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Topic: "Episode III" D-Cinema Showings
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 05-19-2005 07:59 AM
quote:
John, we expect a full report from you on Cinemark's new DLP setup since that's your hometown. [Big Grin]
Kodak Digital Cinema
quote:
May 19, 2005
Kodak is 'the force' behind digital movie projection
Area gets first look with 'Sith' at Tinseltown
Ben Rand
Staff writer
The final episode of the epic Star Wars saga is helping to launch a new era in technology for both Eastman Kodak Co. and local moviegoers.
Fans of the historic series of films will be able to watch Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in what's believed to be the region's first screen to use state-of-the-art digital imaging cinema technology. And Kodak know-how will help make it happen.
One of the five screens showing the new movie at Cinemark Tinseltown theaters in Gates will be using a networked digital movie projection system. The system will project the movie from a computer hard drive rather than off rolls of film, the industry's dominant technology for more than a century. It was installed here as a test project between Kodak and theater owner Cinemark USA.
The projector itself is not made by Kodak, but the rest of the system's components have a distinct local flavor. The heart of the system is the Kodak CineServer, which provides the link between projectors and the digitally recorded feature film. The CineServer essentially "plays" the film at the scheduled time.
Kodak also fulfilled two other very important roles. The company provided a cinema-specific operating system for managing digital equipment and recording data and helped format the film to be played on digital screens across the country.
Tinseltown was chosen for the installation as part of a test project between Kodak and Cinemark, which operates more than 3,300 screens worldwide. Kodak wanted an installation relatively close to researchers who helped build the system, the bulk of whom work in its research and development laboratories in Rochester.
The company and Tinseltown officials demonstrated the projection system for the news media Wednesday — using only movie trailers, not the actual Star Wars film.
"It's exciting. When I first started in this, I had a goal for Kodak to be part of the first digital movie projection in Rochester. We're very excited about getting there," said Bill Orfitelli, commercialization manager for Kodak's digital cinema business.
The installation represents an important milestone for Kodak in its shift from film to digital technology.
The company is working to offset expected future declines in sales of movie film with a range of services, software and other products.
That portfolio is intended to help the movie industry apply digital imaging across its spectrum — from taping action on the set, to adding music and special effects, to transmitting films to the big screen.
Though the use of Kodak technology for major releases such as the Star Wars film is new, Kodak's involvement in digital cinema is not.
The company has been working with theaters over the past two years to use digital projectors and related software and networking technology for showing advertising and other content before the movie.
Kodak is installing about 100 new pre-show digital imaging systems a day, said Stephen C. Cataldi, beta program manager and a 20-year Kodak veteran.
Cataldi says the technology development was not the hardest part of developing the system. The movie industry is made up of a series of partnerships that must be carefully navigated. "Each theater is different," Cataldi said.
Orfitelli said the new installations represent the outcome of more than three years of work. The company is also conducting tests in theaters in Illinois, India and China.
Tinseltown is the fourth theater to receive digital movie equipment, said Terrell Faulk, vice president of communications and marketing for Cinemark. She said a system-wide rollout of digital equipment is probably several years away, while the industry continues working out technical and business issues.
"A lot of questions have to be answered. This is going to happen when it's going to happen," she said.
Kodak believes it will play a key role in that rollout, though it is not likely to manufacture its own digital cinema projector. The company will seek to apply a century of experience in imaging and color science, said Richard Sehlin, chief technical officer in Kodak's entertainment imaging unit. "The real key is the management of color," he said.
Moviegoers wanting to specifically see the digital version can get showtimes from Tinseltown by calling (585) 247-2180 or going to www.cinemark.com.
http://www.kodak.com/go/dcinema
BRAND@DemocratandChronicle.com
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 05-19-2005 12:14 PM
quote: Scott Norwood
Does the Kodak system offer higher image and sound quality than the other 2k systems (due to less compression, etc.)? Or do its advantages lie primarily in reliabilty and ease of management?
For now, reliability and ease of management, which were often shortcomings of previous components and operating systems (e.g., "digital hiccups"). Kodak's expertise in image science, color management, watermarking, etc. also could be incorporated into future systems, compatible with the standards being developed by the SMPTE. Kodak is a full-service provider, from original cinematography, to post production and mastering, to display, and services.
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