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increasingly providing stiff competition<br />
for cinemas. Movie theatres, of course,<br />
offer a shared social experience with a<br />
roomful of strangers as an outlet for discretionary<br />
dollars. The naysayers point to<br />
the long-term trend of decreasing theatre<br />
attendance (offset for the most part by<br />
increasing ticket prices). The optimists<br />
can cite the recent, record-breaking<br />
Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther<br />
box-office blowouts.<br />
But the fact remains…an increasing<br />
number of people across the globe have<br />
some form of large projection screen, or<br />
even a home theatre, in their residences.<br />
Smartphones have also become an essential<br />
and integral part of many people’s<br />
daily lives.<br />
Whether for work or leisure, these<br />
mini-computers instantly connect the user<br />
to a plethora of online entertainment content<br />
from a variety of platforms, including<br />
an increasing number of subscription providers.<br />
Compelling online entertainment<br />
is available in every conceivable language,<br />
emanating from all corners of the planet.<br />
According to Buyens, “We must all<br />
work together [as an industry] to enrich<br />
the overall cinema experience and provide<br />
guests more for their entertainment dollar,<br />
while still remaining profitable, and<br />
even growing revenues.”<br />
Barco, one of the worldwide leaders<br />
in sight, sound and sharing solutions<br />
for exhibitors, recently formed Cinionic,<br />
together with several joint-venture partners.<br />
The goal: a winning combination of<br />
products, services and technology for the<br />
worldwide cinema ecosystem.<br />
Barco brings its expertise in visualization<br />
and image-processing technology.<br />
Appotronics is a Shenzhen, China-based<br />
leader in laser phosphor projection technology,<br />
specializing in light source retrofit<br />
modules. China <strong>Film</strong> Co. Ltd. (CFG)<br />
offers a powerful combination of premium<br />
cinema solutions and content. CITICPE’s<br />
Cinionic CEO<br />
Wim Buyens<br />
expertise is in structuring financial consulting<br />
services.<br />
As was plainly evident to anyone who<br />
visited their large, multi-faceted suite at<br />
Caesars Palace during CinemaCon <strong>2018</strong>,<br />
Cinionic means business. They are offering<br />
high-quality cinema experiences and<br />
unique entertainment options across the<br />
entire theatre footprint. The overriding<br />
aim is to increase customer engagement,<br />
while raising revenues and enhancing operating<br />
efficiencies, benefiting the movie<br />
theatre owner and providing an enhanced,<br />
more immersive experience for their clientele,<br />
the cinemagoer.<br />
In Vegas, the Cinionic JV showcased<br />
Smart Laser High Contrast projectors,<br />
designed to deliver best-in-class image<br />
quality for the smaller screens and auditoriums<br />
in the multiplex. Cinionic is also facilitating<br />
customer retrofits of lamp-based<br />
projection systems to laser-illuminated<br />
devices—hence the catchphrase, “Laser as<br />
a Service.”<br />
Before one enters the auditorium to<br />
relax and settle in for the upcoming tentpole<br />
or indie feature, Cinionic is striving<br />
to assist exhibitors and product or service<br />
advertisers grab your attention with a line<br />
of turnkey lobby solutions.<br />
These are designed to help drive<br />
overall cinemagoer engagement via haptic<br />
(relating to the sense of touch) promotional<br />
movie posters, plus full lobby<br />
takeovers. Also, Augmented Reality (AR)<br />
and Family-Friendly Virtual Reality (VR)<br />
attractions are beginning to become more<br />
popular in theatres, and Cinionic is there<br />
with lots of new ideas for exhibitors.<br />
In addition to the official JV launch,<br />
Cinionic was not shy about heralding a<br />
wide array of other organizational developments<br />
throughout CinemaCon. These<br />
included:<br />
* Announcing that Barco’s cinema<br />
manufacturing and engineering departments<br />
are now located together in Kortrijk,<br />
Belgium. The brand-new, state-ofthe-art<br />
production facility—affectionately<br />
referred to as “The Engine”—is geared<br />
to creating the cinema projectors of the<br />
future.<br />
* Teaming with digital cinema integrator<br />
Bardan to outfit the Santiago,<br />
Chile-based Cineplanet multiplex exclusively<br />
with Barco laser projectors. Also, in<br />
a collaboration with Bardan and Cacinesa,<br />
providing projectors for the first-ever<br />
100% laser theatre in El Salvador.<br />
* Launching a cutting-edge, turnkey<br />
visualization solution together with Ultrahaptics,<br />
engaging patrons in an interactive,<br />
sensory experience in the cinema<br />
lobby.<br />
* Inking an agreement for 600 Barco<br />
laser projectors with Cineworld Group,<br />
the recent acquirer of Regal Cinemas.<br />
* Signing CJ CGV Cinemas to an<br />
exclusive projector agreement. CJ already<br />
has a significant share of its circuit outfitted<br />
with Barco projectors, and the leading<br />
cinema chain continues to aggressively<br />
expand its footprint throughout Korea,<br />
China, Southeast Asia and the U.S.<br />
* Joining forces with AdPoD LLC<br />
to capitalize on recent advancements in<br />
AI (artificial intelligence) to fuel digital<br />
conversations using advertising platforms<br />
that engage and track moviegoers in the<br />
theatre lobby. <br />
JULY <strong>2018</strong> / FILMJOURNAL.COM 57<br />
024-068.indd 57<br />
5/23/18 3:38 PM
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