What's Happening: July 2001 - December 2001

December 19, 2001: BoardPerfect, the newest entry in the Giant Screen projection industry, sells its first 8/70 systems to United Artists
Joining the increasing number of companies offering 8/70 projectors for Giant Screen theaters, BoardPerfect Inc. (BPI) recently sold its first two systems for use in United Artists theaters at King of Prussia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Colorado Center in Denver, Colorado. BPI has also sold two additional systems to United Artists, to be installed at as-yet-unnamed locations in 2002. The King of Prussia theater formerly housed an IMAX® projection system (from June 2000 through May 2001), while the Denver UA Theater rented an IMAX projector for a four-month period to show "Fantasia 2000" nearly two years ago. At least 8 8/70 theaters have opened this year, and at least 9 more will open on or around January 1st, 2002 (in time to show "Beauty and the Beast," which premieres that day to over 100 theaters worldwide). Of those 17, no less than 4 manufacturers are providing the projectors. (Editor's Note: Other 8/70 providers include Kinoton GmBh, MegaSystems, Christie, Ballantyne and Iwerks. IMAX Corporation supplies nearly all 15/70 projectors, although a few have been provided by Iwerks and Advanced Image Systems.)

BPI sales director Robert Bower pointed out that the company's 8/70 projectors differ from both the IMAX 15/70 projector and other 8/70 competitors (except Kinoton, who recently sold 4 systems to Edwards Cinemas) in that they're controlled electronically, rather than mechanically. Said Bower of the distinction: "The goal with the electronic projector is to have control over jitter, ghosting, etc. so the electronics can correct for these automatically while the picture is being shown. The mechanical projector has adjustments to correct for these same items but require manual intervention. This means that a human must notice the problem and decide to make the adjustment while the electronics takes care of it automatically." BPI will be marketing the projectors under the name WESTREX, a company that current CEO Charles Fox owned in the nineties. Fox stated that several members of the former WESTREX team have joined him in his latest venture. For more information on BoardPerfect Inc. and its "Electronic Projection System BPI70 - 5/8 projector, you may visit their web site.

December 11, 2001: Anschutz' Walden Media to Partner with Giant Screen Films on "Stomp"
Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz, whose empire includes a significant stake in several major theater chains, is helping back the upcoming Big Movie, "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey," through his family-friendly media company, Walden Films. Walden, who is already involved with another Giant Screen film (producing James Cameron's "Ghosts of the Abyss"), will "retain the rights to all TV, homevideo/DVD, albums and other ancillary products." (Click here to read the entire Variety press release.) "Pulse," slated for a May 2002 release, will be based on the long-running and successful stage show "Stomp." Directed by "Stomp" creators Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell, the film will be co-produced by James D. Stern Productions and distributed by Giant Screen Films.

December 3, 2001: IMAX® and NASCAR to make stock-car racing film
IMAX Corporation today announced a deal with the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) to produce an IMAX film about stock car racing, one of the fastest-growing and most popular spectator sports in America. IMAX plans to begin production in 2002, and release the film worldwide in 2003. For more information:
Click here to read the IMAX press release.
Click here to read the Variety press release.

November 16, 2001: GSTA Forms Task Force to Address Problems of Industry Economics
The Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA), responding to the results of the Economic Impact Study it commissioned earlier this year, has formed a Task Force to improve the economics of its industry. The Study concludes that the industry's financial model "is not working adequately for all concerned," and offers several recommendations for addressing the problem. The task force is composed of 10 members from the production, distribution and exhibition arms of the industry.
Click here to read the GSTA press release.

November 13, 2001: Shindler Sees Untapped Potential in Giant Screen Film Home Video Market
According to a study released this year, one of the ways Giant Screen producers can increase revenues is to take better advantage of ancillary markets for their films -- including home video. The report, produced by Marty and Roberta Shindler of "The Shindler Perspective," was commissioned by the Giant Screen Theater Association to determine the current economic condition of the industry, and come up with recommendations to improve it. (The report can be purchased from the GSTA web site.)

