Welcome to the first D3D Newsletter of 2024! We’ve wrapped up a busy 2023 and are highlighting our latest exciting updates related to film production, theater installations and new technology!
CINÉFOLIO NEWS: Q4 DEALS EXPAND NETWORK
D3D welcomes four new members to the popular Cinéfolio platform, its turnkey hardware financing and content/service subscription.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
NHM, a longtime Cinéfolio client at the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, has selected D3D as its cinema integration and content partner for a 400-seat theater in the natural history museum’s new west wing – the Commons (opening Q3, 2024). The venue launch will feature a signature version of the T. rex film, customized to tell the story of the museum’s iconic Thomas specimen.
“Year over year D3D has offered premium technology, support and content, a relationship that dates back over a decade at the Tar Pits. We’re excited to expand our partnership into the Commons and to co-produce a film on Thomas, highlighting our gallery and tyrannosaur growth series. Signature films are a home run, and Cinéfolio offers programs that can align with just about every exhibition.”
– Mara Naiditch, Assistant Vice President of Marketing
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Auckland, New Zealand’s premiere culture/natural history museum opened their new Cinéfolio theater prior to the holidays. The initial pop-up venue is hosted in a traveling exhibition before moving to its permanent home in Q1. The subscription launched with Museum Alive and Dinosaurs of Antarctica and will feature T. rex beginning in Q2.
“We were attracted to Cinéfolio for three primary reasons: the ability to enter the cinema business without a capital investment, D3D’s track record amplifying revenues for museums, and the upcoming T. rex film. Having just completed a blockbuster – precedent-shattering – exhibition featuring T. rex, we know full well the power of this animal to drive attendance to record highs!”
– Tim Hart, Chief Operations Officer
Adventure Aquarium
Philadelphia’s popular aquarium in Camden has joined D3D’s Cinéfolio family. Formerly a 4D venue, film programming will feature content aimed at young and family audiences, drawing from D3D’s extensive ocean film portfolio.
“D3D continues to be a great technology partner. The move from 4D to 3D – and featuring a DCI-compliant projection system – has really opened the door to more versatile programming, including the deep bench of content from the Cinéfolio platform.”
– Rebecca Kalitz, Director of Finance
IMAG History & Science Center
The Ft. Myers-based museum has selected D3D to furnish a DCI cinema system upgrade, manage support and provide content through the Cinéfolio subscription.
“Our plan was to revitalize an aging auditorium with the latest in 3D cinema technology, offering IMAG’s visitors with a wider selection of film content. D3D’s specializes in such retrofits, and the quality of our theater experience is now top tier. I encourage anyone with an aging or underutilized museum space to consider Cinéfolio.”
– Matthew Johnson, Executive Director
EXPLORE CINÉFOLIO
PRODUCTION NEWS: T. REX ANTICIPATION BUILDS
Enthusiasm for D3D/GSF’s upcoming T. rex film roars to new heights as museum theater teams plan for a blockbuster summer run. The film was ranked the number one most anticipated coming soon project by museum industry buyers at the Giant Screen Cinema Association’s fall conference. Pre-leases are on track for T. rex to launch in over 100 cities in 2024.
Principal photography is complete, editing and CGI animation is underway. Visit the COMING SOON project site for more information and a sneak peek at behind-the-scenes updates. www.trex-film.com
Contact D3D for leasing information.
“GSF’s dinosaur shows are always a hit. When this team announced that they were bringing T. rex to giant screens, count us in!”
Richard Morrison, Acting Director, Commercial Operations, Museums Victoria
“A primal prehistoric predator (of prodigious proportions), T. rex will evoke wide-eyed amazement from all!”
Joel A. Bartsch, President and CEO, Houston Museum of Natural Science
“Having been privy to a bit of behind-the-scenes intel, the on-camera discovery captured for this film is beyond exciting!”
Amanda Bennett, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Denver Museum of Nature & Science
“We’re proud to be a partner on this epic film. You just can’t ask for a bigger topic.”
Dave Duszynski, President, Mercury Museum Services, Cincinnati Museum Center
“This movie is going to be a can’t-miss!”
Sharlene Argyres, COO, New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation
BIRDLY NEWS: INTRODUCING BIRDLY WORLD POWERED BY GOOGLE EARTH
D3D and Somniacs are thrilled to present BIRDLY WORLD, a game-changing experience for the groundbreaking Birdly flight simulator platform. The new feature combines the power of Google Earth VR with the coolest, most buzz-worthy game controller on the planet. Flyers can now drop a pin anywhere on Earth, set the time of day, and experience the exhilaration of free-flying through 3D twinned cities, world wonders, nature destinations or their own backyard.
