Alama Drafthouse Cinema At Westlakes Expands Digital Roll-out In San Antonio, Texas
Conversion of all 9 screens for a State-of-the-Art Facility to Enhance Every Aspect of the Movie-Going Experience
San Antonio, Texas, July 12, 2011 -- Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas San Antonio is unveiling their digital conversion when it premieres of one of this summer’s most anticipated 3D blockbusters, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” as part of the movie’s nationwide release. The latest installment of the successful movie franchise opens with a midnight screening on July 14, and the innovative exhibitor is celebrating the event with a Harry Potter marathon, showing the previous seven films starting at 6am and leading right up to the premiere of the new movie at midnight.
This digital upgrade at the Alamo franchise location in San Antonio continues the exhibitor’s emphasis on providing a range of amenities such as award winning food, extensive beer selection and world renowned pre-show programming. It will also feature cutting edge technology including Sony’s 4K digital cinema projection technology on each of its nine screens, the first theater in San Antonio to do so.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas is well-known for its inventive alternative content events and rare film programming as well as showcasing first run films. Its latest efforts with the Harry Potter movies is just one more example of how digital technology can broaden a theater’s range of programming options and deliver a unique out-of-home entertainment experience for consumers.
Liz Burt, Director of Sales and Marketing for the San Antonio market, says “We are excited to launch the best film presentation our industry has to offer. We know our loyal customer base will love the advancements that have been made.”
“Sony’s unique 4K technology is an example of how digital technology is allowing exhibitors more flexibility in promoting movies, like the Harry Potter franchise,” said Andrew Stucker, National Account Manager for Sony’s Digital Cinema Solutions Group. “Movie goers will have every detail brought to life as part of an extremely vivid and immersive entertainment experience.”
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is dinner, drinks, movies and events, all under one roof. Brand expansion has been a key growth strategy for Alamo Drafthouse Cinema since Brandon Arceneaux and Chris Hoegemeyer brought the concept to San Antonio in 2004. Opening the Westlakes 9 screen location first, the company has grown to three theatres in San Antonio, the most recent opening in Stone Oak this past November.
“We could not be happier with how well the San Antonio community has embraced Alamo Drafthouse, and what our concept has to offer,” says co-owner Brandon Arceneaux.
About Alamo:
The Alamo Drafthouse is a lifestyle entertainment brand with an acclaimed cinema-eatery, the largest genre film festival in the United Sates and an online collectible art store. Named “the best theater in America” by Entertainment Weekly, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has built a reputation as a movie lover’s oasis not only by combining food and drink service with the movie-going experience, but also introducing unique programming and high-profile, star studded special events. Alamo Drafthouse Founder & CEO, Tim League, created Fantastic Fest, a world renowned film festival dubbed “The Geek Telluride” by Variety. Also regarded as the “Comic Con of film festivals” Fantastic Fest showcases eight days of offbeat cinema from independents, international filmmakers and major Hollywood Studios. The Alamo Drafthouse’s collectible art boutique, Mondo, offers breathtaking, original products featuring designs from world-famous artists based on licenses for popular TV and Movie properties including Star Wars, Star Trek & Universal Monsters. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is expanding its brand in new and exciting ways, including the launch of Drafthouse Films, a new film distribution label and plans to extend its theaters and unique programming philosophy to additional markets across the United States. More information about Alamo Drafthouse franchise opportunities are available on the official website.
Alamo Drafthouse – http://www.drafthouse.com
Fantastic Fest -- http://www.fantasticfest.com/
Mondo -- http://www.mondotees.com/
About Sony Electronics Digital Cinema Solutions
Sony Digital Cinema Solutions group combines a full range of Sony technologies, purchasing options, alternative content offerings, training and service to provide a broad range of solutions for exhibitors. The world’s only manufacturer of commercially available 4K resolution digital cinema projection systems, the group also offers (projectors and media blocks); central servers; Sony TMS (theater management system); digital signage hardware, software and content development; security systems and Network Operations Center (NOC) services for the exhibition community. For more information, visit www.sony.com/digitalcinema.
I CLOSELY watch Sony (an end to end S3D company) AND the Alamo chain as I think they both represent the future of movie exhibition. Stay tuned for more whenever I get it...