According to a recent article in Video Store magazine, it appears that the industry has begun to take the advice to heart. Warner Home Video has released seven titles this year, and reports strong sales at retailers such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy. Image Entertainment is planning a promotional campaign for its Giant Screen titles during the first part of 2002, and Slingshot Entertainment has just released the first-ever 3-D DVDs with a 3-D home viewing system.

November 8, 2001: John Travolta Children's Book -- A Giant Screen Film?
Actor/director Rob Morrow wants to make John Travolta's 1997 children's book, "Propeller One-Way Night Coach: A Story," into a Giant Screen movie. Morrow, whose Hollywood movie "Maze" recently premiered, has bought the option for the book from Travolta and his partner/manager, Jonathan Krane. The movie, according to Morrow, would be 80% animated, but live-action sequences would include Travolta flying his own plane.
Click here to read the Fox News story.
Click here to read the People News story.

November 7, 2001: First National Amusements IMAX® Theater to Open at Ritzy New West L.A. Entertainment Complex
National Amusements Inc. will open its first-ever IMAX Theater on January 1, 2002, at "The Bridge," its new 17-screen multiplex and entertainment complex in West Los Angeles, according to an announcement released today by IMAX Corporation. Located in Howard Hughes Center's new retail and office development called "The Promenade," the IMAX 3D theater will open with Beauty and the Beast, which is premiering exclusively in Giant Screen Theaters worldwide January 1st. Prior to the construction of The Promenade, the Howard Hughes location housed a temporary IMAX Theater built solely to show Fantasia 2000, the Giant Screen version of the Disney classic animated film which opened on January 1, 2000. There has been talk of a permanent IMAX Theater being part of the multiplex ever since the Promenade development was announced, but no confirmation until today.

The Bridge entertainment complex, a joint effort between National Amusements and CineBridge ventures, strives to provide a new experience in movie-going -- featuring such amenities as concierge services, "directors' hall" auditoriums with premium wide leather seating, and a restaurant lounge area with full-service bar. The companies plan to export the concept to select cities in the U.S. as well as Europe. (more info on The Bridge theater)
Click here to read the IMAX Corporation press release.

November 5, 2001: Tom Cruise to Narrate "Space Station 3D"
IMAX Corporation today announced that movie star Tom Cruise, a multiple Academy Award® nominee, will narrate the newest IMAX® Space film, Space Station (3D), which is set to release in the Spring of 2002. In the press release, Cruise states that he and his family are long-time IMAX® film fans, and that he's "honored to participate" on the film project.
Click here to read the REUTERS press release.
Click here to read the press release.

October 29, 2001: Special 'Panda' Screening to Open Shanghai Theater
A special screening of China: The Panda Adventure will open the new IMAX Theatre at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum in China. The theatre will open informally on December 18, 2001, but the screening will take place Jan 1, 2002 kicking off "Panda Week" in Shanghai, sponsored by Visa. Those who purchase IMAX tickets with their Visa will get a special behind-the-scenes tour of the museum. Visa is also "adopting" Chuan Chuan, one of two Giant Pandas at the Shanghai Zoo, through next October, and Visa users will receive a 10% discount at the zoo, as well.
Click here to read the press release.

October 2001: GREAT NORTH Wins Two Awards at Long Beach Film Festival
Last month in Long Beach, CA, Great North received the "Best Feature Film" and "Best Cinematography" awards at the 2001 Long Beach International Film Festival. The Festival, open to American and International short and feature films (conventional and Large Format), strives to honor "works that exemplify a positive and responsible contribution to our industry, community, and society." Great North, released in 2000, was directed by Martin Dignard and William Reeves, and is distributed by TVA International.
Click here to view all the winners from this year's festival.

October 18, 2001: OCEAN OASIS Inspires Vicente Fox to Declare Nature Preserve in Sea of Cortez Region
As reported in July by BMZ (see earlier news brief), Mexican President Vicente Fox has decided to create a nature preserve in the Sea of Cortez region after seeing the film, Ocean Oasis. Produced and directed by biologist and environmentalist turned filmmaker Soames Summerhays, one of the film's major goals is to inspire the protection of the region, located in the Gulf of California, by vividly displaying its natural beauty and the fragility of its ecostystem.
Read press release.

