ISSUE 12 SUMMER 2011
Redefining the cinema experience
Photo: The All England Lawn Tennis Club
Alternative content for theatres
Sports and music events drive revenue growth
Wimbledon 2011 in 3D distributed to theatres throughout the world is the latest high profile alternative content event that offers cinema owners exciting new sources of revenue and audiences to be shown on the fantastic Sony Digital Cinema 4K with RealDTM system, which delivers an "easy on the eyes" 3D experience (see full story on page 5). Alternative content such as sports, music concerts, opera and ballet is a growing presence on cinema screens, as Sony Digital Cinema 4K digitisation of the global screen estate progresses. According to analysts Screen Digest, the total US market for alternative content was already worth 2m in 2010, which accounted for 58 percent of global alternative content cinema revenues of nearly 0m. The biggest alternative content events so far have been the New York Met's live opera, which have been hugely popular in the US and worldwide. "Market growth and exhibitor interest is also attracting new entrants into the alternative content arena, from technical providers, global cultural and sporting brands," notes Screen Digest senior analyst David Hancock. Alternative content is attractive to theatre owners because it can boost the average weekly occupancy of their theatres. Other recent events included Carmen in 3D, recorded at the Royal Opera House in London. The film was shown on Sony 4K RealD 3D projection systems at theatres around the world. In the UK, it was used by
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Wimbledon is shown in 3D worldwide
Major opportunity for theatres
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extend our programming to alternative content"
" Sony 4k technology enables us to
Nicole Oakley, Apollo Cinemas
Wimbledon Championships
More cinemas invest in Sony
Beach Movie Bistro among raft of new deals
leading theatre chain Apollo Cinemas to lead its `MORE' campaign, giving consumers a wide range of alternative viewing content. "The Sony 4K technology provides outstanding image and sound quality, and enables us to extend our programming to alternative content," says Nicole Oakley, Marketing Manager at Apollo Cinemas. Elsewhere, soccer has again been a draw, following widespread distribution of the FIFA World Cup last year. The intense rivalry between Istanbul soccer teams Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe was played out in 3D in cinemas in Turkey earlier this year. Satellite television provider Digiturk partnered with Sony to produce and air the match live over the Digiturk Plus and HD platform as well as to two Sony 4K cinema screens in Istanbul one for each set of fans. Alternative content at the Cinebonus Canyon theatre fitted with Sony 4K projectors and the RealD 3D lens adaptor has opened up a new revenue stream for owner, Mars Entertainment Group.
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Alternative content opportunities
Alternative content is a growing market for cinemas worldwide, led by screenings of live sports and music events. Live 3D events are set to increase. Wimbledon 2011 is the pinnacle of this trend. With hundreds of cinemas across the world taking live 3D feeds, the Wimbledon championships are boosting occupancy at theatres that have invested in Sony Digital Cinema 4K. As cinema owners from California to Greenland already know, the benefits of Sony Digital Cinema 4K projection include not just an outstanding customer experience at the highest 3D on 4K quality, but the ability to tap into the conventional and alternative revenue opportunities opened up by the digital cinema revolution. Chris Dickinson, Editor
Sony 4K first for DCI
The Sony 4K projection systems are the industry's first to successfully complete the full range of compliance tests for specifications required by Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC (DCI). The SRX-R220/LMT-200 and SRX-320/LMT-300 integrated systems, including projector and media block, have passed all DCI compliance tests, and are listed on the DCI web site.
Japan concerts shown live
MCL in Hong Kong plays events on Sony 4K projectors
Concerts by Japanese team band AKB48 have been successfully transmitted and shown live in cinemas in Hong Kong using Sony Digital Cinema 4K technology. Sony PCL who operates the alternative digital contents distribution in Japan as Livespire, distributed Japanese super idol group AKB48 events in January in Japan and Hong Kong, then in June in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. In Hong Kong, Multiplex Cinema Limited (MCL) showed the live events on its Sony 4K projectors. The cinema group, which operates five cinemas in Hong Kong and two in mainland China, downloaded the live HD signals for both events via satellite to three screens in Hong Kong, two of which are installed with Sony 4K projectors. "The AKB48 live broadcast event is definitely a milestone-setting event both technically and commercially," says June Wong, General Manager of MCL. "The live broadcast streaming was very smooth and the uplink and downlink of signals were very stable, the visuals were being encoded and decoded and the visual and audio are restored impressively on MCL cinema screens. MCL also earned very good publicity feedback. We are the first cinema circuit in Hong Kong to experience the live broadcast of a concert event and it was very well received in the market." Wong says alternative content is becoming increasingly important. "Alternative content is getting popular and has started to become a worldwide cinema trend," she says. MCL plans to screen more live and pre-recorded events. MCL was the first cinema group in Hong Kong to invest in Sony 4K projectors. "The screen size of MCL JP Cinema is huge and the Sony 4K system is the perfect match to empower enough brightness and sharper images in the projection," Wong says.
Greenland cinema
Greenland's premiere cultural venue has invested in Sony 4K. The Katuaq in Greenland's capital city, Nuuk, has installed the Sony 4K projection system with RealD 3D technology in its Katuaq Bio cinema. The venue combines a 500+ seat cinema with a theatre and arts spaces. "We have chosen Sony 4K technology because it offers our audience the best possible picture and cinema experience," says Ove Heilmann, Cinematic and Banqueting Manager at Katuaq.
AKB48 plays at MCL in Hong Kong
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