Access For Sight Impaired ConsumersAccess For Sight Impaired ConsumersIn response to our recent inquiry directed to Cinaplex Entertainment regarding the reduced number of motion pictures offering descriptive video service (DVS) and rear window captioning (RWC), we received the following reply from Mr. Ellis Jacob - President & CEO of Cinaplex Entertainment. We shall continue to follow-up as their evaluation of new digital technology progresses. We will work with and encourage them to develop a strategy and timeframe that will upgrade these services into all their Canadian theatres as promptly as possible.
Text of Mr. Jacob's letter:
November 29, 2011
Mr. Rob Sleath
Chair, Access for Sight-Impaired Consumers
75 - 6600 Lucas Road
Richmond, BC V7C 4T1
Dear Mr. Sleath:
Thank you for your letter to Cineplex Entertainment regarding services for the visually and hearing impaired.
As you are aware, the global movie industry has embarked upon a tremendous change in the way that movies are exhibited. With the development of digital movie technology, 35mm films are becoming obsolete as motion picture exhibitors around the world are in the midst of an exciting transition to new digital projection technologies. Although our traditional RWCDVS systems are not compatible with digital projection, senior executives at Cineplex have been working for a number of years with numerous organizations to help develop new digitally-compatible captioning and description technologies that can provide higher quality and more coverage than we were able to provide with RWC/DVS. While it has taken several years and a significant amount of work, these efforts have paid off and we are proud to now be able to provide our guests with the new CaptiView captioning systems for the hearing impaired; we will also soon be able to provide Fidelio, described video technology, to our guests who are visually impaired.
At the present time, Capti View is being installed as we convert our theatres to digital technology. You mentioned two specific Vancouver theatres in your letter, both of which were recently converted to full digital projection. The CaptiView system was installed some time ago in every auditorium at Scotiabank Vancouver and was very recently installed in every auditorium in the Colossus Langley. In addition, all auditoriums in the Silver City Riverport are also equipped with CaptiView. As such, any movie that is provided to Cineplex in a captioned format may be viewed with Capti View at these theatres. Of course, if a studio does not provide captioning for a title, a guest cannot view captions no matter what technology exists in Cineplex theatres. We therefore continue to encourage all studios to provide the maximum accessibility for all titles. All other theatres in the Vancouver area will receive the Capti View upgrade after their respective digital conversion, and based on availability of the captioning systems. Our expectation is that the conversion and upgrades will be completed within 18 months.
Fidelio, while it has been developed, it is not yet commercially available. However, our digital projectors are equipped to operate this technology; as soon as we receive the Fidelio systems, we will immediately start offering described video services in select theatres. While we do not know exactly when this system will be available to us, the manufacturers have advised us that we should receive it in the early months of 2012. As with all new technologies, we will initially install the system in one theatre close to our home office such that we can develop the necessary training materials in order to efficiently and effectively roll the technology out to other locations.
As such, we are very pleased with the recent developments with both CaptiView and Fidelio. With the planned installations, Cineplex will be able to provide guests who are hearing or visually impaired with more and better viewing options than ever before. The new systems allow for the ability to sit in any seat in an auditorium and, more importantly, the new technology will allow Cineplex to provide these services in all auditoriums within the theatre, giving theatregoers a greater opportunity to enjoy captioned and described movies. As Cineplex replaces its existing 35mm film projection systems with digital technology, CaptiView (and Fidelio, when available) will be installed in most of our 130 theatres across Canada.
Our goal was to find a solution for our guests that would apply to all auditoriums such that if the studio has captioned or described a movie, we will be able to present it in that accessible format. We are pleased we have been able to achieve this result. Titles that are available from the studios in an accessible format are identified at Cinaplex Entertainment (specifically, at Cinaplex Entertainment/DVS/RWC at the current time). Please feel free to direct your constituency to our website for information about their local theatre.
Best Regards,
Ellis Jacob
cc: Pat Marshall, Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations