the South Asia region to

benefit from it."

"Many of our customers have

mentioned that the Alcons systems

sound better than those used by our

competitors," says Sunita Rana, office

executive at Quest Entertainment.

QFX Cinemas -

Nepal's First World-class Cineplex

"They feel that it sounds more

sophisticated and modern, which

perfectly complements our aims. We

are very happy with the performance

of the Alcons loudspeakers."

"I am very pleased that high profile

cinema operators in an ever-

increasing number of countries are

recognising the many advantages

that our systems bring," says Alcons

Audio co-founder Tom Back. "In

providing a superior experience for

the audience, they also reflect the

quality and aims of the operators,

which brings further benefits to the

cinema companies."

January-February 2013 TW-17

• I N S T A L L S •

The Gloria Palast movie theatre in

Munich is beefing up its D-Cinema

equipment with a high end sound

system based on the established

Dolby Surround 7.1 format. Kinoton,

drawing on its decades of audio

experience, supplied all of the

components for the high end sound

system. The company's technicians

then took care of professionally

installing and adjusting all of the

audio and event equipment and

sizing it to fit the auditorium.

In recent years attention has mainly

focused on D-Cinema projection, but

now it is increasingly turning to

sound quality. While analog film

only holds audio data in compressed

form, digital cinema servers provide

discrete, virtually lossless tracks for all

audio channels. In combination with

a leading-edge sound system, this

ensures superb sound reproduction

for a perfect audio experience.

Agreeable, clear-as-a-bell music,

maximum speech intelligibility, and

homogeneous volume levels

throughout the auditorium are

guaranteed.

The new "premium sound

experience" in the Gloria is based on

The Gloria Palast Cinema, Munich -

Heritage Reinvented

a custom-tailored solution involving

state-of-the-art loudspeakers,

crossover and power amplification

technology, and a special program

for designing and planning shows.

The highlights are a Dolby CP750

digital sound processor, three

powerful three-way full-range

systems (JBL), an effect speaker

system (JBL), a high-wattage

subwoofer system (JBL), and a

network controlled and monitored

amplification system (Crown). In

addition, Kinoton supplied and

installed a Kinoton DCA system for

automatically controlling all of the

cinema equipment, including signal

distribution to the various event

components such as the audio

control panel and microphones, as

well as the voice amplification and

feed systems.

The Gloria Palast, which experienced

several decades of ups and downs

after opening back in 1956, is now

being transformed into a "premium

cinema". Its seating capacity is being

cut in half, dark leather armchairs are

being installed, and up on the

gallery an exclusive wood-paneled

lounge accentuated in deep red is

taking shape. The Gloria Palast has

been operated since 2007 by

Kinopolis, which also owns the

Mathäser Filmpalast in Munich. This

makes it possible to very flexibly plan

the Gloria's program. The corporate

group has been run for over a

hundred years by the Theile family,

now in the fourth generation.

January-February 2013TW-18

• I N S T A L L S •

De Keizer, Belgian -

Legendary Cinema Enters Digital AgeA passion for movies is what links

Digital Cinema Pioneer Barco with

legendary Cinema De Keizer. Located

in the small Belgian town of

Lichtervelde, this unique single-

screen movie theatre reopened its

doors to the public on 21 December,

following a pre-opening on 18

December for a preview showing of

'Brasserie Romantiek' - the feature

film debut of Belgian director Joël

Vanhoebrouck. The theatre was

recently equipped with Barco's new

DP2K-10S digital cinema projector,

specifically designed for smaller

cinema screens.

Established in 1924 by Gerard

Debaillie, Cinema De Keizer is a

reference beacon in the Belgian

cinema world and the lifework of

Gerard's daughter Agnes, a cinephile

who personified the world of cinema

to the citizens of her town. When

Agnes passed away earlier this year

(2012), the future of the longest

running cinema in Belgium, which

was still mostly in its original state,

seemed uncertain. Recently, Flemish

Vice-Minister-President Geert

Bourgeois decided to protect the

cinema as cultural heritage and seven

locals invested in the theatre. "I'd

seen hundreds of movies at Cinema

De Keizer and dreamt of installing a

21st century theatre in the original

1920s décor, to bring back that

'community feeling' that the cinema

inspires," explains Hans Maertens,

who leads the Cinema De Keizer

non-profit organization.

World-class digital cinematechnology on Cinema De

Keizer's doorstep

Sofie Eeckeman, who was the right

hand of Agnes Debaillie for many

years, now operates the cinema. She

welcomes the new Barco technology:

"I spent my childhood helping out

Agnes at Cinema De Keizer and am

delighted to continue her dream. We

are happy to be working with Barco

to replace one of our twin 35mm

projectors with a digital solution. It

was a stroke of luck for us that

Lichtervelde is close to the global

Digital Cinema market leader, and we

couldn't have found a better partner.

We were very impressed with Barco's

vision for the cinema of the future,

which also fits well with my interests

as a Lecturer New Media and

Communication Technology at

University College West Flanders

(Howest). The new DP2K-10S digital

cinema projector is ideal for our

needs and enables us to bring

Cinema De Keizer into the future,

while maintaining that old era charm

and character that is unique to our

theatre."

Addressing the needs ofsmaller theatres

The Barco DP2K-10S is a compact

digital cinema projector designed

for the special needs of smaller

theatres, independent cinemas and

art houses. Thanks to the DP2K-10S,

smaller exhibitors can also enchant

moviegoers with first-class movie

experiences - with consistent picture

brightness, vibrant and stable colors.

The 0.69" DLP Cinema projector

comes with a high-grade cinema

lens and an intuitive projector user

interface that further simplifies

operation and ensures low

operating costs. As a DCI-compliant

projector it is the perfect choice for

exhibitors looking for a worry-free

solution to go digital with minimal

hassle and risk.

The Independent Cinema ofthe Future

"The opportunity of Digital Cinema is

not only for larger cinema chains.

There is a lot of concern about the

transition from 35mm to digital,

which threatens the survival of a

number of smaller, independent and

art house cinemas that take up a

unique position in the cinema

landscape. Barco strongly believes,

however, that Digital Cinema also

offers a unique opportunity for these

cinemas to thrive, thus offering them

flexibility in their programming and a

range of new revenue opportunities,"

comments Tim Sinnaeve, Market

Director Digital Cinema. "We have

designed our new DP2K-10S with this

in mind, integrating our leading

digital cinema technologies into a

compact, scalable and cost-effective

platform without sacrificing image

quality. I'm delighted that the team

behind Cinema De Keizer, a unique

and historic location, shares our

passion and vision for the

independent cinema of the future,

and is confident that other

independent cinemas can be inspired

by their story."

