TI DLP® Cinema installs digital movie screen at U.S. military base in Kuwait
The soldiers who were invited to the first "Hancock" showing were some of the most deserving people on the base. |
The U.S. military selected TI's DLP Cinema to install a digital projection system at Camp Arifjan, a staging area for troops going to and from the war in Iraq. It is the first digital movie screen at any military base in the world.
'A piece of home'
"We saw the opportunity, and we went ahead and jumped on it because we
really wanted to do something special for the troops," said Nancy Fares,
TI's DLP Cinema business manager, who was one of three employees who traveled
to Kuwait to oversee the project. "It was an opportunity to bring a piece
of home to the troops while they're in this very rough environment."
She said coordinating the installation in just two-and-a-half
months was challenging, but TI successfully worked
with its partners, its customers and the major Hollywood
studios to
pull the project off.
Working together
TI customer Christie Digital agreed to participate and install the digital projector; TI partner Doremi Labs provided the server required to run the movies. Fox, Disney, Sony and Paramount all agreed to provide digital movies. And so on June 27, Sony Pictures' movie "Hancock" premiered.
Camp Arifjan shows movies twice a week, and DLP Cinema is handling the logistics
of keeping the base stocked with current digital offerings.
Expansion plans
More than 6,500 movie screens around the world have projectors with TI's DLP technology. DLP Cinema's next goal is to install a digital projection system at the beginning of 2009 in the U.S. military theater in Baghdad.
The historic theater, which belonged to Saddam Hussein when he was in power, was damaged during the war. The Army has taken it over and rebuilt it, installing new carpet and other amenities for the troops.
Fares is proud that TI was able to bolster troop morale.
"Any time companies do something like this,
it just reminds the soldiers that they're not forgotten
by the people back home. I think that's important.
So we feel really good about having the opportunity
to make this small contribution to our troops." |
