Multiple Movie Studios Planning on Showing Content in Technicolor 3D
Hollywood (Calif), Paris (France), October 22, 2009 - Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS), through its Technicolor Business Group, today announced support from multiple major motion picture studios for the release of theatrical content presented in Technicolor 3D, a high-quality 3D solution that works with existing 35mm projectors that was announced last month. DreamWorks Animation, Lionsgate, Paramount, Overture, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., and The Weinstein Company are working with the company to deliver content for presentation in Technicolor 3D.
With the continuing success of 3D movies at the box office, 17 3D titles have already been announced for 2010 release, with more expected from several distributors. The studios noted above account for the majority of these titles, including How to Train Your Dragon, Piranha 3D, Shrek Forever After, Despicable Me, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, Friday the 13th: Part 2; Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Alpha and Omega, Burst, Oobermind, and Yogi Bear.
Additionally, Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. has agreed to enter into a marketing and technology arrangement with Technicolor and will provide their customers with the necessary post production and film printing services to deliver Technicolor's 3D solution. Kodak and FUJIFILM have also announced support of the Technicolor 3D solution and will be working with Technicolor and Deluxe to ensure their film stocks are delivering the highest quality possible for the Technicolor 3D experience.
"The Technicolor 3D rollout substantially increases the 3D theatrical footprint, delivering to studios a larger platform for reaching masses of moviegoers - and thereby increasing the box office for distributors and exhibitors" said Frederic Rose, Chairman and CEO of Thomson. "Technicolor is thrilled to extend our partnerships with these top studios and other key industry players to address the 3D gap and ensure every exhibitor that wants quality 3D will be able to afford it."
Numbers show 3D is a driver of ticket sales with 3D engagements outperforming 2D by more than 2-to-1 in attendance and even greater in box office. Prior to Technicolor's 3D solution, 90 percent of theatre screens in the U.S. were not able to provide a 3D experience to moviegoers. The Technicolor 3D solution will provide a solution to immediately bridge the gap until digital cinema can be more widely rolled out, providing additional screens to advance the medium of 3D to mainstream levels.
About Technicolor 3D
Announced earlier this year, Technicolor has innovated a high-quality, affordable 3D solution that works with existing 35mm projectors. Technicolor puts high quality 3D within economic reach of all theatre circuits, allowing them to complement 2D engagements and benefit from incremental revenue generated from increased ticket sales and ticket sale surcharges. The Technicolor 3D Solution is an opportunity to deploy 3D immediately, without waiting for financing to be available for digital conversion and can not only bridge the gap until such financing can be put in place, but actually help generate the funds required by distribution and exhibition to pay for the conversion.
According to exit polling interviews conducted by independent research firm OTX, moviegoers ranked Technicolor 3D as being comparable to digital 3D cinema technologies.
How the Technicolor 3D Solution Works
The Technicolor 3D Solution employs a propriety "production to projection" system that leverages 35mm (or film) projectors already in use by 90 percent of U.S. and international theatres today to deliver high-quality 3D content to moviegoers. A patent-pending lens system assembles the left and right eye images as the film runs through the projector and delivers a 3D ready image onto a silver screen. The solution works with circular polarized glasses--identical to the ones used for existing digital 3D cinema--to "translate" the film's content into an image that is perceived by the viewer as being three dimensional. The silver screen can be used for the projection of both Technicolor 3D as well as digital 3D content. The Technicolor 3D Solution can be installed nearly immediately. No build-out or significant modifications of the projection booth are required.
***
Notice
Thomson is a société anonyme listed on the Euronext Paris and the New York Stock Exchange. This press release contains certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives, based on certain assumptions and include any statement which does not directly relate to a historical fact or a current fact. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as, without limitation, "anticipate", "assume", "believe", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "foresee", "intend", "will", "should", "would" and "could" and similar expressions. Such forward- looking statements are based on management's current plans, assumptions and projections and should be considered with caution. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements, because, by their nature, they are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond Thomson's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed, forecasted or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are based on a number of important factors including, but not limited to, risks relating to Thomson's balance sheet restructuring, economic and market developments, risks specific to Thomson's activities including the operation of its business in concentrated markets, changes in consumer demand, changes in the Media & Entertainment industry, technological changes, competition, risks relating to changes in the licensing business, risks relating to third-party suppliers and partners, risks relating to the protection of and access to intellectual property, economic and social conditions, market risks, changes in exchange rates, environmental risks, changes in global economic and business conditions, litigation risks and risks relating to regulatory procedures. For a more complete list and description of such risks and uncertainties, refer to Thomson's Form 20-F and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Thomson's Rapport Annuel and other filings with the French Autorité des marchés financiers. Thomson disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements to take into account new information, future events, developments, changes in assumptions or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.
***
About Thomson:
Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS) is a worldwide leader of services to content creators. http://www.thomson.net
Press contacts: 33 (0)1 41 86 53 93
Investor relations: 33 (0)1 41 86 55 95
Shareholder Relations:
This information is provided by HUGIN