January-February 2013 TW-19

Being in the motion picture theatre

equipment business since 1975, MTE

supplies turnkey service or individual

items relating to projection, sound,

seating, aisle lights, screens and front

ends, wall covering, concession,

lobby and box-office. They supply all

major brands of theatre equipment

and also offer the choice for a new,

rebuilt, used or any combination

service.

MTE an academy award winning

Company offering total planning,

development and operations

consultation to open a cinema

anywhere in the world also helps and

invites clients to choose from the

world's largest selection of new and

pre-owned professional cinema

equipment, furnishings, and

accessories. MTE and its affiliates

represent most major makers of

Cinema Equipment including Barco,

Dolby, Qsc, Jbl, Osram, Harkness,

Ushio.

Recently an urgent setup was

required in Budapest, which was

flawlessly done by MTE Russia. In

September, Magna Tech Electronic

Co. Inc. shipped cinema equipment

to the cinema situated in "Polus"

shopping centre in Budapest. This

was an urgent setup required as

requested by the high officials of the

MTE at

Budapest and Kecskemet

• I N S T A L L S •

Cinema. Being the busy month, and

engineers busy with many

installations in the close by vicinity, an

MTE Russia Engineer flew down to

Budapest and installed the

equipment. In a couple of days, Barco

projector, Doremi server and

automatic cinema system were

installed and were geared up to work.

MTE Russia's partners appreciated

their support and again in two weeks

time an engineer from Russia flew

down to hungary, this time to

Kecskemet city. An installation was

done in Malomhe Cinema in two

cinema rooms. Barco projectors and

Dolby servers were installed.

January-February 2013TW-20

After a warm

welcome from the

Osram Team who

were to

accompany me

throughout the

visit to the factory,

Ralf Seedorf,

Manager of

Special Lighting DO Cinema who is

based at Osram Special Lighting in

Berlin provided a short history of the

Eichstätt factory before embarking

on a detailed presentation of the

story of the world-renowned XBO

lamps from their inception in 1949

and first commercial appearance in

1954 to the present day situation

where XBO lamps are the world

market leader. In response to my

'silly' question, Ralf explained that

XBO came from the German

language abbreviation for Xenon

kurzbogen (short-arc) lampe. The

Eichstätt factory site was founded in

1962, but the modern era really

began with the construction of the

current much larger factory in 1965.

Automotive lamps were the major

product in the late 1960s, but

continued automation and

mechanisation took place for new

lamps of many types. XBO lamp

development continued, with

horizontally operable versions

arriving in 1970, making projector

design easier, ozone-free quartz glass

• T E C H N O L O G Y •

being introduced in 1980, and a

revolutionary disc seal design being

incorporated in 1987. A real

landmark, meaning that the factory

became recognised world-wide,

occurred in 1983 when Osram were

awarded a technical Oscar for the

XBO lamp from the Academy of

Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Continuous improvements

The factory has been continuously

developed and expanded over the

• Automated xenon production• Dual projection• 3D Developments• Boothless Cinemas

years to produce many types of

lamp, and in 2001 a new hall was

constructed for high voltage lamp

manufacturing, the incredible figure

of one million lamps manufactured

being reached in 2002. Recent years

have seen a concentration on new

energy saving designs, and cinema

projection lamps have seen extended

lamp lives and warranties, with

special XBO designs tailored to the

needs of each projector

manufacturer. The boom in demand

OSRAM'S

XBO Cinema LampOSRAM'S

XBO Cinema Lamp– Jim Slater

January-February 2013 TW-21

that potential competitors can't just

go out and buy similar equipment,

but if a decision is taken to produce

larger quantities of lamps the Osram

people can readily decide to build an

extra machine, and within months

can have the additional production

capacity on line. Compare that with

the alternative of having to recruit

lots of new staff and having to train

them for over a year before they are

capable of producing high-quality

cinema lamps.

XBO lamps are a very important part

of the Osram product range, and in

recent years new lamp concepts have

been introduced to better satisfy the

needs of the cinema exhibition

industry. These included the 2007

introduction of an Xtreme Life range

with an extended Warranty

alongside the Classic Line. In 2008 a

much improved production process

was developed, introducing the fully

mechanised and automated system

that we are about to describe, and a

special technical customer support

programme was brought in which

has achieved greater levels of

customer satisfaction. In 2009 a new

more robust XBO coil spring design

was introduced, and in 2010

automated production of XBO lamps

for digital cinema projectors began.

Illustrating the policy of continuous

improvement, in 2012 Long life XBO

lamps specifically for D cinema were

introduced, and it was interesting to

learn from the factory technical team

how apparently small changes in the

production process can make

significant improvements to lamp life

and therefore to the all important

total cost of ownership.

Xenon lamp theory andpractice

Ralf explained that the xenon lamp

has become the cornerstone of

cinema exhibition for many good

reasons, with characteristics such as

high luminance, good arc stability,

constant colour temperature over its

lifetime and the ability to dim the

for cinema projection lamps in recent

years led the company to increase

capacity for XBO lamp manufacture,

and Ralf explained that the need to

expand capacity led to a great deal

of thought about the best way to

proceed. Traditional projection lamp

manufacture depended upon the use

of highly-skilled craftsmen who took

a long time to train to the high

standards needed, so the ground-

breaking decision was made to

develop an automated

manufacturing system which would

allow for unlimited future expansion

to take place as required. The effects

of this decision were huge, and have

driven forward continuous

improvements in automation

technology at Osram.

An interesting strategy

I was fascinated to learn that all the

automated machinery and

controlling software that is used to

produce XBO lamps is designed,

developed and built by Osram

engineers. Not only does this mean

Gas storage outside the factory

Osram XBO 4kW DHP digital projector lamp

• T E C H N O L O G Y •

January-February 2013TW-22

lamp without changing the colour. It

is available in a wide range of

wattages, typically from 1200 to 8000

Watts, and its 'hot restart' capabilities

make it ideal for cinema use. He

clearly went through the design of a

lamp, highlighting its individual

components and the importance of

the seals between the metal

electrodes and the glass, where

several different types of glass are

used in layers to minimise or

eliminate any stresses due tot eh

different coefficients of expansion of

tungsten and quartz.

We discussed the key differences

between xenon lamps for film

projectors and digital projectors, and

the always controversial topic of why

digital lamps are more expensive.

