One day, TV commercials may leap off the screen at you.

The Intl. 3D Society has set up a marketing committee to educate the advertising community about the perceived advantages of stereoscopic commercials.

ESPN marketing prexy Ed Erhardt will serve as the unit’s chairman. Members include General Motors’ Elizabeth Boone, Integrated 3D Solutions’ Bill Frash, DirecTV’s Paul Guyardo, National CineMedia’s Cliff Marks, TBWA/Chiat/Day’s Richard O’Neill, Stradella Road’s Gordon Paddison and Discovery Networks’ David Shackley.

“As 3D’s center of gravity moves into the home, marketers and advertisers will be at the forefront of communicating with consumers using 3D technology,” Erhardt said.

Marketing committee members will present ideas at org’s 3DNA Outlook Forum on Feb. 8.

source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118027549

3D experience, alternative content programmes, operational cost savings /

Reel Cinemas, a growing UK exhibitor, XDC, the n°1 digital cinema service company in Europe, have agreed on the terms for a deployment of 57 digital cinema systems at 15 cinemas.
K.C. Suri, Managing Partner of Reel Cinemas, said: “We made the decision for XDC because they offered the most comprehensive solution available today on the market: simple and efficient financing structure, clear and transparent business model, keen technological expertise. With the help of XDC we are able to complete a full roll out within a reasonable short time frame, which allows our circuit to benefit from the advantages of digital cinema: 3D experience, alternative content programmes, operational cost savings.”

Serge Plasch, XDC’s Chief Executive Officer said: “Having this first VPF deal in UK  is for XDC a very strategic milestone, since UK has always been a key market for cinema business. Reel Cinemas is a respected exhibition circuit and we are very proud to have been selected for their digital roll out plan. This agreement also demonstrates the solidity of our business model which is the only one able to offer agreement with all the 6 majors US studios, available financing from BNP Paribas Fortis and advanced knowledge in digital cinema technology ”.

David Pope, XDC’s Director UK Operations added: “It really has been a pleasure working with Kailash Suri and Reel Cinemas to develop a Digital Cinema solution to suit their exact requirements. I am looking forward to our UK operation starting the role out and supporting Kailash and his team with a seamless transition to digital, maintaining the extremely high quality operation and outstanding entertainment service that Reel have provided to the public over the years.”

Under the terms of the agreement with XDC, Reel Cinemas will install Series 2 DCI-compliant Barco digital projection systems. Reel Cinemas will also implement a fully integrated and networked solution across the circuit, thanks to XDC’s advanced Theatre Management System and Central Library, the XDC’s CineStore® Plaza. A content delivery network will also be implemented by XDC in order to allow distributors to deliver films directly by satellite and/or broadband connection to the cinemas, as well as to give the opportunity to Reel Cinemas to perform live 2D and 3D transmissions.

All the systems will be connected to the XDC’s NOC (Network Operations Centre) which will perform the hotline support and the preventative remote maintenance. Thanks to the sophisticated XDC’s CineStore Data web-based application, the frontline support (with the possibility to have a full remote monitoring of the digital systems) will be directly managed by Reel Cinemas local integrator Omnex Profilm Ltd, which will also take care of the installations and maintenance under XDC supervision.

Other UK exhibitors are planned to start digital roll out with XDC by early 2011. XDC is targeting to rapidly increase its UK operations in order to manage the deployment and the support of about 400 screens.

source: http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/pr.aspx?newsID=2101