Marcus Theatres® Selects NEC Digital Cinema Projectors and Displays for Full-Scale Rollout at Its 47 Locations
Prestigious 75-Year-Old Theater Chain Preparing for New 3D
Blockbuster Films
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
NEC
Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial
LCD display and projector
solutions, announced today that Marcus Theatres® (NYSE: MCS) has
selected NEC projectors to make a full-scale conversion to digital
cinema on almost 700 screens it owns or manages across the Midwest and
East.
The agreement also includes deployment of NEC large-screen displays for
the theater chain's lobbies and concession areas to promote food,
beverage and other specials as well as adhere to new FDA calorie
guidelines.
"We've enjoyed a long history with Marcus Theatres and are grateful for
the opportunity to expand our relationship to help meet the demands of
3D movies as well as the overall migration to digital cinema," said
Pierre Richer, President and COO of NEC Display Solutions. "Unlike its
competitors, NEC is able to offer a comprehensive solution for
exhibitors — from high-performing digital cinema projectors to powerful,
commercial-grade digital menu boards and our VUKUNET DOOH (Digital Out
of Home) inventory management, ad delivery, billing and payment system —
to generate new revenue streams as well as elevate the entire
theater-going experience."
Marcus Theatres ordered NEC's complete line of digital cinema projectors
— the NC1200, NC2000, NC3200S and NC3240S models — for virtually all of
its circuit in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North
Dakota and Ohio. It also will deploy NEC's award-winning E, V and P
Series large-screen displays in other areas of the cinemas.
"NEC Display is renowned for offering quality digital cinema projectors,
but we're also looking forward to benefiting from a wider spectrum of
products in our latest agreement," said Bruce Olson, President of Marcus
Theatres. "The ability to change food and beverage items on the fly with
dynamic digital menu boards and to easily run advertising will be true
differentiators for us in the marketplace."
Meanwhile, Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM), the global leader in digital cinema
conversion programs, is responsible for structuring and implementing the
underlying VPF (virtual print fee) agreement that enables the conversion
to digital cinema, as well as providing the entire administration
responsibility of the VPF program.
"We're thrilled we were able to create a customized digital cinema
solution for Marcus Theatres, including an anchor position in our
recently announced up to $130 million digital cinema funding facility,"
said Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cinedigm. "We look forward to
supporting the Marcus rollout so their audiences can enjoy the benefits
of digital cinema as soon as possible."
Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTN) is the project's reseller, and
will provide installation and integration services, warranty and
first-level support, monitoring the health of each projector in the
system from its network operations center. Doremi will provide the
digital servers with integrated media blocks.
"Ballantyne Strong is extremely proud to continue our 40-plus year
partnership with Marcus Theatres on their conversion to digital
projection technology. Along with providing the first-rate equipment of
our distribution partners, NEC and Doremi, Ballantyne will also be
offering installation, NOC and after-sale maintenance services for the
entire Marcus Theatres circuit," said President and CEO Gary L. Cavey of
Ballantyne Strong.
"Doremi is honored to be working with partners NEC Display, Ballantyne
and Cinedigm to benefit Marcus Theatres and its valued patrons," said
Michael Archer, Vice President Digital Cinema at Doremi.
NEC digital cinema projectors are Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)
compliant, which allows exhibitors to capitalize on current and future
growth opportunities, and can be centrally managed, freeing up on-site
theater personnel for more strategic activities.
The NEC deployment is scheduled to begin shortly to meet fall 3D
blockbuster movies, including "Twixt," "Hugo," and "The Adventures of
Tintin," with all screens slated to go digital by the end of 2011.
For more information on NEC's digital cinema projectors, visit http://necdisplay.com/category/digital-cinema-projectors.
To learn more about financing options and current promotions, please
visit http://www.necdisplay.com/GoDigital.
NEC's Cinema Advantage program offers Reward Points and exclusive
promotions to small-to-medium-sized exhibitors. Visit http://neccinemaadvantage.com
to register.
About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.
Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.,
is a leading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD monitors,
commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverse
line of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrated display
solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology
and customer-focused solutions for a wide variety of markets, including
enterprise, healthcare, education and digital signage. For additional
information about NEC Display Solutions of America monitors, consumers
can call (866) NEC-MORE, or visit the website at www.necdisplay.com.
For digital images, please visit http://necdisplay.com/digital-media-library.
About VUKUNET
VUKUNET, from NEC Display Solutions of America, is the engine that
powers the digital out-of-home advertising business. VUKUNET is the only
universal ad serving platform that drives ads to any digital out-of-home
network, regardless of content management system. VUKUNET makes the
buying, flighting and reporting of digital out-of-home ad campaigns
easy. For additional information about VUKUNET, visit www.vukunet.com
or call (877) 805-VUKU. For VUKUNET logos and digital images, please
visit http://www.vukunet.com/pressresources.aspx.
About Marcus Theatres
Marcus
Theatres®, a division of The
Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), is the sixth largest theatre circuit
in the United States and currently owns or manages 684 screens at 55
locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North
Dakota and Ohio, and one family entertainment center in Wisconsin. For
more information, please visit www.marcustheatres.com.
About Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (www.ballantyne-strong.com)
Ballantyne Strong, Inc., is a provider of digital cinema projection
equipment and services as well as cinema screens, motion picture
projectors and specialty lighting equipment and services. The Company
supplies major and independent theater chains, top arenas, theme parks
and architectural sites around the world.
About Cinedigm
Cinedigm is a leader in providing the services, experience, technology
and content critical to transforming movie theaters into digital and
networked entertainment centers. The Company partners with Hollywood
movie studios, independent movie distributors, and exhibitors to bring
movies in digital cinema format to audiences across the country.
Cinedigm's digital cinema deployment organization, software, satellite
and hard drive digital movie delivery network; pre-show in-theater
advertising services; and marketing and distribution platform for
alternative content such as CineLive® 3-D and 2-D sports and concerts,
thematic programming and independent movies is a cornerstone of the
digital cinema transformation. Cinedigm™ and Cinedigm Digital Cinema
Corp™ are trademarks of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. www.cinedigm.com
[CIDM-G]
About Doremi
Doremi is a leading developer and manufacturer of videodisk recorders
and video servers for the broadcast, post production, digital cinema and
ProAv markets.
Established in 1985, the Los Angeles based company's first product was
the DAWN workstation for audio post production. DAWN performed digital
multi-track audio recording and editing on a computer hard drive and
quickly gained popularity as an affordable, high quality alternative to
tape based recorders and editors.
Keeping in line with Moore's Law, Doremi engineers looked to design new
products with video recording capabilities. The result was the V1 Video
Disk Recorder, which premiered at NAB in 1996. The success of the V1 led
to Doremi's worldwide expansion, opening facilities in France and Japan.
The company's engineering and manufacturing capabilities produced a
number of innovative products including the V1-HD JPEG2000
Recorder/Player and the Nugget HD Video Player.
In 2005, Doremi introduced Doremi Cinema LLC to market its line of
Digital Cinema servers and mastering systems to the theatrical
exhibition market. Today, Doremi continues to lead the industry in
engineering innovation and remains focused on providing the highest
quality products with the latest digital video technology.
Tech Image (for NEC Display Solutions)
Philip Anast, (847)
279-0022, x238
philip.anast@techimage.com
Source: NEC Display Solutions of America
News Provided by Acquire Media
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