Morristown, N.J.—Apr 20, 2006
Warner Bros. Studios Supports Christie/Aix Digital Cinema Funding Plan
Warner Bros. Studios Will Release Its Movies And Pay Virtual Print Fees For Digital System Rollout Now Under Way
Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT") (NASDAQ:AIXD) today announced it has received the commitment of Warner Bros. Studios to release future movies in digital format as part of Christie/AIX's digital cinema nationwide rollout. The sixth studio backing the plan, Warner Bros. will also pay Christie/AIX virtual print fees for each movie booked helping fund exhibitor adoption of digital cinema equipment.
Commenting on the agreement, Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, said: "Warner Bros. has been at the vanguard of advances that fundamentally enhance the entertainment experience. We are especially pleased to support this digital rollout. Digital is an important part of our long-term strategy and we look forward to providing our unique content in digital form to audiences.”
Bud Mayo, chairman and CEO of AccessIT, added: "Warner Bros.' embrace of new technology that enhances the movie-going experience spans as far back as the introduction of sound in movies. Their commitment to provide content for our digital systems further underscores that digital cinema is a reality, one that will profoundly change the entertainment industry. We are genuinely excited to have Dan and the entire Warner Bros. Pictures team on board and eagerly look forward to our exhibitor partners beginning to play digital versions of Warner Bros. movies."
The studio's productions will be available to participating exhibitors in the Christie/AIX program, which includes Christie CP2000 projectors featuring DLP Cinema® technology. Currently Christie/AIX has signed deals total close to 2,500 screens including Carmike Cinemas, Emagine Entertainment, Inc., Ultrastar, Galaxy Theatres, Cinetopia, and AccessIT’s own digital showcase Pavillion 9-plex in New York City
Jack Kline, president and COO of Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc., said: "Warner Bros. Pictures’ commitment to delivering digital titles is further affirmation to the industry that digital cinema has arrived. For the first time in a century, we’re experiencing a true revolution in theatre entertainment and we’re very excited that Warner Bros. Pictures will be an integral part of that revolution."
Strong support by Hollywood's major studios – Warner Bros. joins Disney, Fox, Universal, Sony, and DreamWorks – has enabled AccessIT to expand its original planned system installations from 2,500 to 4,000 screens. The company also is continuing late-stage negotiations with other studios including independent distributors to ensure that ultimately all movies can be available in digital versions.
The Christie/AIX-funded deployment of Christie DLP Cinema® projectors also includes media players, a central “library” server, two-way satellite communications, data storage equipment, Christie’s technical services, project management, and a 10-year maintenance plan which is designed to be comparable to exhibitors’ 35mm projection system maintenance agreements. The central servers feature AccessIT’s unique vendor-neutral Theater Command Centre (“TCC”) software, which allows all digitally-equipped screens in a multiplex to be networked, simplifying theater operations through centralized content management, scheduling and reporting.