NAB Digital Cinema Summit was a huge success this year. Focusing more on 3-D production, and less on digital cinema itself (your author’s panel being one of the very few on digital cinema), the event pulled in so many participants that additional seating had to be added at several points during the first day. This was a welcome contrast to SMPTE’s discussions with NAB in January, where NAB wanted to reduce the event to a single day because it did not believe that there was sufficient interest. The DCS event is a money maker for SMPTE, and it was good to see the standards organization succeed.
XpanD filed a lawsuit against Li-Tek Corporations Company and Global Digital Creations Holding Limited, the parent company of GDC Technology, presumably for stealing its 3-D shutter glasses design. Dr. Chong, CEO of GDC Technology, and GDC Technology itself, are included in named defendants.
Katzenberg strikes back against Clash of the Titans. The Friday of its release, Katzenberg was published in a now famous interview in Variety criticizing Warner Bros choice to cheaply and poorly convert Clash from 2-D to 3-D. He was right in saying that the audience is entitled to quality 3-D if the format is to survive. What he could have added is that digital cinema needs 3-D to be successful if the digital cinema rollout worldwide is to succeed. DCIP is only funded to convert 2/3 of its cinema owner’s screens, which will lead to 50% of US screens converted to digital in 3-5 years. It’s the demand for 3-D that is causing the remaining US exhibitors to install digital cinema, as well as for exhibitors around the world.