The optical architecture of a digital

projector requires a small and

compact light source to illuminate

the small aperture of the digital

imaging device, and making high-

quality lamps with small arcs is

necessarily a more skilled and more

precise operation. Although current

digital lamps provide superb

performance, the increased heat

density at the arc still means that the

lifetime of current digital lamps is less

than that of conventional lamps -

projectionists I know suggest that

whereas a 'film' lamp might last a

year in a typical cinema, they often

find that they need to replace digital

lamps at least twice as frequently.

Osram are fully aware of this, of

course, and the technical team told

me that there is ongoing research

and development that is resulting in

digital lamp life and performance

continuously improving.

There is a research and development

section on the Eichstätt site, and they

examine everything from improved

pre materials to enhanced

manufacturing methods, and,

importantly, they work closely with

each of the projector designers and

manufacturers to ensure optimum

performance and the best possible

lifetime total costs of ownership. It

was explained why tungsten is the

ideal material for the electrodes, with

a melting point of 3410 degrees C

and a boiling point of 5927 C.

Having been given a small block of

tungsten to handle (from which the

OSRAM XBO specifications

Wolfgang Seitz left, andGerhard Löffler right, with Ralf Seedorf

The completely automated bulb-forming machinery

• T E C H N O L O G Y •

January-February 2013 TW-23

anode would eventually be

machined), I was surprised at its

weight - tungsten has a relative

density of 19.3, similar to gold.

The other major component of an

XBO lamp is the quartz glass

envelope, composed of almost pure

silica and resistant to very high

temperatures and pressures. It is

naturally transparent to near ultra-

violet radiation, and to reduce this

radiation, which could be harmful to

people and the sensitive imagers of

the projector, specially formulated

titanium dioxide is added to the

quartz during manufacture. The

xenon gas which produces the light

is colourless and odourless, with a

boiling point of -108 degrees C, and

is the rarest of the stable inert gases.

It is obtained by liquifying air, but

there is very little of it in a given

quantity of air (less than 0.00001%)

so it is very expensive when

compared to other gases such as

argon and krypton. We were shown

the spectrum resulting from the

xenon lamp discharge and a

comparison of the ultra-violet

radiation from quartz glasses doped

with different compounds. It was also

interesting to learn about the

ignition sequence of a xenon lamp

and the effect that careful control of

this has on the performance and the

lifetime of a lamp.

The factory tour

Wolfgang Seitz and Gerhard Löffler

took me into the factory production

area, where we watched the

manufacture of a digital cinema XBO

lamp stage by stage. The factory has

some 750 employees who work a five

shift system 24 hours a day and seven

days a week. It was explained that

over 90% of the bulb manufacturing

process is carried out by the in-

housed designed automated

machinery, with humans doing the

remaining things that they do best,

whether this is an overall critical

inspection of the finished product,

checking for untoward things that

no computer could be programmed

to look for or even ensuring that the

bulbs are carefully packed for

From top - Automated electrode assembly; Laser polishing of the electrode assemblies as partof the sealing process; The robotic assembly machine inserts the electrode assemblies into the

bulb and completes the sealing and annealing processes

• T E C H N O L O G Y •

January-February 2013TW-24

despatch. Many of the workers have

been long-term employees of Osram,

so the highly automated systems are

complemented by experienced staff

who have an in-depth knowledge of

the lamp manufacturing processes.

Forming the glass

I guess it is the glass-blowing part of

lamp manufacture that seems

particularly 'magic'. I had already

asked why they didn't buy in

readymade glass bulbs from a glass

manufacturer, surely they can't be

too different from exotic wine-

glasses? I was assured that this had

been carefully considered and that

they really had looked at

'outsourcing' in conjunction with

glass manufacturers, whose ready-

made glass products are used for

many of the other types of mass-

produced lamps that Osram make.

The conclusion was that the only way

to ensure that the critical glassware

required to make sophisticated

cinema lamps met all the necessary

specifications was to make the bulbs

on site. We began by watching the

mechanical fingers of a robotic

machine take a carefully pre-selected

and checked length of quartz glass

tubing. In a series of steps that

proved fascinating to watch, the

tube was heated in various glass

flames and then, when the correct

temperatures had been reached, was

gently inflated as it rotated. The

temperature, size and shape of the

nascent bulb are constantly

monitored by special inspection

cameras and image-processing

software which constantly checks the

dimensions and iteratively apply

more or less heat and more or less

pressure for more or less time until

the bulb is the perfect shape and

size, with even wall thickness and

stress-free glass. I couldn't help

marvelling at the skill of the

computer programmers and the

machine designers who had made all

this possible. The constantly reactive

programme automatically makes any

changes necessary due to changes in

the tolerances of the original quartz

tubing or changes in the ambient

conditions around the factory.

Each machine has a central robot arm

system that serves four workstations

so that four bulbs are being

manufactured at any one time. In the

part of the factory where I was I saw

some nine machines of this type all

continuously producing glass bulbs

to the highest specifications,

completely without human input. It

takes between twenty and forty

minutes to produce a particular type

of bulb, and watching this

remarkable process provided a

reminder that to increase production

numbers it would be necessary only

to install and bring on line another

machine, whereas it could take over

a year to train up a single new

craftsman, whose output would have

to be less than any one of these

machines. I gathered that there were

originally some nine people making

a particular type of specialist bulb,

and that these have been replaced

by the nine machines. It has taken 12

years of continuous work and trials

to design and build the machines,

and the programming has been

implemented using the accumulated

knowledge of the original crafts

people. I didn't see any faulty

products during my visit, and no

manufacturer is going to tell you the

percentage failure rate, but I was told

that the introduction of the

machines has reduced 'shrinkage' by

a factor of ten. Each bulb is measured

and checked at every stage of the

manufacturing process - they don't

wait until the end of the process and

then throw out the rejects. Each bulb

carries a code that enables each stage

of its manufacture to be retraced if

necessary, so that any defects, no

matter how slight, can be traced back

to the original materials and the

actual conditions under which the

bulb was made.

Making the electrodes

The carefully machined components

of the tungsten electrode anode and

cathode assemblies are brought

together in a central clean-room area

Carefully checking the complete lamp

• T E C H N O L O G Y •

January-February 2013 TW-25

and, surprisingly, perhaps, the

various bits are actually assembled by

hand and then checked for

dimensions and tolerances. I asked

why the electrode assembly wasn't

mechanised and was simply told that

they had tried and had come to the

conclusion that this series of delicate

operations could more efficiently be

carried out by skilled humans.

