Regal
Entertainment Group Announces New Forms of Digital Cinema Access
May
10, 2011
Source: Regal Solutions
for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Blind Moviegoers
Regal Entertainment
Group announced plans to equip all digital cinema locations with personal captioning
and descriptive video technologies.
“We are thrilled that they have
chosen to partner with Captionfish as a resource for disseminating accessible
showtimes.” For years Regal has actively
worked with various technology companies and film distributors to create opportunities
to increase theatre access for deaf, hard of hearing and blind moviegoers. The
advent of digital cinema technology offers new opportunities to increase access
at all digitally equipped theatres and Regal expects to have practically all of
its theatres converted to digital cinema by the end of 2012.
In conjunction
with its digital cinema rollout, Regal has developed a strategy to also rollout
these adaptive technologies for widespread consumer use over the next 12 to 18
months. In addition, Regal has partnered with Captionfish which is the internet's
leading captioned movies search engine that finds open captioned, Rear Window®
captioned, foreign/subtitled and descriptively-narrated movies showing at theatres
across the United States.
“Regal once again has bolstered their
commitment to providing movies that are accessible to people with hearing and
vision loss. Regal was the first to provide a comprehensive website, advertised
show times, theatre manager training program and free screenings to deaf and hard
of hearing children.
"Regal has always been a strong advocate for
the deaf and hard of hearing and remains the most committed exhibitor in the U.S.
to support captioned programming and providing the deaf and hard of hearing community
access to feature films. This announcement demonstrates their continuing leadership
in accessible entertainment,” said Nanci Linke Ellis, of Captionfish.com.
Partner Brendan Gramer added, “We are thrilled that they have chosen to partner
with Captionfish as a resource for disseminating accessible showtimes.”
“After years of working to ensure that personal captioning solutions
would be available through digital cinema, as well as meet the needs and expectations
of the deaf, hard of hearing and blind, we are pleased to begin efforts now to
offer this access at theatres converted to the all-digital format,” stated
Randy Smith, Regal Entertainment Group, Chief Administrative Officer & Counsel.
“Regal is now ordering and, depending on product availability, will
be installing these new technologies at our fully digitized locations. Our intentions
are to offer captioning and descriptive video for every film that comes with such
content, at all show times, at every theatre equipped and to be equipped with
digital cinema systems over the next 12 to 18 months. By the end of 2012, almost
every Regal location nationwide will be fully equipped with digital cinema systems
and be further equipped to provide closed captions and descriptive video for our
deaf, hard of hearing and blind guests.”
Regal Entertainment Group
is grateful for the many years of aid, insight and support provided by numerous
individuals and advocates within the deaf, hard of hearing and blind communities.
While obstacles remain for some large format presentations, 3D films and
the limited availability of captioned film product from some studios, Regal is
eagerly entering a new era of unparalleled access for the deaf, hard of hearing
and blind.
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