IMAGICA Corporation Recognized with Academy Sci-Tech Award

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) namedIMAGICA CORP. to receive an Academy Plaque for a Scientific andEngineering Award on the strengths of its Multi-Format Optical WetgatePrinter.

On Jan. 4, AMPAS named Makoto Tsukada, Shoji Kaneko and theTechnical Staff of IMAGICA CORP., along with Daijiro Fujie of NikonCorp., for "engineering excellence and the impact on the motion pictureindustry of the IMAGICA 65/35 Multi-Format Optical Printer...Thisliquid-gate optical printer offers ease of set-up and change-over tovarious formats from 35mm to 65mm with both additive and subtractivelamp houses."

IMAGICA's first Multi-Format Wetgate Optical Printer was built atthe IMAGICA CORP. Tokyo facility in the early 1980s. It wassubsequently modified and enhanced, and a second version installed in1992 at IMAGICA USA INC., Los Angeles. Establishing the second printerin Los Angeles, the center of the film industry, has helped bring newvitality to the "large format" or "giant screen" niche of the filmbusiness. By making it possible to create quality conversions of filmsin multiple 65mm formats, the printer has stimulated growth anddiversity in this area, enlarging the potential distribution market foreach film and supporting a wider variety of theater systems.

"Ten years ago, it was extremely difficult to obtain a large formatprint in anything except 15/70," explains Christopher Reyna, presidentof IMAGICA USA INC. " Theaters with 8/70 systems had an especially hardtime getting launched, because they couldn't get films. The onlyquality format conversion services were at IMAGICA CORP. in Tokyo. Itwas hard for the industry to move ahead. Bringing the optical wetgateprinter to Los Angeles changed all that. Today, most major large formatfilms are released in 8/70 and 10/70 as well as 15/70."

Reyna adds, "This award-winning optical wetgate printer is the oneDisney chose to create both the 8/70 and the 15/70-dome conversions ofBeauty and The Beast, which opened in 100 large format theatersaround the world Jan. 1. That's a fundamental change from what Disneydid with the large format release of Fantasia/2000, two yearsearlier. Fantasia was released in 15/70 only. It showed in 75theaters. In the time since then, 8/70 format has become much morepopular, especially with commercial exhibitors. Producers anddistributors realize they're leaving money on the table if they don'tcross-platform their films. Considering that the number of large formattheaters worldwide is about 300, an increase of 25 theaters isextremely significant."

Reyna first became involved with IMAGICA CORP. in 1986, when heworked with the company in Tokyo to convert the film Chronos. Itwas the first cross-printing of a large format film from 15/70 to8/70.

Makoto Tsukada and Shoji Kaneko of IMAGICA CORP., Christopher Reynaof IMAGICA USA INC., and Daijiro Fujie of Nikon Corp. will be presentto receive the award at a black-tie ceremony on Sat., March 2 at theBeverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

The official AMPAS press release may be viewed at the followinglink: www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/02.01.07.