Microsoft To Playback 177
Landmark Launches
E-Cinema For Indies
LOS ANGELES – Landmark Theatres announced April
3 plans to install Microsoft’s Windows Media Player
9 in all 177 of its screens by the end of the year.
This system will be used to project smaller,
independent films onto relatively small screens.
The initiative represents a joint venture
between Microsoft and Los Angeles-based Digital Cinema
Solutions (DCS). The
duo teamed in November of 2002 to launch the BMW digital
film series, which screened at several Landmark sites,
and featured eight films encoded in Microsoft’s Windows
9 Series (In
Focus,
Feb. 2002). DCS will supply projectors
for the circuit from a variety of manufacturers.
The Windows system is capable of projecting
an image at a resolution of 1,280 vertical and 720 horizontal
lines,
or approximately 888,000 pixels for a flat screen image.
The current high-definition video standard is set at
1,920 vertical lines of resolution. A 2K system (2,000
vertical
lines) like one demonstrated at ShoWest March 3 can display
just over 2.1 million pixels for a flat screen image.
Landmark currently operates 177 screens
at 53 specialty sites and 112 screens at 14 Silver Cinemas
sub-run sites. 
Doeren D-Cinema Manager
Kodak Appoints Exhib
Vet Veep Of Imaging
CULVER CITY, Calif. – Eastman Kodak on March 31 named
exhibition vet William Doeren vice president of its entertainment
imaging division and general manager of the film company’s
d-cinema department.
Doeren replaces Robert Mason, who
has moved into a role as vice president and general manager
of image origination
products in the same Kodak division.
Doeren’s resumé includes
CEO stints at AMC Entertainment, MGM International Cinema
and General Cinema
Theatres.
Doeren, who served as a consultant
for Kodak while working in exhibition, will continue
his work to advance
the
company’s
digital cinema operating system, which was designed
for the presentation of preshow entertainment and
advertising.
The system was first demonstrated in early March
at ShoWest.
