Company: NEC Corporation of America, Santa Clara, California
Entered by: Spark PR
Company Description: NEC Corporation of America is a leading technology provider of network, IT and visual display solutions. NEC is the North American subsidiary of NEC Corporation a Global 200, which delivers technology and professional services ranging from server and storage solutions, digital presentation, biometric security, optical network, radio communications and IP voice and data solutions.
Nomination Category: Company, Office & Product Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best New Product or Service

Nomination Title: NEC’s Digital DLP Cinema® Projector, STARUS™ NC2500S

1. Tell the story about this nominated product or service (up to 500 words). Describe its function, features, benefits, and sales to date. You may include hyperlinks to product photos and data sheets. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

Mann's Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California has been an
institution among the Hollywood elite since 1927. World-famous for the time-
honored tradition of celebrities leaving their foot and hand impressions on the
theatre's courtyard, this world-class theatre has hosted countless world movie
premieres.

With a heritage of leading technological advancements, Grauman's is among the
first in the world to install the NEC STARUS Digital Cinema projection system.
Its new projector now enables the theatre to deliver crystal clear images, and
ultimately the best possible movie-viewing experience for its audiences. A
revolution to deliver brilliant images is taking place inside the film
industry, and NEC is leading the charge.

Leveraging NEC’s world-class expertise in visual display products,
infrastructure and integration services, NEC’s Digital Cinema Division develops
and markets specialized, system-wide solutions for the delivery and management
of digital content. By combining the expertise of movie-making professionals
with the technological innovation of NEC, they are creating practical digital
cinema solutions, including the STARUS NC2500S -- the world’s brightest DLP
Cinema projector.

The Fox Theatre with a legacy of being one of the few Hollywood industry
premiere theatres on the East Coast, selected NEC’s NC2500S to digitally
display their movies. Ideal for the largest screens (currently tested up to 82
feet wide), this projector was the perfect solution for the 55-foot wide
screen. The Fox unveiled NEC’s projector, meeting the June 2006 deadline for
the premiere screening of “The Chronicles of Narnia.” The projector wowed the
audience with eye-popping imagery that received a standing ovation from the
exclusive crowd of invited guests.

Not only does the STARUS NC2500S provide indoor theatres with the ability to
display stunning images and colors on larger screens, but for the 406 surviving
drive-in theatres in the US, the brightest projection will enable their
survival. The popularity of drive-ins is rising as nostalgia for a slice of
American Pie takes over. Since the 1990s, 36 drive-ins have been built and 60
shuttered drive-ins have been reopened, however, they have always had trouble
getting a bright enough image on the screen because if the projector’s bulb is
too bright, it can burn through the film. NEC’s NC2500S not only projects onto
the largest screens with an evenly illuminated, high-contrast image, but it is
also the brightest digital projector available, thus enabling the survival of
drive-ins. 

The hottest film industry topic right now, however, is 3D. It appears 3D is set
to become the new format in Hollywood by 2009, but has already made waves with
the demand for feature length 3D movies such as “Chicken Little.” Digital
cinema is an enabling technology for 3D but only the brightest projectors can
provide the technology because 3D systems shift light and cut output by 50%.
The more light put into the display, results in the brightest picture after the
3D process. Theatre owners will look to NEC’s NC2500S to provide the brightest
picture and enable a smooth and easy transition to 3D as the industry prepares
for its widespread rollout.

2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, product reviews, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

NEC’s Digital Cinema Website:
http://www.necam.com/DC/

STARUS Digital Cinema Website:
http://www.necam.com/DC/DCSolutions.cfm

Fox Theatre Case Study:
http://www.necam.com/DC/downloads/NEC_FOX%20Case%20Study_final.pdf

STARUS Digital Cinema Brochure:
http://www.necam.com/DC/downloads/STARUS_Brochure_Final.pdf

STARUS NC2500S JPEG Photo (front):
ftp://ftp.necam.com/HiRes/product/dc/NC2500s.jpg

STARUS NC2500S JPEG Photo (back):
ftp://ftp.necam.com/HiRes/product/dc/NC2500s2.jpg

STARUS NC2500S launch announcement (March 13, 2006):
http://www.necam.com/press/read.cfm?Press_ID=f08175ba-a6de-4d7b-b80c-7
8dc3a528f4d

What others are saying about NEC’s digital cinema projectors
http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/pr.aspx?newsID=656
http://www.necam.com/Press/InTheNews/FJI0906_DrivingDigital.pdf
http://www.uemedia.net/CPC/digitalcinemamag/articles/article_15227.shtml
http://www.boxoffice.com/bxoscr/getnewsstory.asp?ID=7771
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_7187.html

3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that developed this nominated product or service:

Kurt Schwenk, General Manager, Digital Cinema Division, is responsible for
pioneering NEC’s vision for integrated digital and electronic cinema services. 

As an industry visionary, Schwenk brings entertainment industry expertise,
including feature film, video, television, post-production, distribution,
international dubbing and subtitling.

His rich history of innovating digital and electronic cinema includes working
with legends in the business. Schwenk was director of THX Professional
Division, Lucasfilm, and vice president of film applications, Dolby
Laboratories. His experience also includes The Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros.,
QUALCOMM and MacroVision Corporation, reinforcing his leadership in the high-
tech and operations sectors of the entertainment industry.