Cinema Technology Mar. 29, 2023
Register & Log in
X
Sponsors



Christie is a leader in visual solutions for world-class organizations, offering diverse applications for business, entertainment, and industry. A leading innovator in film projection since 1929 and a pioneer in projection systems since 1979, Christie has established a global reputation as a total service provider and the world's single source manufacturer of a variety of display technologies and solutions. Christie offers comprehensive solutions for cinema, large audience venues, control rooms, business presentations, training facilities, 3D and Virtual Reality, simulation and education as well as industrial and government environments.

Industry Partners

Shows & Events


# 1958 Gertag Ediaphor

RSS News
RSS Info About RSS

Skip Navigation LinksHome/Menu > Find News > Refresh this page
Cypress, Calif—Feb 6, 2012

Christie Helps Texas Drive-Ins Light Up ‘The Big Picture’

Christie Digital Cinema Projectors Light Up 90-Ft Screens at the “Big Sky” and “The Stars & Stripes”
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and with the installation of award-winning Christie® digital cinema projectors at two of the Lone Star State’s most popular drive-in theaters, they are now also the brightest. The Big Sky Drive-In in Midland and the Stars and Stripes in Lubbock, both featuring outdoor screens up to 90 ft wide, now offer a superior movie viewing experience thanks to Christie’s DLP Cinema® projectors, which are recognized as the brightest and most powerful in the industry.  
 
“Drive-in theaters have always been a romantic business venture that faced many technical challenges,” noted Craig Sholder, vice president, Entertainment Solutions at Christie.  “The limited amount of light that can be projected on the screen from even the most powerful film projectors is not always sufficient to compete with the ambient light of the outdoors. This has often seriously affected the quality of the projected image and undermined the movie-viewing experience for many patrons. Christie projectors are ideally suited for the outdoor environment where ease of operation – especially to focus and scale images – and high brightness levels are critical.”
 
Thinking Big
As a major sponsor of the 12th annual convention for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association (UDITOA), February 6 – 9, in Kissimmee, Florida, Christie is partnering with dealers such as Sonic Equipment Company to help lead America’s drive-in theaters into the digital age.  Backed by more than 80 years in the exhibition industry, Christie is offering complete, turn-key solutions that include design, consultation, installation and support services.  As well, Christie can provide interested customers with 24/7 support and maintenance through its Network Operations Center (NOC), located in Cypress, California.
 
Among the first drive-ins in the country to “see the light” of digital technology were the Stars & Stripes and the Big Sky drive-ins – the first multi-screen drive-ins in the country. Christie projectors, rated at 30,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, covered their entire screen surfaces with the sharpest digital images ever seen in a drive-in theater.
 
A Big Improvement at The Big Sky
Big Sky owner Sam Kirkland opened in October 2005 with two screens, both using 35mm projectors. He added a third screen in 2007. Two of Big Sky's three screens are 45 ft by 90ft, with parking spaces for 436 cars and 382 cars; the third screen, at 35 ft by 70 ft, can handle 198 cars.  The conversion to Christie digital projectors was done by Sonic Equipment Company, of Iola, Kansas.
 
“When a drive-in goes to digital movies, it’s a big difference from film, and audiences see the difference immediately,” said Sam Kirkland, owner of The Big Sky. “Our Christie projector gives us a gorgeous picture and our customers love it!”
 
Lamont Furlow, the 60-year old general manager of Big Sky, whose parents managed a local drive-in theater, recalled that he was virtually born into the movie theater business. 
 
"Directly or indirectly, I've been in the exhibition business all my life, and have a special passion for the drive-in," he said. "I'm not real computer literate, but when we had some initial challenges the first week, we called our Christie representative and he talked us through the situation right over the phone. The show started on time and the entire system has worked beautifully every since!” 
 
Most importantly, Furlow noted, "Now that we're digital, lighting the screen is no longer an issue.  Our patrons enjoy even the darkest scenes in a movie.” 
 
