Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISBerlinale 2013 Once Again Makes Use of Fraunhofer IIS’s Digital Film Format Know-How
February 7 saw the curtain rise once more on what is now the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival, which has brought together filmmakers from all around the world to show 890 films across a variety of categories to 250 000 film lovers. For the second time Fraunhofer IIS is the go-to technical expert, as the global tally of digital cinemas rises, more and more festival entries are being submitted in the digital cinema film format. However, for smaller production companies in particular, producing these digital cinema packages (DCPs) is no easy task. To help, scientists from Fraunhofer IIS are putting their expertise at the Berlinale’s disposal to assist in technical quality control, so that every submission can enjoy its moment of glory up on the big screen.
Experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen were involved in the 2012 Berlinale as well, helping the festival’s technical team behind the scenes to ensure that all the technology worked without a hitch, and this successful collaboration between the Berlinale and Fraunhofer IIS is now continuing in 2013. Fraunhofer experts have been on hand since the start of the international film festival to offer immediate help in the event of any problems with the digital cinema packages, to correct any errors, and to get films ready to be shown to their eager audiences.
The international film festival – a formidable challenge
“We’re very pleased that this year we are once again putting our specialist know-how to good effect for one of the landmark international film festivals of 2013,” stresses Heiko Sparenberg, head of the Digital Cinema group at Fraunhofer IIS. “This chance to work with filmmakers is extremely important to us, as it allows us to learn in even more detail exactly what the film industry wants and needs, especially for film festivals, and to make sure these requirements carry over into our work developing the necessary technologies.”
Fraunhofer IIS – a trusted partner of the the film industry
Fraunhofer IIS was commissioned by Digital Cinema Initiatives DCI, a joint venture of the Hollywood studios Majors Fox, Sony, Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. Entertainment GmbH, to produce an initial compliance test plan for digital cinema systems.