Putting it all together

The next stages, the final assembly of

the electrodes into the glass bulb and

the effective sealing of the electrode

assemblies into the ends of the glass

bulb is completely automated, and I

have to say that I found the robotic

machinery absolutely fantastic - one

of the wonders of the world! The

photos alongside just can't do justice

to the 'cleverness' of the machines,

which use computer controlled

hands to pick up the bulb, move it

into a precisely positioned jig and

then heat the bulb, and once

everything is at the correct

temperatures, the lamp tubes are cut

by laser to exactly the correct length.

It was incredible to watch the

machine insert the electrodes,

precisely position both anode and

cathode, and then carry out the

complex sealing process. A hole is

drilled with hot gas and a filling tube

is melted on before applying the

annealing processes, which reduce

any stresses in the whole lamp.

Checking and filling

After cooling, the complete lamp is

then checked carefully by a skilled

operator, making careful visual

checks and machine measurements

for arc gap, geometry, concentricity.

The filling process is completely

automatic - the machine recognises

each bulb, measures the bulb volume

and knows exactly how much gas to

fill it with.

Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the

xenon, effectively compressing it so

that the lamp can be automatically

sealed. As the lamp returns to room

temperature the pressure inside

increases to its normal operating

condition.

Fitting the metal bases

Following further checks the metal

base connectors are fitted (manually,

I was surprised to see!) and the

anode connection lead is screwed in.

Electrical testing - burning in

After a further optical check the

lamps are then ready for electrical

testing prior to a full burning-in test.

I was interested to see that every

lamp is burned in for a full twenty

minutes by a robotic test machine,

and that voltage and current

measurements are taken and

recorded during ignition and

operation. The light output of every

digital cinema lamp is carefully

checked.

And off to the customer

Each lamp is laser etched with a serial

number and lamp type, and in all

some 75 checks and measurements

are made and recorded. This means

that if any problem or query should

occur during the lamp's working

lifetime it will be possible to delve

into the data archive to establish the

history of each lamp in order to

determine whether any

manufacturing parameters were

responsible. Osram are proud of the

warranty that they provide for all

their cinema lamps, and they use all

the data that is collected during the

lifetime of their lamps to feedback to

the manufacturing engineers - I

really was left with the impression

that they are all keen to ensure that

the whole process is one of

continuous improvement, and the

telling phrase 'we look after our

customers' was used on several

occasions.

The lamps are then carefully packed

for despatch to the customer,

whether a cinema installation and

service company or an individual

cinema, and I can vouch for the

effectiveness of the packaging as an

Osram lamp arrived at my home a

few days later, having travelled via

the usual collection of courier vans,

and it survived intact, of course!

Many thanks to Ralf and to the

whole Osram team who spent a great

of time talking about and explaining

their work. I really enjoyed my visit

and was impressed by the sheer

enthusiasm of everyone involved.

Thanks also to Michaela Jager of F&H

PR who made the detailed

arrangements for my memorable visit

for Osram.

(The author Jim Slater is the Editor of

Cinema Technology magazine, the

specialist publication for cinema

professionals. He can be reached at

jim.slater@slaterelectronics.com)

Production process flow chart

• T E C H N O L O G Y •

January-February 2013TW-26

The Team at CineAsia 2012, were

pleased with the response they

received from the exhibitors and

attendees who were present at the

Hong Kong Convention &

Exhibition Centre from 11 to 13th

December 2012 attending the

CineAsia 2012 Expo.

CineAsia has always been the

premier destination to learn about

what's going on in the Asian

cinema industry and this year was

no exception. They had a full

roster of film screenings, product

presentations, educational

seminars, special events, and a jam-

packed trade show and the

attendees said adieu to CineAsia

well-informed and excited about

the year ahead.

There was a gamut of excitement

at CineAsia about the record-

breaking grosses at the box office

that have made 2012 a great year

for Asian Cinema, with Japan and

China taking the lead. 2012 also

saw dramatic growth in Digital 3D,

with the Asia-Pacific region

contributing to a double-digit

growth in the worldwide market.

The line-up of films at CineAsia

was specially selected with releases

that are sure to be very popular at

the box office. This year's

screenings included: -

The Hobbit: An UnexpectedJourney - Warner Bros. Pictures

International

Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away -Paramount Pictures International

Hitchcock - Fox Searchlight

Pictures

Wreck-It Ralph - Walt Disney

Studios Motion Pictures

International

11-13 December 2012Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

REVIEW

In addition to screenings, the

attendees were wowed over the next

three days by product presentations

from each of the following major

Hollywood studios as they showcased

what's in store for the 2012 holiday

season and beyond :-

• 20th Century Fox International

• Universal Pictures International

• Paramount Pictures International

• Walt Disney Studios Motion

Pictures International

• Sony Pictures Releasing

International

• Warner Bros. Pictures International

This year's educational seminars

included important topics such as

camcording and illegal online screen

content; the impact of digital on

concessions; how technology is

driving alternative content; lasers in

exhibition; digital distribution and

marketing.

The trade show floor was complete

sold out, with more companiesthan ever before. Each booth had

something new to showcase in

theatre technology and

concessions. The products on

showcase by a few exhibitors were

Barco's DP2K10Sx, a fully

integrated DCI-compliant

projection system; Christie's Solaria

One, a high value premium digital

cinema offering; the most

significant development in audio,

the Dolby Atmos by Dolby

Laboratories; the CM24 processor

by Focux; GDC Technology

showcased the GDC's SX-3000

standalone Integrated Media

Block; TMS (Theatre Management

System) by Kinoton; QSC's acoustic

performance series; QubeTouch, a

new user interface by Qube; The

SRX - R515P digital cinema

projection by Sony Digital Cinema;

USL showcased the JSD-60

processor; Vista Entertainment

Solutions featured their Vista

InTouch software solution, and

many more products were

featured, presented and showcased

on the floor.

January-February 2013 TW-27

EVENT CALENDER

SPRING 2013

12-14 MARCH

FRAMES,MUMBAI, INDIA

www.ficci-frames.com

15-18 APRIL

CINEMACON,LAS VEGAS, USA

www.cinemacon.com

SUMMER 2013

24-27 JUNE

CINEEUROPEBARCELONA, SPAIN

www.cinemaexpo.com

26-28 JULY

CINEMA TODAY,CHENNAI, INDIA

www.cinematoday.in

29-30 JULY

CINEMA INDIA,MUMBAI, INDIA

www.cinemaindiaexpo.com

AUTUMN 2013

15-19 SEPTEMBER

KINO EXPO,ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

www.kinoexpo.ru

13-17 OCTOBER

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONALMOVIE CONVENTION

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIAwww.movieconvention.com.au

21-24 OCTOBER

SHOWEAST,FLORIDA, USA

www.showeast.com

WINTER 2013

9-12 DECEMBER

CINEASIA,HONG KONG

www.cineasia.com

Usually held on the evening on

the last day of CineAsia, the

Awards Program took place as a

luncheon on 13th Dec, the last day

of the Expo where a deserving

group of individuals and

companies were honored

including: Han Seng Lim, Wanda

Cinema Circuit, Megastar Cineplex,

John Poison, Byung-Hun Lee, See-

Yuen Ng, and Walt Disney Studios

Motion Pictures International.

