France bids adieu to silver screens

LYON -- Going for a position that intends to show the theatrical three dimensional business upside lower, France's national film board the CNC has introduced intends to phase out all silver screens from Gaul's theaters within 5 years. The bold move, introduced March 7 by CNC prexy Eric Garandeau, basically rules out one leader within the three dimensional exhibition market, RealD, in addition to MasterImage and many Imax screens, as all use polarized-light systems that need silver screens. It favors rivals Dolby and Xpand, since both already satisfy the Association Francaise p Normalisation (AFNOR) standard for screens. Garandeau told Variety he hopes other nations follows France's example. "I anticipate talking about the problem with my European alternatives throughout the following EFAD (Council of Europe Film Policy) meeting," Garandeau stated. At problem may be the "hot place" that seems on silver screens when they are employed for 2D. The AFNOR standard states the dropoff in brightness from the middle of the screen towards the edge can not be a lot more than 20%. Having a big screen, the dropoff in brightness is usually much more than that. All French participants will need to satisfy the AFNOR standard by 2017. Garandeau clearly voiced in france they board's position recently throughout a public speech, proclaiming "The big screen has the consequence of cleaning soap that turns the shining whitened into dirty grey That isn't acceptable." General delegate Laurent Hebert of France's Image and Seem Superior Technical Commission (CST) stated he expected France's declaration to spur further discussion within the global exhibition realm: "The truth that France makes this decision will definitely jump-start the controversy over standards in other European nations as well as in the U.S.," he stated. Gaul presently counts 2,519 three dimensional screens, which around 1,200 use silver screens. About 850 of individuals are RealD. The RealD technology rules the three dimensional projection market within the U.S. and Canada. When the decision stands, French participants which have installed Imax, RealD or MasterImage technology will have to switch within 5 years to a different system that utilizes a whitened screen. The leaders for the reason that area are Xpand, which utilizes active-shutter glasses, and Dolby, which utilizes passive glasses according to color filters. Both Dolby and Xpand glasses are multiple-use. Many participants shun multiple-use glasses because they are more expensive to purchase and require extra staff and investing to clean and handling. Various orgs, particularly the CST, Image and Seem Superior Technical Commission, in addition to ARP and SACEM, have contended that silver screens degrade the look for photos tested in 2D. Once the Cannes Film Festival installed three dimensional projection in '09, it prevented the issue by choosing for that Xpand system. Jean-Louis Rizet, Ficam's mind of animation for Ficam, stated the CST, CNC and Ficam have always advised exhibs against silver screens and suggested active glasses or Dolby. France's film and specialists guilds lobbied for several weeks with this prohibit. "Silver screens produce a halo which alters the colours around the edges from the frame," stated Rizet. A CNC representative stated, "France has become an electronic leader, about 4,000 from 5,400 screens outfitted, so we are designed for also becoming the best choice in supplying moviegoers using the best-quality tests." Among present day three dimensional projection systems, however, RealD systems can provide the cleverest image, and low light may be the greatest problem negatively effecting three dimensional in theaters. The CNC decision would pressure a tradeoff between present day cleverest three dimensional presentation and finest 2D presentation. Hebert stated the org wasn't questioning the standard of RealD for three dimensional. "If the auditorium could be entirely dedicated to three dimensional it can keep its big screen.Inch Like a practical matter, however, there isn't enough three dimensional content for theaters to dedicate auditoriums solely to three dimensional. Hebert stated, "The CNC's decision ultimately challenges three dimensional companies to enhance their technology to be able to comply towards the appropriate standard." RealD Vice president of corporate communications Ron Heineman stated, "We feel discussions about this matter between both sides is going to be ongoing and it'll be exercised to the advantage of individuals that matter probably the most: the moviegoing audience which has totally accepted three dimensional in France." Heineman added that exhibs in France who've dedicated to RealD have told the organization they plan to proceed using their rollout plans regardless of the CNC edict. "We're wishing that within 5 years active glasses will probably be cheaper and lighter-weight compared to what they are today," stated Hebert. TV makers were showing lighter active glasses in the Electronic Devices Show in The month of january. The CNC is on the right track to assist all arthouse participants change to digital by year-finish. The federal government-backed org spent E28 million to equip 597 screens to digital this year and it'll inject another E80 million to digitize the rest of the 1,200 screens through the finish of 2012. Marc-Olivier Sebbag, general delegate from the FNCF, Gaul's Participants Assn., stated arthouse and independent theaters do not have silver screens. "Typically, it is the large circuits which have virtual print costs deals that are concerned through the CNC's plan simply because they make use of the RealD system and also have silver screens." It isn't the very first time a European government has intervened to manage three dimensional with techniques that affected your competition between your major three dimensional systems. 2 yrs ago, Italian police siezed some 7,000 pairs of three dimensional glasses around the orders from the health ministry, simply because teens had begun stealing them to be used as shades, and also the health ministry gone to live in prohibit multiple-use glasses because of concerns they were not being disinfected correctly between showings. (Daily Variety, March 22, 2010) The dispute was eventually resolved. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com