Boxoffice Pro - January 2020

TECHNOLOGY
2020 CINEMA TECH PREVIEW
A SURVEY OF THE YEAR’S COMING INNOVATIONS
by Rob Rinderman
>> Taking a closer look at what’s new and notable in cinema technology, Boxoffice
Pro checked in with some of the global industry leaders to discover the
latest enhancements moviegoers will be encountering and enjoying at their local
theaters in 2020 and beyond.
ANG LEE (seated, right)
CHRISTIE
Christie has been a fixture in the cinema business for more than 60 years,
including its introduction of the first digital projection technology to theaters.
Fast forwarding to 2020, the organization is continuing to look to the future
with laser projection that offers lower cost, higher brightness, and higher ROI
for exhibitors.
Launching this year is the new Christie CP4450-RGB for PLF (premium
large format). It is the first cinema projector to play back 4K content at a high
frame rate of 120fps (frames per second). Put two units side by side, like the
Cinity (also see below) built for Huaxia Film Distribution in partnership with
GDC Technologies and RealD, and you have the world’s first dual-RGB laser
projection system to display a new advanced cinema format meeting the aforementioned
state-of-the-art standards in 3-D, with over 82,000 lumens at an
unprecedented 6000:1 contrast.
The system was installed in the U.S. for the debut of Paramount Pictures’
and director Ang Lee’s release of Gemini Man at the TCL Chinese Theatre in
Los Angeles. The CP4450-RGB, which previewed at CineEurope, also features
high-speed CineLife+ electronics and RealLaser illumination and includes
modern inputs such as 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0.
CINIONIC
Cinionic continues its mission to
move the cinema industry forward and
help drive the equipment renewal wave
currently happening worldwide. Solutions
such as its Barco Series 4 laser projectors,
which debuted during Cinema-
Con 2019, are helping exhibitors further
enhance the entertainment experience
for the benefit of global cinemagoers,
while simultaneously providing advanced
service solutions for the theater-owner
community.
In late November, on the heels of a
series of announced collaborations with
Muvi, Cineplexx, Cineworld, Miraj, and
National Amusements, the company announced
a new strategic relationship with
Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont. According
to the agreement, Cinionic will bring
its all-laser solutions to the European
exhibitor with install plans for more than
200 Barco Series 4 laser projectors at new
builds located in France and Africa.
According to Serge Plasch, Cinionic’s
chief commercial officer, “Our strategic
relationships with key exhibitors such as
Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont allow us
to continue raising the bar for audiences
around the world, so anyone, anywhere
can have the best moviegoing experience.”
DOLBY
Dolby continues to reach global audiences
with its cinema products and Dolby
Cinema premium offerings, currently up
to nearly 240 locations. The first cinemas
in the U.K., Japan, Germany, and Kuwait
opened in the last year, and a recent new
partnership with Kino OKKO brings
Dolby Cinema to Russia, giving it a
presence in seven of the top 10 global box
office markets.
Dolby also has had several products
and updated features roll out over the
recent 12-month period. Its cinema processor
CP950 is designed with more of
the capabilities that streamline exhibitor
partners’ operations. The processor is
flexible, modular, and provides a cost-ef-
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