IMAX携手韩国同行 于中韩两国影院增设巨幕

IMAX Corp. and its South Korean partner plan to add 30 IMAX movie screens in China and five in South Korea.

巨幕电影公司IMAX Corp.与其韩国合作伙伴打算在中国增设30块IMAX电影银幕，在韩国增设五块。

The expansion, to be announced in coming days, is aimed at capitalizing on rising entertainment spending by the Chinese middle class and demand for the immersive high-resolution technology in Korea, IMAX Chief Executive Richard Gelfond said.

这个扩张计划将在几天后宣布。IMAX公司首席执行长盖尔方德(Richard Gelfond)说，中国中产阶级不断增加娱乐开支，而韩国对于影像效果逼真的高清技术也有着越来越大的需求，该计划就是看中了以上这两点。

The project is a joint venture with the overseas business arm of South Korea's largest theater chain, CJ CGV Co.

这个项目将由IMAX公司与韩国最大的影院连锁企业CJ CGV Co.的海外业务公司共同完成。

The deal will bring the number of IMAX screens scheduled for construction in China to 140 and in South Korea to 10. There were 118 IMAX screens in operation in China and 12 in South Korea at the end of March.

该项目将使中国内地IMAX银幕拟建数量增至140块，韩国的IMAX银幕拟建数量增至10块。截至今年3月底，中国投入运营的IMAX银幕共计118块，韩国共计12块。

'What IMAX is doing is following the audience around the world,' Mr. Gelfond said.

盖尔方德说，IMAX公司做的就是在世界各地追随观众的脚步。

China is the world's second-largest movie market by box-office revenue and number of screens, behind the U.S. China is expected to eclipse North America by both measures by 2020, according to Ernst & Young.

中国是按票房收入和银幕数量衡量全球第二大电影市场，仅次于美国。安永(Ernst & Young)预计，到2020年，中国将在票房收入和银幕数量方面双双超过北美市场。

In a boost to IMAX, the Chinese government last year eased restrictions on foreign movies to allow the release of 14 additional enhanced-format foreign films, such as 3-D and IMAX, beyond the previous limit of 20 a year.

中国政府去年放宽了对外国电影的限制，在此前每年引进20部外国电影的基础上，再增加引进14部高清格式的外国电影，如3-D和IMAX影片。此举支持了IMAX在中国的发展。

Since 2010, 10 Chinese features have been released on IMAX. Three have opened in theaters this year, including the fantasy-epic 'Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons,' which became one of the highest-grossing domestic releases in Chinese history. Four more IMAX releases are planned, the Canada-based company said.

2010年以来，中国已推出10部IMAX影片。今年中国已有三部本土IMAX影片上映，其中包括票房收入最高的国产电影之一、魔幻大片《西游•降魔篇》(Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons)。总部位于加拿大的IMAX公司说，中国计划再拍四部IMAX电影。

Unlike in more mature Western markets, where some moviegoers resist the higher price for IMAX films, the Chinese audience is used to choosing between different cinema experiences, Mr. Gelfond said. A movie ticket in China can range from $3 to $16, with IMAX screens at the top of the scale.

在更为成熟的西方市场，一些观影者会抵制票价较高的IMAX影片。盖尔方德说，与西方观众不同的是，中国观众习惯选择不同的观影体验。在中国，一张电影票的价格可介于3美元至16美元之间，IMAX影片属于票价最贵的。

'We are building on our success with IMAX, which continues to generate incremental attendance and revenue to our complexes,' said CJ CGV Chief Executive Seo Jung.

CJ CGV首席执行长Seo Jung说：来我们影院观看IMAX大片的人不断增多，使我们的收入不断增加，我们正打算借助IMAX的成功更上一层楼。

IMAX screens are in 53 countries and the company reported $700 million in box-office sales last year. Its profit rose to $41.3 million last year from $15.3 million a year earlier.

如今，世界上共有53个国家有IMAX银幕。IMAX公司称，巨幕电影去年实现了7亿美元的票房收入。该公司的利润从2011年的1,530万美元增至去年的4,130万美元。

An abbreviation for Image Maximum, IMAX was developed in the 1960s to display a larger, higher-resolution motion picture than standard movies by using larger film. Bulky and expensive, IMAX remained a niche market, mostly for documentaries in a few special theaters, making Hollywood studios unwilling to release commercial features with the format.

IMAX是Image Maximum（图像最大化）的缩写。该技术出现于上世纪60年代，通过使用规格较大的胶片，投放出比一般电影更大也更清晰的影像。IMAX银幕体积庞大，造价昂贵，原本一直是个小众市场，只有几个特殊影院才有，而且多为放映纪录片。因此，好莱坞(Hollywood)电影公司曾一直不愿发行IMAX商业影片。

After the company unveiled a digital remastering process to refit conventional films into IMAX about a decade ago, the technology became a darling for blockbusters. Multiplexes began showing IMAX films, promising a premium experience at a higher price.

大约10年前，IMAX公司推出了数字母带重制技术，可将传统影片转换为IMAX格式。此后，该技术成为大片的“宠儿”。多映厅影院开始放映IMAX电影，并向观众承诺，此类影片票价虽高，但物有所值。