Following the luncheon, all were

invited to join on a ferry ride to

Macau for the UA Cinema Galaxy

Event, an experience which was

new and thoroughly enjoyed by

each and everyone present.

Everyone toured the UA Galaxy

Cinemas, enjoyed a screening of

Wreck-It Ralph, then joined for a

dinner reception at the Oasis

restaurant at the Galaxy Macau.

Last but not least, The CineAsia

Team thanked the sponsors, the

film companies and the trade show

exhibitors for their continued

support.

Barco Qube Cinema

Christie Dolby

Strong Doremi Cinema

USL Kinoton

Osram Volfoni

January-February 2013TW-28

FICCI FRAMES 2013, the 14th

edition of Asia's largest annual

global convention on the business

of entertainment will be held

from 12th -14th March, 2013 in

Mumbai, India.

As in previous years, the world

media & entertainment industry

will be in full attendance at

FRAMES 2013, with nearly 2000

Indian and 600 foreign delegates

encompassing the entire sector.

FRAMES 2013 will have plenary

and parallel sessions on a broad

spectrum of issues covering the

entire gamut of media &

entertainment like Films,

Broadcast (TV & Radio), Digital

Entertainment, Animation,

Gaming, Visual Effects, etc. over a

period of three days.

Korea will be the partner country

and the country of focus at

FRAMES and a sizeable and

impressive Korean delegation of

business leaders will also be there

at FRAMES 2013.

Some of the importantInternational speakers forFrames 2013 are

• Andy Bird - Chairman

Walt Disney International

• Robert M. Bakish - President &

CEO, Viacom International

Media Networks (VIMN)

• Anne Marie Sweeney

- Co-Chair of Disney Media

Networks & President of

Disney-ABC Television Group

• Andy Kaplan - President

International Networks Sony

Pictures Television

12-14 March 2013The Renaissance, Powai, Mumbai

PREVIEWFICCI

FRAMES

• Dominic Proctor - President

Group M, Worldwide

• Mira Nair - Film-maker

• Gurinder Chadha - Film-maker

• Seymour Stein - Vice President

Warner Bros Music

• Colin Brown - Former British High

Commissioner & Film Producer

• Andy Weltman - Head,

International

Pinewood Studios

• Graham Broadbent - Producer, UK

(Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)

• Paul O'Hanlon - CEO, Asia Pacific

FreMantle Media

• Ms. Ellana Lee - Vice President

and Managing Editor for CNN

International Asia Pacifi

• Teri Schwartz - Dean, UCLA

School of Theatre, Film and

Television (TFT)

Following are the majorhighlights of FICCI FRAMES 2013 :

• Partner Country - Korea

• Focussed Sessions by world

renowned Speakers

• Roundtables

• The FICCI FRAMES Market

• Technology Showcase

• European Film Co Production

Lounge

• BEST ANIMATED FRAMES (BAF)

Awards

• Shoot at site (The Film Tourism

Seminar)

• Creative Workshops and master

classes

• Structured B2B business

meetings

• Country Specific delegations

The FICCI FRAMES MARKET (FFM),

a platform to create, buy, sell,

finance, market and partner with

entertainment content from all

over the world was launched at

FICCI FRAMES 2012.

At FICCI FRAMES 2013 we will also

launch our new initiative "Shoot at

Site". Shoot at site aims to bring

together the Entertainment and

Tourism industry under the same

platform to promote commerce

between these two vibrant sectors.

Shoot at Site will happen on March

15th 2013 at the same venue after

the closing ceremony of FICCI

FRAMES 2013. The day long

conclave on 15th March will include

interactive sessions with key

stakeholders between Tourism &

Entertainment industry, structured

one to one B2B meetings, showcase

of National & International film

shooting locations.

January-February 2013 TW-29

Following on from Unit 7,

supervising projectionists have a

special responsibility for creating and

maintaining good working

relationships in several important

ways.

As a supervisor or team leader, you

often act as a link between the

projection team and the management

team. This provides the opportunity

to be pro-active in developing and

maintaining the kind of good

working relationships which will

improve your cinema's performance.

Remember that if staffs are unhappy

with each other, sooner or later this

will be detected by members of the

public, who may vote with their feet.

You should be able to motivate,

manage, assess, and supervise

Projection Series-XXXVI

Beingin

Charge

• C I N E M A S Y S T E M S •

• The best way to motivate others is by example; If you are motivated, it

will rub off.

• Managing others involves mutual respect - it has to be earned.

• Assessment is only useful if it leads to improvement - feedback is

essential.

• Supervising trained team members should be at arms length.

• Delegation involves trusting your team.

• Be firm but fair at all times.

• A little praise goes a long way.

members of your team, as well as

delegate to them and enable their

training and development. You may

also be expected to assist in their

recruitment. If you feel unprepared

for any of these tasks, then you

should seek training or guidance from

your management team before things

go wrong. These are skills which most

people have to learn, they come

naturally to only a few. Though the

detail is beyond the scope of this

manual, here are some commonsense

pointers which may be useful:

January-February 2013TW-30

A supervising projectionist also has a

special responsibility for the training

of team members. As an experienced

and skilled professional, you may

also be the main trainer.

Unfortunately, being a highly skilled

practitioner does not automatically

make you a good trainer. In fact if

often puts you at a disadvantage,

because your experience and

knowledge makes it difficult for you

to put yourself in the trainee's shoes.

Again, the detail is beyond the scope

of this literature, so if you are unsure

of your abilities as a trainer, then you

should ask your management for

some trainer-training.

Trainer's Survival Guide

• Learning to be a trainer yourself is not as easy as

you might think.

• Keep up to date with training courses and other

learning resources.

• Try always to put yourself in the trainee's shoes-

act as a mentor, not a teacher.

• Assume nothing- it may seem obvious to you,

but it may not be to your trainees.

