CFG joins hands with Barco to digitalize Chinese cinema

Wim Buyens, Senior Vice President of Barco N.V. and General Manger of Barco Entertainment Division answers questions at a press conference for the launch of CFG Barco (Beijing) Electronics, a joint venture between Barco and China Film Group in Beijing on Aug 23, 2011. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

"This is Barco. Maybe you don't know, but Barco is all around you."

This was repeatedly played in Barco's promotional film prior to the opening ceremony at Hotel Kunlun in Beijing, and rightfully so. It was surprising to find out how much Barco enriched our lives. From traffic control to medical imaging, from LED used at the Beijing Olympic Games to screens behind broadcasters in TV newsrooms, and of course, behind the hard work that goes into digital film production, Barco is omnipresent around us, quietly (yet clearly and brilliantly) fulfilling our needs.

Films reflect cultures; they are also food for the artistic soul in all of us. Development in the film industry mirrors the development in the cultural industries. However, as a good story needs a good storyteller, an excellent script can easily go to waste without advanced technology to compliment it.

Barco has recently introduced Auro-3D, a next-generation 3D sound format for cinema. Its application will give audiences a more "real" sound experience and make them feel as if they were physically at the scene. Buyens' team is also working on better 3D technology. "For 3D movie showing, needing glasses is not what people like and is a limitation to the 3D technology." Getting rid of the spectacles is the "holy grail" that Buyens and his team are looking for.

"It's important for China to leapfrog," said Buyens. "China does not have a large installed base of 35mm compared to other regions in the world. Unlike the rest of the world that's busily converting from 35mm to digital, you are starting a new industry instead of converting an old industry to a new one. This is a unique opportunity to capture. And considering the size of China and its population, we see a large room for growth."

The strategic foresight of the government also plays an important role in this. "You have a government that plans, that thinks ahead, and makes Five-Year Plans to communicate its needs. China shows here a leading example." said Buyens.

Barco's mission is to make movie-going possible for everyone. Hopefully, this day comes sooner rather than later.