October 18, 2001: IMAX Corp. Honors Post-production 'Guru' and Lifetime Big Movie Devotee David Keighley With First-Ever 'Special Achievement Award'
At the annual GSTA trade conference in Chicago last month, IMAX presented "technical pioneer" David Keighley with the "Special Achievement in Film" Award, honoring him for his passionate lifetime commitment, and outstanding contributions to the Big Movie industry. Keighley, President of IMAX subsidiary DKP 70MM, has been an industry leader in image quality assurance and postproduction for 25 years. Before that, Keighley served as director and director of photography on some of the first IMAX films, such as North of Superior.
Read press release.

October 15, 2001: AMAZING JOURNEYS Wins Chris Award at Columbus International Film & Video Festival
According to a recent press release, Amazing Journeys has received a prestigious "Chris Award" at the 49th Annual Columbus International Film & Video Festival, "one of the most prestigious documentary, entertainment and informational competitions in the country, and the oldest of its kind." There were over 700 entries in this year's festival, only 10% of which won an award. Contestants compete "primarily on the basis of fulfilling their stated purpose and design for their target audience as well as their quality and importance."
- Read press release.
- Visit Chris Awards web site.

October 11, 2001: OCEAN OASIS Wins "Best Theatrical Program" at Jackson Hole Film Festival
According to a recent press release, Ocean Oasis won the "Best Theatrical Program" Award at last month's Jackson Hole Film Festival, one of the top natural history film festivals in the world. The award recognizes "the best natural history program produced for large-format or conventional motion picture theaters that most effectively advances an appreciation of the natural world..." There were only 16 winners out of a field of over 690 entrants in the festival, held every two years in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Produced by Summerhays Films, in collaboration with PRONATURA (a prominent Mexican Conservation Agency) and the San Diego Natural History Museum), Ocean Oasis premiered in September of 2000 and is currently exhibited in 14 theaters worldwide.
Read press release.

October 3, 2001: IMAX Corporation Hopes 2002 Film Line-Up Will Boost Financial Position
IMAX Corporation co-CEO Richard Gelfond told Reuters today that there's "never in the history of Imax . . . been a film slate like there is in 2002." Gelfond cited films such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "Space Station 3-D" as providing his company with "strong hopes for revenue growth." Financial difficulties and bancruptcies afflicting many of the largest theater chains over the last 12-14 months has negatively affected IMAX Corporation's stock price and financial position.
Read Reuters Story.

October 2, 2001: Picture Lock Completed on David Breashears' "Kiliminjaro: To the Roof of Africa"
In a press release issued Monday, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, veteran Big Movie distributor of films such as "Africa: the Serengeti" and "Alaska: Spirit of the Wild," announced that picture lock had been completed on its next giant screen release, "Kiliminjaro: To the Roof of Africa." The film, being produced and directed by "Everest" Co-Director David Breashears and slated for a March 2002 release, chronicles six climbers as they trek up the largest freestanding mountain in the world.
Read press release.

September 26, 2001: Disney Making LF Version of "The Lion King," and in production on "Ultimate X" and "The Young Black Stallion"
According to sources close to Big Movie Zone, Disney earlier this week announced that a Large Format version of its hit 1994 animated film, "The Lion King," is currently in production, and is scheduled for release exclusively to Big Movie theaters on January 1, 2003. The announcement came after a private screening of the Big Movie version of "Beauty and the Beast" at the Regal IMAX Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The screening, coinciding with the annual GSTA Industry Conference, was open only to a select group of Large Format theater personnel. The screening also included sneak previews from two other Disney Big Movies -- "Ultimate X," based on ESPN's extreme-sports based competition, the X-Games; and "The Young Black Stallion," a prequel to Disney's "The Black Stallion."

