WILD ANGLE; HUGE PICTURE, HIGH STAKES; NEXT FRONTIER IN CINEMA MAY MEAN A WILD RIDE FOR GIANT-SCREEN FORMAT.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer Movie theaters aren't the only thing getting bigger - so are expectations. With theater chains scrambling to build flashier multiplexes with giant-screen theaters, the dominant producer of ride-simulation films expects to cash in. That's because there's been a fundamental shift in the giant-screen theater industry from a few museums to mass commercial markets, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. executives at Sherman Oaks-based New Wave International and analysts who follow the industry. There are about 200 theaters nationwide with the 60-foot-by-90-foot giant-screen format, with at least 65 more already on the drawing board. ``We are about to see the giant-screen industry cross over into the mainstream,'' said Charlotte Huggins, chief operating officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. of New Wave International. New Wave, started three years ago in Brussels, Belgium, by filmmaker Ben Stassen, is ready to take advantage of the changing scenario. Its first complete giant-screen project, the $6 million ``Thrill Ride: The Science of Fun,'' opened Friday at five theaters nationwide, including local Imax outlets in Irvine and Ontario, with agreements for 15 more locations. ``We blew people's minds at the premiere in Irvine,'' Huggins reported. ``People just screamed.'' Narrated by Harry Shearer Harry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943 in Los Angeles, California) is an American comedic actor and writer. Shearer, a voice actor on The Simpsons (1989 to present), provides the voices of Mr. and released by Sony Pictures Classics, the 38-minute feature includes highlights of ride films, footage from roller coasters While there have been hundreds of different roller coasters built, there have been just a few that were notable for specific reasons. Some reasons include:
``This is a film that meets the demanding commercial criteria for the rapidly growing sector of the marketplace; it also meets the needs of museum theaters,'' said Mark Katz Mark Katz (born December 28, 1963) is an American humorist, speechwriter, author, and humor consultant to politicians, executives and media personalities. Background Mark Katz was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Rockland County, New York. , a Sony vice president. Katz, who has a decade of experience in giant-screen films, said ``Thrill Ride'' goes well beyond the typical nature documentary that filmgoers expect at giant-screen theaters. ``It really has the `wow' factor, and it takes audiences to places they've never been before,'' he said. ``This one really pushes the envelope.'' Prior to ``Thrill Ride,'' New Wave had made about 20 simulator-ride films along with sequences in giant-screen films. It has another 10 movies in production, including a pair of high-profile projects - ``Atlantis of the Sands'' and ``Dolphins - The Ride.'' ``Atlantis'' traces the recent discovery of the long-lost Frankincense frankincense: see incense-tree. frankincense Fragrant gum resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia (family Burseraceae), particularly several varieties found in Somalia, Yemen, and Oman. Road in Yemen and will re-create the ancient trade route through computer graphics; ``Dolphins,'' filmed in Honduras and the Bahamas, gives audiences a dolphin's perspective on life underwater as it swims past coral reefs coral reefs, limestone formations produced by living organisms, found in shallow, tropical marine waters. In most reefs, the predominant organisms are stony corals, colonial cnidarians that secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate (limestone). , boats and shipwrecks This list of shipwrecks is of those ships whose have been located. Africa East Africa
By the year 2000, New Wave plans to be releasing four giant-screen feature films annually in addition to four ride films each year. ``We're planning to throw the giant-screen business into chaos,'' Huggins said. New Wave, backed by Belgian TV producer D&D Media, has already achieved kingpin status in the ride-film universe, which now has about 1,500 installations worldwide, including the Cinemania Simulation Theater at Universal Studio's CityWalk. New Wave started making films through joint ventures, then started self-financing with ``Volcano Mine Ride'' last year. Huggins, who previously worked as a producer at Boss Films and Sony Imageworks, estimates New Wave has a 60 percent share of the ride-film market due partly to its ability to complete production faster than rivals, sometimes in less than a year from start to finish. It uses Silicon Graphics workstations extensively. ``Our philosophy is to use computer graphics right from the start so the animators Famous animators no longer living
