THX @ CinemaCon 2012: THX Cinema Partners from THX Ltd. on Vimeo.

THX talks with certified cinema partners and industry experts at CinemaCon 2012 in Las Vegas, NV.

LAS VEGAS (Cinemacon 2012 – Booth # 2619) – April 24, 2012 – THX Ltd. today announced five new THX Certified facilities and THX Approved equipment that meet or exceed THX unique and rigorous standards for delivering a world-class cinematic experience: Basecamp Films, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (in progress); Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA; James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment MBS Media Campus, Manhattan Beach, CA (in progress); Meyer Sound, Berkeley, CA; and SonicPool, Hollywood, CA.

THX has long been recognized as the company who has set the industry benchmark for delivering the finest entertainment experience, as the director intended. The company’s broad set of technology specifications enables cinema owners to design high quality theaters that offer an optimal presentation of a film anywhere in the world. This is achieved through a unique combination of architectural analysis, equipment validation and the configuration of the theater itself. THX works closely with cinema and facility owners to certify room acoustics, equipment choice, design and electronics that go into the booth. The following are the latest THX Certified Cinemas, studios and THX Approved equipment providers:

• Basecamp Films: Basecamp Films is a film and television color grading and digital cinema mastering facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  When complete, the THX Certified 3D-stereoscopic mastering theatre will provide its regional clients with a critical viewing environment for the mastering and quality control of their digital cinema content and DCP packages. The THX Certified mastering theater at Basecamp will be Malaysia’s first certified digital cinema mastering facility. Basecamp Films also relies on THX cineSpace™ color management software to deliver the richest, most accurate color and image representation for the highest quality end results.
• Chinese Theatres: Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is the most sought-after theatre in Hollywood for studio premieres. Fans flock to these events to see the celebrities arrive and walk the red carpet into the theatre. Rich in movie tradition, with its cement handprints and footprints in the forecourt, the Chinese Theatre immortalizes the brightest stars. More than four million visitors from all over the world visit The Chinese Theatre every year. THX has worked with Grauman’s over the years and through the theatre’s recent management change, helping the facility to consistently deliver the best performances to its customers.
• Lightstorm Entertainment: The production company of movie director James Cameron has worked on films such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, Titanic and Avatar. Lightstorm signed a lease agreement in 2011 with MBS Media Campus, the state-of-the-art production lot in Manhattan Beach owned by the Carlyle Group and managed by Raleigh Studios, which puts the Academy Award winning director at the MBS Media Campus for his two highly anticipated sequels to Avatar – the most successful film of all time.  Production for the sequels will continue to be on the cutting edge of motion picture technology utilizing the latest performance capture filming methods to create the Avatar universe.  As the most technologically advanced major production studio outside of Hollywood, the MBS Media Campus also provides Cameron and Lightstorm a unique campus-like atmosphere, proximity to the Southern California coastline and an eco-friendly mandate.  THX is working with Lightstorm to certify its screening room at MBS, which will ensure future films and content will be delivered to consumers as Cameron intended.
• Meyer Sound: Meyer Sound has been devoted to meeting the needs of sound reinforcement professionals with the finest products available since 1979. Developed in collaboration with the top audio engineers in the cinema industry, the Meyer Sound EXP cinema system utilizes the company’s THX Approved screen channel and surround loudspeakers and subwoofers. Meyer Sound EXP sound systems are installed in commercial cinemas across North America, Europe and Asia. Film sound professionals also rely on EXP monitoring systems in post-production facilities such as Skywalker Sound, Wildfire Studios and American Zoetrope in California, as well as at De Lane Lea in London. The latest Meyer Sound equipment to be THX Approved is the Acheron Designer screen channel loudspeaker (THX pm3 Approved), which would typically be used for film sound design rooms and small theaters. Visit Meyer Sound at CinemaCon at booth #2610 and in demo room Neopolitan I.
• SonicPool: SonicPool, founded in 2001 by two post-production specialists, Patrick Bird and John Frost, is located in Hollywood and Burbank and is comprised of more than 50 offline editing suites, eight online edit suites, one THX Certified theatrical stage, three theatrical mix stages, seven audio editorial suites, production offices, machine room and commercial quality 2D & 3D Blu-Ray, DVD authoring suites. The company’s post-production services include sound and picture finishing, edit suite and production office rentals, and deliverables for feature film, television shows and games. Credits include 007, Call of Duty (all games in franchise), NFL Network, People’s Choice Awards, Sex and the City DVD Box set, Spiderman (all games in franchise), The Sing-Off, X-Men and many more.