September 26, 2001: Porsche to Sponsor MFF's "Science of Speed"; Film Will Feature Olympian Marion Jones, among others
In a company press release issued September 19, Laguna Beach, CA - based production company MacGillivray Freeman Films announced that German Sports Car manufacturer Porsche would support a multi-million dollar advertising and promotional campaign for "The Science of Speed (working title)," the sequel to the company's successful 1984 Big Movie, "Speed." In the same release, MFF also confirmed that five-time Olympic medallist Marion Jones, known as "the fastest woman in the world," would join three other top "athletes/professionals whose lives revolve around the never-ending pursuit of speed."
Read press release.

September 25, 2001: GSTA Announces 2001 Award Winners at Annual Conference in Chicago; IMAX Corp. Announces Founders Award Recipients, Honors New IMAX® Hall of Fame Inductee
The Giant Screen Theater Association, the oldest and largest trade group representing the Big Movie industry, announced this year's film and MAC (Marketing Achievment and Creativity) award winners at a Gala Dinner held at the Navy Pier in Chicago, IL. Before a crowd of hundreds of industry participants last Saturday night, "Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure" took the prize for Best Film and Best Cinematography, while "Dolphins" earned the top prize in a newly created category, the Lifelong Learning Award. Best Soundtrack went to "All Access". Distribution and theater marketing awards were also given. A complete list of winners can be found on a press release issued by the organization.

Immediately prior to the GSTA Awards, IMAX Corporation announced the recipients of its "Founders Award" -- the Cinesphere at Ontario Place in Toronto; and the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in San Diego and its Executive Director, Jeffrey Kirsch -- and inducted MacGillivray Freeman Films' "To Fly" into the IMAX® Hall of Fame. The Cinesphere was the first permanent IMAX Theatre in the world, while the RH Fleet Science Center housed the first IMAX Dome Theatre. MFF's "To Fly" is the longest running ticketed film ever to show in one location anywhere in the world, having run continuously at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for over 25 years, and is one of the highest-grossing documentary films of all time. The President of IMAX Corporation's film processing unit, David Keighley, was also honored at the ceremony, earning the Special Achievement in Film Award. Keighley was the first recipient of this award, which recognizes a special achievement of any kind within the film production area. For more on the awards presented by IMAX Corp., see their press release.

September 18, 2001: First AMPAS Seminar on Documentaries Ever to Include Big Movie Producer as Panelist
For four Wednesdays next month, beginning October 3rd, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) will host a seminar titled, "Theatrical Documentaries in the Digital Age." Held in Beverly Hills, California, the series "will offer a detailed look at the evolving world of the motion picture documentary from the perspective of its most dynamic filmmakers," and "is intended to serve as a celebration of the Academy's new Documentary Branch." The Seminar's second session, to be held October 10th, will feature MacGillivray Freeman Producer Alec Lorimore as one of the panelists. Coinciding with the seminar is the 20th Annual Contemporary Documentary Series, presented by the Academy Foundation of AMPAS and the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and showcasing feature-length and short documentaries drawn primarily from the 2000 Academy Award® nominations. Among the free, open to the public screenings will be two Big Movies -- the Academy Award® - nominated DOLPHINS; and GALAPAGOS -- to be shown at the California Science Center on December 11, 2001. For more information, visit the AMPAS web site at www.oscars.org.

September 15, 2001: BMZ Nominated For 2001 Surfers Choice Internet Award - Broadband Category
BigMovieZone.com has been nominated for the prestigious Surfers Choice Award in the Broadband category for the year 2001. (Surfers Choice awards come out on a monthly AND an annual basis.) Other nominees in the category include HBO.com and WembleyTV.com. Established in 1995, concurrent with the birth of the World Wide Web, the Surfers Choice Awards(TM) have become a recognized and well-respected Internet Award. To learn more about the Surfers Choice Awards, visit their web site at www.surferschoiceawards.com.