• Show, don't tell

• Allow trainees to learn through experience- you

cannot short-cut it.

• Always give positive feedback.

• Do not put negative ideas in trainees' heads.

• Always work from the simple to the complex.

• Never assume that your way is the best way.

• You can learn yourself by training others.

• Find out what your company training objectives

are and work within them.

• Do not be afraid to make suggestions for new

training objectives.

• Training works best when manages believe in it -

managers like results.

• Organise formal training sessions, and let

informal ones happen.

• Keep records.

Maintenance Scheduling

• Check service contracts.

• Prevent breakdowns by scheduling.

• Identify maintenance inputs and outputs.

• Use a calendar.

• Identify downtime.

• Schedule by recommended task frequency.

Health & Safety

• Know your special responsibilities.

• Learn hazard assessment.

• Keep accurate records.

• Meet agreed performance criteria.

• Take the lead in fire prevention and

emergency drills.

• Know your fire appliances.

Supervising

• Act as a link between projectionists and

management.

• Motivate, manage, assess & supervise.

• Take the lead in training and development.

a happy team is a productive team!

• C I N E M A S Y S T E M S •

January-February 2013 TW-31

2004, and then entered the cinema3D business in 2008. Our approach issimple. Captivate audiences withstunning clarity and color fidelity.Provide the best possible technologyfor a premium solution to theatresand integrators. Be trustworthy andnimble to service an evolvingbusiness. Offer the lowest total costof ownership model that allowstheatres to maximize revenues as 3Dmovies thrive. Last year, weexpanded our product suite so thatany theatre has the opportunity tohave the right MasterImage 3Dsystem for them. Our products rangeto fit the theatre needs regardless of

Ruling the Market…..3D !!!!!!3D !!!!!!

Adam MacDonald (AM) - Sales Manager EMEA, DigitalCinema for MasterImage 3D, London, is an industryveteran with over a decade of experience in theentertainment industry. He has worked for some of thebiggest names in digital cinema including DTS DigitalCinema, 20th Century Fox and Panavision. While having awealth of experience in Digital Cinema, MacDonald alsohas a great understanding of 35mm Film, through his timeworking on film based Digital sound at DTS (later tobecome Datasat Digital Entertainment) and also workingon the 35mm based 3D technology developed byPanavision. Adam shares his insight on 3D.

MacDonald is responsible for the sales

of MasterImage 3D exhibition

technology across the emerging

markets of India, Russia and Eastern

Europe and has spent extensive time in

these regions building the partnerships

required to sell and service the

company's growing portfolio of

cutting edge 3D technologies and

high quality 3D glasses.

Says MacDonald "I'm excited to be

providing sales leadership for a

company whose products and

business models meet the needs of

exhibitors right now, and whose

quality blows the competition out of

the water! Many cinemas around the

world have now converted to Digital

Cinema and benefit from our 3D

technology, but there is still huge

potential in the Indian market and

emerging markets of Europe and

Russia. Looking at the phenomenal

Box Office of 3D movies in 2012 and

amazing slate for 2013 and beyond,

this truly is an exciting time to be

involved in the industry"

TW – Tell us about theMasterImage 3D solutions tocinemas?

AM – MasterImage 3D was startedwith our core team passionate that3D content is a more interestingvisual experience. We are a 3Ddisplay technology company thatcreates the best consumerexperience, scaling from the biggestof screens (cinema) to the mostpersonal devices (smartphones andtablets). Regardless the platform, webelieve in the immersive depth andengagement of 3D.

We began our commitment tochanging how we interact with 3D in

January-February 2013TW-32

size- big or small-or projection boothtype-standard or boothless.Customers appreciate ourcomprehensive approach, no hiddencosts or ongoing royalties and hassle-free passive eyewear solutions. This iswhy we continue to get new partnersand expand into new regions.

TW – What is the current count ofMasterImage 3D solutions acrossthe world?

AM – Digital 3D is a globalphenomenon. We have beenaggressive to build out our footprintto service that demand.Headquartered in Hollywood, we'reclose to the Studios and productiontechnologies. We have offices inLondon and Seoul to service Europeand Asia with and an active presencein Latin America, Russia, China andIndia.

Our systems can be found in over 70countries spanning the globe withover 5,000 deployments that isprimed to grow aggressively in 2013.India is a major target forMasterImage 3D as Bollywood leadsin 3D creativity and expression. Youcan add Russia, Poland, Brazil,Mexico, Japan and, of course, Chinato that list. When you have a strongslate of AAA 3D films and emergingmarkets with a taste for 3D content, itadds up to be an exciting equation.

TW – How potential do you seethe Asia vis-à-vis the globalmarket for digital 3D cinema?

AM – Asia is a tremendous growthopportunity for digital cinema.MasterImage 3D started in Seoul, sowe have always been committed toAsia as a territory driving 3Dinnovation and adoption. Now morethan ever, it is incredibly exciting.

On one hand, Asia has the bestdiversity of local culture andeconomies. As we meet with cinemasand integrators across India, SouthKorea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan,Australia and Japan, we see theenthusiasm for 3D cinema and realizethe need to have a country-by-country approach. In 2013,MasterImage 3D will be active at a

local-level, whether it is at theregional industry events or our ownco-sponsored gatherings.

One can't deny the emergence ofChina as global taste-maker fordigital cinema and 3D. Look at theChinese group, Wanda, acquiring thesecond largest USA cinema chain,AMC, as the impact Asia is having onthe world of global cinema. Movie-goers in China have a wonderful

appetite for Hollywood content (and3D) which is making China crucial toglobal 3D releases and also sparkingcreativity in the local 3D contentcreation sector. Locally-producedcontent will ensure a very healthyoutlook for 3D in China.

A major story has been the successfulyear Bollywood had in 2012 and howthe types of movies andopportunities for Indian actors areevolving significantly. Clearly, India isembracing D-Cinema and Hollywood3D. As the local industry continues topush creativity and as the digital and3D rollout aggressively movesforward in the market, we are veryoptimistic that directors in India willbecome recognized as some of thebravest and most innovative in 3Dfilms.

TW – Tell us about the new MI-CLARITY3D?

AM – We take a focused look atwhat makes for truly great cinematic3D. It is a balance of vivid imagebrightness with a combination ofcolor fidelity and clarity ofpresentation. We take into accountthe total picture as we design the MI-CLARITY3D product suite.