“As cinemas continue the move towards digital innovations, including the delivery of 3D content, the industry is truly at the ground floor in terms of ways directors and producers can push content development and, at the end, enhance the entertainment experience,” said Jerry Zernicke, director, Professional Services, THX Ltd. “The ongoing challenge is for facilities to uphold quality standards to meet and exceed consumer demands and be able to accurately translate the true director’s intent to the consumer.”

The goal with the THX Cinema Certification program continues to be ensuring that the audio and video elements of a film are identical to how it was created in the studio, and that the vision is accurately translated to the movie goer without disruption in the cinema. As technology advances and the industry evolves, THX’s standards evolve as well, setting new requirements. One aspect that has remained consistent with the THX Cinema Certification program is the implementation of sound acoustic practices, which THX continues to execute nearly 30 years later.

For additional information on THX Certified Cinemas, please take a look at the latest video on the THX Cinema Certification program: http://www.thx.com/test-bench-blog/thx-certified-cinema-overview-video/.

THX at CinemaCon 2012:

THX will be discussing its THX Cinema Certification and THX Approved Equipment provider programs at CinemaCon booth #2619 and will be highlighting its latest partners. In addition, THX announced its “Where in the World is Tex?” international online photo contest on April 23, 2012 which will run through May 25, 2012. THX encourages fans from around the world to capture and upload their best photo of THX’s mascot, Tex, in and around local THX Certified Cinemas or well-known city landmark near these cinemas, and share them on the THX Facebook Page. Come by the THX booth #2619 during the show to pick up your free Tex doll along with the Official Rules and Regulations for your chance to win a number of incredible prizes, including one year’s worth of movie tickets (24 tickets total).

About THX:

  
From the big screen to your screen, THX ignites your passion for exciting entertainment experiences. Founded by George Lucas and recognized by audiences around the globe, THX is synonymous with the design and certification of world-class cinemas, premium audio systems, 3D HDTVs and blockbuster movies. Products featuring THX technologies defy convention and define quality in their class, whether in the cinema, in the home or on the road.

THX Certified Cinema Overview – Video from THX Ltd. on Vimeo.

THX Certified Cinemas hold the promise of delivering the director’s vision with the best visuals and sound experiences possible. A theater that doesn’t just provide dazzling sight and sound, but one that perfectly embraces you into the film.

WHAT:

The THX “Where in the World is Tex?” online photo contest is open to consumers living in a country that contains a THX Certified Cinema. Through global partnerships with multiple THX Certified Cinemas, fans are asked to capture the most interesting and unique photo of Tex at local THX Certified Cinemas or near a well-known city landmark where THX Certified Cinemas exist. For complete rules on the THX online photo contest, please visit: Official Rules and Regulations.

HOW:

Entering the online contest is simple. Pick up a free Tex doll at participating THX Certified Cinemas from April 23 – May 13 or by contacting the THX Store and make it the subject of a unique and creative photo. The contest consists of three photo categories: 1) Photos of Tex inside a THX Certified Cinema, 2) Photos of Tex outside a THX Certified Cinema, and 3) Photos of Tex near a recognizable city landmark. Contestants should submit the best image(s) to the “Where in the World is Tex?” Photo Contest App, found on the THX Facebook Page. THX will select five finalists from each of the three categories on Sunday, May 13, 2012. Images will be judged based on uniqueness, creativity, clarity and placement of Tex relative to THX Certified Cinema signage, or the landmark. Between May 14 and May 25, 2012, Facebook fans will vote by number of “Likes” for one of the five finalists within each of the three contest categories to select the winner.