In the past, Big Sky also had serious problems getting the picture focused when running 35mm projectors. "With Christie digital projectors, it's now in perfect focus," he said.  “My immediate reaction when we showed our first movie in digital was, ‘That can't be my screen!”  
 
He added: “We couldn't be more pleased with our new Christie projectors.”
 
A Bright Idea at the Stars & Stripes
Ryan Smith had fond childhood memories of working in his grandparents’ indoor theater, as well as nights spent at the local drive-in. In 2003, at the age of 24, he opened the Stars & Stripes Drive-In Theatre with two screens and two used 35mm projectors, assisted by his parents. 
 
Today, with two screens that measured 35 ft by 70 ft, and one measuring 45 ft by 90ft, the earliest lesson he learned about drive-in theaters, said Smith, was that, "you just can't get enough light on those big screens."
 
Smith selected Christie projectors, financing the cost of the digital conversion himself. Sonic Equipment Company of Iola, Kansas, supervised the installation and helped to train Smith and his staff.
  
The impact was instantaneous.  According to Smith, in the first week they opened, "People noticed that something was different. They realized the picture was brighter.  And I was thrilled to provide my customers with ‘indoor-movie’ picture quality." 
 
Smith is now eager to explore the expansion of his business with new kinds of content, such as sporting events, concerts, and cultural performances. "We were always constrained by film," he said. "With digital, there are no limitations. We are very pleased with our Christie projectors.” 
 
“Our customers have all praised the outstanding image quality of Christie digital projectors and we love their ease of use, and their low cost of operation,” said Steve Zimmerman, director of business development at Sonic. “As a Christie certified partner, we look forward to helping America’s drive-ins enter the digital age and bring a new level of entertainment to the next generation of moviegoers and beyond.”


Logo: Christie
About Christie: Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual and audio technologies company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ushio Inc., Japan (JP: 6925). Christie revolutionized the movie industry with the launch of digital cinema projection, and since 1929 has embraced innovation and broken many technology barriers. From the world’s largest mega-events to the smallest applications, our technology—from advanced RGB pure laser and SDVoE technology to image processing and LED display solutions—empowers people to create the world’s best shared experiences. Visit www.christiedigital.com. Christie Directory page Christie Web Site
Sonic Equipment Company Web Site
About Sonic Equipment Company: Sonic Equipment Company is the leading provider of cinema sales, service and installation. We strive to provide the best possible service to community-owned theatres and independent exhibitors nationwide. Our unique and customizable programs provide exhibitors with a broad selection of services and equipment to fit their needs. Sonic Equipment Company Directory page

Share This Page

More Christie News:
Dec 27, 2022 Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Chooses Christie RGB Pure Laser Projection for its Iconic Auditorium
Christie Logo
Christie®, a global leader in digital cinema technologies, is pleased to announce that Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, one of the most beloved heritage cinemas in Australia, has chosen its state-of-the-art RGB pure laser projection system for the iconic auditorium – The Orpheum.

Dec 15, 2022 First European CINITY Cinema System Installations Ready for Immersive Avatar: the Way of Water Screenings
Christie Logo
A trio of European cinemas has installed the CINITY Cinema System allowing moviegoers to see Avatar: The Way of Water in superb clarity. The CINITY Cinema System, developed over a three-year period by CINITY, in collaboration with Christie®, offers creative blending of 4K, 3D, high brightness, high frame rate, high dynamic range, and wide color gamut display capabilities, paired with immersive sound.

Dec 9, 2022 Christie Demonstrates CINITY Cinema System at CineAsia 2022
Christie Logo
Christie®, a global leader in digital cinema presentation technologies, is pleased to have conducted demonstrations of the award-winning CINITY Cinema System at CineAsia 2022, which took place in Hall 8 of Icon Cineconic, True Icon Hall, Bangkok.

Dec 6, 2022 Major Cineplex Chooses Christie RGBe Series Laser Projectors to Deliver Outstanding Visuals on Smaller Screens
Christie Logo
Christie® is pleased to announce that Major Cineplex, the largest movie theatre operator in Thailand, has chosen its high-value RGBe Series laser projection system for deployment in smaller auditoriums across its circuit.