Built on the intuitive biomechanics of winged flight, Birdly World unlocks custom graphics and gamified features, such as scavenger hunts, infographics, multiplayer modes and Easter Eggs, like in-game portals to new worlds and micro-experiences as alternate avatars. Representing a culmination of years of R&D, Birdly World takes location-based flight simulator experiences to new heights.
WATCH TRAILER
“When D3D partnered with Somniacs to launch the Birdly experience into museums, nearly seven years ago, we knew full well that the true power of the platform would come to bear when the entirety of the planet was available to explore – every city, every museum’s home turf,” said Don Kempf, President of D3D Cinema. “At last, Birdly World, powered by Google Earth, delivers on the promise of the full Birdly experience. Couple this with the rich and gamified portfolio already available on the platform – Jurassic Flight, Manta Dive, Butterfly, Wingsuit Racer, and more – and Birdly offers the most fun full-body sim on the market.
“The opportunities for Birdly World in the edu-tainment arena are boundless, both for mission programming and private events,” added Mark Katz, Senior Vice President of Distribution. “It’s excellent for exhibit pairings – any topic – world cultures, natural wonders, Egypt, Greece, Pompeii, Mayans, etc. The portability of Birdly allows for offsite promotions – like tradeshows or festivals – to drive traffic and generate tremendous word of mouth. The experience is highly sponsorable, highly customizable. In short, Birdly has always been a special location-based platform…but Birdly World is a whole new ballgame.”
Contact D3D for a customized gameplay sizzle-reel featuring a flight around your city or institution, or to learn more about the technology, operations, user interface, integrated social media tools and terms for rental, lease or purchase.
ABOUT BIRDLY
Birdly is a synthesis of haptic engineering, robotics, game design, bio-mechanics, and virtual reality. Unlike the side-effects of conventional VR, Birdly eliminates the nauseating sensory disconnect by taking the rider’s body on the journey in perfect visual, acoustic and gravitational synchronicity. In short, Birdly offers museums an exhilarating, Instagram-friendly, buzzy, revenue-generating attraction, a novel and experiential approach to science storytelling.
“MIND-BLOWING”
Darren Durocher, TELUS World of Science
“A GAME CHANGER”
Mara Naiditch, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
“AN AMAZING CROWD-PLEASER… A HOME RUN”
Stephanie Ratcliffe, The Wild Center
“THE BEST SIM ON THE WORLD’S COOLEST CONTROLLER”
Joel Locket, Moody Gardens Aquarium & Convention Center
“BIRDLY IS MONEY, PURE AND SIMPLE”
Megan Williams, The Field Museum
Contact D3D for a customized gameplay sizzle-reel featuring a flight around your city or institution, or to learn more about the technology, operations, user interface, integrated social media tools and terms for rental, lease or purchase.
SNAPSHOTS:
IN MEMORIAM: JUDE LEAK TRIBUTE
The team at GSF is deeply sorry to share the news that our friend and creative collaborator, Jude Leak, passed away in September of 2023. Jude was an award-winning editor who brought her incredible storytelling instincts to our prehistoric productions.
Jude’s gift for narrative helped our team create science adventures that span the globe and travel through deep time, seamlessly connecting the work of modern researchers to stories of Earth’s incredible ancient inhabitants. She had a natural understanding of how to build exciting stories capturing the wonder of discovery and revealing the process of science.
“Jude could often create clever juxtapositions and find nuggets of revealing footage that we had overlooked or never thought of,” said director Dave Clark. “So much of the creative process happens in the editing room and Jude exceeded our expectations every time.”
“It was always a real joy to work with Jude,” said producer Andy Wood. “We loved spending time in her studio in Chicago, where we worked hard and had a lot of good laughs. We are so grateful to have known her as a colleague and a friend.”
DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA AWARDED ‘BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN’
Dinosaurs of Antarctica won “Best Marketing Campaign by a Distributor” at the fall GSCA conference. The campaign was an innovative initiative to maintain theater visibility with key audiences throughout the pandemic, laying the groundwork for strong attendance for the film’s theatrical relaunch, all thanks to generous support from the National Science Foundation.
CINÉFOLIO ADDS JANE GOODALL: REASONS FOR HOPE FROM COSMIC PICTURE
D3D is proud to announce the addition of Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope from Cosmic Picture to the Cinéfolio content library! Drawing on decades of work by the world’s most famous living ethologist and environmentalist, Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope, is an uplifting journey around the globe to highlight good news stories that will inspire people to make a difference in the world around them.
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