September 15, 2001: National Army Museum to Include IMAX Theater
According to a Washington Post story this week, the U.S. Army has chosen Fort Belvoir (southern Fairfax County, Virginia) as the site for a national Army museum, one component of which will be an IMAX Theater. Organizers hope that the museum, which might draw more than 1 million visitors annually, will also house a conference center, and research and preservation facilities. The "first phase" of the museum is expected to open by November 2005, but it is unclear whether that will encompass the IMAX Theater.

September 14, 2001: MFF to Film Bike Racer at World Mountain Biking Championships For "Science of Speed"
MacGillivray Freeman Films will be at the World Mountain Biking Championships in Vail, Colorado this weekend to film female downhill racer Maria Streb. The footage is intended for its upcoming release The Science of Speed, the sequel to MFF's 1984 hit film Speed. The new film "will look at the ongoing quest for humans to reach ever higher speeds, from the self-propelled locomotion of track and field star Marion Jones to race car drivers. (Source: www.bicycling.com.)

September 6, 2001: Paradise FX to Begin Production on Narrative 3D/2D Big Movie Shot in 24P HD
In a recent company newsletter, visual effects, 3D and special venue specialists Paradise FX, led by principals Tim Thomas and Max Penner, announced plans to begin production on a 50-minute Big Movie drama to be shot entirely in 24P HD, and output to 15/70 film for 3D and 2D distribution. The film, "Across the Empty Quarter," will tell the story of "a 13-year old boy coming of age during a journey across the famous Empty Quarter in the Arabian desert."
(For more information, visit the Paradise FX web site at http://www.paradisefx.com/.)

September 5, 2001: Edwards Theatres Officially Announces Re-Opening of 4 Giant Screens
In a press release issued August 30, Edwards Theatres Circuit Inc. formally announced that it would re-open four of the six former "IMAX® theatres," using an alternative Big Movie projection manufacturer and renaming them "Edwards Giant Screen Theatres." The theatres in Irvine, Santa Clarita and Ontario, CA and Houston, Texas, will open in time for the release of "Beauty and the Beast" on the Big Movie screen, while the Fresno, CA and Boise, ID locations will remain shuttered.
(For more information, see news entries below from August 15, 2001; August 1, 2001; and July 2, 2001.)

August 30, 2001: Jeffrey Marvin, Scholastic Entertainment to Develop Film on Dogs
Jeffrey Marvin Productions and Scholastic Entertainment Inc. are joining forces to develop "Hot Dog(wt)," a Big Movie centering on the role of dogs throughout human history. Jeffrey Marvin has produced several Big Movies, including the Oscar®-nominated IMAX® film Cosmic Voyage, and Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance, released earlier this year. Scholastic Entertainment, Inc. is the entertainment and media division of Scholastic Inc., a global publishing and media company who produces children's programming in television and film. The film, set to release in mid-2003, will showcase "the tireless determination of these devoted creatures, and applaud the enduring partnership between man and his best friend."
Read press release.

August 29, 2001: Three Big Movies are Finalists at 2001 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
The 2001 Jackson Hole Wildlife Festival, to be held September 24 through September 29 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has chosen three Big Movies as the finalists for the "Best Theatrical Program" category (each category has three finalists): Galapagos, Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance; and Ocean Oasis. The "Best Theatrical" category, one of 16 at the festival, is awarded "to the program produced for large format or conventional motion picture theaters that most effectively advances an appreciation of the natural world." (Information provided to BigMovieZone.com from festival organizers. Please visit the Jackson Hole Wildlife Festival web site for further information.)