The core technology is ourproprietary Circular Polarized FilterDisc, which enables the clearestvisuals and most vibrant colors. Ourspinning polycarbonated discsynchronizes with the projector andsilver screen to deliver thecomfortable 3D images with thelowest cross-talk. The solution- fromsystem to eyewear-aims to achievethe purest picture quality possible.We adopt a less is more philosophy.With the circulating disk, we applyfewer filter materials between theprojector and screen to reduceartifacts or image degradation. TheMasterImage 3D eyewear and systemare packaged as a matching set thatuse that same polarization filtermaterial.

Our customers praise how easy it is touse. The installation is effortless. TheMI-CLARITY3D product suiteupgraded this model to have the

January-February 2013 TW-33

latest full sync and automationoptions to give the theatre morecontrol where user-friendly softwareupgrades to 2D/3D positioning andmemory. The system is High-Frame-Rate (HFR) 3D compatible to supportthis exciting new trend in digitalcinema.

TW – What was the thoughtbehind getting MI-CLARITY3D tothe market?

AM – MasterImage 3D's originalproduct was called the MI-2100system with our Circular PolarizedFilter Disc. Not only is the MI-CLARITY3D sleeker and more flexible,but it comes in three modelsdesigned to meet the contemporaryneeds of theatres with differentprojection types.

MI-CLARITY3D SA: Standard modelthat moves easily betweenauditoriums for film bookingflexibility. It is a freestanding systemwith exceptional reliability and lowmaintenance.

MI-CLARITY3D MX: For theatres withno projection booths (mezzanine-free). It is a compact HEPA-coveredfilter head that mounts onto abootless projector rack, equippedwith a control console that allows formounting with 5m of filter assembly.Now, bootless projection does notmean a sacrifice in 3D image quality.

MI-CLARITY3D RH: For smallerprojection booths, we have ourremote sliding head model. If youneed to accommodate a tight space,this solution is a free-mountingframe that allows the filter head tomove in-and-out of postion of 3D/2D

projection in either a horizontal orvertical motion.

TW – Is there any particularstrategy from MasterImage 3D topromote MI-CLARITY3D?

AM – We work closely with all of theleading integrators around theworld. It is our goal to make it veryeasy for any theatre to get educatedon our product superiority andparticipate in our low cost ofownership business model. Noongoing royalties. No license fees.No seat tax. No hidden costs. Wethink with a one-time purchase, it is asimple ROI for a great product.Many theatres around the worldagree.

TW – What would be theapproximate investment for MI-CLARITY3D?

AM – We work with a significantnetwork of highly skilled resellerpartners who keep our prices in theirmarkets extremely competitive andinline with market prices. Ourproduct value is a great advantage toour customers.

TW – How is MasterImage 3Deyewear superior with manypassive eyewear in the market?

AM – As mentioned, our eyewear isprecisely designed to match theoptics of our 3D system. Cost-effective, high-quality polarizedlenses, optimized for our system andlightweight and comfortable designs.Plus, we have several stylish modelsto choose from that range in sizes foradults and children. MasterImage 3Deyewear is recyclable, individuallypackaged and easy distribution. Anadditional option is our reusable clip-on frames, that are comfortable andconvenient to rest on top ofprescription eyewear. Whatever thetheatres needs, we have a solutionthat is affordable and presents acomplete solution.

TW – What are your future plansfor developing 3D?

AM – We were founded on a spirit oftechnology inspiration. Whether

challenging the initial models of 3Dsystems to lessen crosstalk andmaximize color fidelity or creatinggreenfield product categories forglasses-free 3D enjoyment, we arededicated to evolving what ispossible in 3D display. In 2012, wewere focused on High-Frame-Rate(HFR) compatibility for all oursystems. We rolled out our MI-WAVE3D system for smaller theatres.In 2013, we cannot go into details onour plans and products, but we canensure that we are looking deeply athow to make brighter more vibrant3D images. We have great plans tocaptivate audiences.

TW – How do you see the futureof cinema exhibition in Asia?

AM – There is no doubt that thefuture of exhibition in Asia looksextremely exciting, with improvedfacilities, a wider range of globalcontent. There is every reason tobelieve that it really will continue tobe a powerhouse in global exhibition,if trends continue the way theycurrently are. In terms of technicalcapabilities and the offer to thecinema-goer, many of the theatresacross the Asia region are true worldbeaters and extremely progressive intheir quality and offerings. We willcontinue to not only see a rise in theamount of 3D enabled screens, butalso in screens offering furtherexperiences such as 3D sound andeven 4D and beyond! As a companythat was founded in Korea, Asia,MasterImage 3D certainly sees theentire region as an area for stronggrowth and it will remain a majorfocus for us now and in the future.

January-February 2013TW-34

entertainworld

Asian Sridevi Mall

Warangal’s FirstAsian Sridevi Mall is presently the hottest new launch in Warangal, being the first multiplex

theatre it now draws crowds of people to see its splendor with 3 screens on the top floor,

food courts in the second floor and clothing shops in the first floor. B C Welfare Minister

Basvaraju Saraiah inaugurated Asian Sridevi Mall (ASM) located near bus stand road in

Hanamkonda in November. MLA’s Kondeti Sridhar, T Rajaiah, Congress leader Varada

Rajeshwar Rao, former Mayor Errabelli Swarna and others were present. Daggubati Suresh

Babu, Allu Aravind, V V Vinayak, P Surender Reddy and other biggies were present from

the film industry.

January-February 2013 TW-35

entertainworld

Asian cinemas, which is into

Multiplex Business, is a brand

promoted by Mr. Narayandas

Narang & Mr. Suresh Babu who

are pioneers in running single

screen cinema halls in Andhra

Pradesh.

Hanamkonda, Warangal is the

first property of the Company

to come into operation since

November 2012 and is 120 kms

from Hyderabad having 3

screens Multiplex situated in

the shopping mall with

capacity 343, 342 & 305 seats in

the latest screens. Each

auditorium is equipped with

JBL sound system, Harkness

screens and 2K Barco projection

system, and is entirely air

conditioned.

January-February 2013TW-36

entertainworld

One screen is equipped with

silver screen for 3-D movies.

The multiplex is designed by

Mr. Eranna Ekbote, who is an

architect from Era Architects,

Mumbai.

January-February 2013 TW-37

ProductionWarner Bros.

DirectorWalter Hill

StarringSylvester Stallone,Sung Kang

GenreAction, Thriller

Bullet to the Head

ProductionSummit Entertain.

