Media Release, 11 December 2012
Openair Cinema is going Digital
After running 35mm film on the biggest outdoor screen in New Zealand for the last nine years, Openair Cinema Ltd. has
decided to upgrade into the digital age: “We’ll be the first and only outdoor movie theatre in the country running
Digital Cinema outdoors”, says owner and manager Urs Bauer. The company was always first and above willing to go the
extra mile to deliver world-class outdoor film quality and after the abolishment of the old film format made every
effort to replace it with the ‘real deal’.
“A 2K Digital Cinema Projector (DCP) allows us to show the newest films as well as older ones on all different formats
such as Full HD”, explains Bauer. The company has opted out to screen in 3D, because “the outdoor experience is special
enough already, and the people want to enjoy the environment and the stars without having to take off their glasses all
the time.”
Nevertheless, the ‘old’ 35mm projector stays ready for the odd screening in that format. “There’s still a lot of film
around and we want to keep that option open.” Cinema enthusiasts don’t have to worry about the light, as it’s still
delivered through a Xenon bulb, which has that special, warm cinema light.
Openair Cinema has been delivering outdoor movies to New Zealand since 2004 and has screened films from Paihia to
Queenstown and many places in between. For the past five years the 100% Kiwi owned company initiated and supplied the
Movies by Moonlight for the North-Shore Council and the Movies in Parks for the Auckland City Council, as well as the
amalgamated Movies in Parks series for the Auckland Council,. Movies in Parks have been cancelled as a Region-wide event
this year, but the Councils Culture, Arts and Events forum has vowed to reinstate it into the 2014 budget.
ENDS