August 20, 2001: nWave and WWF-Netherlands to Produce 4D Attraction and 3D Big Movie Centered on Environmental Conservation
The Netherlands branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has teamed up with nWave Pictures Haunted Castle, 3D Mania) and Efteling Theme Park in Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands to create a 4-Dimensional Attraction and 3D/2D Large Format Film based on environmental conservation. "The PandaVision Experience," a 100% computer-animated, 10-minute Theme Park Attraction will be released in the Spring of 2002, while "S.O.S. Planet," the 40-minute documentary film based on the attraction will open in the Summer of 2002. As it has done with several previous full-length Big Movies (Alien Adventure, Encounter in the Third Dimension), nWave will use a short, attraction or "ride" film as the basis for a feature-length Large Format Film. However, whereas the earlier films were primarily aimed at commercial theaters, the new project clearly targets the established network of institutional Big Movie Theaters. Although this isn't WWF's first involvement in the Big Movie industry (the worldwide organization is also currently sponsoring "China: the Panda Adventure"), the attraction film component (and its incorporation into the longer film) represents an attempt "to surprise the public with [an] original and creative environmental experience designed for all ages to enjoy," according to WWF-Netherlands' Director Hans Voortman.
Read press release.

August 15, 2001: At Least 4 of the 6 Edwards IMAX® Theatres to Reopen With New Big Movie Projection Systems
After shutting down all six of its IMAX Theaters just two weeks ago (see news brief below -- Aug. 1, 2001), it appears that Edwards will reopen at least four of them, using an as-yet unnamed Big Movie projection system manufacturer. According to Disney's web site for the re-release of "Beauty and the Beast" on the Big Movie screen, four Edwards "Giant Screen Theatres" have booked the film for its January 1, 2002 release: Irvine, CA; Santa Clarita, CA; Ontario, CA; and Houston, TX. Still unclear is the projection format of the four theatres slated to reopen (15/70, or 8/70), and the fate of the other two locations (Boise, ID and Fresno, CA).

August 13, 2001: NSYNC Executive Producers to Collaborate on MotoCross Big Movie,
Linda Nelson and Michael Madison, Executive Producers of the 2001 Big Movie NSYNC: Bigger Than Live, today announced the forming of a new production and distribution company, Nelson Madison Films. "Edge of Fear," a Big Movie exploring the sport of motocross, will be their first planned project with the newly-formed company. [Editor's Note: NSYNC was produced and distributed by Really Big Film Corp., a company formed by Nelson, Madison and two other Co-Executive Producers. The relationship between RBFC and Nelson Madison is unkown, as is the future of RBFC after NSYNC.] Produced with George Baker and Betty Figiel of TriStar Investment, the film will include race footage as well as a behind-the-scenes peek at the culture which inspires the sport. As with their NSYNC film, Nelson and Madison have an uncharacteristically short production schedule planned: shooting will begin in October of 2001, with the film's anticipated premiere in May of 2002. [Editor's note: Big Movies often take 2-3 years or more from the time filming begins to release. NSYNC took about 7 months, while EDGE OF FEAR hopes to achieve the same timeframe.]
Read press release.

August 10, 2001: James Cameron, Walden Media Team Up For Sunken Ship Film; "Ghosts of the Abyss" Will Be First Big Movie Shot With a Digital Camera
Walden Media, an educational production company owned by Anschutz Co., and James Cameron's Earthship Productions announced yesterday plans for a 45-minute Big Movie documentary exploring the wreckage of two famous sunken ships: the Titanic, and the German WWII battleship Bismarck. "Ghosts of the Abyss" (working title) will chronicle a six-week expedition on the Russian research vessel Akademic Mistislav Keldysh, the largest oceanographic research vessel in the world and the same one used in Cameron's 1993 film "Titanic." The film will be shot using Sony digital 3D video-cameras Cameron has developed, making it the first Big Movie not to be shot with conventional Big Movie cameras. The project, which fans will be able to track in real-time via streaming internet broadcast, will also include a 90-minute version of the documentary for DVD, TV and home video. Cameron's plans for a similar film, using footage shot for an ABC miniseries (see news brief below, dated June 20,2001), have been suspended indefinitely. Although he's been highly interested in Big Movies for a number of years, and has announced several potential projects, "Ghosts" will be Cameron's first-ever Large Format Film. Shooting will begin the week of August 13th, for a mid-2002 release. [Editor's note: James Cameron's "Ghosts of the Abyss" has no relation to another recently-announced Big Movie film involving underwater exploration, Stephen Low's "Volcanoes of the Abyss." (See earlier news brief announcing the completion of funding for "Volcanoes.")
- Read Hollywood Reporter press release.
- Read Reuters press release.

