Technicolor Reaches Digital Cinema Pact

Thomson and its Technicolor Digital Cinema division locked into an agreement with National Amusements Inc. to install digital cinema equipment in 14 theaters, the company announced Tuesday. Los Angeles is one of three markets where Camarillo-based Technicolor will test the equipment as part of an overall rollout to set up digital systems for 5,000 screens in the next three to four years. The company is excited to work with National Amusements in the transition from film projection to digital projections, said Technicolor Theatrical Services President Joe Berchtold, in a statement. “With its impressive portfolio of theatres, and strong commitment to advancing the customer experience through the newest technologies, National Amusements is an ideal partner for Technicolor Digital Cinema as it aggressively moves ahead with its strategic equipment deployment initiatives,” Berchtold said. Technicolor has usage agreements with five major studios to support its plans for distribution of digital cinema content and systems. The studios have agreed to distribute content digitally throughout the United States and Canada, and pay a virtual print fee to Thomson for screens equipped with Technicolor Digital Cinema systems, beginning in the third quarter of 2006.