Dec 5, 2022 Christie Adds to its Lineup of RealLaser Cinema Projectors with Two New High Efficiency RGB Models and A New Xenon Workhorse
Christie Logo
Christie®, a global leader in digital cinema projection and audio technologies announces the addition of three new cinema projectors for boutique and mid-sized theatres.

Dec 1, 2022 Hemisfèric Redefines the Cinema-Going Experience with Christie CP4450-RGB
Christie Logo
The Hemisfèric, part of the cultural and scientific complex at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain, recently installed a Christie® CP4450-RGB pure laser cinema projector in its main theatre - the biggest of its kind in Spain, with a concave dome screen covering 900 square meters (9687 square feet) and 24 meters (79 feet) in diameter.

Nov 28, 2022 Christie to Showcase Widest Range of Cinema Solutions at CineAsia 2022
Christie Logo
Christie® is pleased to showcase its industry-leading cinema solutions designed to meet the needs of every screen size at CineAsia 2022, taking place for the first time in Thailand from December 5-8 at True Icon Hall, Bangkok.

Nov 2, 2022 BFI Upgrades Flagship Screening Theatre with Christie RGB Pure Laser and Vive Audio
Christie Logo
Christie® is pleased to announce that the British Film Institute (BFI), the UK’s leading organisation for the moving image and the owner of the world’s largest film and television archive, has installed Real|Laser™ illumination technology in its main screening room, NFT1, at its flagship venue BFI Southbank.

Oct 7, 2022 Christie Showcases Talent in RGB Pure Laser Splendour at BFI London Film Festival
Christie Logo
Christie® is pleased to announce its CP4440-RGB projector is once again the flagship projection technology at the 66th BFI London Film Festival (LFF) in partnership with American Express, running 5th – 16th October 2022.

Sep 8, 2022 Christie Celebrates 22 Years of Partnership with TIFF
Christie Logo
Christie® returns as the Official Digital Projection Partner of the Toronto International Film Festival® (TIFF), from September 8-18, welcoming back audiences to celebrate the best of Canadian and international cinema in person with screenings, special events and industry conference sessions.
More Sonic Equipment Company News:
Jan 20, 2022 CinemaNext Signs Joint Distribution Partnership Agreement with Kansas-based Sonic Equipment Company
Jan 2, 2019 B&B Theatres President Bob Bagby Announces Sale of Sonic Equipment Company
Oct 24, 2017 Sonic Equipment selects CIELO to deliver best-in-class support services to over 1000 screens in the US
Nov 12, 2015 B&B Theatres Selects Christie Solaria Projectors and Christie Vive Audio to Power All Screens at the New Wentzville 12 Missouri Location
Christie Logo
Christie®, a leader in creating and sharing the world's best visual and audio experiences, announced it is the exclusive provider of digital cinema projection and high performance speaker technology for Missouri’s newest B&B Theatres Wentzville Tower 12, located in Wentzville, which opened on November 5.

Sep 8, 2015 Sonic Equipment Company Announces Ron Hageman as New Executive Director
May 15, 2015 Sonic Equipment Company Hires Former Wehrenberg Chief Engineer Dan Herron as STL District Tech
Apr 1, 2014 Sonic Equipment Company Celebrates Milestone with Installation of 1,000 Christie Digital Cinema Projectors
Christie Logo
Christie®, a global leader in digital cinema technology, is proud to announce an impressive achievement from long-term partner, Sonic Equipment Company, which recently reached a milestone with the installation of its 1,000th Christie Solaria® Series DLP Cinema® projector.

Apr 11, 2013 Business Day to Feature Sonic Equipment
Aug 8, 2012 NATO of Kansas & Missouri Is Proud to Announce Show A Rama 2013
Apr 24, 2012 Sonic Equipment Company Joins Forces with Arnold Park Digital to Address the Challenges Faced by Art House Theatres and Independent Exhibitors
©Copyright 2003 - 2023 WHMCC, LLC .
| Contact | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
All rights reserved.
banner