TECHNOLOGY
of VR headsets in the home being slower to take off than anticipated .
It certainly appears that confidence in the VR and cinema combination is high , with IMAX already joining forces with the likes of Warner Brothers , Twentieth Century Fox , Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Steven Spielberg to invest in new ventures .
The day job While IMAX continues to explore the potential of VR in diversifying its revenue streams , the bolstering of the company ’ s theatre network across Europe and Africa is still Dolci ’ s primary objective .
“ Europe in particular looks positive for us ,” he says . “ This year alone we have signed agreements for 33 new venues , already 50 % more than the whole of 2016 . There is a stronger appetite than ever for premium cinema experiences and we will continue to push on this momentum .”
And there is no reason why this rapid expansion cannot be maintained in the short to mediumterm , as markets such as France and Germany remain underpenetrated in the premium cinema space . Last year , IMAX signed an
“ There is a stronger appetite than ever for premium cinema experiences and we will continue to push on this momentum ”
- Giovanni Dolci
Vice President of Theatre Development and MD for Europe and Africa , IMAX
agreement with exhibition group Pathé , a move that has allowed it to more than double its theatre network across France . Another 25 theatres have been secured in a deal with AMC ’ s Odeon Group , further extending IMAX ’ s footprint across the UK , Germany , Italy , Spain and the Nordics .
Africa represents an equally exciting , albeit different , series of opportunities .
“ The emerging markets pose different challenges and opportunities , not least because of the difference
30 October 2017