Growing Digital Dome Cinema Market is Focus of IMERSA 2012 Summit, Feb. 3-5 in Denver

The 2012 IMERSA Summit is set to take place February 3-5, 2012 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS). "Lessons from our past, visualizing our future: winning solutions for the digital dome" is the theme.

The two-and-a-half-day Summit is organized by IMERSA (Immersive Media, Entertainment, Research, Science, and Arts) - a nonprofit trade group formed in 2008 to boost the adoption and creative application of the digital dome and other immersive media formats. Registration opens mid-November 2011 at IMERSA.org. Attendance will be limited to the capacity of the Gates Planetarium dome theatre (about 120) at DMNS.

"Because of digital technology, multiple industry sectors are converging, and we have a lot to talk about on the creative side, technology side and the business side," says IMERSA co-founder Dan Neafus, who is director of the Gates Planetarium. "Everyone wants to see more viable business models for production, distribution and exhibition. This summit will be a conversation to share the wisdom, look at what works, what needs to be done differently, what tools exist and what tools need to be developed or improved -- and move forward."

"We're working to develop standards and specifications and deal with what is called 'pixel envy,'" says IMERSA co-founder Ed Lantz, of Vortex Immersion. "Fulldome is pretty far along in terms of animation content, but mainstream filmmakers are eager to see better options for live action photography."

"When it comes to image acquisition, there are tricks for capturing material in a way that not only optimizes the special projection environment in the dome, but that can maximize the opportunities for cross-platform distribution," observes Ryan Wyatt, IMERSA co-founder and director of Morrison Planetarium and Science Visualization for the California Academy of Sciences.

People and companies active or aspiring to be active in special venue cinema, mainstream cinema, planetariums, science centers, and themed entertainment will come together at the IMERSA Summit for a conversation about successful approaches for acquisition, workflow, distribution, and exhibition. There will be fulldome film screenings in the Gates Planetarium, keynote speakers, panels, workshops, vendor presentations, and special achievement recognition.

An optional Fulldome 101 educational session (separate registration; limit 20) will take place on February 3. There is also an optional post-summit ski trip on February 5-7.