A COURSE DESIGNED TO ANSWER NEW QUESTIONS

For the third time, MEDIA Salles is offering European exhibitors the course on digital technologies conceived especially for them. And the offer comes in a truly unique context: thanks to collaboration with Barco, the course is held on the premises of a leading world producer of digital projectors, one of Texas Instruments’ three licensees for the use of the DLP Cinema chip, with DMD systems.

This opportunity, thanks to which it is possible not only to see the digital projectors but also to “open them up” and watch them at work, has particularly satisfied participants in previous editions of the course, which is also appreciated because of the alternation of theory and practice, lectures and discussion groups.

The 2006 edition is marked by continuity with its predecessors, although it will not neglect topics whose importance has emerged more strongly over the past year.

We discuss this with Glenn Wastyn, Barco’s Business Development Manager.

The attitude towards digital technologies for screening has certainly changed over the past few years. This has also become evident from experience of the course.
In 2004 the questions posed by potential users of digital screening technologies regarded mostly the quality of the image. In 2005, attention had shifted more to the question of standards. In the meantime, last July DCI specifications were published regarding not only the 2K resolution standard for projectors but also the networking, security and content compression standards for the servers. Now what is felt to be the crucial aspect is that of the business model. The course – we might say – tries both to accompany and to anticipate exhibitors’ requirements.

What will be the newest topics, then?
Certainly the presentation of financial tools and, as far as content is concerned, the prospects of 3-D cinema: a much-discussed topic but one where communication needs to be clearer and more detailed. Examples of content for a different use of the movie theatre, such as games on the big screen, will not be lacking, either.

Will 2006 really be a crucial year for digital cinema, as some say?
I really do think so: all the cards are down. It’s a case of learning to play.

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