ShoWest Is a Hot Spot for 3D Technology
ShoWest is the most prestigious and longest running convention and trade show for the cinema exhibition and distribution community. Cinema Exhibition professionals come to ShoWest for exciting film screenings of major studio and independent feature films slated for Summer release as well as product reel presentations, exciting special events with Hollywood’s hottest stars, educational seminars and to find the latest products, services and technologies at the largest trade show of its kind.
ShoWest/NATO Marketing Achievement Awards
In the cinema exhibition industry, on the theatre level, the hardest working individuals are the managers and their staff who work tirelessly to market everything from big blockbuster films to smaller, independent films in order to attract audiences to their theatres. These innovative managers employ tactics ranging from newspaper advertising to web promotions to community events to in-theatre displays and everything in between. That’s why, ShoWest and NATO are proud to announce that they are once again partnering to bring you the ShoWest/NATO Marketing Achievement Awards – a big, celebratory event that singles out the creative marketing geniuses and their superstar teams across the nation that represent the “best of the best” in a variety of categories. This brochure contains information on the awards categories, eligibility requirements, as well as the entry form. This is your chance to be recognized and rewarded for your Herculean efforts. Be sure to enter by the deadline of Friday, January 15, 2010.
We’ve provided a shortlist of exhibitors that pertain to new technology that will be showcasing their products at this year’s event.
GDC Technology
GDC Technology’s SX-2000 Digital Cinema Server with Integrated Media Block (IMB) can be seamlessly integrated into DLP Cinema® Series 2 projectors. It retains all the advanced features and user interface of GDC’s existing SA-2100 servers, Seamless upgrade (or migration) path is provided, with no need to retrain customers on the usage of the servers and the same workflow in managing 2K and 4K content. Customers can afford a new digital projection solution that is future-proof based on Texas Instruments’ Enhanced DLP Cinema technology.
Harkness Screens
Harkness Screens announces the Digital Screen Selector, a Web-based application available at no charge to help maximize the return on exhibitors’ digital-cinema investments. It works by using actual operating data to specify the optimal screen surface to reduce 2D operating costs, as well as to optimize both 2D and 3D light levels.
Hurley Screens
Hurley Screen Corp. is now producing a higher-gain option for Superglo HG screen material. In addition to their standard Superglo 1.5 and Superglo HG 1.8, Superglo HG 2.1 is available for immediate delivery. Superglo HG 2.1 is ideal for large screens in 3D systems where pearlescent screens can be employed. Like all of Hurley Screen’s gain screen surfaces, Superglo HG 2.1 is manufactured using an advanced printed finish for a significantly more even projection surface than commonly used spray-on screen surfaces.
JBL
JBL introduces two new Ultra High Power 4-Way ScreenArray® Systems, the model 5742 and the 5732. The new large-format 5742 ScreenArray features a 4” titanium-diaphragm high-frequency compression driver providing 125 watts of power coupled with a quad midrange with four 8” CMCD™ cone midrange compression drivers, providing 1,400 watts of smooth midrange coverage. The low-frequency section features double 18” Super Vented Gap™ low-frequency drivers, with over 1600 watts for high output power with minimum distortion. The 5742 is the ideal sound system to complement the large-format 3D visual experience.
The new 5732 Four-Way ScreenArray also employs the 4” 125-watt high-frequency driver, with a 700-watt dual 8” CCMD midrange section, coupled with a double 15” low-frequency section featuring 1,200 watts of low-frequency power. The 5732 provides significant power in a compact system for the headroom required in post-production venues and cinemas worldwide.
Kinoton
At booth 1617, Kinoton will present the new generation of DCP digital-cinema projectors, utilizing components supplied by Barco, a licensee of Texas Instruments’ DLP Cinema® technology. These “Series 2” DCP projectors comply with the latest security standards and offer excellent brightness at a lower cost and with a smaller footprint. They feature full-resolution 2K triple-flash technology for brilliant 3D cinema. Moreover, the new DCP projectors can be upgraded to 4K projection and are prepared for incorporating an Integrated Media Block (IMB).
Look 3D Eyewear
Look3D announces that RealD has officially certified its complete 2010 Digital Designer Eyewear Collection. This catalogue is a showcase of the collections that prove digital 3D glasses can be both fashionable and functional. With fashion wraps, perfect-fitting kids’ styles and superior lens optics. Look3D has it all. Look3D strongly believes that everyone deserves to see and be seen in the best 3D glasses on the market, and that movie lovers will increasingly demand both fashion and function when attending digital 3D cinemas.
Look3D offers a number of collections at various price points, manufactured to RealD’s specific engineering specifications and carrying the RealD certification badge to ensure that quality is maintained.
Technicolor 3D
3D continues to outperform 2D by more than two to one, and studios have already announced 19 major 3D releases for 2010. With only approximately 3,800 digital 3D screens in North America, exhibitors face a challenge in meeting audience demand. Market conditions continue to delay digital rollouts, and in smaller towns the current price of digital equipment may not be cost-effective.
Technicolor has developed a next-generation, high-quality, affordable 3D solution for 35mm projectors that enables exhibitors to bring 3D to audiences everywhere now.
3-D Glasses Global
3-D Glasses Global, LLC, is introducing a new line of 3D eyeware. “EYE-D” (copyright pending) 3D eyeware features molded plastic frames and is available with either circular or linear technology lenses that are manufactured by US Polarizer LLC. 3-D Glasses Global says the lenses provide the highest “extinction rate” in the industry.
“EYE-D”s are available in red, blue, green and yellow as well as traditional black, and are compatible with all 3D projection systems, including RealD, MasterImage and Technicolor.
For complete exhibitor listings, please visit the ShoWest website.
Early Years of 3D Television and Where We Are Now
3D technology dates back to the beginning of when photography was first introduced. In 1844, David Brewster invented the Stereoscope, a gadget that could take photographic pictures in 3 dimensions. The Stereoscope was then improved by Louis Jules Duboscq and a famous picture of Queen Victoria was displayed at The Great Exhibition in 1851. By the Second World War, stereoscopic cameras were already common.
3D movie technology was parallel to 3D pictures and imaging. In 1855 the Kinematoscope was introduced. The first anaglyph movie was created in 1915 and in 1922 the first public 3 dimension film was displayed called “The Power of Love”. Following that, in 1935 the first 3D color movie was created.
In the early fifties when Television became popular in the United States, many 3D films were produced. The first film was Bwana Devil from United Artists that could be seen all across the US in 1952. A year later, in 1953, came the 3D film “House of Wax” which also featured another innovation called 2D sound. Alfred Hitchcock originally made his film Dial M for Murder in 3D, but for the purpose of profitability the movie was released in 2D because not all theatres were able to display the format.
Recently the British Sky Broadcasting company, better known as Sky UK, announced that they will launch a Sky 3D channel in April 2010. It will bring content such as sports, entertainment, and other 3D television programming that will be accessible to the public. The new channel will require a 3D capable TV and equipment by Sky UK.
On January 1, 2010, the world’s first 3D channel called SKY 3D started broadcasting nationwide in South Korea. The channel’s tagline is “World No.1 3D Channel”. This 24/7 station uses Side by Side technology at a resolution of 1920x1080i. 3D programming includes sports, animation, education, documentary, as well as performances.
A full 24 hour broadcast channel was announced at the 2010 Consumer Electronics show, held in Las Vegas as a joint venture from IMAX, Sony, and the Discovery channel. As the year progresses, consumers can expect to hear more such announcements as the broadcast industry prepares to introduce 3D TV to consumers globally.
