Boxoffice Pro - March 2020

TRADE TALK EDITED BY LAURA SILVER
Comscore Expands Box Office
Measurement to Saudi Arabia
Comscore Inc. has expanded its box office measurement service
into Saudi Arabia. The global expansion will provide box
office data for all theatrical film releases in the kingdom. This
follows the opening of commercial cinemas across the kingdom
after a 35-year pause.
“We are delighted to be able to expand our offering to cover
the new commercial film industry in Saudi Arabia,” said Arturo
Guillén, senior vice president and global managing director for
Comscore Movies. “Our partners welcome the opportunity to
leverage audience insights from a massive untapped market in
which we expect to see rapid growth for the film industry. The
kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to be a top 10 cinema market
over the coming years, and we look forward to helping the
industry grow as a whole through our data and analytics.”
The expansion also marks another milestone for Comscore.
Previously, in May 2019, Comscore announced operations into
southern and West Africa and the expansion of its real-time box
office and polling solution, PostTrak, to Australia, Germany,
Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
NEC Announces First-Ever
Digital Projectors
with Replaceable Laser Modules
NEC Display Solutions of America has released a new
18,000-lumen digital cinema projector to complete the world’s
first series of modular laser projectors. With the option to
replace the laser light module in the projector head, the NC
Series delivers 2K imagery on small to medium screens while
allowing for simple installation and maintenance.
With the NEC NC1802ML (shown below left) and its three
swappable light modules (24,000, 20,000, and 18,000 lumens),
cinema operators can adapt the projector for various screen sizes
up to 72 feet. This functionality allows operators to get more
out of their investment and ensures they can always showcase
premieres, whether 2-D features or 3-D showpieces.
“With the NC1802ML rounding out the series, we’ve
created a digital cinema projector without limits,” said Rich
McPherson, senior product manager at NEC Display. “We’re
looking at the future of laser projection: a single solution that
can operate as many. With this revolutionary design, we can
alleviate many of the concerns that came with traditional laser
projectors and lower the cost of operation as much as we can.”
The innovative design of this series also extends to its installation:
The unit features an internal liquid chiller, removing
the need for an external cooling system and thereby making it
easier to install into tight spaces.
Santikos Announces 11 TH Location
Santikos Enterprises has announced the next location for a
state-of-the-art theater and entertainment center on Bulverde
Road in San Antonio, Texas. This new location is planned to be
a 50,000-square-foot building filled with 10–12 auditoriums,
the AVX viewing experience, a fully stocked bar, and an arcade.
“The announcement of an 11th location is extremely exciting
for us,” said Tim Handren, CEO of Santikos Enterprises.
“Our continual goal is not just to create space for families
and friends to come together for an unmatched experience.
The goal is to carry on John Santikos’s legacy and make an
impact in our community. Our company is unique in that
100 percent of our profits go directly back into the community
through the San Antonio Area Foundation. This is
what separates Santikos from all other entertainment venues;
they can’t say their profits are truly staying local. We believe
this location will only expand our ability to make a positive
community impact and solidify our presence in this city and
surrounding counties. John Santikos’s vision was to have his
businesses grow and continue operating for the benefit of the
community. We work hard every day to be good stewards of
those assets and his legacy.”
4 / MARCH 2020