January 26, 2023—Michelle Duncan has joined Flying Fish Exhibits as Lead Exhibition Manager. Prior to joining Flying Fish Exhibits, Michelle was at The Tech Interactive in San Jose from 2005-2020, in roles from console operator to IMAX Theater Operations Director, and she spent three years as Operations Manager for Merlin Entertainments from 2020-2023, opening the new Legoland Discovery Center Bay Area.
January 25, 2023—We regret to have to share the news that John Jacobsen died at his home in Marblehead, Massachusetts, on January 12, with his wife, Jeanie Stahl, by his side. John founded White Oak Associates, which led strategic planning initiatives for more than 100 museums. His museum career began in 1985 as Associate Director of the Boston Museum of Science, where, under the leadership of Dr. Roger Nichols, he executive produced the Museum’s $24 million Hall Wing and Mugar Omni Theater and oversaw the making of the popular IMAX short film New England Time Capsule. John and Jeanie later co-executive produced the IMAX film The Living Sea produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films.
January 17, 2023—MacGillivray Freeman Films is pleased to announce it has entered into a distribution deal with Museum Media to represent the company’s library of giant screen educational films in museum institutions and commercial venues across Europe. The agreement comes as MFF is looking to expand the market for its educational titles beyond traditional giant screen cinemas. Museum Media is led by Berend Reijnhoudt, who served as president of the giant screen theatre Omniversum in The Hague for two decades.
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anuary 12, 2023—It is with great sadness we share the news that Kathleen Kempf, wife of Don Kempf (Giant Screen Films/D3D Cinema), passed away on December 14 at the age of 55 after a four-year battle with breast cancer. Kathy was loving and devoted mother of Jack, Tommy, and Hank Kempf. She was also CFO at Giant Screen Films/D3D Cinema. Kathy attended a number of GSCA conferences before Jack, Tommy, and Hank were born and participated on the GSCA study trip to China in 2008.
January 12, 2023—Cosm, previously a lead investor in the computer vision SaaS firm C360, has just acquired the company outright to complement its own immersive and experiential technology. Pittsburgh-based C360 is the developer of PylonCam, an innovative video angle deployed during NFL and college broadcasts on ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC and CBS. The acquisition is expected to enhance Cosm’s D2C and VR offerings, which gained notoriety at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
January 5, 2023—The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History Omni Theater will reopen with a Cosm giant LED screen. The theater has been closed since March 2020. The $20.3 million project also includes an extensive renovation of the theater lobby. The museum hopes to begin construction in early 2023.
December 19, 2022—Cincinnati Museum Center’s Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater has been a staple of museum visits and field trips for over three decades, taking viewers to the farthest reaches of the universe, beneath the waves of the sea, across pristine natural landscapes, to the edge of smoldering volcanoes and hundreds of places in between. The OMNIMAX® Theater has dazzled millions and, this week, welcomed Jett, its nine millionth viewer.
December 15, 2022—The Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA) is pleased to announce its Board of Directors has approved a new strategic plan and elected officers and committee chairs for the coming year. These officers and committee chairs represent the 2023 Board, which was announced in November, and their terms begin on January 1, 2023. The GSCA Board of Directors has also approved a new strategic plan, which includes a committee realignment.
December 12, 2022—The Hemisfèric, part of the cultural and scientific complex at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain, recently installed a Christie® CP4450-RGB pure laser cinema projector in its main theatre—the biggest of its kind in Spain, with a concave dome screen covering 900 square meters (9687 square feet) and 24 meters (79 feet) in diameter. Christie’s partner Ingevideo installed the projector.
December 6, 2022—Legend of the Enchanted Reef is now available for IMAX® and Giant Screen Theaters. Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the site of the IMAX® Laser premiere for the show. Legend of the Enchanted Reef will premiere on Saturday, December 17, 2022, in the MODS AutoNation® IMAX® Theater. The show is distributed by Reef Distribution.