Hollywood—Feb 5, 2008
Santikos Theatres Joins Kodak Digital Cinema Family
Innovative Kodak system powers and automates twenty-seven screens in Texas circuit’s movie complexes
Kodak announced today that it 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 9 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 Richard Cieplechowicz, director of business development for the circuit. “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 Chris Simpson, Kodak Digital Cinema director of sales for North America. “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.
In addition to providing installation, Kodak is 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.”
“Since Luis Santikos, the father of our current owner, built one of the first nickelodeons in Texas almost a century ago, we’ve established a strong reputation in cinema entertainment,” said Cieplechowicz. “But through all that time, Kodak’s been a leader, also. Their film has been in our booths since the beginning; now it’s time to take the next step together -- into the digital world.”
The Santikos Theatre brand is well-known for its quality presentations and respected as the largest locally-owned and operated theatre circuit in San Antonio. With 114 screens in 8 sites, the company is now expanding into other major cities in Texas.
Currently, Kodak Digital Cinema systems are installed on 2000 screens with 40 exhibition chains in more than 260 sites in 14 countries. Nearly 140 of those systems are playing digital features on a regular basis and a third of those are also playing 3D content.
