Christie®, a global leader in
digital cinema projection and audio technologies, announced today that it has
entered into an agreement with
Wanda Film Holding, a subsidiary of Wanda Group and the Asia’s largest cinema operator, to
jointly establish a research and development (R&D) center for cinema
technology within the Wanda Studios’ site in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
The Wanda-Christie Cinema Technology
Center of Excellence (CTCE) will be solely owned by Wanda Film Holding, with
Christie as the sole partner to exclusively operate the high-tech facility for
advanced R&D of digital cinema projection systems, including:
·
customized
RGB laser projection technology for Wanda Film Holding and its global
affiliates
·
RGB
laser retrofit solutions for Xenon projection systems
·
cinema
solutions for Wanda’s premium large format auditoriums (in the areas of projection,
audio, screen and 3D/4D technology)
·
LED cinema
screens
·
service
solutions for network operation centers, and
·
Testing
of Xenon lamps versus competitive illumination technology.
John Zeng, President, Wanda
Film Holding, said, “We’re pleased to once again collaborate with our
longstanding partner Christie to set up the CTCE at our Studios site in
Qingdao. This is a landmark agreement that will elevate the relationship of
both companies to new heights. I’m confident that with Christie’s strong
commitment to technological innovation, particularly in RGB laser, we can
achieve the objectives of staying at the forefront of cutting-edge cinema
technologies and to continue providing high-quality, innovative shared
experiences for our customers.”
“We are honored to work
with Wanda Film Holding in setting up this state-of-the-art R&D facility
with the common goal of exploring technology solutions to enhance the cinema
experience and to ensure that the brick and mortar cinema remains consumers’
top choice for watching movies,” said Jack Kline, Chairman, President and CEO
of all of Christie’s operating companies, worldwide. “This agreement is the
result of the deep and mutually-satisfying relationship that both companies
have embarked on for almost a decade, and which has seen productive engagements
ever since. With the CTCE, we look forward to advancing our laser and
illumination technologies, and continuing to put Wanda Film Holding at the
forefront of the film industry across the globe.”
The CTCE will assist
Wanda and Christie in areas such as the selection of laser/illumination
technology, including guidance on choosing the best retrofit technology where
appropriate for Xenon-to-RGB laser technology globally to Christie’s installed
base of more than 60,000 digital cinema projectors worldwide. Additionally, the
site will serve as a guide for Christie’s product development, especially for
any customized products to be supplied exclusively to Wanda or any of its
affiliates. Christie will also use CTCE as its primary commercial test site for
all new cinema products.
Wanda Film Holding and
Christie will officially open the CTCE at a ceremony in Wanda Studios on April
27, during which senior executives from both companies will unveil a plaque
marking this new joint collaboration. The event will also be attended by
officials from China’s Ministry of Science and Technology based in Qingdao.
Prior to this
collaboration, Wanda Film Holding had signed an exclusive strategic partnership
agreement with Christie to install several
thousand Christie Solaria® Series 2K and 4K digital cinema projectors, as well as the
Christie
Vive Audio™ solution in selected theaters.
As well, Wanda Film Holding
and Christie have embarked on initiatives in recent years to promote the
technology, branding and market development of Wanda’s “Hall 9” auditoriums, some
of which are equipped with
Christie RGB laser projection and Vive Audio cinema sound system, such as
Beijing’s CBD Wanda Plaza, Tongzhou Wanda Plaza and Shanghai’s Wujiaochang
Wanda Cinema.