WHY:

THX will award prizes to the winners in each category. The winner of Category 3 will receive one year’s worth of movie tickets (24 tickets in total) to the THX Certified Cinema nearest them. Prizes for the winner of each category include:

• Category 1 (Tex inside a THX Certified Cinema) – One $50.00 gift certificate to a THX Certified Cinema along with a THX gift bag containing a THX branded hat, messenger bag, vintage t-shirt and water bottle
• Category 2 (Tex outside a THX Certified Cinema) – One $100.00 gift certificate to a THX Certified Cinema along with one copy of the Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray Box Set and a THX gift bag containing a THX branded hat, messenger bag, vintage t-shirt and water bottle
• Category 3 (Tex near a recognizable city landmark) – One year’s worth of movie tickets to a THX Certified Cinema along with two THX gift bags containing a THX branded hat, messenger bag, vintage t-shirt and water bottle in each bag

WHO:

Any consumer, THX fan or movie fanatic living in a country that contains a THX Certified Cinema.

WHEN:

The THX online photo contest runs from April 23 – May 25, 2012:

• Entry period – Begins at 11 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on Monday, April 23 and ends at 7 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 13, 2012
• Selection period – On May 14, THX will select five photos from each of the three categories (15 finalist photos total)
• Fan voting – Between May 14 at 5 p.m. PT, and May 25, 2012 at 4 p.m. PT, fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite finalists by “liking” their photo. The person whose one photo within each category receives the most “likes” will win the prize in that category

WHERE:

Participants can visit any of the following THX Certified Cinemas from April 23 –May 13, 2012 to receive a free THX Tex Doll to use in the contest (while supplies last). Contestants may also visit the THX Store to obtain one free of charge (while supplies last).

Participating THX Certified domestic theaters:

• Airport 12 Cinema – Santa Rosa, CA
• Commodore Theater – Portsmouth, VA
• Cornelius Cinemas – Cornelius, OR
• Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – Hollywood, CA
• Lemoore Stadium Cinemas – Lemoore, CA
• Park Cinemas – Paso Robles, CA
• Roxy 14 Cinema – Santa Rosa, CA

Participating THX Certified international theaters:

• Apollon Struer – Struer, Denmark
• Arcaplex Spijkenisse – Spijkenisse, Netherlands
• Cathay Cineplexes – (5 locations), Singapore
• Cinema 21 – (Multiple Locations) Jakarta, Indonesia
• Cinema City Kinepolis – Poznan, Poland
• Cinema City Krewetka – Gdansk, Poland
• EM- Filmtheaterbetriebe Mertz – (3 locations) Stuttgart, Germany
• Kinematograph Film – München, Germany
• Sterling Cineplex – Maharashtra, India

About THX Cinema Certification

The best cinemas in the world are THX Certified. THX Cinema Certification program sets unique standards and specifications for theaters in order to bring the director’s intent to the consumer. Through meeting various THX exacting standards for architectural design, acoustics, sound isolation and audio/visual excellence, THX Certified Cinemas deliver movies the way they were intended to be seen and heard with the highest level of audio and image performance. With approximately 1,200 THX Certified Cinemas worldwide, consumers can experience the ultimate entertainment experience by finding one closest to them: http://www.thx.com/consumer/movies/find-a-thx-certified-cinema/

About THX Ltd.

From the big screen to your screen, THX ignites your passion for exciting entertainment experiences. Founded by George Lucas and recognized by audiences around the globe, THX is synonymous with the design and certification of world-class cinemas, premium audio systems, HDTVs, and blockbuster movies and games. Products featuring THX technologies defy convention and define quality in their class, whether in the cinema, in the home or on the road.