DirectorJonathan Levine

StarringNicholas Hoult,Teresa Palmer

GenreHorror, Romance

Warm Bodies

ProductionUniversal Pictures

DirectorSeth Gordon

StarringJason Bateman,Melissa McCarthy

GenreComedy

Identity Thief

ProductionOpen Road Films

DirectorSteven Soderbergh

StarringJude Law,Rooney Mara

GenrePsychological

Side Effects

ProductionMillennium

DirectorTibor Takacs

StarringPatrick Muldoon,Christa Campbell

GenreHorror, Sci-Fi

Spiders 3D

ProductionParamount Pictures

DirectorTony Scott

StarringTom Cruise,Kelly McGillis

GenreAction, Adventure

Top Gun 3D

A glimpse of movies coming soon…

F U T U R E R E L E S E SA

January-February 2013TW-38

Production20th Century Fox

DirectorJohn Moore

StarringBruce Willis,Jai Courtney

GenreAction, Adventure

A Good Day to Die HardProductionDimension Films

DirectorScott Stewart

StarringKeri Russell,Josh Hamilton

GenreSci-Fi, Thriller

Dark Skies

ProductionWarner Bros.

DirectorRichard

StarringAlden Ehrenreich,Alice Englert

GenreDrama

Beautiful CreaturesProductionSummit Entertain.

DirectorRic Roman Waugh

StarringDwayne Johnson,Susan Sarandon

GenreAction, Thriller

Snitch

ProductionThe Weinstein

DirectorCal Brunker

StarringJane Lynch,Craig Robinson

GenreAnimation, Comedy

Escape from Planet EarthProductionRelativity Media

DirectorJon Lucas

StarringMiles Teller,Justin Chon

GenreComedy

21 and Over

ProductionRelativity Media

DirectorLasse Hallström

StarringJosh Duhamel,Julianne Hough

GenreDrama

ProductionNew Line Cinema

DirectorBryan Singer

StarringNicholas Hoult,Eleanor Tomlinson

GenreAction, Adventure

Jack the Giant Slayer

F U T U R E R E L E S E SA

Safe Haven

January-February 2013 TW-39

F U T U R E R E L E S E SA

ProductionCBS Films

Director Ed Gass-Donnelly

StarringAshley Bell

GenreHorror, Thriller

The Last Exorcism Part II

ProductionFox Searchlight

DirectorPark Chan-wook

StarringMia Wasikowska,Matthew Goode

GenreThriller

Stoker

ProductionFilmDistrict

DirectorNiels Arden Oplev

StarringColin Farrell,Noomi Rapace

GenreAction, Thriller

Dead Man Down

ProductionWalt Disney

DirectorSam Raimi

StarringJames Franco,Mila Kunis

GenreFantasy

Oz The Great and Powerful

ProductionNew Line Cinema

DirectorDon Scardino

StarringSteve Carell,Steve Buscemi

GenreComedy

The Incredible BurtWonderstone

ProductionFocus Features

DirectorPaul Weitz

StarringTina Fey,Paul Rudd, Michael

GenreComedy, Drama

Admission

Production20th Century Fox

DirectorChris Sanders

StarringNicolas Cage,Ryan Reynolds

GenreAnimation, Comedy

The Croods

ProductionFreestyle Releasing

DirectorVince Offer

StarringAdrien Brody,Rob Schneider

GenreComedy

InAPPropriate Comedy

January-February 2013TW-40

F U T U R E R E L E S E SA

Production Focus Features

DirectorDerek Cianfrance

StarringRyan Gosling,Bradley Cooper

GenreDrama

The Place Beyond the PinesProductionParamount Pictures

DirectorJon Chu

StarringD.J. Cotrona,Byung-hun Lee

GenreAction, Adventure

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

ProductionDrafthouse Films

DirectorQuentin Dupieux

StarringJack Plotnick,Éric Judor

GenreComedy

WrongProductionOpen Road Films

DirectorAndrew Niccol

StarringSaoirse Ronan,Max Irons

GenreSuspense, Thriller

The Host

Production Lionsgate

DirectorTyler Perry

StarringJurnee Smollett-Bell,Lance Gross

Genre Comedy,

TemptationProductionUTV Spot Boy

DirectorRemo DSouza

StarringKay Kay Menon,Prabhu Dheva

GenreDance

ABCD - Any Body Can Dance

ProductionFilmDistrict

DirectorAntoine Fuqua

Starring Gerard Butler,Aaron Eckhart

Genre Action, Adventure

ProductionWide Frames Films

DirectorNeeraj Pandey

StarringAkshay Kumar,Kajal Aggarwal

GenreAction,Crime

Special 26Olympus Has Fallen

January-February 2013 TW-41

A D V E R T I S E R S ’ I N D E X

Company Page # Product Email Website

Amar AV TM-31 Screens bhup@amarscreens.com www.amarscreens.com

Anutone TM-10 Acoustics info@anutone.com www.anutone.com

Barco TM-5 Projectors sales.in@barco.com www.barco.com

Christie TW-44 Projectors sharon.lee@christiedigital.com www.christiedigital.com

CinemaCon TW-2 Tradeshow mitch.neuhauser@natodc.com www.cinemacon.com

CinemaToday TM-32 Tradeshow info@buysellint.com www.cinematoday.in

DLP TW-7 Digital Cinema guns@ti.com www.dlpcinema.com

FICCI Frames TM-2 Tradeshow anirban.chatterjee@ficci.com www.ficci.com

Galalite TM-7 Screens info@galalitescreens.com www.galalitescreens.com

Harkness TW-11,15 Screens r.mitchell@harkness-screens.com www.harkness-screens.com

Harman TW-43 Sound indiaproinfo@harman.com www.harman.in

Innovative TM-9 Seating rmp@innovativeseatings.com www.innovativeseatings.com

Osram TM-3 Projection Lamps p.deshpande@osram.com www.osram.com

QSC TW-3 Sound savannah_english@qscaudio.com www.qsccinema.com

USL TW-5 Sound uslinc@uslinc.com www.uslinc.com

F U T U R E R E L E S E SA

ProductionVishesh Films

DirectorVishesh Bhatt

StarringRandeep Hooda,Aditi Rao Hydari

GenreThriller

Murder 3

ProductionReliance Entertain.

DirectorKapil Sharma

StarringJohn Abraham,Chitrangda Singh

GenreRomance

I, Me Aur Main

ProductionEros International

DirectorRam Gopal Varma

StarringNana Patekar,Sanjeev Jaiswal

GenreCrime

The Attacks Of 26/11

ProductionUtv Motion Pictures

DirectorSajid Khan

StarringAjay Devgn,Tamannaah Bhatia

GenreAction

Himmatwala

January-February 2013TW-42