Woodland Hills-based Hollywood Software announced today that it has signed an exclusive deal with Empire Cinemas, the largest independently-owned cinema chain in the United Kingdom, to use Hollywood Software’s TCC3 theatre management system (TMS) and its world-class FilmStore screen management system (SMS) in its highly-anticipated new 17-screen complex at Jarman Square, Hemel Hempstead. TCC3 and FilmStore are the only fully-integrated TMS / SMS solution for Digital Cinema.
"We are excited to see both of our products further expand into the international marketplace,” said David Gajda, Executive Chairman, Hollywood Software. “It is a testament to Hollywood Software’s products and services that they continue to expand in the marketplace as we celebrate the 10-year anniversary this month of the world’s first-ever commercial digital cinema installation, which Hollywood Software led.”
The TCC3 TMS connects theatres, centralizes content management and automates the transfer of features, trailers and encryption keys, saving countless hours that previously may have been lost to human error. It integrates with all major POS systems and enables theatre managers to oversee an entire complex from one screen and -- with the click of a mouse -- troubleshoot and solve problems instantly.
The FilmStore digital cinema playback solution offers exhibitors a premium, easy-to-use, software-based SMS with flexible choices in capability, servers and configuration for new installations, upgrades or replacements. The “FilmStore 3: Series II Media Player” is the only certified software solution on the market that is hardware agnostic, while the “FilmStore 4: Series I Extension” provides a low-cost migration path to a Series II projector via a simple configuration change.
To deliver the FilmStore SMS to theatres around the world in the quickest time possible, Hollywood Software has partnered with Dell to offer its clients a pre-configured system with pre-negotiated, proprietary pricing.
“Hollywood Software’s partnership with Dell has made ordering FilmStore systems an extremely simple, time-saving process,” said Justin Ribbons, CEO of Empire Cinemas. “It gives us great confidence to have the manufacturing and support of such a key component of our theatre operations handled by these two top notch companies.”
Eventually, FilmStore will be able to be ordered directly from Dell’s website and customized by the exhibitor to best meets its needs.
“As the industry continues to grow the size of the DCP, FilmStore provides us the flexibility to expand our storage to 8-50 TB,” said Andre Mort, Technical Director, Empire Cinemas. “With this level of capacity, we are able to store as many titles as we need, both for weekly schedules and important special events, like marathon screenings of all seven Star Wars films. When combined with TCC3’s automated content transfers, cues, and rules-based trailer packs, we can be confident that shows will start on time with little human interaction, even when we make last-minute schedule changes due to audience demand.”
“It’s been a pleasure to work with such a premier partner as Empire Cinemas,” said Larry McCourt, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Hollywood Software. “We are happy they see the benefits of our continued development in TCC3 and our newly launched FilmStore product. As the industry continues to change at an exceptional rate, we strive to stay ahead of the curve and provide our clients the tools they need to handle new challenges that come their way.”