August 2, 2001: Edwards Closes its IMAX Screens
Edwards Theatres, which filed for bancruptcy protection earlier this year, closed its six IMAX Theatres yesterday. It is still unclear whether Edwards will reopen the Big Movie Theaters, using another Large Format projection system, or whether they will convert the locations into conventional (35mm) theaters. According to an article appearing in today's Business section of the LA TIMES, IMAX Corporation hopes to reopen at least two of other two locations, "either by taking over the lease or finding a new operator." (LOS ANGELES TIMES, C6 p. 1 - Thursday, August 2, 2001.) The closings stem from a dispute between over money Edwards allegedly owes IMAX Corporation. (See news brief from July 2, 2001 for more information on the decision.)

August 1, 2001: MTV Films and L-Squared Entertainment Partnering to Make Techno-Dance 3D Big Movie "Enigma 2013"
MTV Films, the feature film development and production division of MTV that releases films in conjunction with Paramount Pictures ("Save the Last Dance," "Varsity Blues") , and L-Squared Entertainment, whose Big Movie production credits include "Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box" and "T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous," have announced plans to co-produce a computer animated graphics 3D Big Movie, set to release in Summer 2002. "Enigma 2013," the first foray into Big Movies for MTV Films, "is a virtual world fueled by electronica music, mixed by today's hottest techno-dance artists, and will take viewers on a visual journey through the history of human consciousness." (Source: MTV Films and L-Squared Entertainment Press Release - July 16, 2001.)

August 1, 2001: Lightest 1570 Camera Ever to Debut Next Summer
Daedalus Corporation has recently announced the completion of the design phase of its "iXL1570" camera, engineered to address many of the logistical problems that have plagued conventional 1570 cameras. Its light weight (about the same as a Panavision 35mm camera used in feature films) will enable the first continuous Steadicam shots in Big Movies, and its "fixed loop magazine" will allow camera reload times of 30 seconds, versus five minutes or more for current 1570 cameras.
Read press release.

July 31, 2001: American Honda Motor to Sponsor "Pulse: a Stomp Odyssey"
An article in today's Wall Street Journal announced that Honda will contribute approximately $4 million dollars to "Pulse: a Stomp Odyssey," a Big Movie being produced by Giant Screen Sports, the makers of Michael Jordan to the Max. The film is based on the long-running Off-Broadway success "Stomp," in which "performers fashion music from the stuff of city streets," and will showcase the cast as they perform around the world, from Japan and Thailand to Brazil, India and South Africa. The deal is the latest in a string of major corporate sponsorship deals for Big Movies this year, including Verizon for All Access and Trane for China: the Panda Adventure. (See earlier news brief, below, on Trane's sponsorship of China.)

July 26, 2001: Mexican President Announces Intent to Preserve Gulf of CA Region at Ocean Oasis Premiere
Mexican President Vicente Fox attended the premiere of "Ocean Oasis" at the Papalote Children's Museum on June 26, and afterwards praised the film and announced plans to create a "Bio Sphere Reserve" in the Sea of Cortez region the film documents. BMZ today learned that a full-page ad will run in tomorrow's NEW YORK TIMES (Opinion/Editorial section), placed by a group of Conservation Organizations to thank Fox for his efforts to protect the islands and the waters that surround the islands seen in the film.

July 25, 2001: Filming For IMAX® 3D Space Movie is Complete With Landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis returned to earth late last night carrying the final reels of film shot for Space Station 3D, an upcoming IMAX 3D Film chronicling the on-orbit construction of the International Space Station. Atlantis' journey to the Space Station was the last of several major Shuttle missions with IMAX 3D Space Cameras since December 1998. Some 13 miles of film were shot by 25 specially-trained Astronauts and Cosmonauts.
Read press release.(Also see news brief below for more on the mission.)

