MUMBAI: Kodak has been selected to power the digital transition of the legendary Santikos Theatres chain in Texas. Full Kodak Digital Cinema systems will be installed on all screens of the newly-constructed Silverado 19 in Houston and on nine screens in current Palladium theatre in San Antonio. All installations will be done by Kodak and include several models of Barco Premiere projectors, depending on screen size and requirements.

“Kodak brought the right package to us,” said director of business development for the circuit Richard Cieplechowicz. “Our people had seen their systems in a working environment and knew they were reliable, but the depth of their technology appealed to us also. Our company is growing; we’re always refreshing our operations in San Antonio and now we also are bringing the Santikos brand to movie-goers elsewhere. The Kodak system is designed to grow with us.”

“The strongest partnerships come when brands complement each other,” said Kodak Digital Cinema director of sales for North America Chris Simpson. “Santikos Theatres knows how to provide a quality cinema experience to their guests. Kodak offers the right system to deliver that. This is a relationship where we’ll each do what we do best – and the movie-goers will benefit.”

At the heart of each cinema is the Kodak Theatre Management System (TMS). Connected to the complex’s ticketing system, the TMS loads and directs all motion pictures, trailers and other pre-show content to the proper screen, providing a seamless, accurate, and polished presentation.

“The central management of all cinema content is a new concept for everyone,” said Simpson.  “Kodak has extensive experience doing that consistently and creatively with our pre-show installations and we’re applying that to our digital feature systems. This new capability has the potential to make a huge difference in our customer’s operational flexibility and workflow efficiencies in the future.”

In addition to the central Theatre Management Systems, a Kodak Content Player JMN3000 will be installed on each screen. The player handles a full range of feature content, in 2D or 3D, from local language movies to major studio releases, and from documentaries to work by independent filmmakers. 

Kodak is also handling all training and support, including remote monitoring of systems and on-site maintenance as required. “What Kodak is really selling,” said Simpson, “is peace of mind.”