The business of making giant-screen films is not a breeze, however, since up-front costs are daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin and distribution is still fairly limited. Projects usually cost no more than $5 million, precluding the hiring of major stars. A big draw The payoff can be great, however. Tickets usually cost $8 to $10 for a film that is usually no longer than 45 minutes, giving theater owners extra screenings each day at premium prices. Some trackers believe the business is on the verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of impressive growth. Kevin Skislock, research director at Irvine-based investment bank L.H. Friend, Weinress, Frankson & Presson, believes the theaters are becoming a ``must-have'' component for chains opening new megaplexes, the 16-plus complexes that have revitalized re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. the theater business. ``I expect to see the interest in giant-screen commercial sites to continue to accelerate because the economics are so powerful,'' he said, noting that the average giant-screen outlet will draw 450,000 patrons per year compared with 85,000 per screen at a megaplex. ``Plus, you run the risk of having patrons drive by your site if you don't have a giant screen,'' he said. The growth translates to large opportunities for producers such as Imax, Sony and New Wave, Skislock noted. He reported widespread interest among exhibitors for several projects, particularly Imax's ``Nutcracker nutcracker, common name for a small crow of the genus Nucifraga in the family Corvidae (crow family). The Old World nutcracker (N. caryocatactes) is found throughout the colder regions of Europe, including high mountain forests. Prince,'' due out this winter, and a pair in development: a Mount Everest documentary involving several prominent climbers who died last year on an expedition, and a 40-minute ``Star Trek'' 3-D movie. ``I think we've crossed the line into what could be huge commercial successes,'' Skislock said. ``People are now anticipating giant-screen films, which never happened before. It's a very subtle shift, but it's very important.'' Toronto-based Imax, which has 150 locations, has been pushing the giant-screen market toward commercialization in recent years and now has more than 35 commercial locations with a backlog for 45 more. It recently announced deals with the Edwards and Regal chains to open a total of 20 giant-screen facilities at multiplexes, including one in Westchester next to the San Diego Freeway The San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405, and the part of Interstate 5 south of the El Toro Y[1]) is one of the principal north-south highways in Southern California, and the major beltway of I-5 running through Southern California. . Stock soars The deals prompted several analysts, including Skislock, to upgrade their ratings on Imax. It has jumped more than 25 percent since June 23, when it was trading at $21.25, and closed Friday at $26-3/4. Steven Bernard of Everen Securities recently initiated coverage of Imax with a ``buy'' rating. ``We see the company accelerating development of theaters,'' he said. ``If you're a theater operator, and the guy down the street puts in an Imax, you're going to think twice about keeping up with him, so this feeds on itself. Once one guy has it, the other has to have it too.'' Imax's chief rival is Burbank-based Iwerks Entertainment Iwerks Entertainment was founded in 1985 by Stan Kinsey and Don Iwerks, two former Disney Executives, and became well known through 1996 as a leading developer of special venue and virtual reality theaters throughout the world. Inc., which specializes in motion-simulation locations. It recently opened its first nonmuseum location at the massive Ontario Mills Ontario Mills is a large enclosed outlet mall located in Ontario, California; it is one of the primary tourist attractions in the Inland Empire. shopping center shopping center, a concentration of retail, service, and entertainment enterprises designed to serve the surrounding region. The modern shopping center differs from its antecedents—bazaars and marketplaces—in that the shops are usually amalgamated into , going head-to-head with an Imax theater a few hundred yards away. Both companies report strong business. Bernard believes the expansion is creating a strong opportunity for producers such as New Wave. ``There's no shortage of topics, and unlike something like `Men In Black,' they tend to have a much longer life with no age or interest boundaries,'' he said. CAPTION(S): 4 Photos Photo: (1--Color) New Wave International chief Charlotte Huggins shows a preview of the Sherman Oaks company's giant-screen film ``Thrill Ride.'' (2--Color) ``RGB (Red Green Blue) The computer's native color space, which is the color system for capturing and displaying images. RGB was derived from our own perception of color because human eyes are sensitive to red, green and blue (see trichromaticity). ADVENTURE'' (3--Color) ``KID COASTER'' (4--Color) ``SUPERSTATION'' |
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