July 18, 2001: IMAX Corporation and the Wolper Organization Team Up ForIMAX® Film, "Race to the Pole"
IMAX Corporation today announced that the Wolper Organization, winners of numerous Oscars® and Emmys® for its TV shows, TV movies and Hollywood film productions, has agreed to produce an IMAX® film for the first time. The film, titled "Race to the Pole" and slated for an early 2003 release, will chronicle two teams of elite adventure athletes as they race against each other and nature from the Equator to the North Pole. This is the second new film deal announced by President of Filmed Entertainment Greg Foster, who was hired by IMAX Corp. in an effort to recruit more "Hollywood" filmmakers to the Big Movie genre. The "Survivor"-like film will likely serve as a pilot for a new reality-based TV series. (See previous news brief, announcing veteran Hollywood executive Steve Oedekerk's plans to convert his TV Special, "Santa vs. the Snowman," into a 3D Big Movie.)
- Read press release from IMAX Corporation.
- Read Reuters/Variety press release.

July 12, 2001: Newly Discovered "Lost City" Will be Site in Upcoming Big Movie
Scientists probing the ocean floor this week announced the discovery of the tallest underwater formations ever -- a cluster of stone towers up to 18 stories high they named "Lost City." The hydrothermal vent system is not only the largest ever found, but it may house new life forms and provide a glimpse into Earth's earliest stages. Rutgers University oceanographer Richard Lutz hopes to relocate the city when he and his team begin filming deep-sea environments off the coast of the Atlantic for their upcoming Big Movie, Volcanoes of the Abyss." The fully-funded film will be directed by Stephen Low and co-executive-produced by James Cameron.
- Read press release about the discovery.
- See earlier news brief about VOLCANOES OF THE ABYSS.

July 12, 2001: Atlantis Takes off For International Space Station; more than one mile of IMAX® Film will be shot
The space shuttle Atlantis today launched from the Kennedy Air Force Base, on a mission to the International Space Station to install a 6.5-ton joint air lock. The air lock will allow astronauts and cosmonauts to conduct space walks without needing a docked shuttle. Personnel trained to use an IMAX camera will capture portions of the expedition for an upcmoing Big Movie, Space Station 3D, being produced by IMAX Space Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of IMAX Corporation), and sponsored by Lockheed Martin, in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Read press release.

July 12, 2001: Big Movie Industry Study Recommends Change in Economic Model
The Giant Screen Theater Association, the largest and oldest international association of Big Movie professionals, today announced the results of the GSTA Economic Impact Study©, authored by Marty and Roberta Shindler of The Shindler Perspective, Inc. GSTA, whose mission is "to be the global forum for the development and presentation of entertaining giant screen film experiences for lifelong learning," commissioned the study to determine the current economic model of the industry, and assess the factors affecting its future prosperity. The study, available for sale, found that the rapid expansion of the industry in recent years has brought the industry to a crossroads, necessitating a change in its long-standing economic model.
Read press release.

July 11, 2001: Trane, a Subsidiary of American Standard, to Sponsor "China: the Panda Adventure"
Trane, the air conditioning subsidiary of American Standard, will be the worldwide presenting sponsor of IMAX Coporation's latest film, "China: the Panda Adventure," according to a press release issued today. Trane President Jim Schultz stated that the sponsorship reflects the company's support of the film's conservation message, and represents their desire to associate with the IMAX® brand.
Read press release.

July 2, 2001: Edwards to Close all 6 IMAX Theatres by August 1
Following a hearing in bancruptcy court, and the resulting inability to settle an agreement with IMAX Corporation over money Edwards allegedly owes, commercial exhibition chain Edwards Theatres Circuit Inc. announced plans to close all six of its IMAX screens, four in Southern California and one each in Boise, Idaho and Houston, TX. The six Big Movie theaters, located in commercial multiplexes housing many other conventional (35mm) screens, will most likely be converted into 35mm screens; however, a source close to Big Movie Zone has also heard that Edwards is considering replacing some or all of the IMAX projectors with another large format projection system, such as MegaSystems or Iwerks.

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